FOURTH D I VI SI ON

DOYLE, P. J.

, COOM ER and M A R KLE, JJ.

N O T IC E : M otions for r e c ons i de r a tion m us t be

ph y sic a l ly r e ce iv ed i n our c le r k ’s offic e w ithin te n

da y s of the da te of de c is ion to be de e m ed tim e ly file d.

http://w w w .ga a ppe a l s .us /r ule s

October 10, 2019



# I n th e Co u r t o f

A p p eals o f

G eo r g ia

A1 9 A1 46 4 . THE STATE v . O’ NEAL. DO-0 5 1 C

D O Y LE , Pres i d i n g J u d g e.

Th e St at e ap p eal s fro m t h e g ran t of W es l ey O’ Neal ’ s m o t i o n t o q u as h an

i n d i ct m en t accu s i ng h i m o f v io l at i n g h i s p u b l i c oat h

, co m m i tt i ng s i m

p l e b at t ery

, an d

m ak i n g a fal s e s tat em en t in co n n ect i on wi t h h i s em pl o y m en t as a co rrect io n s o ffi cer.

T h e tri al co u rt g ran ted t h e m o t i o n t o q uas h o n t h e g ro u n d t h at t h e St at e fai l e d t o

fo l l o w th e n o t i ce an d o t h er p ro ced u ral req u irem en t s in OCGA § 1 7 -7 -5 2

, wh i ch i s

ap p li cab l e to cert ai n i n d i ct m en t s ag ai n st p eace o ffi cers

. On ap p eal

, t h e St at e co n t en d s

t h at t he t ri al co urt erred b y co n cl u d in g t h at OCGA § 1 7

- 7

- 5 2 a p p l i ed b ecau s e t h e

reco rd fai l ed t o s h o w t h at O’ Neal co m m i t t ed t h e al l eg ed l y cri m i n al co n d u ct wh i l e in

t h e p erfo rm an ce o f h i s d u t i es

. Fo r t he reas o n s t h a t f o l l o w

, we affi rm i n p art an d

rev ers e i n p art

.“ W e rev iew th e t ri al co u rt ’ s i n t erp ret at i o n s o f l aw an d ap pl icat i o n o f t h e l aw

t o t he fact s d e n ov o an d i ts fi n di n g s o f fact fo r cl ear erro r.” 1

Th e r e l ev an t reco rd is s p ars e. It co n t ai n s t h e i n d i ct m en t

, O’ Neal ’ s m o t i o n to

q u as h th e i n d i ct m en t

, t h e p art i es ’ b ri efs

, an d th e t ri al co u rt ’ s o rd er; b y co ns en t o f t h e

p art i es

, th ere was n o h eari n g no r an y ev i d en ce p ro ffered

. 2 T h e i n d i ct m en t s ho ws t h at

i n J u n e 2 0 18 , a g ran d ju ry ret u rn ed a t ru e b il l accu s in g O’ Neal as fo ll o ws :

Co u n t 1.

. . [V] i o l at i o n o f o at h b y p u b l i c offi cer, fo r t h at t h e s ai d

W es l ey O’ Neal . . . b et ween t h e 1 s t d ay o f J an u ary

, 2 0 1 6, an d th e 1 7 t h

d ay o f J u n e, 2 0 1 8

, th e ex act d at e o f t h e o ffen se b ei n g u n k n o wn

. . . d i d

u n l awfu l l y

, wi ll fu l l y

, an d i n t en t i o n al l y

, wh i l e em pl o y ed as a co rrect i o n s

o ffi cer at th e Jo h n so n St at e Pri s o n

, vi o l at e t he t erm s of h i s o at h o f o ffi ce

b y p art i ci pat i n g i n an d faci l i t at i n g a c t s o f ab u s e ag ai n s t i n m at es wh o

we r e i n carcerat ed at t h e J o h n s o n St at e Pri s o n

, co n t rary t o t h e l aws o f

[Geo rg i a]

, . . . It i s an es s en t i al av erm en t an d a m at eri al al l eg at i o n t hat

t h e act s d e s cri bed i n t h i s co u n t are sep arat e an d d i st i nct fro m t h e act s

d es cri b ed i n al l o th er co u n t s o f t hi s i n d i ct m en t

.

