FI FTH DI VI SI ON

M C FA DDEN, C. J.

, RI CKM A N, P. J.

, and SENI OR A PPELLA T E JUDGE PHI PPS

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.

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H I S

C O U R T. A LL FILIN G S M U ST B E S U B M I TTE D WITH IN

TH E TIM E S S E T B Y

O U R C O U R T R U LE S

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M ar ch 30, 2021



# I n th e Co u r t o f

A p p eals o f

G eo r g ia

A2 1 A0 15 9 . FRADY v . THE STATE.

M C F A D D E N , Ch i ef J u d g e.

Ti m o t h y Frad y ap p eal s fro m h i s co n v i ct i on s fo r sex u a l o ffen s es co m m i t t ed

ag ai n s t h i s s t ep d au gh t er. He cl ai m s t h at th e t ri al co urt erred i n al lo wi n g ev i d en ce o f

p ri o r act s o f ch i l d m o les tat i o n o f wh i ch h e was acq ui t t ed

. Bu t t h e fact of acq u i t t al d id

n o t n eces s ari l y ren d er th e pri or act s ev i den ce in ad m i s s ib l e. Frad y al s o cl ai m s t h at t h e

co u rt erred i n li m it i n g h i s cl o s i n g arg u m en t . Bu t t h e co urt d i d n o t err in p ro h i b i t i n g

arg u m en t t h at was n o t bas ed o n ev i d en ce i n t h e cas e. Frad y al s o cl ai m s t h at t h e co u rt

g av e an in ap p ro p ri at e ju ry ch arg e. Bu t t here h as b een n o s h o w i ng o f pl ai n erro r i n t h e

ju ry ch arg e b as ed o n an o bject i o n n o t rai s ed b el o w. So we affi rm t h e co n v i ct i o n s

.

1

. Fa ct s a n d p r o ced

ur a l p o s t u r e.Vi ewed i n t h e l i g h t m o s t fav o rab l e t o t h e v erd i ct

, s ee Ja cks o n v. Vi rg i n i a , 4 4 3

U. S. 3 0 7 (9 9 SCt 27 8 1

, 6 1 LE2 d 5 6 0 ) (1 9 7 9), t h e ev id en ce s h ows t h at Frad y

m o les t ed h i s m i n o r st ep d au g ht er, i ncl u d i n g en gag i n g i n s ex u al in t erco urs e wi t h h er.

W h en t h e ch i l d was 1 3 y ears o l d

, s h e d i s cl o sed t h e ab u s e t o a fri en d an d th e p o l i ce

were cal l ed . An o ffi cer wh o res p o n ded t o t h e cal l s p o k e t o t h e v i ct i m , wh o t o l d t h e

o ffi cer ab o u t t h e s ex u al ab u s e b y Frad y

.

Th e s tat e ch arg ed Frad y b y in d i ct m en t wi t h rap e, i nces t

, an d t wo co u n ts o f

c h i l d m o l es t at i o n

. Frad y p l ed n o t gu i l t y t o t h e ch arg es an d w as t ri ed b efo re a ju ry ,

wh i ch fo u n d h i m g u il t y of al l co u n t s

. Th e t ri al co u rt ru l ed t h at o n e o f t h e c h i ld

m o l es t at i o n ch arg es m erg ed wi t h t h e rap e an d i m p o s ed a l i fe s en t en ce fo r rap e , a

co n cu rren t 2 6 -y ear s en t en ce fo r i n ces t

, an d a co n cu rren t 2 0

- ye a r sen t en ce fo r t h e

o t h e r c h i l d m o l es t at i o n o ffen s es

. Frad y m o v ed fo r a n ew t ri al

, wh i ch th e tri al co u rt

d en ied . Th is ap p eal fo ll o wed

.

2

. Ot h er a ct s o f ch i l d mo l es t a t i o n.

