FI RST DI VI SI ON

BA RNES, P. J.

, GOBEI L and PI PKI N, JJ.

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

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E m e r ge nc y Or de r o f M a r c h 1 4

, 2 0 2 0 for fur the r

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M ay 7, 2020



# I n th e Co u r t o f

A p p eals o f

G eo r g ia

A2 0 A0 42 4 . BRANNER v . THE STATE.

B A R N E S , Pres i d i n g J ud g e.

Ch arl i e B r a n n e r

, J r. co n t es t s t h e d en i al o f h i s m o t i o n t o wi t h d raw hi s g ui l t y

p l ea. Fo r reas o n s t h at fo ll o w, we v acat e t he ju d g m en t an d rem an d t h e cas e w i th

d i rect i o n t o d i s m i s s Bran n er’ s m o t i on

.

In N o v e m

b er 2 0 18

, wh i l e rep res en t ed b y co u n s el

, Bran n er en t ered i n t h e

Su p eri o r Co u rt o f Ti ft Co u nt y a n eg o t i at ed Al f o r d 1 p l ea t o th ree co u n t s o f ch i ld

1 See g en eral l y No r t h Ca r o l i na v. A l f o r d

, 4 0 0 U. S. 2 5, 3 7 (9 1 S C t 1 6 0

, 2 7

LE2 d 1 6 2 ) (1 9 7 0 ) (“ [W ] h il e m o s t p l eas o f g u i l t y co n s i s t o f b o t h a wai v er o f t ri al an d

an ex p res s ad m i ss i o n o f g u il t

, t h e l at t er el em en t i s n o t a co n s t i t u t i on al req u i s i t e t o t h e

i m p o s i t i o n o f cri m i n al p en al t y .”); Ber r i en v. St a t e

, 3 0 0 Ga. 4 8 9 , 4 9 3 (3 ) (7 9 6 SE2 d

7 1 8 ) ( 2 0 1 7 ) (s u m

m ari zi n g t h e “ s i t u at i o n t h at t h e U n i t ed St at es Su p rem e Co u rt

co n fro n ted i n Al

f o rd

. . . [as ] t h e d efen d an t h ad en t ered a g ui l t y p l ea t o s eco n d-d eg ree

m u rd er b u t acco m

p an i ed h i s p l ea wi t h t h e s t at em en t t h at h e h ad n o t s h o t th e v i ct i m ”)

(ci t at i o n an d p u nct u at io n o m i t ted ).m o les t at i o n

. 2 At t h e en d of Bran n er’ s p l ea h eari ng

, t h e t ri al ju d g e o ral l y p ro n o u n ced

s en t en ce. T h ree day s l at er, o n No v em b er 1 6, Bran n er fi led a p r o s e m o t i o n to

wi t h d raw h i s p l ea. On No vem ber 2 8

, 2 0 1 8

, t h e t ri al c o u rt en tered ju d g m en t u p o n

Bran n er’ s p l ea, 3 co n v i ct in g h i m o f t h e th ree ch i l d m ol es t at i o n co u n t s

, an d i m p o s i n g

an ag greg at e s en t en ce o f 3 0 y ears

, t o s erv e 1 4 i n co n fi n em en t

.

Th e fo l l o wi n g y ear, i n J u l y 2 0 1 9

, t h e t ri al co urt co n d u ct ed a heari n g o n

Bran n er’ s m o ti o n t o w i t h d raw h i s p l ea. T hereaft er, t h e t ri al co u rt d en ied Bran n er’ s

m o ti o n o n t h e m eri t s

, an d Bran n er ch al l en ges th at ru li n g i n t hi s ap p eal

. As m o re fu l l y

ex p lai n ed b el o w, Bran n er s u p p l i ed t he t ri al co u rt no v i ab le b as i s to ru l e i n h i s fav o r

– h i s p ro s e m ot i o n am o u nt e d t o a n u l l i t y

, an d s u b s eq u en t effo rt s un d ert ak en were

u n t i m el y b ecau s e t h e t ri al co u rt h ad m ean wh il e l o st ju ri s d i ct i o n o v er t h e i s s u e.

2 Th e i n d i ct m en t al l eg ed t h at t h es e o ffen s es were co m m it ted “ b et ween t h e 1 s t

d ay of Au g u s t, 2 0 1 5, an d th e 3 0 t h d a y o f A u g u s t

, 2 0 16

, t h e ex act d at e o f t h e

o ffen s e[s ] b ei n g u n k n o wn .”

3 See g en eral l y Hu mp h rey v. S ta t e

, 2 9 9 G a. 1 97

, 1 98 (1 ) (7 8 7 SE2 d 1 6 9 ) (2 0 1 6 )

(“ [W ] i t h d rawal [o f a g ui l t y p lea] i s p erm i t t ed as a m at t er o f ri g h t at an y t i m e b efo re

t h e t ri al co u rt o ral l y p ro n ou nces a d efen d an t ’ s sen t en ce. On ce t he s en t en ce h as b een

p ro n ou n ced

, t h e d efen d an t l o s es t h e ab so l u t e ri g h t to wi t h d raw h i s p lea, th o u g h h e

m ay s t i l l s eek t o wi t h d raw, w i t h i n t h e t ri al co u rt ’ s d i s c r e t i o n

, wh ere n eces s ary to

co rrect a m an i fes t i nju st i ce.”) (ci t at i o n s an d p u n ct u at i o n o m i t t ed ).

