FI FTH DI VI SI ON

PHI PPS, P. J.

, DI LLA RD and PETERSON, 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

A pr i l 20, 2016



# I n th e Co u r t o f

A p p eals o f

G eo r g ia

A1 6 A0 44 6 . SUTTON v

. THE STATE. PE-0 1 5 C

P E T E R S O N , J u d g e.

St ev e Su t t o n , co n v i ct ed o f s i x co u n t s o f c h i l d m o les t at io n an d on e co u n t o f

ag g rav at ed ch il d m ol es t at i o n , ap p eal s fro m t h e d en ial o f h i s m o t i o n fo r a new t ri al

.

He arg u es t h at t h e t ri a l c o u r t erred b y (1 ) ex cl ud i n g o n e o f th e v i ct i m ’ s st at em en t s

t h a t s h e w as m o l es t ed b y s o m eo n e o t h er t h an hi m , an d (2 ) d en y i n g h i s m o t i o n t o

s ev er t h e m o l es t at i o n c o u n ts p ert ai n i n g to o n e v i ct i m fro m t h o s e p ert ai n i n g t o t h e

o t h er. Becau s e t h e v i ct im ’ s st at em en t was m erel y ev i den ce o f t h e v i cti m ’ s m o m en t ary

co n fu s i o n , an d b ecau s e s ev eran c e was u nn eces s ary g i v en th at t h e m o l es t at i o n

al l eg at i o n s o f each v i ct i m wo u ld h av e b een ad m i ss i b l e ev i d en ce i n t h e o t h er v i ct i m ’ s

cas e, we affi rm

.Fo l l owi n g a cri m i n al co n vi ct i o n , we v i ew t h e ev i d en ce i n t h e l i g h t m o s t

fav o rab l e to t h e ju ry’s v e rd i ct

, an d n o lo n g er p res u m e t h e defen d an t i s i n n o cen t

.

W a l la ce v. S ta t e , 2 9 4 G a. Ap p

. 1 5 9

, 1 5 9 (1 ) (6 6 9 SE2 d 4 00 ) (2 0 0 8 ). So v i ewed

, t h e

ev i d en ce s ho ws t hat Su tt o n was t h e g ran d fat h er of t h e t wo v ict i m s , A

. J

. an d C. S.

Su t t o n rep e a t e d l y to uch ed C. S.’ s g en i t al s o n n u m ero u s occas i o n s w h en s h e was

ap p ro x i m at el y t en o r el ev en y ears o l d

. Su t t o n al so m ad e C. S. t o u ch h i m , an d o n o n e

o ccas i o n , rem o v ed h er b at h i n g s u i t bo t t o m an d t o u ch ed h er g en i t al s w i t h h i s t o n g ue.

Sev eral y ears l at e r , w h e n A

. J

. was fo ur y ears o l d

, Su t to n p l aced s om e s o rt o f

s u b s t an ce A. J . cal l ed “ g l u e” o n h er g en i t al s an d t ou ch ed h er.

Pri o r to t h e t ri al

, t h e St at e fi l ed a m o t i o n i n l i m i n e t o ex cl ud e t h e p as t s ex u al

h i s t o ry o f A. J

. Sp eci fi cal l y , t h e St at e so u g h t t o ex cl u d e ev i den ce o f a p ri o r s ex u al

i n ci d en t bet ween A. J

. an d an o t h er y o u n g ch i l d u nd er th e Rap e Sh i el d St at u t e. Su t t o n

arg u ed t h at t h e ev i d en ce s h o u l d b e ad m i t ted t o d em o n s t rat e t h e ch i l d ’ s kn o wl ed g e o f

s ex u al act s i n d ep en d en t o f t h e act i o n s fo r wh i ch Su t t o n was i n d i ct ed

. Th e t ri al co u rt

ex am i n ed t h e p art i es ’ arg u m en t s carefu l l y an d i n d e t ai l b efo re gran t i n g th e St at e’ s

m o ti o n , wi t h t he cav eat t h at t h e St at e co u l d n o t o p en t h e d o o r b y cl ai m i n g t h at A

. J

.

h ad s ex u al k n o wl ed g e t hat co u l d h av e o ri g i n at ed o nl y fro m Su t to n ’ s co nd u ct

.

