THI RD DI VI SI ON DOYLE, P. J.

, REESE and BROWN, 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.

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. ga a ppe a ls .us /r ule s

Febr uar y 10, 2022



# I n th e Co u r t o f

A p p eals o f

G eo r g ia

A2 1 A1 61 3 . DEM E RITTE v . THE STATE.

R E E S E
, J u d g e.

F o l l o wi ng a b en ch t ri al

, Ken n y Dem eri t t e w as fo u n d g ui lt y o f o n e co u n t o f

ag g rav at ed as s au l t an d t wo co u n t s o f cru el t y t o ch i l d ren i n t he t h ird d eg ree. 1 Th e t ri al

co u rt s u b s eq u en t ly d en i ed h is am en d e d m o t i on fo r n ew t ri al

. Dem eri t t e ap p eal s ,

arg u i n g th at t ri al co un s el offered i n effect i v e as s is t an ce: (1 ) i n h i s ad v ice t o Dem eri t t e

reg ard i n g t h e wai v er o f h i s ri g h t t o a j u ry t ri al ; (2 ) i n co u n sel ’ s i n v es t i g at i o n o f

Dem eri t t e’ s cas e an d p res en t at i o n o f t h e ev i d en ce; a n d (3 ) i n al l o wi n g Dem eri t t e’ s

fi ve-y ear-o l d d au g h t er t o t ak e t h e st an d

. D em eri t t e al s o arg u es t h at t h es e co l l ect i v e

erro rs p reju d iced h i s d efen s e. Fo r t h e reas on s s et fo rt h i n fra, we affi rm

.

1 See OCGA § § 1 6 -5 -2 1 (a) (2 ); 1 6 -5 -7 0 (d ) (1 ).Co n st ru i n g t h e ev i d en ce i n fav o r o f t h e t ri al j u d ge’ s d e t e r m i n a t i o n o f t h e

d e f e n d an t ’ s g u i l t

, 2 t h e reco rd sh o ws th e fo l l o w i n g

. Dem eri t t e an d h i s wi fe, M

. D

. ,

m arri ed i n 2 0 1 5 an d h ad t wo ch i l d ren

. M

. D. t es t i fi ed t h at d u ri n g t h ei r rel at i o n s h ip

t h ere were t i m es wh en D em eri t t e w o u l d beco m e ph y s i cal l y v i o l en t t o w ard h er.

Du ri n g o n e i n ci d en t

, Dem eri t t e h i t M. D

. “ in t h e si de o f [h er] m o u t h[,] ” wh i ch l eft h er

u n ab le t o “ s p eak fo r day s .” On an o t h er o ccas io n , Dem eri t t e ch o k ed h er, an d b u rn ed

h er ey el id wi t h h i s ci g aret t e.

O n M a r c h 2 2

, 2 01 8

, Dem eri t t e an d M

. D. were in t h ei r ro o m wi t h t h ei r t wo

ch i l d ren wh en t h e co up l e b eg an arg u i n g

. Dem eri tt e b ecam e an g ry an d st art ed h i t t i n g

M

. D.’ s face, ch ok i n g h er, an d h i t t i n g h er h ead ag ai n st t h e wal l

. M

. D. al s o t es t i fi ed

t h at Dem eri t t e p l aced a k et t l eb el l ag ai n s t th e do o r t o p rev en t h er f r o m l eav i n g , an d

s ai d “ [w] h at s to p s m e f

ro m k i l l i n g y o u n ow.” Th ei r two d au g h t ers wi t n es s ed t h e

en t i re al t ercat i on

.

M

. D. was u l t i m at el y ab l e t o g rab h er o l d es t d au g h t er an d t ak e h er t o M

. D.’ s

car, b u t Dem eri t t e h el d t hei r y o u n g es t d au g h t er. At t h i s p o i n t, M

. D. cal l ed 9 1 1

. M

. D.

t es t i fi ed th at wh en o ffi cers arri v ed

, her “ m o u t h an d ev ery t h i n g was b leed i n g [,] ” b ut

s h e d id n o t s eek m ed i cal at t en t i o n t h at ev en i n g

.

2 See Tu r nb u l l

v. S t a t e , 3 1 7 Ga. Ap p . 7 1 9 , 7 2 3 (1 ) (7 2 3 SE2 d 7 8 6 ) (2 0 1 2 ).

2On t he fi rs t d ay of t ri al

, Dem eri t te in d i cat ed t h at h e wan t ed t o wai v e h i s ri g ht

t o a j u ry t ri al

. T h e ju d g e ad v i s ed Dem eri t t e o f h is ri g h t s reg ard i n g a ju ry t ri a l

,

an s wered Dem eri t t e’ s s ub s eq u en t q u es t i o n s , an d al l o w e d Dem eri tt e an d h i s t ri al

co u ns el a reces s t o di s cu s s t h e d eci s i o n

. Fo l l o w i n g th e reces s , Dem eri t te co n fi rm ed

h i s d eci s i o n t o p ro ceed wi t h a b en ch t ri al

.

