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

De c id e d : Ap ril 2 0 , 2 0 1 5

S 1 5 A0 1 4 7. DANF ORTH v . CHAP MAN.

S 1 5 X0 1 4 8. CHAP MAN v . DANF O RTH.

BENHAM, Ju stic e

.

Ju stin W. Ch a

p m a n wa s c on v ic te d o f a rso n a nd fe lo n y m u rd e r re g a rd in g

a 2 0 0 6 fire th a t wa s in te n tio n a lly se t o u tsid e th e fro n t d o o r o f h is d u p le x

a p a rtm e nt, re su ltin g in th e d e a th o f a re sid e n t wh o liv e d o n th e oth e r sid e o f th e

d u p le x

. We a ffirm e d Ch a p m a n ’s c o n v ic tio n in Ch a p m a n v

. S ta te

, 29 0 Ga

. 6 3 1

(7 2 4 S E2 d 3 91 ) (2 01 2 ). Ch a p m a n file d a p e titio n fo r h a b e a s re lie f, a sse rtin g six

su b sta n tiv e c la im s: in e ffe c tiv e a ssista nc e o f tria l c o u n se l; in e ffe c tiv e a ssista n c e

o f a p p e lla te c o u n s e l; Bra d y/Gig lio v io la tio n s; 1 Cra w fo rd v

. Wa sh in g to n

v io la tio n s; 2 p ro se c u to ria l m isc o n d u c t; a n d a c tu a l in n o c e n c e

. Th e h a be a s c o urt

g ra n te d re lie f, fin d in g th a t th e re we re th re e Bra d y /Gig lio v io la tio n s a n d a

v io la tio n of Cra wfo rd v

. Wa sh in g to n

. In a d d itio n

, th e h a b e a s c o u rt fo u n d

1 Gigl i o v

. U n ited States, 405 U.S. 150 (92 SCt 7 6 3, 31 L E2d 104) (1972); B rady v.

Maryland, 373 U.S. 83 (83 SCt 1194, 10 L E2d 215) (1963).

2 Crawford v. W ashing ton, 541 U.S. 36 (124 SCt 1354, 158 L E2d 177) (2004).Ch a

p m a n ’s a pp e lla te c o un se l wa s in e ffe c tiv e fo r fa ilin g to in v e stig a te th e c a se

a n d fo r fa ilin g to ra ise th e Bra d y a n d Cra wfo rd v io la tio n s o n a p p e a l. Th e

h a b e a s c o u rt d id n o t re a c h Ch a p m a n ’s re m a in in g h a

b e a s c la im s. Th e Wa rd e n

a p p e a ls a n d Ch a

p m a n h a s f

i l e d a c ro ss-a

p p e a l. F or re a so n s se t fo rth b e lo w,

Ca se No . S 1 5 A0 1 4 7 is a ffirm e d a n d Ca se No . S 1 5 X0 1 4 8 is d ism isse d

.

Ca se No . S 1 5 A0 1 47

1

. T h e Wa rd e n c o m

p l a i n s t h at th e h a

b e a s c o u rt de n ie d its re q u e st to

su b m it a p o st-h e a rin g b r i e f

. Th e Wa rd e n ha s fa ile d to se t fo rth a ny a u th o rity

th a t re q u ire s th e h a

b e a s c o urt to a llo w th e filin g o f p o st-h e a rin g b rie fs. Th is

a lle g a tio n o f e rro r is with o u t m e rit.

2

. Th e Wa rd e n a rg u e s th a t th e h a b e a s c o u r t e r r e d w h e n it d e te rm in e d

Ch a p m a n wa s e n title d to a n e w tria l a s re lie f fo r th e p ro se c u to r’s su p pre ssio n o f

c e rta in e v id e n c e th a t wa s h e lp fu l to th e d e fe n se

. “ [T] he su p p re ssio n b y th e

p ro se c u tio n o f e v id e n c e fa v o r a b l e to a n a c c use d u po n re q ue st v io la te s d u e

p ro c e ss wh e re th e e v id e n c e is m a t e r ia l e ith e r to g u ilt or to p u n ish m e n t,

irre sp e c tiv e of th e g o o d fa i t h o r ba d fa ith o f th e p ro se c utio n .” Bra d y v

.