Pri o r t o t ri al

, th e s tat e fi l ed n o t i ce o f i t s i n t en t t o p res en t ev i d en ce o f p ri o r act s

o f ch i l d m o l es t at i o n o f w h ich Frad y h ad b een acq u i t t ed

. Aft er a h e a r i n g , t h e t ri al

co u rt ru l ed t hat s u ch ev i d en ce was ad m is si b l e ev en t h o u g h Frad y had b een acq u i t t ed

,

fi nd i ng th at t h e p ro b at i v e v a l u e o f t h e ev i d en ce o u t wei g h ed an y d an g er o f u n fai r

2p reju d i ce. See OCGA § 2 4 -4 -4 0 3

. Th ereaft er, Frad y ’ s ad ul t d au g ht er fro m a p ri o r

m arri ag e was al l o wed t o t es t i fy at t ri al t h at Frad y h ad m o l es t ed h er wh en s h e was a

m i n o r ch il d b y , am o n g o t h e r t h i n g s , t o u ch i n g h er b reas t s , t ou ch i ng h er v ag i n a, an d

m as t u rb at i n g i n fro n t of h er. Sh e fu rt h er tes t ifi ed t h at sh e h ad d i s cl o s ed t h e a b u s e

wh en s h e was 1 3 y ears o l d an d t h at Frad y was su b seq u en t l y t ri ed b efo re a ju ry , b ut

t h at h e was n o t co n v i ct ed

.

Frad y arg u es th at t h e tri al co u rt erred i n al l o wi n g t hi s t es ti m o n y b ecau s e h e was

acq u it t ed o f t he pri or act s o f ch i l d m o l es t at i on

. Bu t i t i s wel l s et t l ed t h at an acq u i t t al

o f si m i l ar ch arg es d o es n o t precl u d e ad m i ss i o n o f ev i d en ce o f s ai d ch arg es u n d er o u r

ru l es o f ev i d en ce. See W

a r d v. S t a t e , 3 5 1 Ga. Ap p

. 4 9 0

, 4 9 9 (2 ) n

. 1 8 (8 3 1 SE2 d 1 9 9 )

(2 0 1 9); Ha ml et t

v. S ta te , 3 5 0 Ga. Ap p. 9 3 , 1 0 0 (2 ) (8 2 8 SE2 d 1 3 2 ) (2 0 1 9 ).

I n d e e d

, a p ri o r acq ui t t al o f a cri m i nal ch arg e wi l l n o t n eces s ari l y

p recl u d e ad m i s s io n o f [s u ch ] o t h er act ev i d en ce.

. . . [A] t ri al co u rt n eed

n o t m ak e a p rel im i n ary fi n d i n g t h at t h e al l eg ed p ri o r s i m i l ar co n d uct i n fact o c c u r r e d b efo re ad m i t t i n g i t i nt o ev i d en ce. In s t ead

, a t ri al co u rt ’ s d eci si o n to ad m i t o t h er act ev i d en ce wi l l b e affi rm ed i f a j u ry co u l d fi n d

b y a p rep o n deran ce o f t h e ev i d en ce th at th e d efe n d an t co m m i t t ed th e

act

.

Di xo n v. S t a t e , 3 4 1 Ga. Ap p. 2 5 5

, 2 5 9 (1 ) (a) (8 0 0 S E 2 d 1 1 ) ( 2 0 1 7 ) (ci t at i o n s an d

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

3In th i s cas e, t h e j u ry co u l d h av e fo un d b y a prep o n d eran ce o f t h e ev i d en ce t h at

Frad y co m

m i t ted t h e p ri o r act s o f ch i l d m ol es t at i o n . So t h e p ri or act s ev id en ce was

ad m i s s i b l e u n d er OCGA § 2 4 -4 -4 1 4 (a), wh i ch p ro v i d es : “ In a cri m i n al p ro ceed i n g

i n wh i ch t h e accu sed is a c c u s e d o f an o ffen s e o f ch i l d m o l es tat i o n , ev i d en ce o f t h e

accu s ed ’ s co m

m i s s i o n o f an o t h er o ffen s e of ch i l d m ol es t at i on s h al l b e ad m i s s i b l e an d

m ay b e co n s i d ered fo r i ts b eari n g o n an y m at t er t o wh i ch i t i s rel ev an t