Th e t ri al co u rt fo u n d Dem eri t t e g u i l t y o f ag grav at ed as s au l t an d t wo co u n t s o f

cru el t y t o ch il d ren i n t h e t h ird d eg ree. Dem eri t te fi l ed a m o t i o n fo r n ew t ri al

, wh i ch

t h e t ri al co urt d en ied , an d t h i s ap p eal fo l l o w ed

.

“ I n r e v i e w i n g a t ri al co u rt ’ s d et erm i n at io n reg ard i n g a cl ai m o f i n effect i v e

as s i s tan ce o f co u n s el

, t h i s co u rt u p h o l d s t h e t ri al co u rt ’ s fact u al fi n d i n g s un l es s t h ey

are c l e arl y erro n eo us ; we rev i ew a t ri al co u rt ’ s l eg al co n cl u si on s d e no v o.” 3 W i th

t h es e g u i d i n g p ri n ci p l es i n m in d , we n o w t urn t o Dem eri t te’ s cl ai m s o f erro r.

1 . Dem eri t t e arg u es t h at t h e t ri al co u rt erred i n fai l i n g t o g ran t h i s m o t i o n fo r

n ew t ri al as t ri al co u n s el pro v i d ed i n effect i v e as s i s tan ce, an d t ri al co u n sel ’ s

d efi ci en ci es p reju d i ced h i s d efen s e.

3 Bu b r i ck v. S t a t e , 2 93 Ga. Ap p

. 5 0 2

, 5 04 (3 ) (6 6 7 SE2 d 6 6 6 ) (2 0 0 8 ) (p u n ct u at i o n an d fo o t n o t e o m i t t ed ).

3To ev al u at e [Dem eri t t e’ s ] cl ai m o f i n effect i v e as s i s t an ce o f

co u n s el

, we ap p ly t h e t wo -p ro n g ed t es t es t ab l is hed i n S t r i ckl a n d v.

W a s h i n gt on , 4 wh ich req u i re s h i m t o sh o w t h at h i s t ri al co u n s el ’ s

p erfo rm an ce was defi ci en t an d t h at t h e d efi ci en t p e r f orm an ce s o

p reju d i ced h im t h at th ere i s a reas o n ab l e li k el i h o o d t h at

, b u t fo r

co u n s el ’ s erro rs , t h e o u t co m e of t h e t ri a l wo u l d h av e b een di fferen t

. Im p o rt an t l y , s h o u ld a d efen dan t fai l t o m eet hi s b u rd en o n o n e pro n g o f

t h i s t wo -p ro n g t es t

, we n eed n ot rev i ew t h e o th er p r o n g

. In ad d i t i o n ,

t h ere i s a s t ro ng p res u m

p t i o n t hat t ri al co u n s el ’ s co nd u ct fal l s wi t h i n th e

b ro ad ran ge o f reas on ab l e pro fes s i o n al c o n d u ct

, an d a cri m i nal

d efen d an t m

u s t o verco m e t h i s p res u m p ti o n. In fact

, t h e reas o nab l en es s

o f co u n s el ’ s co n d u ct is ex am i n ed fro m co u n sel ’ s pers p ect i v e at t h e t i m e

o f t ri al an d u n d er t h e p art i cu l ar ci rcu m st an ces o f t h e cas e. A n d d eci s i o n s

reg ard i n g t r i al t act i cs an d s t rat eg y m ay fo rm t he bas i s fo r an

i n effect iv en es s cl ai m o n ly i f t h ey were s o p at en t l y u n reas o n ab l e t h at n o

co m p et en t at t o rn ey wo u l d h av e fo l l o w ed s u ch a co urs e. 5

(a) Dem eri t t e arg u es th at t ri al co u n s el was i n effect i v e in fai li n g t o s u ffi ci en t l y

ad v is e h i m re g a r d i n g h i s ch o i ce t o wai ve h i s ri g h t t o a ju ry t ri al

. Ho wev er, at t h e

m o ti o n fo r n ew t ri al h eari n g , tri al co u n s el t es t i fi ed t h at h e “ d id t el l [Dem eri tt e] i t was

a b ad id ea i n s o m an y wo rd s [,] ” an d co u n s el “ ch al l en ged h i m on [h i s deci s i o n to

4 4 6 6 U. S. 6 68 , 6 8 7 (III) (1 0 4 SCt 2 0 52 , 8 0 LE2 d 6 74 ) (1 9 8 4 ).