2On t h e d ay o f t ri al

, Su tt o n i n d i cat ed t hat h e i n t en d ed t o p l ay A. J .’ s reco rd ed

i n t erv i ew i n wh i ch sh e i ni ti al l y i d en t i fi es an ot h er ch i l d as h av i n g p u t t h e g l u e o n h er.

In t h e reco rd ed i n t erv i ew, A. J

. fi rs t d i scu s s ed an i n ci d en t i n wh i ch t h e o t her y o u n g

ch i l d h ad t ou ch ed h er. W h en as k ed ab o u t t h e i n ci d en t at is s u e in t h i s cas e

i m m ed i at el y t h ereaft er, A

. J. s ai d t h at t he s am e yo u n g ch i l d h ad p laced g lu e o n h er

g en it al s , b u t t h en i m

m ed i at el y co rrect ed h ers el f t o i den t i fy Su t t o n

. Th e St at e arg u ed

t h at t h i s po rt i o n o f t h e i n t erv i ew s h o u ld b e ex cl u ded u n der t h e t ri al co u rt ’ s p rev i ou s

ru l i n g as p ri o r s ex u al h i s t o ry

. Aft er m u ch d e b a t e b e t ween t h e p art i es an d carefu l

co n si d erat io n b y t h e tri al co u rt as t o wh et her t h e st at em en t m erel y co n st it u t ed a p ri o r

i n co n s i s t en t s t at em en t

, t he tri al co u rt ex pan d ed i t s p ri or ru l i n g t o ex cl u d e t h e p o rt i o n

o f A. J .’ s i nt erv iew i n wh ich s h e refers t o t he o t h er y o u ng ch i ld

.

1

. Su t t o n arg ues t hat t h e t ri al co u rt erred b y ex cl u d i n g A

. J ’ s st at em en t s fro m

t h e reco rd i n g o f t h e i n terv i ew p l ay ed fo r t h e ju ry

. Sp eci fi cal l y , Su t t o n co n t en d s t h at

fo rm er OCGA § 2 4 -2 -3 di d n o t req u i re ex cl u s i o n o f A. J

. ’ s s t at em en t s a s u n rel at ed

s ex u al h i s t o ry , b ecau s e h er s t at em en t wo u l d b e u s ed t o i m p each h er. 1 W e d i s ag ree.

1 To th e ex t en t Su t t o n ch al l en g es th e co n s t it u t i o n al i ty o f fo rm er OCGA § 2 4 -2

- 3 as ap p l i ed

, t h at arg u m en t i s n o t pres erv ed fo r ap p eal

. Th e t ri al co u rt d i d n ot

s p eci fi cal l y ad d res s o r ru l e o n t h e q u es t i o n

. S ee S t a t e v. S

wa rt z , 2 7 7 Ga. Ap p

. 2 4 1,

2 4 1 -4 2 (6 2 6 SE2 d 2 1 0 ) (2 0 0 6 ).

3W e rev i ew a t ri al co u rt ’ s d eci s i o n t o ad m i t or ex cl u d e ev i d en ce fo r ab u s e o f

d i s cret i o n

. Ga u t rea ux v. S t at e , 3 1 4 Ga. Ap p . 1 0 3 , 1 0 6 (2 ) (7 2 2 SE2 d 9 1 5 ) (2 0 1 2 ).

Fo rm er OCGA § 2 4 -2 -3 2 p ro v i d es t h at g en eral l y i n p ro s ecu t i o n s fo r ag g rav at ed ch i ld

m o les t at i o n “ ev id en ce rel at i n g t o t h e p as t s ex u al b eh av i o r o f t h e co m p l ai n in g wi t n es s

s h al l n o t b e ad m i s s i bl e, ei th er a s d i r e c t ev id en ce o r o n cro s s -ex am i n at i on o f t h e

co m p l ai n i n g wi t n es s or o t h er wi t n es s es [.] ” T h e g en eral ru l e i s th at ev i d en ce o f p ri o r

u n rel at ed m o l es t at i on i s barred

, an d “ is n ot ad m i s s i b l e s i m p l y t o sh o w t h e v i ct i m was

co n fu s ed .” Bl a ckwel l v. S t a te

, 2 2 9 Ga. Ap p

. 4 5 2, 4 5 4 (2 ) (4 94 SE2 d 2 69 ) (1 9 9 7 ). Bu t

s u c h e v i d en ce m ay b e ad m i s s i b l e t o s h ow o t h er p o s si bl e cau s es fo r b eh av i o ral

s y m p to m s t y p i cal l y as s o ci at ed w i t h ch il d s ex u al ab u s e acco m m o d at io n sy nd ro m e 3 o r

t o ex p l ai n cert ai n m ed i cal tes ti m o n y i n t ro d u ced at t ri al

. Ti d wel l v. S t a t e , 2 1 9 Ga. Ap p.