. ” See Di xo n ,

s u p ra at 2 5 8 (1 ) ( OCGA § 24 -4 -4 1 4 (a) “ creat e[s ] a ru l e of i n cl u s i o n, wi t h a s t ro n g

p res u m p t i o n in fav o r o f ad m i s s i b i l i t y

. . . . Th u s , t h e [s ] tat e can s eek t o ad m i t ev i d en ce

u n d er [t h i s p ro v i s i o n ] fo r an y rel ev an t p u rp o se, i n cl u d i n g p ro p en s i t y .”) (ci t at i o n s an d

p u n ct u at i o n o m i t t ed ). As t h ere h as b een n o s h o wi n g t h at t h e t ri al co u rt im p ro p erl y

fo u n d t h at t he pro b at i v e v al u e o f t h e ev i d en ce o u t wei g h ed t h e d an g er o f u n fai r

p reju d i ce, we h o l d th at “ t h e t ri al co u rt di d n o t ab u s e it s d i s cret i o n i n ad m i t t i n g t h e

[o t h er act s o f ch il d m o les tat io n ] ev i d en ce o n t h i s g ro u n d .” E dwa r d s v. S t a t e ,

_

_ _ Ga.

Ap p . _

_ _ (3 ) (8 5 0 SE2 d 7 9 7) (2 0 2 0 ).

3

. Cl o s i n g

a r g u men t

.

Du ri n g cl o s i n g arg u m en t

, co u n s el fo r Frad y m en t i o n ed a p ri o r u nrel at ed cas e

fro m an o t h e r s t at e i n v o l v i ng fal s e al l eg at i on s o f s ex ual ab u s e an d th en st art ed to

d i s cu s s t he t erm “ ev o l v ed m em o ri es .” Th e s t at e o b ject ed o n t h e g ro u n d t h at t h ere h ad

4b een n o ev i d en ce p res en t ed o n s u ch a p s y ch i at ri c t er m , a n d th e co u rt s u st ai n ed t h e

o b ject i on

. Fra d y c l a i m s t h at t h e t ri al co u rt ’ s ru l in g erro n eo u s l y l i m i t ed h i s cl o s i n g

arg u m en t . W e d i s ag ree.

Cl o s i n g arg u m en t m

u s t b e d eri v ed fro m ev i d en ce p ro p erl y b efo re

t h e fact fi n d er, an d p ro s ecu t o rs an d defen s e co u n s el are p erm i t t ed wi de

l at i t ud e i n t h ei r cl o s in g arg u m en ts

. In d eed

, t h e p erm i s si bl e s co p e o f

arg u m en t i s vas t: co u n s el m ay d raw fro m t h e ev i d en ce p ro p erl y b efo re

t h e fact fi n d er an y in feren ce ap p aren t l y reas o n ab le an d l eg i t i m at e. Bu t
wh i l e t h e ran g e of d i s cu s s i o n d u ri n g cl os i n g arg u m en t i s wi d e, co u n s el

s h o u l d n o t g o o ut s id e t h e fact s ap p e a r i n g i n th e cas e an d l u g i n

ex t ran eo u s m at t ers as i f t h ey were a p art o f t h e cas e.

Lewi s v. S t a t e , 3 1 7 G a

. Ap p

. 2 1 8

, 2 2 2 (3 ) (7 3 5 SE2 d 1 ) (2 0 1 2 ) (ci t at i o n s an d

p u n ct u at i o n o m i t t ed ). Here, t h e t r i a l c o u rt d i d n o t err in s u s t ai n i n g an o b j ect i o n to

d efen s e co un s el ’ s at tem

pt t o d is cu s s an ex t ran eo u s m a t t e r wh i ch was n o t b as ed o n

ev i d en ce i n t h e cas e. See Co n n er v. S t at e , 2 5 1 G a

. 1 1 3

, 1 2 3 (6 ) (3 0 3 SE2 d 2 6 6 )

(1 9 8 3) (“ W h at t h e l aw co nd em n s i s t he i n

ject i o n i n t o t h e arg u m en t o f ex t ri n s i c an d

p reju d i ci al m at t ers w h ich hav e n o b as i s i n t h e ev i d en ce.”) (ci t at io n an d pu n ct u at i o n

o m it t ed ).

4

. Ju r y ch a r g e.