Co u n t 2.

. . [S] im

p l e b at t ery

, fo r t h at t h e s ai d W es l ey O’ Neal

. . .

o n o r ab o u t t he 1 s t day o f M ay , 2 0 1 7

, d i d u n l awfu ll y an d i n t en ti o n al l y

m ak e p h y s i cal co n t act o f an i n s u l t i n g an d p ro v ok i n g n at u re t o Th urs t o n

1 Y a n cey v. S t a t e , 3 42 Ga. Ap p . 2 9 4 , 2 9 4 (8 0 2 SE2 d 7 0 2 ) (2 0 1 7).

2 Th e on ly o t her d o cu m en t s i n t h e reco rd are an en try o f ap p earan ce, O’ Neal ’ s

d i s co v ery d em an d , an d a ru l e n i s i o rd er.

2W al l er b y s t r i ki n g t h e s ai d T h u rs t o n W al ler, co n t rary t o t h e l aws o f

[Geo rg i a]

. . . . It i s an es s en t i al av erm en t an d a m at eri al al leg at i on t hat

t h e act s d es cri b ed in t h i s co u n t a r e sep arat e an d d i st i nct fro m t h e act s

d es cri b ed i n al l o th er co u n t s o f t hi s i n d i ct m en t

.

Co u n t 3

. . . [M ] ak i n g a fal se s t at em en t

, fo r t h at th e sai d W es l ey

O’ Neal

. . . on o r ab o u t t h e 2 7 t h d ay o f Sep t em b er, 2 0 1 7

, d i d un l awfu l l y

,

k n o wi n g l y

, an d wi l l fu l ly m ak e a fal s e s t at em en t an d rep res en t at i o n t o an

ag e n t o f t h e Geo rg i a Dep art m en t o f Co rrect i on s b y s t at i n g h e was n o t

i n v o l v ed i n an y i n ci d en t s w h ere J oh n s o n St at e Pri s o n i n m at es were

as s au l t ed

, a m at t e r w i t hi n t h e ju ri s d i ct i o n o f Geo rg ia Dep art m en t o f

Co rrect io ns

, co n t rary t o t h e l aws o f [Geo rg i a]

. . . . I t i s a n es sen t i al

av erm en t an d a m at eri al al l eg at i on t h at t h e act s d es cri b ed i n t h is co u n t

are s ep arat e an d d i s t i n ct fro m t h e act s d es cri b e d i n a l l o t h er co u n ts o f

t h i s i n d i ct m en t.

O’ Neal m o v ed t o q u as h t h e i n di ct m en t o n t h e g ro u n d t h at h e h ad no t b een

p ro v id ed n o t i ce an d an o p p o rt u n i t y t o b e h eard b efo re t h e g ran d ju ry d el i b erat ed as

req u i red b y

OCGA § 1 7 -7 -5 2. Th at Co d e s ect i on p ro v i d es , i n rel ev an t p art :

Befo re a b i ll o f i n d i ct m en t

. . . ag ai n s t a p res en t o r fo rm er p eace o ffi cer

ch arg i n g t h e o ffi cer wi t h a cri m e wh i ch i s al l eg ed t o h av e o ccu rred

wh i l e h e o r s he was i n t he p erfo rm an ce o f h is o r h er d u t i es i s p res en ted

t o a g ran d ju ry

, t h e o ffi cer s h al l b e g i v en a co p y o f t h e p ro p o s ed b i l l o f

i n d i ct m en t

. . . an d n o t i fi ed i n wri t i n g of th e co n t em p l at ed act i o n by th e

p ro s ecu t i ng at t o rn ey

. . . . [S] u ch n o t i ce s hal l i n f o r m s u ch o ffi cer

. . .