5 Jo h n s o n v

. S t at e , 3 6 1 Ga. Ap p

. 4 3

, 5 3 -5 4 (4 ) (8 6 1 SE2 d 6 6 0 ) (2 0 2 1 ) (p u n ct u at i o n an d ad d i ti o n al fo o t n o t es o m i t t ed ).

4wai v e a j u ry t ri al ] an d q u es t i o n ed wh y h e w an t ed t o d o t h at [.] ” Ho wev er, “ [Dem eri t t e]

was ad am an t ab o u t h av i n g a b en ch t ri al .” “ W h et h er t o wai ve a ju ry t ri al i s a s t rat eg i c

d e c i s i o n t o b e m ad e b y an accu s ed aft er co n su l t at i o n wi t h co u n sel .” 6 Th u s , as

Dem eri t t e m ad e th e d eci s i on t o wai v e h is ri g ht t o a ju ry t ri al aft er t ri al co u n s el o ffered

h i s ad v i ce, t he co u rt d i d n ot err i n co n cl u d in g t ri al co u n sel was n o t d efi ci en t

. 7

(b ) Dem eri t t e arg ues t hat t ri al co un s el was in effect i v e i n h i s i n ves t i g at i o n o f

t h e cas e an d i n h i s p res en t at i o n o f t h e ev i d en ce i n s ev eral res p ect s

.

Fi rs t

, h e as s ert s t h at t ri al co u n s el s h ou l d h av e cal l ed t wo o f Dem eri t t e’ s fam i l y

m em b ers wh o were i n t h e h ou se t h e d a y o f t h e i n ci d en t t o t es t i fy t h at t h ey d i d n ot

h ear an y t hi n g i n di cat i n g a p hy s ica l a l t ercat io n fro m t h e co u p l e’ s ro o m

. Ho wev er, t ri al

co u ns el t es t i fi ed t h at h e ch o s e n o t t o cal l t hes e wi t n es s es becau s e hi s u n d ers t an d i n g

was t h at th ey d i d no t s ee an y t h i n g reg ard i n g t h e al t ercat i o n , an d t h erefo re co u l d n ot

ad d an y t h i n g ad d i ti o n al t o Dem eri tt e’ s d efen s e. As t he Su p rem e Co u rt o f Geo rg i a h as

h el d

, “ [i ] n t h e real m o f s p eci fi c d eci s i o n s r e g a r d i n g t ri al s t rat eg y , an d i n p art i cu l ar

d eci s i o n s ab o u t wh i ch wi t n es s es s h ou l d b e cal l ed to t es t i fy

, d efen se at t o rn ey s are

6 Hen dr ix v. S t a te , 2 8 4 Ga. 4 2 0 , 4 2 1 (2 ) (6 6 7 SE2 d 5 9 7 ) (2 0 08 ) (p u n ct u at i o n

an d fo ot n o t e o m i tt ed ).

7 See W r o g e v. S t a t e , 2 7 8 Ga. Ap p . 7 5 3 , 7 5 5 (2 ) (6 2 9 SE2 d 5 9 6 ) (2 0 0 6 ).

5affo rd ed wi d e d i scret i o n .” 8 In l i g h t o f t h is d i s cret i o n , t h e t ri al co u rt d i d n o t err as

Dem eri t t e fai l ed t o es t ab l i s h t h at t r i a l c o u n sel ’ s act i o ns “ s o u n d erm i ned th e p ro p er

fu n ct i o n i n g o f t h e ad v ers ari al pro ces s t h at t h e t ri al co u ld n o t rel i ab l y h av e p ro d u ced

a ju s t res u l t.” 9

Seco n d

, Dem eri t t e arg u es t h at tri al co u n s el was i neffect i v e b ecau s e h e d i d n ot

cal l fam il y m em

b ers an d o ffi cers wh o saw M

. D. o n t h e d ay o f an d a few d ay s aft er

t h e a l t ercat i o n t o t es t i fy t hat h er i n ju ri es were n ot as s ev ere as s h e cl ai m ed at t ri a l

.

Dem eri t t e al s o as s ert s t hat t ri al co u n s el s h o u l d h av e p res en t ed em p l o y m en t reco rd s

s h o wi n g t h at M

. D. wo rk ed th r e e d ay s aft er t he i nci d en t fo r t h e s am e p u rp o s e.