Frad y co n t en d s th at t h e co u rt ’ s ju ry ch arg e o n t h e o ffen s e o f rap e im p ro p erl y

red u ced t h e b urd en o f p ro o f fo r t h e el em en t o f f o r c e. Bu t h e d i d n o t rai s e t h i s

5o b

ject i on t o th e ch arg e i n t h e t ri al co u rt

. W hi l e th e reco rd s h o ws t h at Frad y o b ject ed

at t h e ch arg e co n feren ce t hat t h e ch arg e was n o t t he pat t ern ju ry i ns t ru ct i o n an d t h at

h e ren ewed t h at o bject i o n aft er t h e ju ry i n s t ru ct i o n s , h e n ev er s p eci fi ed as a g ro u n d

fo r o b ject i o n t hat t h e ch arg e red u ced t h e b u rd en o f p ro of fo r t h e el em en t o f fo rce.

Becau s e Frad y fai l ed t o i n fo rm t h e t ri al co u rt o f t h e s p eci fi c g ro un d fo r ob ject i o n n o w

rai s ed o n ap p eal

, o u r rev i ew “ i s l i m i t ed t o pl ai n erro r, wh i ch res ul t s i n rev ers al o n l y

i f t he ju ry i n st ru ct io n was erro n eo u s ; t h e erro r was o b v i o u s ; t h e i n s tru ct i on l i k el y

affect ed t h e ou t co m e o f t h e p ro ceed i n g s ; an d t h e erro r s eri o u s l y affect s t h e fai l u re,

i n t eg ri t y , o r p ub l i c r e p u t at i o n o f ju d i ci al p ro ceed in g s.” Lee v. S t a t e , 3 4 7 Ga. Ap p.

5 0 8 , 5 1 1 (2 ) (8 2 0 SE2 d 1 47 ) (2 0 1 8 ). See OCGA § 1 7 -8 -5 8

.

Frad y q uo t es t h e f

o l l o wi n g j u ry i n s t ru ct i o n g i v en b y t h e co u rt reg ard i n g t h e

o ffen s e o f rap e:

A p ers o n co m

m i t s t h e offen s e o f rap e wh en h e h as carn al k n owl ed ge o f

a fem al e fo rci b l y an d ag ai n s t h er wi ll

. Carn al k n o wl ed g e i n rap e o ccu rs wh en t h ere i s an y p en e t r at io n o f t h e fem al e s ex o rg an b y t h e m al e s ex

o rg an

. Th e l aw o f Geo rg i a p ro v i des t h at a pers o n u nd er t he ag e of 1 6 i s l eg al l y i n cap ab l e o f gi v i n g co n s en t t o s ex u al i nt erco u rs e. Th i s m ean s

s u ch act wo u l d b e ag ai n s t t h e wi l l o f t he v i ct i m

. Th e [s ] t at e m u s t al s o

p ro v e t he el em en t o f fo rce b ey o n d a r e a s o nab l e d o u b t

. Fo rce m ay

co n s i s t o f act s o f p h y s i cal fo rce, t hreat s o f h arm , or i n t i m i d at i o n. Th e l evel o f fo r ce n e c es s a r

y t o s u pp o r t a co n vi ct i o n n eed o n ly b e mi n ima l

wh en t h e vi ct i m wa s u n d er t h e a g e o

f 1 6

, t h e a g e o

f co n s en t

. La ck o

f

r es i s t a nce in d

u ced b y f ea r i s f o r ce. Pen e t r a t i o n , h o wev er sl i g h t

, i s

6s u ffi ci en t t o s at i s fy t h e p en et rat i o n el em en t o f rap e. It is no t n eces s ary

t h at t h e vag i n a b e en t ered

, b u t a n e n t e r i n g of t h e an t eri o r o f t h e o rg an k n o wn as t he v u l v a o r l ab i a i s s u ffi ci en t

.

As s ho wn i n Frad y ’ s b ri ef, m o s t o f t h i s ch arg e co n s i s t ed o f t h e p at t ern j u ry i ns t ru ct i o n

o n rap e, wh i ch Frad y h as n o t co n t e s t e d

. F r ad y al s o h as no t ch al len g ed t h e l at t er

p o rt i on o f t h e ch arg e reg ard i n g t h e el em en t of p en et rat i o n , s o we p res u m e t h at hi s

en u m erat ed erro r co n cern s t h e l an g uag e h i g h li g h t ed ab o v e.