3[t ] h at h e or s h e m ay r e q u es t

, b u t can no t be co m p el l ed

, to t es t i fy as a

wi t n es s b efo re t he g ran d ju ry reg ard i ng h i s o r h er co n d uct

. . . . 3

In h i s b ri ef i n s u p p o rt o f t h e m o t i o n t o q u as h

, O’ Neal arg u ed t hat at t h e t i m e

t h e al l eg ed cri m es were co m m i t t ed

, h e was em

p l o y ed as a POST-cert ifi ed co rrect i on s

o ffi cer, h e was o n du t y d u ri n g t h e e v e n t s

, a n d “ th ere i s n o ev i d en ce t h at [h e] ev er

s t ep p ed away

fro m h i s d u ti es as a p eace o ffi cer.”

Th e St at e o p p o s e d t h e m o t i o n

, n o t i n g t h e ab s en ce o f an y ev i d en ti ary p ro ffer

as t o t h e rel ev an t ev en t s o r fact u al co n t ex t

. Th e part i es ag reed n o t t o h av e a h eari n g,

an d t h e t ri al co u r t d e c i d ed t he m o t i o n o n th e b ri efs an d t h e i n d i ct m en t

. Th e co u rt

g ran t ed O’ Neal ’ s m ot i o n

, ru l i n g t h at “ t h e al leg ed act i o n s ch arg ed o ccu rred wh i l e t h e

Defen d an t was i n t h e p erfo rm an ce of h i s d u t i es an d it do es n o t ap p ear t h e Defen d an t

‘ st ep p ed away ’ fro m

h is jo b.” Th e St at e n ow ap peal s

.

Th e St at e p oi n t s t o t h e fact th at t h e reco rd co n t ai n s n o fact ual d ev el o p m en t o f

t h e ci rcu m s t an ces al l eg ed i n t h e i n d i ct m en t

, s o t h e tri al co u rt h ad n o b as i s t o co n cl u d e

t h at O’ Neal “ was i n t h e p erfo rm an ce o f h i s d u ti es ” wh en h e co m m i t t ed t he al l eg ed

cri m i n al act s . W e ag ree.

3 OCGA § 1 7 -7 -5 2 (a).

4As n o t ed ab o v e, OCGA § 1 7 -7 -5 2 ap p l i es t o i n d ict m en t s “ ch arg i n g t h e o ffi cer

wi t h a cri m e wh i ch i s al l eg ed t o h av e o ccu rred wh il e h e or s h e w a s i n t h e

p erfo rm an ce o f h i s o r h er d ut i es

. . . .” Th us

, t h e ri g ht s affo rd ed b y OCGA § 1 7 -7 -5 2

“ c o m e in t o p l ay i f t h e cri m es ch arg ed were co m m i t t ed wh i le t he o ffi cer w as i n t h e

p erfo rm an ce o f h i s d u ti es as a p o l i ce o ffi cer.” 4

Th e w a y t o det erm i n e w h et h er OCGA § 1 7 -7 -5 2 ap p l i es t o a p eace

o ffi cer i s t o s p eci fi cal l y e x a m i n e th e “ cri m e wh ich i s al l eg ed t o h av e

o ccu rred wh i l e h e o r s h e was i n t h e p erfo rm an ce o f h i s or h er d u t i es .”

.

. . [T] h e op er at i ve in q u i r y i s wh et h er t h e s

p eci f i c co n d u ct t h a t

p r ed i ca t ed th e cr i mi n a l ch a r g es w a s w i t hi n t he s co p e o f [ th e

d ef en d a n t’s ] o f f i ci a l d u t i es

. 5

Co u nt 1 ch arg es t hat O’ Neal v i o l at ed h i s o at h as a p u b l i c o ffi cer. 6 Th e

p red i cat e co n d u ct i s “ w i l l fu l l y

, an d i n t en t i o n al l y

, wh i l e em p l o y ed as a co rrect i on s

o ffi cer at t h e J oh n s o n St at e Pri s o n

, . . . p art ici p at i n g in an d faci l it at i ng act s o f ab u s e

4 W i g g i n s v. S t a te , 2 8 0 Ga. 2 6 8 , 2 7 0 (6 2 6 SE2 d 1 1 8 ) (2 0 0 6 ).

5 (Ci t at i o n o m it t ed ; em

p h as i s s u p p l i ed .) S t a te v. Pea b o d y , 3 4 3 Ga. Ap p . 3 6 2,

3 6 5 (1 ) (8 0 7 SE2 d 1 07 ) (2 0 1 7 ), q u o t i n g OCGA § 1 7 -7 -5 2 (a).