2It i s wel l s et t l ed t h at “ [a] cri m i n al d efen d an t i n Geo rg i a d o es n o t hav e t h e ri g ht

t o r e p r e s e n t h i m s el f an d al s o b e rep res en t ed b y an at to rn ey

, an d pro s e fi l i n g s b y

rep res en t ed p art i es are t herefo re u n au t h o ri zed an d wi t h ou t effect .” To l b er t v. To o l e

,

2 9 6 Ga. 3 5 7

, 3 63 (3 ) (7 6 7 SE2 d 2 4 ) (2 0 1 4 ). W h en Bran n er fi l ed hi s p ro s e m o t i o n to

wi t h d raw h i s p l ea, h e was s t i l l rep res en ted b y p lea co u n s el

. A s t h e Su p rem e Co u rt o f

Geo rg i a h as recen t l y reaffi rm ed

, “ at a m i ni m u m

, l eg al rep res en t at i on co n t i n u es

–

u n l es s i n t erru p t ed b y en try o f an o rd er al l o wi n g co u n s el t o w i th d raw o r co m p l i an ce

wi t h t h e req ui rem en t s fo r s u b st i t u ti o n o f c o u ns el

, – t h ro u g h t h e en d o f t h e t erm at

wh i ch a t ri al co urt en t ers a ju d g m en t o f co n vi ct io n an d s en t en ce on a gu i l t y p l ea.”

(Ci t at i o n an d p u n ct u at i o n o m i t t ed .) Do s S a n to s v. S t a te

, 3 0 7 G a

. 1 5 1

, 1 5 3 (2 ) (8 3 4

SE2 d 7 3 3) (2 0 1 9).

Th e t erm o f co u r t d u r i n g wh ich Bran n er was co n v i ct ed an d s en t en ced en d ed

o n March 11 , 2 0 1 9

. 4 Pri or t o t hat d at e, n o o rd er was en t ered ei t h er fo r p l ea co u n s el

t o wi t h d raw or fo r s u b s t i t u t i o n o f co u n s el

. Co ns eq u en t l y

, Bran n er’ s p r o s e m o t i o n

am ou n t ed t o a l eg al n ul l i t y

, p res en t i n g t h e t ri al c o u rt wi t h no t h i n g to d eci d e. See

Ri cks v. S t a t e

, 30 7 Ga

. 1 6 8

, 1 6 9 (8 3 5 SE2 d 1 7 9 (2 0 1 9 ) (“ Gi v en t h at t h e reco rd

4 See OCGA § 1 5-6 -3 (3 9 ) (B) (“ Th e term s o f co u rt fo r t h e s u peri o r co u rt s fo r

each o f t he j u d i ci al ci rcu i t s sh al l co m m en ce as fo l l o w s :

. . . T i ft Co u nt y

– Seco n d

M o n day i n M arch an d s eco nd M o n d ay i n Sep t em

b er.”).

3co n tai n s n o o rd er al l o w i ng p l ea co u n s el t o wi t h d raw b efo re [t h e d efen dan t ] s u b m i t t ed

h er p ro s e fi l i n g s

. . . , [t h e defe n d a n t ] w a s s t i l l rep res en t ed b y co un s el w h en s h e

s u b m i t t ed t h em

, s u ch t h at h er p ro s e m o t i o n s were l eg al n u ll i ti es

. ”); Do s S a n t o s

, 3 0 7

Ga. at 1 5 4 (3 ) (“ D o s San t o s ’ s pro s e m o ti o n t o wi t h d raw h er p l eas was u n au t h o ri zed

an d wi t h o u t effect

, b ecau s e s h e h ad n o ri g h t t o rep res en t h ers el f at th e s am e t i m e s h e

was rep res en t ed b y

a l awy er.”).

It i s al s o wel l s et tl ed th at “ a t ri al co u rt l ack s j u ri s d i ct i o n t o p erm i t t h e

wi t h d rawal o f a gu i l t y p l ea o n ce t h e t erm of co u rt has ex pi red i n wh i ch t he d efen d an t

was s en t en ced .” (Ci t at io n an d p u n ct u at i o n o m i t t ed

. ) Ba n ks t o n v. S t a te

, 3 07 Ga. 6 5 6,

6 5 7 (2 ) (8 3 7 SE2 d 7 8 8 ) (2 0 2 0). See Co l q u i t t v. S t a te

, 3 0 7 Ga. 4 3

, 44 (8 3 4 SE2 d 5 2 )