Ma ry la n d

, 3 7 3 U.S

. 83

, 87 (8 3 S Ct 1 1 9 4

, 1 0 LE2 d 2 1 5 ) (1 9 6 3 ). T his in c lu de s

th e su p p re ssio n o f im

p e a c hm e n t e vid e n c e th a t m a y b e u se d to c h a lle n g e th e

2c re d ib ility o f a witn e ss. S e e Gig lio v

. Un ite d S ta te s, 4 0 5 U.S

. 1 5 0

, 15 4-1 5 5 (9 2

S Ct 76 3

, 3 1 LE2 d 1 0 4 ) (1 9 72 ). S e e a lso S c h o fie ld v

. P a lm e r, 2 7 9 Ga

. 8 4 8 (2 )

(6 2 1 SE2 d 7 2 6 ) (2 0 0 5 ). To p re v a il o n a Bra d y c la im

, Ch a p m an w a s re q u ire d

to sh o w th a t “ (1 ) th e S ta te p osse sse d e v id e n c e fa v ora b le to h is d e fe n se ; (2 ) h e

d id no t p o sse ss th e fa v o ra b le e v id e n c e a n d c o u ld n o t o b ta in it h im se lf with a n y

re a so na b le d ilig e n c e ; (3 ) th e S ta te su p p re sse d th e fa v o ra b l e e v i de n c e ; a n d (4 )

h a d th e e v id e nc e b e e n d isc lo se d to th e d e fe n se

, a re a so n a b le p ro b a b ility e x ists

th a t th e o u tc o m e o f th e tria l wo u ld h a v e be e n d iffe re nt. [Cit.] ” Wa lk e r v

.

Jo h n so n

, 2 8 2 Ga

. 1 6 8 (2 ) (6 4 6 S E2 d 4 4) (2 0 0 7 ).

Th e re c o rd sh o ws th a t J o s e p h W h ite wa s in th e sa m e c e ll b lo c k o f th e

Ha ra lso n Co u n ty ja il w ith Ch a p m a n a fe w d a y s fo llo win g Ch a p m a n ’s a rre st. At

tria l, Wh ite te stifie d th a t C h a p ma n a dm itte d sta rtin g th e fire th a t kille d th e

v ic tim

. Wh ite wa s th e o n l y S ta te witn e ss wh o te stifie d th a t C h a p m a n h a d

c o n fe sse d to a rso n

. It is u n c o n tro v e rte d th a t a t th e tim e W h ite te stifie d

, se v e ra l

ite m s of fa v o ra

ble e v id e nc e in th e S ta te ’s p osse ssio n h a d no t b e e n d isc lo se d to

th e d e fe n se

. 3

3 According ly , the first, second, and third prong s of the test are not at issue in this case.

3Th e fir s t i t e m wa s a v id e o re c o rd in g o f a n in te rv ie w th a t o c c urre d o n

Au g ust 2

, 2 0 0 6

, b e twe e n Wh ite a n d th e d istric t a tto rn e y wh o p ro se c u te d th e

c a se a g a in st C h a

p m a n

. T h e v id e o r e c o rd in g tra n sc rip t sh o ws a d isc u ssio n

b e twe e n Wh ite a n d th e p ro se c u to r in d ic a tin g Wh ite w a s se e k in g a ssista n c e with

th e c ha rg e s Wh ite w a s f a c in g a t th a t tim e

, 4 in e x c ha n g e fo r th e in fo rm a tio n

Wh ite ha d a

b ou t Ch a p ma n ’s c a se

. Du rin g Ch a p m a n ’s tria l, h owe v e r, Wh ite

d e n ie d se e k in g a

n y ty p e of a ssista n c e with h is th e n -p e n d in g c h arg e s in e x c h a n g e

fo r te stim o n y in Ch a

p m a n ’s c a se

. Th e n o n -d isc lo su re o f th e v id e o h a d th e e ffe c t

o f d e p riv in g Ch a

p m a n o f h is a

b ility to fu lly c ro ss-e x a m in e Wh ite

. S e e Go n e lla

v

. S ta te

, 2 8 6 G a

. 2 1 1 (2 ) (6 86 S E 2 d 6 4 4 ) (2 0 0 9) (“ it is th e d e p riv a tio n o f [a

d e fe n d a n t’ s] a

b ility to fu lly c ro ss-e x a m in e [th e witn e ss] b a se d u p o n th e

[u n d isc lo se d e v id e n c e ] th a t c o n stitu te s th e d e n ia l o f d u e p ro c e ss.” ).