2 3 3

, 2 3 7 -3 8 (5 ) (4 64 SE2 d 8 3 4 ) (1 9 9 5 ). “ Su c h e v i d en ce m ay al s o b e ad m i s s i b l e to

2 Becau s e t he t ri al i n t h i s cas e o ccu rred i n 2 0 0 9

, p ri o r to th e Jan u ary 1

, 2 0 1 3

effect i v e d at e o f o u r n ew ev i d en ce co de, OCGA § 24 -2 -3 (t h e p red eces s o r to OCGA § 2 4-4 -4 1 2 ) ap p li es

. S

ee Ga. L. 2 0 1 1 , p . 9 9 , § 1 0 1

.

3 Ch i l d s ex u al ab u s e acco m m od at i o n sy n d ro m e refl ect s a v ari et y o f b eh av i o ral

s t ag es d i s p l ay ed b y ch i l dren w h o h av e b een s ex ual l y as s au l t ed

. Fo r a m o re d et ai l ed

d es cri p t i on o f t h i s co n d it io n , see, e.g

. , Al l is o n v. St a t e , 25 6 Ga. 85 1

, 8 52 (2 ) ( 3 5 3

SE2 d 8 0 5) (1 9 8 7).

4s h o w t h e v i ct i m ’ s l ack o f cred i b i l i t y wh ere t h e v i ct i m h as m ad e p ri o r fal s e al l eg at i on s

o f ch i ld m o l es t at i o n.” Ber r y v. S t a t e , 2 3 5 G a. Ap p

. 3 5, 3 7 (2 ) (5 0 8 SE2 d 4 3 5) (1 9 9 8 ).

Here, n o n e of t h e ex cep t i o n s t o t h e g en eral ru l e o f i n ad m is s i b i l i t y ap p l i es

.

Th ere was n o ex p ert t es t i m o n y conc e r ning c hild a

buse acco m

m od at i o n s y n d ro m e, n o r

was an y m ed i cal ev i d en ce ad m i t ted

. Su t t o n was al so u n a b l e t o sh o w t h at A. J .’ s

s t at em en t s reg ard in g t h e o t her ch i l d were fal s e. Fi n al l y , cl o s e rev i ew o f t h e t es t i m o ny

at i ss u e rev eal s t h at A. J

., wh o m o m en t s earl i er had b een di s cu ss i ng act i v i t y wi t h t h e

o t h er y o u n g ch i l d

, m erel y m i s s p o ke an d i n i ti al l y sai d t he wro n g n am e, 4 b u t t h en

co rrect ed h ers el f t o i d en t i fy Su t t o n as t h e o ffen d er, an d was co n si st en t i n t h at

t es t i m o ny th ro u g h o u t t he rem ai n d er o f t he i n terv i ew, al th o u g h s h e referred t o Su t t o n

as b o t h “ Po p p a Jo h n s o n ” an d “ Po p p a Su t t o n.” As a res u l t

, we can n o t s ay t h at t h e t ri al

4 E v en if we were to p lu ck A. J .’ s m is s t at em en t

— wh i ch s h e i m m e d i at el y

co rrect ed

— fro m i t s co n t ex t i n t h e d is cu s si o n o f t h e u n rel at ed m o l es tat i on t h at h ad

t ak en p l ace m o m en ts earl i er, an d co n s i d er i t i n st ead i n i s o l at i o n , a n y erro r in

ex cl u d i n g th e m i s s t at em en t was h arm l es s

. S ee Mo b l ey v. S t a t e , 2 6 5 Ga. 29 2

, 2 9 4 (4 ) (4 5 5 SE2 d 6 1 ) (1 9 9 5 ) (“ i t i s an o l d an d so u n d ru l e t h at erro r t o b e rev ers i b l e m u st b e h arm fu l ”). A. J

. was c o n s i s t en t i n h er i n t erv i ew th at Su t t on m o l es t ed her, an d h er f l eet i n g m i s s t at em en t t h at s h e i m m ed i at el y co rrect ed can n ot b e fai rl y eq u at e d w i t h

h er h av i n g i d en ti fi ed s o m e o th er p ers o n as t h e o ffen d er.