(2 0 1 9) (s am e); Hu m

p h r ey , 2 99 Ga. at 1 9 8 (1 ) (reci t i n g t h at a “ m ot i o n m us t b e fi l ed

wi t h i n t h e t erm o f co urt in wh i ch t he d efen d an t was s en t en ced un d er t h e pl ea, as t h e

t ri al co u rt l ack s ju ri s di ct i o n t o en t ert ai n a m o t i o n t o wi t h d raw fi l ed b ey o n d t h e t erm

o f s en t en ci n g ”). Here, aft er t h e ex pi rat i o n o f t he term o f co u rt du ri n g wh i ch Bran n er

was s en t en ced

, ad d i t i o n al p l ead i n g s we r e fi led

, o rd ers were en t ered

, an d a h eari n g

was co nd u ct ed on hi s p u rp o r t e d m o ti o n t o wi t h draw. In p art i cu l ar, o n M arch 2 9,

2 0 1 9

, Bran n er’ s p l e a c o u n s e l fi l ed a m o t i o n t o wi t h d raw as co u n sel ; t h e t ri al co u rt

g ran t ed t h at m o t i o n on Ap ri l 1

, 2 0 1 9 ; t he co u rt al s o a p p o i n t e d n ew co u n s el

4(h erei n aft er, “ m o t i o n -t o -wi t h d raw co u ns el ”); an d m ot i o n -t o -wi t h d raw co u n s el fi l ed

a n o t i ce o f rep res en t at i o n o n M ay 1 3 , 2 0 19

.

[A] l t h o u g h m o t i o n

- t o -wi t h d raw co u n s el arg u ed at t h e [J ul y 2 0 1 9 ]

h eari n g t h at [Bran n er] s h o u l d b e al l o wed t o wi t h d raw [h is ] g u i l t y p l ea,

t h at co u ld n o t b reat h e l i fe i n t o [Bran ner’ s] i n o p erat i v e p l ead i n g [.] Th e

t ri al co u rt t herefo re s h ou l d h av e d i s m is s ed [Bran ner’ s No vem b er 2 0 1 8 ]

p ro s e m o t i o n [ ]

, rat h er t h an d en i ed [i t ]

.

(Ci t at i o n s an d p u n ct u at i on o m i t t ed .) Ri cks

, 30 7 Ga. at 1 6 9. See Ba n ks t on

, 3 0 7 Ga. at

6 5 7 (2 ) (“ Becau s e t h e . . . t erm o f co u rt i n wh i ch Ban k s t o n en t ered h i s p lea ex p i red

d ecad es ag o

, t h e t ri al co urt d id n o t h av e ju ri s d ict i o n o v er Ban k s t o n ’ s m o t i o n to

wi t h d raw. Th e t ri al c o u rt t h erefo re p ro p erl y d i s m i s s ed Ban k s to n ’ s m o t i o n t o t h e

ex t en t i t so u gh t t o wi t h draw h is g u i l t y p l e a s

. ”) (ci t at i o n an d pu n ct uat i o n o m i t t ed );

Do s S a n t o s

, 3 07 Ga. at 1 5 5 (3 ) (“ Th e t ri al co u rt s h o u l d hav e d i s m is s ed Do s San t o s ’ s

p ro s e m o t io n rat h er t h an ru l in g o n i t s m eri t s ); W h it e v. S t a t e

, 3 0 2 Ga. 3 1 5, 3 2 0 (2 )

(8 0 6 SE2 d 4 8 9) (2 0 1 7 ) (“ Th e o n l y fi l i n g t h at co ul d b e t reat e d a s a v al i d m o t i o n to

wi t h d raw Ap p el l an t ’ s gu i l t y p leas was t h e am en d ed m o t i o n t hat h i s n ew co u n s el

. .

. fi l ed

. . . . By t h at ti m e, h o wev er, t h e t erm o f co u rt du ri n g wh ich A p p el l an t en t ered

h i s g u il t y p l eas h ad en ded

, so t h e t ri al co u rt n o l o n ger had ju ri s d i ct i o n to g ran t a

m o ti o n t o wi t h draw g u i l ty p l eas .”); Br o o ks v. S t at e

, 3 0 1 Ga. 7 4 8

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

51 ) (2 0 1 7) (“ Be c a u s e t h e t ri al co u rt deci d ed th e m eri t s o f a m ot i o n i t l ack ed

ju ri s d i ct i o n t o d eci de, we v acat e t h e t ri al co u rt ’ s o rd er an d rem an d wi t h i n s t ru ct i on s

t o d i s m i s s .”).

I n l i g h t of t h e fo reg o i n g

, we v acat e t he co n t es t ed ju d g m en t

, an d rem an d t hi s

cas e wi t h i ns t ru ct i o n t o d i s m is s Bran n er’ s p ro s e m o t i o n t o wi t hd raw h i s p lea.

Ju d g men t va ca t ed a n d ca s e r ema n d ed wi t h d ir ect i o n

. Go bei l a nd Pi pki n

, JJ.,

co n cu r

.

6