In th e S u p re m e Co u rt o f Ge o rg ia

De c id e d : S e p te m

b e r 2 2, 2 0 1 4

S 1 4 A1 0 9 6 . WINGS TER v . THE S TATE

MELTON, Ju stic e

.

F o l l o w i n g a ju ry tria l, Ma rq u is Win g ste r wa s fo u n d g u ilty o f m a lic e

m u rd e r, fe lo n y m

u rd e r, a n d v a rio u s o th e r o ffe nse s in c o n n e c tio n wi t h t h e

sh o o tin g d e a th o f Ma rk Bo sto n

. 1 On a pp e a l Win gste r c on te n d s, a m o n g o th e r

th in g s, th a t th e e v id e n c e p re se n te d a t tria l wa s in su ffic ie n t to su p po rt th e v e rd ic t

1 On Ap ril 1 1

, 2 0 0 8

, Win g ste r wa s in d ic te d fo r m a lic e m urd e r, two c o u n ts

o f fe lo n y m

u rd e r (p re d ic a te d o n a g g ra v a te d a ssa u lt a n d p o sse ssio n o f a fire a rm b y a c o n v ic te d fe lo n ), a g g ra v a te d a ssa u l t

, p o sse ssio n o f a fire a rm d urin g th e

c o m m i s s i o n o f a fe lo n y , a n d po sse ssio n o f a fire a rm b y a c o n v ic te d fe l o n

. F o llo win g a De c e m

b e r 1 5
- 2 1

, 2 0 0 9 ju ry tria l, Win g ste r wa s fo u n d g u ilty o n a ll

c h a rg e s. On De c e m

b e r 2 1, 2 0 0 9

, th e tria l c o u rt se n te n c e d Win g ste r to life

im p riso n m e n t fo r m a lic e m

u rd e r a nd fiv e c o n se c utiv e y e a rs fo r p o sse ssio n o f a fire a rm d u rin g th e c o m m issio n o f a fe lo ny

. T h e fe lo n y m u rd e r c o n v ic tio n s we re

v a c a te d b y o p e ra tio n o f la w (se e Ma lc o lm v

. Sta te

, 26 3 Ga

. 3 6 9 (4 ) (4 3 4 S E2 d

4 7 9 ) (1 9 9 3 )), a n d th e re m a in in g c h a rg e s of a g g ra v a te d a ssa u lt a n d p o sse ssio n

o f a fire a rm b y a c o n v ic te d fe lo n we re m e rg e d fo r se n te n c in g p u r p o s e s

. Th a t

sa m e d a y , Win gste r file d a m o tio n fo r n e w tria l, wh ic h h e a m e n de d o n Ju n e 3 0

, 2 0 1 0, Au g u st 19

, 2 0 1 1

, a n d F e b ru a ry 1 6

, 2 01 2

. Th e tria l c o u rt de n ie d th e

m o tio n on Au g u st 1 3

, 2 0 1 3

. F o llo win g th e p a y m e n t o f c o sts, Win g ste r’s tim e ly

a p p e a l wa s d o c k e te d in th is Co urt fo r th e Ap ril 2 0 1 4 T er m a n d su b m itte d fo r d e c isio n o n th e b rie fs.a n d th a t h is tria l c o u n se l wa s in e ffe c tiv e . We a ffirm

.

1

. Vie we d in th e lig h t m o st fa vo ra b le to th e ju ry ’s v e rd ic t, th e e v id e n c e

re v e a ls th a t, a t a

ro u n d 9 :0 0 p m o n No v e m be r 2 4

, 20 07

, Win g s t e r, a c o n v ic te d

fe lo n, wa s sta n din g in a g a s sta tio n c o n v e n ie n c e sto re

. S h o rtly a ft e r r e c e iv in g

a p h o n e c a ll, W in g ste r e x ite d t h e s t o r e , wa lk e d u p to Bo sto n (wh o wa s sittin g

in a tru c k ), a nd sh o t h im in fro n t o f se v e ra l witn e s s e s

– t wo o f wh o m k n e w

Win gste r p e rso n a lly

. Bo sto n su ffe re d g u n s h o t wo u nd s to th e h e a d a n d c h e st, a n d

d ie d fro m h is in

ju rie s.

Th is e v id e n c e wa s su ffic ie n t to e n a b le a ra tio n a l trie r o f fa c t to fin d

Win gste r g u ilty o f a ll o f th e c rim e s o f w h ic h h e wa s c o n v ic t e d b e y o n d a

re a so na b le d o u b t. Ja c k so n v

. V i rg in ia

, 4 43 U .S

. 3 0 7 (9 9 S Ct 2 7 8 1

, 6 1 LE2 d

5 6 0 ) (1 97 9 ).