5co u rt ab us ed i t s di s cret io n i n ex cl u d i n g A

. J .’ s t es t i m o n y pert ai n i n g t o t h e o t h er

y o u n g ch i l d

. 5

2

. Su t t o n n ex t arg u es t h at t h e t ri al co u r t e r r e d b y refu s i n g t o s ev er t h e

al l eg at i o n s p ert ai ni ng t o e a c h v i ct i m i n to s ep arat e t ri al s b ecau s e (1 ) t h e al l eg at i on s

p ert ai n i n g t o each v i ct i m were to o rem o t e in t i m e an d were t oo di fferen t t o h av e b een

co m b i ned i n t o a s i n g le t ri al

, an d (2 ) t h e i nci d en ts p ert ai ni n g t o C.S. w o u ld n o t h av e

b een ad m i s s i b le as s i m i l ar t ran s act i o n ev i d en ce i n t h e t ri al p ert ai ni n g t o A. J

. Su t t o n

a l s o a r g u es t h at h e was p reju d i ced b y t h e fai l u re t o s ev er th e ch arg es p ert ai n i n g t o

each v ict i m b ecau s e th e co m b i n at i o n o f ch arg es i n t o a s in g l e t ri al m ad e h is co n v i ct i o n

m o re l i k el y . Ag ai n, we d i s ag ree.

W e rev i ew t h e t ri al co u rt ’ s deci s i o n t o g ran t o r d en y a s ev eran ce fo r ab u s e o f

d i s cret i o n

. Gi lb er t v. St a t e , 1 6 3 Ga. Ap p

. 6 8 8

, 69 0 (3 ) (2 9 5 SE2 d 1 7 3 ) (1 9 8 2 ).

Sev eran ce i s m an d at o ry

“ [w] h en t wo o r m o re cri m es o f t he s am e g en eral n at u re are

co m m i t t ed ag ai n s t d i fferen t p ers o n s , at d i fferen t t im es an d p l aces , an d are ch arg ed in

s ep arat e co u nt s o f an i nd i ct m en t

. . . i f t he cri m es are jo in ed s o l el y b ecau s e t h ey

are

o f t h e s am e or s im i lar ch aract er.” Ma ch i a vel l o v. S t a te

, 3 0 8 G a

. A p p

. 7 7 2

, 7 7 3 (2 )

5 Th e d i ct a Su tt o n rel i es o n in W a gn er v. St at e , 2 5 3 Ga. Ap p . 8 74 (5 6 0 SE2 d

7 5 4 ) (2 0 0 2 ) d o es n o t ch an g e o u r an al y s i s h ere.

6(7 0 9 SE2 d 2 8 ) (2 0 11 ) (em p h as i s i n ori g i n al ). Bu t “ [i ]f t h e o ffen ses are n ot jo i n ed

s o l el y b ecau s e t h ey are o f t he s am e o r si m i l ar ch aract er, an d ev i d en ce o f o n e ch arg ed

o ffen s e w o u l d b e ad m i s s i b l e as a s i m i l ar t ran s act i o n d u ri n g t ri al on an o t h er ch arg ed

o ffen s e, t h e t ri al co urt i s v es t ed wi t h d i s cret i o n i n deci d i n g wh et h er t o g ran t a m o t i o n

t o sev er.” Id

. Sev er a n c e d o es n o t h av e to b e g ran t ed wh en , i n th e t ri al co urt ’ s

d i s cret i o n , t h e co m

p l e x i t y o f t h e ev i den ce an d nu m b er o f o ffen s es ch arg ed d o n ot

i m p i n g e “ u p o n a fai r d et erm i n at i o n o f t h e d efen dan t ’ s g ui l t o r i nn o cen ce as t o each

o ffen s e ch arg ed ” Id

. at 7 7 4 (2 ) (ci t at i o n an d p u n ct u at i o n o m i t t ed ).