6 See g en eral l y OCGA § 1 6 -1 0 -1 (“ An y p u b l i c o ffi cer wh o wi l l f u l l y a n d

i n t en t i o n al l y v i o l at es t h e t erm s o f h i s o at h as p res cri bed b y l aw s h al l

, u p o n co n v i ct i o n

t h ereo f, b e p u n is h ed b y im p ri s o n m en t fo r n ot l es s t h an o n e n o r m o re t h an fi v e

y ears .”); Br a d l ey v. S t a t e

, 2 9 2 Ga. Ap p

. 7 3 7

, 7 4 1 (2 ) (6 6 5 SE2 d 4 2 8 ) (2 0 0 8 )

(affi rm i n g co n v ict i o n fo r v i o l at i o n o f an o at h b y a p ri s o n g u ard ).

5ag ai n s t i n m at es i n carcerat ed at t h e J o hn s on St at e Pri s o n

, co n t rary t o t h e l aws o f

[Geo rg ia] .” Des p it e t he lack o f an y o t h er fact u al co n t ex t fo r t h is co u n t, we co n cl u d e

t h at t h e l an g u ag e accu s in g O’ Neal o f ab us i n g i n m at es “ w h i l e em p l oy ed as a

co rrect io n s o f

fi cer” s uffi ci en t l y ch aract eri zes O’ Neal ’ s co n d u ct as wi t h i n t h e

p erfo rm an ce o f h i s d u t i es s u ch t h at OCGA § 1 7 -7 -5 2 ap p l ies

. In t h e p erfo rm an ce o f

t h ei r d u t i es

, co rrect i o n s o ffi cers ro u t i n el y i nt erface wi t h p ri s o n ers i n s i t u at i o n s t h at

can es cal at e i n t o p h y s i cal al t ercat i o n s o r o t h er ci rcu m s t an ces t h at al l eg ed l y co u l d b e

ab u si v e i f d o n e i n an ex ces s i v e an d u nl awfu l m an n er. 7 Th e i n d i ct m en t d o es n o t al l eg e

u n u s ual ci rcu m s t an ces s u ch as s ex u al co n d u ct th at wo u ld b e o ut s i d e an o ffi cer’ s d u t y

u n d er an y s cen ari o

, d es p i t e o c c u r r i n g i n u n ifo rm wh i l e on d u t y

. 8 Ab s en t an y

7 See g en eral l y Al

f or d v. Os ei -Kwa s i

, 2 0 3 Ga. Ap p

. 7 1 6, 7 1 9 -7 20 ( 2 ) ( 4 1 8

SE2 d 7 9 ) (1 9 9 2 ) (“ [O] ffi ci al s co n fro n t ed wi t h a pri s o n di s t u rb an ce m u s t b al an ce t h e

t h reat u nres t p o s es t o i nm at es

, p ri s o n wo rk ers

, ad m in i s t rat o rs

, an d v i s i t o rs ag ai n s t t h e

h arm i n m at es m ay s u ffer i f g uard s u s e fo rce. Des pi t e t h e w ei g h t o f t h es e co m p et i n g

co n cern s, co rrect io ns o ffi ci al s m u s t m ak e t h ei r deci s i o n s i n h as t e, u n d er pres s u re, an d

freq uen t l y wi t h o u t t h e l ux u ry o f a s eco n d ch an ce.”) (p u n ct u at i o n om i t t ed ); Ben n et t

v. Pa r ker

, 8 98 F.2 d 1 5 3 0

, 1 5 3 3 (V) (B) (1 1 t h Ci r. 1 99 0 ) (“ Pri s o n g u ard s m ay u s e

fo rce wh en n eces s ary t o res to re o rd er an d n eed n o t wai t u n t i l d i s tu rb an ces reach

d an gero us p ro po rt i o n s b efo re res p o n d i n g

. Th e m an ag em en t b y a few g u ard s o f l arg e

n u m b ers o f p ri s o ners

, n o t u s ual l y t h e m o st g en t l e o r t ract ab l e o f m en an d wo m en

,

m ay req u i re an d ju s t ify t he o ccas i on al u s e o f a d eg re e o f in t en t i o nal fo rce.”)