2

. Win g ste r c o n te n d s t h a t th e tria l c o u rt e rre d b y d e n y in g h is m o tio n to

strik e J u r o r N u mb e r 19 fo r c a u se

. “ Th e d e c isio n to strik e a p o te n tia l ju ro r fo r

c a u se lie s with in th e so u n d d isc re tio n o f th e tria l c o u rt a nd will no t be se t a sid e

a b se nt so m e m a

n ife st a b u se o f th a t d isc re tio n .” (Cita tio n o m itte d .) Ab du lla h v

.

S ta te , 2 8 4 Ga

. 3 9 9 , 4 0 0 (2 ) (6 6 7 S E2 d 5 8 4 ) (2 0 0 8 ). Th e re is n o su c h m a n ife st

a b u se o f d isc re tio n re g a rd in g a d e c isio n n ot to strik e a

ju ro r

2u n le ss it is sh o wn th a t th e j u ro r’s o p in io n is so fix e d a n d de fin ite

th a t h e o r sh e will be un a

b le to se t th e o p in io n a sid e a n d d e c id e th e

c a se b a se d up o n th e e v id e n c e a n d th e tria l c ou rt' s in stru c tio n s. Ne ith e r a p ro sp e c tiv e ju ro r’s d o u b ts a s to h is a b ility to be im

p artia l

n o r h is sta te m e n t th a t h e will t r y t o se t a sid e an y p re c o n c e iv e d

n o tio ns m a

n d a te a s a m a tte r o f la w th a t th e ju ro r b e e x c u s e d fo r

c a u se

.

(P u n c tu a tio n a n d fo o tn o te s o m itte d .) Mille r v

. S ta te

, 2 7 5 Ga

. 7 3 0

, 7 3 6 (5 ) (5 7 1

S E2 d 7 88 ) (2 0 0 2 ).

He re , Ju ro r 1 9 sta te d th a t, a l t h o u g h sh e wa s “ re a lly a ga in st g u n s,” sh e

wo u ld “ d o [h e r] be st” to g iv e th e d e fe n d a nt a fa ir tria l b y d e c id in g th e c a se

b a se d u p o n th e e v id e nc e p re se n te d

. Also

, e v e n th o ug h Ju ro r 1 9 fu rth e r a d m itte d

th a t h e r b e l i e f

s a b o ut g u n s c o u ld le a d h e r to th in k n e g a tiv e ly a b o u t so m e o n e

wh o o wn e d a g u n , sh e st a t ed th a t sh e wo u ld try h e r “ h a rd e st” to se t a sid e a n y

b ia s th a t sh e m a y h a v e b e c a u se it wa s “ [h e r] d u ty a s a c itiz e n .” Un d e r t h e se

c irc u m sta n c e s, it c a nn o t b e sa id th a t th e tria l c o u rt a b use d its d isc re tio n in

d e n y in g Win gste r’s m o tio n to s t r i k e th e p ro sp e c tiv e ju ro r fo r c a u se

. Th e

p ro sp e c tiv e ju ro r’s se lf d o u b ts d id n o t “ m a n d a te a s a m a tte r o f la w th a t th e ju ro r

b e e x c use d fo r c a

use ” (id

. ) a n d “ [n ] o th in g in th e ju ro r' s re sp o n se s c o m p e l[le d ]

a fin d in g th a t sh e h a d fo rm e d a n o p in io n o f [Win g ste r’s] g u ilt o r in n o c e n c e th a t

wa s so fix e d a nd d e fin ite th a t sh e wo u ld b e u na b le to se t th e o pin io n a sid e , o r

3th a t sh e wo uld b e u n a b le to d e c id e th e c a se b a se d u p o n th e c ou rt’s c h a rg e a n d

u p o n th e e v id e n c e .” Co rz a v

. S ta te

, 2 7 3 Ga

. 1 6 4, 1 6 7 (3 ) (5 3 9 S E 2 d 1 4 9 )

(2 0 0 0 ).

3

. Win g ste r a rg u e s th a t th e tria l c o u rt e rre d b y o v e rru lin g h is o b je c tio n s

to po rtio n s o f th e S ta te ’s c lo sin g a rg u m e nt. Sp e c ific a lly

, he c la im s th a t th e S ta te

im p ro p e rly a rg ue d fa c ts th a t w e re n o t in e v id e n c e wh e n it sta te d th a t Win g ste r

h a d pre v io u sly c a lle d Bo sto n o n th e te le p ho n e b e f o r e t h e m u rd e r a n d th a t a

wo m a n wh o wa s with B o sto n a t th e tim e o f th e sh o o tin g “ m ig h t [h a v e b e e n ] a

h o o ke r.” Ho we v e r, Win g ste r’s a rg u m e n ts a re b e lie d b y th e re c o rd

. Te le p h o n e

re c o rd s in tr o d u c e d a t tria l re v e a le d th a t Win g ste r h a d c a lle d Bo sto n th e d a y

b e fo re th e m

u rd e r. F u rth e rm o re , a d e te c tiv e te stifie d a t tria l th a t, d u r i n g h i s

in t e r v i e w with Win g ste r, Win g ste r re v e a le d th a t th e wo m an wh o wa s with

Bo sto n a t th e tim e o f th e sh o o tin g c o u ld h a v e b e e n a p ro stitu te

. W e fin d n o

e rro r. S e e , e

. g . Ro b in so n v . S ta te , 2 5 7 Ga . 1 9 4 (4 ) (3 5 7 S E 2 d 7 4 ) (1 9 87 ).