S im ila rly

, wh e n th e Sta te fa ile d to disc lo se th e su b sta n tiv e sta te m e n ts th a t

a p o te n tia l witn e ss, W illia m Lin e r

, ma d e to th e p ro se c u to r c o n c e rn in g

Ch a p m a n ’s a lle g e d ja ilh ou se c o n fe ssio n

, Ch a p m a n wa s d e n i e d t

h e a b i l i t y to ta k e

a d v a n ta g e o f fa v o ra

b le e vid e n c e i n s u p p o rt o f his d e fe n se

. Lin e r wa s a lso

4 B y the time of Chapman’s trial in J une 2 007, W h ite had been tried and acquitted of the

charg es at issue in Aug ust 2006.

4h o u se d in th e Ha ra lso n Co un ty ja il with Wh ite a n d C h a p m a n a n d Wh ite

id e n tifie d Lin e r a s so m e o n e wh o h a d he a rd Ch a p m a n c o n fe ss to a rso n . A fe w

d a y s b e fo re Ch a

p m a n ’s tria l wa s se t to c o m m e n c e

, th e p ro se c u t o r w e n t to

in te rv ie w Lin e r a t th e sta te priso n wh e re Lin e r wa s in c arc e ra te d

. Lin e r to ld th e

p ro se c u to r h e n e ve r h e a rd Ch a p m a n c o n fe ss. In a d d itio n

, Lin e r h a d k n o wle d g e

th a t Wh ite wa s a c tiv e ly se e k in g h e lp with h is th e n -p e nd in g c ha rg e s. In re sp o nse

to th e se re v e la t io n s, th e pro se c u to r c a n c e le d th e ord e r re q u irin g Lin e r’s

p ro d u c tio n a t tria l a nd Lin e r n e v e r te stifie d a t Ch a p m an ’s tria l. Th e p ro se c u to r

n e v e r d isc lo se d Lin e r’s sta te m e n ts to th e de fe nse

. Be c a u se Lin e r’s sta te m e n ts

wo u ld h a v e c o n tra d ic te d W h i te ’s te stim on y th a t Ch a p m a n c o n fe sse d a n d th a t

o th e r p e op le h e a rd Ch a

pm a n c o n fe ss, a nd wo u ld h a v e c on tra d ic te d Wh ite ’ s

te stim o n y th a t h e wa s n o t se e k in g h e lp with h is c h a rg e s, th e d e fe n se wa s d e n ie d

th e o p p ortu n ity to im

p e a c h Wh ite . Go n e lla

v . S ta te , su p ra , 2 8 6 Ga . a t 2 1 6

.

Du rin g p re -tria l d isc o v e ry , th e p ro se c uto r fa x e d th e d e fe n se a d o c u m e n t

th a t c o nta in e d a c o p y o f a n a d d re sse d e n v e lo p e

, a o n e -p a g e d c o v e r le tte r, a n d a

fiv e -p a g e d sta te m e n t in wh ic h Wh ite se t fo rth wh a t he p u rp orte d ly k n e w a b o u t

Ch a p m a n a n d th e fire

. Wh ite h a d se n t th e c o ve r le tte r a n d sta te m e n t to h is

p a sto r. U n k n o wn to th e d e fe n se

, th e se c o n d p a ge o f th e c o v e r le tte r wa s m issin g

5fro m th e fa c sim ile se nt to h e r b y th e pro se c u to r. It wa s n o t re a d ily d isc e rn ib le

th a t th e p a g e wa s m issin g b e c a u se th e first p a g e o f th e c ov e r le tte r e n d e d with

a c o m p le te se n te n c e

. A t tria l, th e p r o s e c u to r a d m itte d th e o rig in a l d o c u m e n t,

c o n ta in in g b o th p a g e s o f th e c o v e r le tte r; b u t h e p ro ffe re d it th ro u g h th e