(p u n ct u at i o n o m i t t ed ).

8 Co m p are St a t e v. Ga ll o wa

y , 2 7 0 Ga. Ap p

. 1 84 , 1 8 5 (6 0 6 SE2 d 2 7 3 ) (2 0 0 4 )

(“ p erfo rm an ce o f offi ci al d u t i es d o es n ot i n cl ud e rap e”), ci t i n g Go b er v. S t a t e

, 2 0 3

6ad d it i o n al co n t ex t i n t h e al l eg at i o n s i n t h e i n d i ct m en t

, a co m m o n -s en s e read i n g o f t h e

i n d i ct m en t s u p p o rt s t he t ri al co urt ’ s co n cl u si o n th at O’ Neal w as en g ag ed i n h i s d u ti es

at t h e t i m e of t h e al l eg ed ab u s e. Th u s

, t h i s cas e i s s i m i l ar t o o th er cas es wh ere o ffi cers

were accu s ed o f cri m es wh i l e en g ag ed in t h ei r em p l o y m en t d u t i es

, an d th e t ri al co u rt

d i d n o t err b y

g ran t i n g t he m o ti o n t o q u as h Co u n t 1

. 9

Bu t t h i s d oes n o t en d o u r i n q u i ry . In t h e co nt ex t o f OCGA § 1 7 -7 -5 2

,

wh en an i n d i ct m en t co n tai n s m u l t i p le co u nt s

, it real l y ch arg es a n um b er

o f d i s ti n ct an d s ep arat e t ran s act i o n s

, an d i t b eco m es t h e du t y o f t h e t ri al

co u rt t o co n d uct t he cas e, an d o f t h e ap p el l at e co u rt t o rev i ew i t

, j u s t as

i f it were a co n so l id at i o n o f s e p a r at e i n di ct m en t s

. An d t h es e s ep arat e

i n d i ct m en t s g i ve ri s e t o s ep arat e an d i n d ep en d en t cas es

. 1 0

Ga. Ap p

. 5

, (4 1 6 SE2 d 2 9 2 ) (1 9 9 2 ), ov erru l ed i n p art o n ot h er g ro u n d s b y D u d l ey v.

S t a t e , 2 7 3 Ga. 4 66 , 4 6 8 (5 4 2 SE2 d 9 9 ) (2 0 0 1 ).

9 See, e.g

., Pea b od

y

, 3 4 3 Ga. Ap p

. a t 3 6 5 -3 6 6 (1 ) (h o l d i n g t h at a p o l i ce K-9

h an dl er was p erfo rm i n g h i s d u ty w h en h e al l o w ed h i s d o g to d i e as a res u l t o f b ei n g

i n a ho t v eh i cl e); S t a t e v. Lo c k e t t

, 2 5 9 Ga. Ap p

. 1 7 9

, 18 1 (5 7 6 SE2 d 5 8 2) (2 0 0 3 )

(h o l d i n g t h at an o n -d u t y p o li ce o ffi cer’ s al leg ed co n d uct of s p eed i n g an d d ri v i n g t o o

fas t fo r co n d i t i o n s fel l wi t h in t h e s co p e o f OCGA § 1 7 -7 -5 2 ); St a t e v. Ro u l a i n , 1 5 9

Ga. A p p. 2 3 3

, 2 34 (2 ) (2 8 3 SE2 d 8 9) (1 98 1 ) (co nfi n i n g an in m at e i n a m an n er t h at

l ed t o h i s d eat h o ccu rred d u ri n g t h e p erfo rm an ce o f d efen d an t o ffi cer’ s d u ty ).

1 0 W i g g i n s , 2 80 Ga. at 2 7 1 -2 7 2 (2 ).