4

. Win gste r c la im s th a t h is tria l c o u n se l wa s in e ffe c tiv e fo r (a ) fa ilin g to

o b je c t to Na ta sh a Be ll’s te stim o n y re la tin g to th e p h o to g ra p hic lin e up e v id e n c e

o f S ta te ’s Ex h ib i t s Ele v e n a n d Ele ve n -A, (b ) fa ilin g to m o v e to su p pre ss a n d

o b je c t t o t h e te stim o n y o f Je rre ll S m ith re la tin g to th e p h oto g ra p h ic lin e u p

4e v id e n c e of S ta te ’s E x h ib it S e v e n te e n a n d (c ) fa ilin g to m o v e to su p p re ss

Win gste r’s in v o lu n ta ry c u sto d ia l sta te m e n ts.

In o rd e r to su c c e e d o n h is c la im o f in e ffe c tiv e a ssista n c e , [Win g ste r] m u st

p ro v e b o th th a t h is tria l c o u n se l’s p e rfo rma n c e w a s de fic ie n t a n d th a t
th e re is a re a so n a

b le p ro ba b ility th a t th e tria l re su lt wo u ld ha v e b e e n d iffe re n t if n o t fo r th e d e fic ie nt p e rfo rm a nc e

. S tric k la n d v . Wa sh in g to n , 4 6 6 U. S

. 6 6 8 (1 0 4 S C t 2 0 5 2

, 8 0 LE2 d 6 7 4 ) (1 98 4). If a n a p p e lla n t fa ils

to m e e t h is o r he r b u r d e n o f p ro vin g e ith e r pro n g o f th e S tric k la n d te st,
th e re v ie win g c o u rt d oe s n o t h a v e to e x a m in e th e o th e r p ro n g

. Id

. a t 6 9 7 (IV); Fu lle r v

. S ta te

, 2 7 7 Ga

. 5 0 5 (3 ) (5 9 1 S E2 d 7 8 2 ) (2 00 4). In re v ie win g th e tria l c o u rt' s d e c isio n , “ ‘[w] e a c c e p t th e tria l c o u rt' s fa c tu a l fin d in g s a n d

c re d ib ility d e te rm in a tio n s u n le ss c le a rly e rro n e o us, bu t we in de p e n d e n tly

a p p ly th e le ga l prin c ip le s to th e fa c ts.’ [Cit.] ” Ro bin so n v

. S ta te

, 2 7 7 Ga

. 7 5 , 7 6 (5 8 6 S E2 d 3 1 3 ) (2 0 0 3 ).

Wrig h t v

. S ta te

, 2 9 1 G a

. 8 6 9

, 8 7 0 (2 ) (7 3 4 S E2 d 8 7 6 ) (2 01 2). F u rth e rm ore ,

“ [w] he n tria l c o u n se l’s fa ilu re to file a m o tio n to su p p re ss is th e b a sis fo r a c la im

o f in e ffe c tiv e a ssista nc e , th e d e fe n d a nt m u st m a k e a stro n g sh o w in g th a t t h e

d a m a g in g e v id e n c e wo u ld h a v e b e e n su p p re sse d h a d c o u n se l m a d e th e m o tio n .”

(Cita tio n a n d pu n c tu a tio n om itte d .) Big g s v

. S ta te

, 28 1 G a

. 6 2 7

, 63 1-6 3 2 (4 ) (b )

(6 4 2 S E 2 d 7 4 ) (2 0 0 7 ).

(a ) Win g ste r’s c la im s to th e c o n tra ry n o twith sta n d in g , th e re c o rd re v e a ls

th a t th e id e n tific a tio n p ro c e ss wit h r e sp e c t to N a ta sh a Be ll’s id e n tific a tio n o f

Win gste r wa s n o t u nd u ly su g g e stiv e . In th is re g a rd

,

5[a ] n u nd uly su g g e stiv e p ro c e d u re is o n e w h ic h le a ds th e wi t n e ss to th e

v irtu a lly in e v itab le id e n tific a tio n o f th e de fe n d a n t a s th e p e rp e tra to r, a n d

is e q u iv a le n t to th e a

u th oritie s te llin g th e witn e ss, ' Th is is o u r su sp e c t.'
Wh e re th e id e n tific a tio n p ro c e d u re is no t u n du ly su g g e stiv e , it is n o t

n e c e ssa ry to c on sid e r wh e th e r th e re wa s a su b sta n tia l lik e lih o o d o f

irre p a ra b le m isid e n tific a tio n

.