te stim o n y o f a

n in ve stig a tiv e o ffic e r a

fte r Wh ite ’s tria l te stim o n y a n d a fte r

Wh ite h a d b e e n re le a se d fro m h is tria l su b p o e n a

. De fe nse c o un se l a ssu m e d th e

d o c u m e nt a d m itte d a t tria l wa s th e sa m e d o c u m e n t th a t ha d be e n p ro d u c e d to h e r

v ia fa x a n d d id no t c lo se ly e xa m in e th e tria l e x h ib it wh e n it wa s p ro ffe re d b y th e

p ro se c u to r. D u rin g t h e ha b e a s p ro c e e d in g s, it wa s sh o wn th a t th e m issin g

se c o nd p a g e c o nta in e d th e fo llo win g sta te m e n t writte n b y Wh ite : “Ho ld o ff o n

g iv in g m y sta te m e n t to p o lic e

. I wa n t to se e wh a t ' s g o in g o n fo r a fe w d a y s.”

Th is e v id e n c e c o n tra d ic te d W h i t e ’ s tria l te stim o ny th a t h e we n t to p o lic e

im m e d ia te ly w ith d e ta ils a b o u t th e a rso n

, a s we ll a s u n d e rm in e d his te stim o n y

th a t h e wa s n o t se e k in g h e lp fro m a u th o ritie s with his o w n c h a rg e s. Ag a in

, h a d

d e fe n se c o u n se l b e e n a wa re o f th i s s t a t e m e n t a t th e tim e o f Wh ite ’s tria l

te stim o n y , sh e c o u ld h a v e u se d it fo r th e p u rp o se s o f im p e a c h m e nt.

S in c e Wh ite wa s th e on ly w itn e ss wh o sa id Ch a p m an c o nfe sse d to a rso n

,

th e e v id e n c e d e sc rib e d a

b o v e

, wh ic h im

p e a c h e d a n d /o r c a st d o ub t o n Wh ite ’s

6c re d ib ility

, wa s m a te ria l to Ch a p m a n ’s d e fe n se

. S e e Ja c kso n v

. S ta te

, 3 0 9 Ga

.

Ap p

. 7 96 (7 ) (7 1 4 S E2 d 5 8 4 ) (2 0 1 1 ). Th e vid e o ta p e

, Lin e r’s sta te m e n ts to th e

p ro se c u t o r

, a n d th e m issin g p a g e fro m Wh ite ’s c ov e r le tte r to h is p a sto r a ll

c o n stitu te fa v o ra

b le e v id e n c e wh ic h c o uld h a v e b e e n u s ed b y t h e de fe n se to

sh o w c on tra d ic tio n s o r i n co n siste n c ie s in W h ite ’s tria l te stim on y an d o th e r

e v id e n c e

, 5 c re a tin g a re a so n a b le p ro b a b ility th a t th e o u tc om e o f th e tria l wo u ld

h a v e b e e n d iffe re nt u n d e r th e fo urth p ro n g of th e te st. Id

. Ac c o rd in g ly

, th e

h a b e a s c o urt d id n o t e rr wh e n it a wa rd e d Ch a p ma n h a b e a s re lie f p u rsu a n t to

Bra d y a n d Gig lio

.

3

. Sin c e C h a

p m a n is e n t i t l e d to a n e w tria l, th e Wa rd e n ’s re m a in in g

a lle g a tio n s of e rro r a r e mo o t

. S e e Wa lk e r v

. Jo h n so n

, su p ra

, 2 82 Ga

. a t 1 7 2 ;

S c h ofie ld v . P a lm e r, su p ra , 2 7 9 Ga . a t 8 5 3

.

Ca se No . S 1 5 X 0 1 4 8

4

. In a sm u c h a s we h a ve a f

f i r me d th e g ra n t o f th e writ o f ha b e a s c o rp u s

in th is c a se , Ch a

pm a n ’s c ro ss-a p p e a l is d ism isse d a s m o o t.

Ju d g m e n t a ffirm e d in Ca se No

. S 1 5 A0 1 4 7

. Ap p e a l d ism isse d in C a se No

.

S 1 5 X0 1 4 8

. All th e Ju stic e s c o n c u r.

5 Some of the statements W hite made in the undisclosed Aug u st 2

, 2006, video interview with

the prosecutor were inconsistent with a disclosed Aug u st 30, 2006, audio-recorde d interview

between W hite and one of the investig ators.

7