7Th erefo re, w he n de te r m ining w he t h er OCGA § 1 7 -7 -5 2 ap p l i es

, a co u rt m u s t ex am i n e

e a c h co u n t o f th e i n d i ct m en t b ecau s e p ro s ecu ti o n o n co u n t s o f a sep arat e ch aract e r

t h at d o n o t i m

p li cat e OCGA § 1 7-7 -5 2 m ay p ro ceed wi t h ou t fo l lo wi n g t h e p ro ced u res

i n t hat s tat u t e. 1 1

Co u nt 2 al l eg es t h at O ’ Neal co m m i t t ed bat t e r y by s t ri ki n g Th u rs t o n W al l er,

an d as i de fro m t h at bare al leg at i o n

, t h e co un t n ei t h er m en t i o n s O’ Neal ’ s em p l o y m en t

n o r p ro v i d es an y o t h er co n tex t fo r t h e o ffen s e s u ch as t h e l o cat i o n o r wh et h er

Th u rs t o n W al l er was an i n m at e. Th e i n d ict m en t al l eg es t h at t h e act s i n each co u n t are

s ep arat e an d d i s t i n ct act s fro m t h e act s al l eg ed i n th e o t h er co un t s o f t h e i n d i ct m en t

,

an d n o t hi n g i n Co u n t 2 rev eal s i n fo rm at i o n t h at wo u l d s u p po rt a fi n d i n g t h at O’ Neal

co m m i t t ed t h e al l eg ed b at t ery wh i l e p erfo rm i n g h i s offi ci a l d u t y as a co rrect i on s

o ffi cer. In es s en ce, t h e co nd u ct ch arg ed co u l d h av e b een co m m i t t ed ag ai n st an y o n e

at an y t i m e. Acco rd i ng l y

, Co u n t 2 d i d n o t i m p l i cat e OCGA § 1 7 -7 -5 2

, an d t h e t ri al

co u rt erred b y g ran t i n g O’ Neal ’ s m o t i o n t o q uas h t h i s co u n t

. 1 2

Co u nt 3 al l eg es t hat O’ Neal l i ed t o an ag en t o f t h e Geo rg i a Dep art m en t o f

Co rrect i o n s b y den y i n g i n v o l v e m en t i n an y i n ci d en t s w here Jo h ns o n St at e Pri so n

1 1 See i d

.

1 2 See i d

.

8i n m at es were as sau lt ed

. Th e co n d u ct o f l y i n g t o an ag en t of t h e Geo rg i a Dep art m en t

o f Co rrect i o n s wh o i s i n v es t i g at i n g h i m can n o t b e s ai d t o b e w i th i n t h e p erfo rm an ce

o f O’ Neal ’ s reg u l ar jo b d u t i es at t h e p ri s o n, 1 3 s u ch as m ak i n g ro u t in e i n ci d en t rep o rt s

o r fi l l i n g o u t a dai l y act i v i t y s h eet

. 1 4 Acco rd i n g l y, C o u n t 3 d i d no t fal l wi t h i n t h e

s co p e o f OCGA § 1 7 -7 -5 2 , an d t h e t ri al co u rt erred b y q u as h i n g t hi s co u nt

.

Fo r th e reas o n s s t at ed ab o v e, we affi rm t he t ri al co u rt ’ s ju d g m en t as to Co u nt

1 , an d we rev ers e t he ju d g m en t as t o Co u n t s 2 an d 3

.

Ju d g men t a f f i rmed in p ar t a n d r ever

s ed in p a r t

. C o o me r a n d Ma r kl e, JJ.,

co n cu r

.

1 3 See i d

. at 2 7 0 (2 ) (l y in g t o an o u t s i d e i n v es t i g at o r w h i l e b ei n g t h e s u b ject o f

an i n v es t i g at i o n i s n o t wi th in t h e d u t i es o f a p o l i ce o ffi cer).

1 4 Co m p are i d

. at 2 7 0 -2 7 1 (2 ) (fal s el y fi l l i n g o u t d ai l y act i v it y s h eet was wi t h in

t h e p erfo rm an ce o f o ffi ci al d u ti es ).

9