(Cita tio n s a n d p u n c tu a tio n o m itte d .) W illia m s v

. S ta te

, 2 86 Ga

. 88 4, 8 8 8 (4 ) (b )

(6 9 2 S E 2 d 3 7 4 ) (2 0 1 0).

He re , th e re c ord re v e a ls th a t th e p o lic e d id no t su gg e st in a ny wa y th a t

Be ll n e e de d to c h o o se a n y p a rtic u la r p e rso n fro m th e lin e u p a s th e sh o o te r. No r

wa s th e c o m

p o sitio n o f th e p ho to g ra

p h ic lin e u p itse lf d e sig n e d to su g ge st th a t

Be ll sh o u ld p ic k a p a rtic ula r p e rso n , a s it fe a tu re d six A fric a n -Am e ric a n m a le s

o f sim ila r a

p p e a ra n c e

. Be ll a lso te stifie d th a t sh e p ic k ed W in g ste r o ut o f th e

lin e u p w i t h n o a id fro m po lic e

. Be c a u se Win g ste r h a s n o t sh o w n th a t th e

p h o to g ra p h ic lin e u p id e n tific a tio n o f h im wo u ld h a v e b e e n in a d m issib le h a d h is

c o u n se l c h a lle n g e d it, h is c la im o f in e ffe c tiv e a ssista n c e fa ils. S e e Willia m s v

.

S ta te , 2 9 0 Ga . 5 33 (2 ) (a ) (7 2 2 S E2 d 8 4 7 ) (2 0 1 2 ).

(b ) Co n tra ry to Win g ste r’s a sse rt i o n , t h e re c ord re v e a ls th a t h is c o u n se l

d id in fa c t file a m otio n to su p p re ss Je rre ll S m ith ’s te stim on y re la tin g to S ta te ’s

Ex h ib it 1 7

. Th is c on te n tio n o f in e ffe c tiv e a ssista n c e is th e re fo re with o u t m e rit.

6S e e F o rd v . S ta te , 2 9 0 Ga . 4 5, 4 7 n .5 (5 ) (7 1 7 S E2 d 4 6 4 ) (2 0 1 1 ).

(c ) Th e re c o rd re v e a ls th a t, b e fo re Win gste r wa s i n t e r v i e we d by p o lic e ,

h e sig n e d a v olu n ta ry wa iv e r o f his rig h t to a n a tto rn e y a f t e r b e in g re a d h is

Mira n d a rig h ts. Th e n , fo r th e first tim e a t th e m o tio n fo r ne w tria l h e a rin g , h e

c la im e d th a t h e ha d in v o k e d h is rig h t to an a tto rn e y a t th e ti me t h a t h e wa s

in te rv ie we d b y th e p o lic e , b u t th a t th e p o lic e n e v e rth e le ss c o n tin u e d to q u e stio n

h im

. H o we v e r, th e re is n o e v id e n c e o f re c o r d th a t Win gste r e v e r in fo rm e d h is

tria l c o u n se l th a t h e h a d a lle g e d ly in v o ke d h is rig h t to an a tto rn e y b e fo re b e in g

in te rv ie we d b y po lic e , as W in g ste r d id no t te stify th a t h e e v e r in fo rm e d h is

a tto rn e y o f th i s

. N o r d i d Win g ste r q u e stio n h is tria l c o u n se l a t th e m o tio n fo r

n e w tria l h e a rin g a

b o u t wh e th e r h e wa s e v e r in fo rm e d a bo ut W in gste r’s a lle g e d

in v o c a tio n o f h is rig ht to a n a tto rn e y b e fo re h is c u sto d ia l in te rro g a tio n . In th is

re g a rd

, W in g ste r c a

n n o t sa tisfy h is b u rd e n o f sh owin g de fic ie n t p e rfo rm a n c e o n

th e p a rt o f h is tria l c o u n se l. In d e e d

, tria l c o u n se l c a n n o t p ossib ly h a v e

p e rfo rm e d d e fic ie n tly b y fa ilin g to a ct o n in fo rm a tio n th a t W in g ste r h a s n o t

sh o wn th a t h e e v e r p ro v id e d to h im

. S e e Le wis v

. S ta te

, 2 9 4 Ga

. 5 2 6 (7 5 5 S E2 d

1 5 6 ) (2 01 4 ).

Ju d g m e n t a ffirm e d . All th e Ju stic e s c o n c u r.

7