Here, al t h o ug h t h e ch arg ed o ffen s es o ccu rred o n di fferen t d at es an d i n v o l v ed

d i fferen t v ict i m s , t h ey s h o wed Su t t o n ’ s “ co m m on m o t i v e, l u s t fu l d i s p o s i t i o n , a n d

b en t o f m i n d t o s at i s fy h i s s ex u al d es i res .” S t ep h o v. S ta t e , 3 1 2 Ga. Ap p

. 4 9 5

, 5 0 0 (3 )

(7 1 8 SE2 d 8 5 2 ) (2 0 1 1 ). S ee a l s o W r i g h t v. S ta t e , 2 5 9 Ga. Ap p

. 7 4

, 77 -7 8 (3 ) (b ) (5 7 6

SE2 d 6 4 ) (2 0 0 3 ) (p erm i t t i ng ch arg e o f s e x u al b at t ery ag ai n s t ad u lt d au g h t er t o b e

i n cl u d ed al o n g wi t h ch arg es o f ch i ld m o l es t at i o n i n v o l v i n g g ran d s o n, as al l eg ed

b at t ery s h o wed d efen d an t ’ s “ b en t o f m i n d an d p at t ern o f co n du ct ag ai n st m em b ers o f

h i s fam i l y ”). 6 No tab l y , Su t t o n “ g ai n ed acces s to h i s s eco n d v i ct im

. . . t h ro u g h h i s

6 T h es e cas es were d eci d ed u n d er t he p ri o r ev id en ce co d e i n wh i ch b e n t o f

m i n d was a g ro u n d u po n wh ich s i m i l ar t ran s act i o n ev i d en ce co u l d b e ad m i t t ed

.

7fam i l i al rel at i o ns h i p ” b ecau s e b o t h v i ct i m s were h i s g ran d d au g h t ers

. S tep h o , 3 1 2 Ga.

Ap p

. at 5 0 0 (3 ). D es p i t e th e p as s ag e o f t i m e an d o th er m i no r d ifferen ces b et ween t h e

t w o o ffen s es , t he t ri al co u rt co u l d fi n d t h at t h e ci rcu m s t an ces rel at ed t o Su t t o n ’ s

m o les t at i o n o f each v i ct i m wo u l d h av e b een ad m i s s i b l e as si m i lar t ran s act i o n

ev i d en ce h ad t h ere b een s ep arat e tri al s fo r each

. Id

. (ci t in g Co l l i n s v. S t at e , 3 1 0 Ga.

Ap p

. 6 1 3

, 6 1 7 (2 ) (7 1 4 SE2 d 24 9 ) (2 0 1 1 ) (“ Th e m ere d i fferen ce i n th e v ict i m s ’ ag es ,

s ex , an d s p eci fi c act s o f m o l es t at i o n d i d n o t ren der t h e s i m il a r t ran s act i o n

i n ad m is s i b le.”)). “ W h ere t h e ev i d en ce o f on e cri m e wo u ld b e ad m i s s i b le i n t h e t ri al

o f t h e o t h er cri m e, i t can no t be sai d t h at th e tri al co u rt ab u s ed i ts d i s cret i o n i n d en y i n g

ap p el l an t ’ s m o t i o n fo r s ev eran ce.” Id

. (ci t at i o n o m i t t ed ).

Fi n al l y , “ t h i s cas e was n o t s o co m p l ex as t o i m

p a i r t h e ju ry ’ s ab i l i t y to

d i s t i n g u i s h t h e ev i d en ce an d ap p l y t h e l aw i nt el l i g en tl y as t o each o ffen s e.” Id

.

(ci t at i o n o m it t ed ). In d eed

, t h e ju ry f o u n d Su t t o n no t g ui l t y o f ag g rav at ed s ex u al

b at t ery wi t h res p ect t o A. J

. Co n s eq u en t l y , we co n cl ud e t h at t h e tri al co u rt d i d n ot

ab u se i t s d i s cret i o n i n d en y i n g Su t t o n ’ s m o ti o n to s ev er an d m o t i o n fo r n ew t ri al o n

t h i s b as i s

.

Ju d g men t a f f i r m ed . Ph i

p p s , P. J., a nd

Di l la r d , J., co n cu r.

8