Bu t as po i n t ed o u t b y t h e s t at e, t h i s l an g uag e accu rat el y s t at es t h e l aw

i n v o l v i n g v i ct i m s ol d er th an t en , b u t u n d er t h e ag e o f co n s en t

. See Oa t es v. S t a t e , 3 5 5

Ga. Ap p

. 3 0 1

, 3 03 (1 ) (8 4 4 SE2 d 2 3 9 ) (2 0 2 0 ) (“ Al t h o u gh th e v ict i m ’ s ag e o f 1 3 d o es

n o t es t ab l i s h t h e req u i red el em en t o f fo rce, t he [s ] t at e was req u i red t o p res en t o n l y

m i n i m al ev i den ce o f fo rce b ecau s e t h e v i ct i m was u n d er t h e ag e o f co ns en t

. In s u ch

a cas e, i n t i m id at i o n m ay s u bs t it u t e fo r fo rce. Fu rt h er, fo rce m ay b e p ro ved by d i rect

o r ci rcu m s t an t ial ev i den ce. Lack o f res i s t an ce, in d u ced b y fear, i s fo rce, an d m ay b e

s h o wn b y t h e v i ct im ’ s st at e o f m i n d fro m h er p ri o r ex p eri en ce wi t h th e d efen d an t an d

s u b ject i ve ap p reh en s i o n o f d an g er fro m h i m .”) (ci t at i o n an d pu n ct uat i o n o m i t t ed );

Po n der v. S t a t e , 3 3 2 Ga. A p p. 5 7 6

, 58 1 ( 1 ) ( b ) ( 7 7 4 SE2 d 1 5 2 ) (2 0 1 5) (s am e). See

al s o S t a t e v. Co l l i ns , 27 0 Ga. 4 2 , 4 4 -4 5 (5 0 8 SE2 d 3 9 0 ) (1 9 9 8 ) (“ [T] h e q u an t u m o f

ev i d en ce t o p ro ve fo rce ag ai n s t a ch i ld i s m i n i m al

. . . . Ph y s i cal fo rce i s n ot req u i red

.

7In t i m i d at i o n m ay s u b s t i t u t e fo r fo rce. Th e el em en t o f fo rce i s s h o wn i f t h e

d efen d an t ’ s w o rd s o r act s were su ffi ci en t t o i n s t i l l i n t h e v i ct i m a reas o n ab l e

ap p reh en s i o n o f b o d i l y

h arm , v i o l en ce, o r o th er d an g ero u s co n s eq u en ces t o h ers el f

o r o t h ers .”) (ci t at i o n s an d p un ct u at i o n o m i t ted ).

M o reo v er, a rev iew of t h e i n s t ru ct i on s as a wh ol e rev e a l s t h at t h e t ri al co u rt

fu l l y an d accu rat el y i n s t ru ct ed t h e ju ry o n t h e s t at e’ s b u rd en t o p ro v e each el em en t

o f th e cri m es ch arg ed b ey o n d a reas o n ab l e d o u b t

, i ncl u d in g a s peci fi c ch arg e t h at t h e

s t at e m u s t p ro v e t he el em en t of fo rce b ey o n d a reas o n ab l e d o u b t

. See La u d er b a ck v.

S t a t e , 3 2 0 Ga. Ap p

. 6 4 9

, 6 5 3 (4 ) (b ) (7 4 0 SE2 d 3 7 7 ) (2 01 3 ) (“ ju ry i n st ru ct i o n s m

u s t

b e read an d co n s id ered as a wh o l e i n d et erm i n i n g wh et h er t he ch arg e co n t a i n ed

erro r”). Si n ce t h e t ri al co u rt ’ s “ i n s t ru ct i o ns as a w h o le pro p erl y [i nfo rm ed t h e ju ry o f

t h e bu rd en o f pro of as t o t h e el e m e n t o f fo rce, Frad y ] can n ot es t ab li s h rev ers i b l e

erro r, p l ai n o r o t h erwi s e.” Lee

, s u p ra at 5 1 2 (2 ) (a) (ci t at io n an d p u n ct u at io n o m i t t ed ).

Ju d g men t a f f i rmed

. R i ckma n

, P. J., a nd S en i o r Ap p el la t e Ju d

g e H e r b er t E.

Ph i p ps co n cu r

.

8