Ho wev er, t ri al co un s el t es t i fi ed t h at h e al read y h ad p i ct u res t hat h e b el i ev ed

d em o n s t rat ed t h at M

. D.’ s i nju ri es were n o t s ev ere, an d he di d n o t bel i ev e t h ere was

a s t rat eg i c reas o n t o p res en t t h i s ad d i t i o nal ev i d en ce. Al t h ou g h co u n sel ’ s s t rat eg y

p ro v ed u n s u cces s fu l

, t h e fact t h at h e d i d n o t t ak e t h i s a p p ro ach i s n o t su ffi ci en t to

“ o v erco m e t he s t ro n g p res u m p t i o n t h at t ri al co u n s el ’ s d eci s i o n fel l wi t h i n t h e b ro ad

8 Pet er s on v. S t a t e , 2 8 2 Ga. 2 8 6 , 2 9 2 (4 ) (d ) 6 4 7 (SE2 d 59 2 ) (2 0 0 7 ) (ci t at i o n

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

9 W r o ge , 2 7 8 Ga. Ap p . at 7 5 5 (2 ) (ci t at i o n an d p u n ct uat i o n o m i tt ed ).

6ran g e o f reas o n ab l e p ro fes s i o nal co nd u ct

. ” 1 0 “ Mo reo v er, ev en if we as su m e t h at t ri al

co u ns el ’ s p erfo rm an ce was o b ject i v el y u n reas o nab l e, [Dem eri t t e] h as fai l ed to

d e m o n s trat e p reju d i ce[ ] ” 1 1 as ag g rav at ed as s au l t do es no t req u i re act u al b o d i l y

i n ju ry

. 1 2 Th u s , t h e St at e d i d n o t h av e t o act u al l y p ro v e t h at M

. D. su s t ai n ed s ev ere

b o d i l y i n ju ri es d u ri ng t h e al t ercat i o n

.

Th i rd

, Dem eri t t e arg u es t h at t ri al co un s el s h o u l d h av e p res e n t e d t h e jai l

ad m i s s i o n m ed i c a l r e c o rd s t o d em o n s t rat e t h at he d i d n o t h av e wo u n ds co n s i s t en t

wi t h s t ri k i ng s o m eo n e. Ho wev er, t ri al co u n s el t es t i fi ed t h at th ere w as n o reas o n to

p res en t t hes e reco rd s as t h e arres t i n g o ffi cer t es t i fi ed t h at Dem eri tt e di d n o t h av e an y

cu t s on h i s h an d s

. Th u s , t h e c h o ice n o t t o p res en t t hi s ev i d en ce was n ot p at en t l y

u n reas o nab l e. 1 3

Fo u rt h

, Dem eri t t e cl ai m s t h at t ri al co u n s el s h ou l d hav e p res en t ed ban k reco rd s

s h o wi n g t h at M

. D. was ab l e t o t ran s fer m o n ey fro m t h ei r acco u n t t o reb ut t h e cl ai m

1 0 Hen d er so n v. S t a t e , 3 04 Ga. 7 3 3 , 7 3 6 (3 ) (a) (8 2 2 SE2 d 2 2 8 ) (2 0 1 8 ).

1 1 Id

.

1 2 OCGA § 1 6 -5

- 2 1 ( a) (2 ) (A pers on co m m i ts ag g rav at ed as s au l t wh en h e

as s au l t s wi th an y “ i ns t ru m en t wh i ch

, wh en us ed o ffen si vel y ag ai n s t a p ers on , i s l i kel y

t o o r act u al l y

d o es res u l t i n s eri o u s b o d i l y i nju ry [.] ”) (em

p h as i s s u p p l i ed ).

1 3 See Hu r

s t on v. S t a t e , 3 1 0 Ga. 8 1 8

, 8 2 5 (3 ) (8 5 4 SE2 d 7 4 5 ) (2 0 21 ).

7t h at Dem eri t t e h el d fi n an ci al co n t ro l o v er t h e h o us eh ol d an d ch al l en g e h er t es t i m o ny

t h at s h e was t ry i n g t o l eav e an ab us i v e rel at i o n s h i p

. H o we v e r , t ri al co u n sel m ad e a

s t rat eg i c d eci s i o n n o t t o p res en t t h es e reco rd s as t h ey d i d n o t fi t hi s d efen s e s t rat eg y

.

Su ch a d eci s i o n was “ wi thin the w id e ran g e o f reas o n ab l e p ro fes s i o n al as s i s t an ce[,] ” 1 4

as i t i s u n cl ear t h at d em o n s t rat i n g M

. D

. h ad s o m e fi n an ci al acces s t o t hei r acco u n t s

wo u l d h av e u n d ercu t t es ti m o n y t h at s h e was t ry i ng t o leav e an ab u s i v e rel at i o n s h i p.

Fi n al l y , Dem eri t t e as s ert s t h at t ri al co u ns el s h o u l d h av e o b t ai n ed t h e tran s cri pt

fro m M. D.’ s Tem

p orary Pro t ect i v e Ord er (“ TPO”) h eari n g t h at co nt ai n ed st at em en t s

wh i ch were i n co n s i s ten t w i t h wh at s h e to l d law en fo rcem en t o n t h e n i g h t o f t h e

i n ci d en t

. Ho wev er, t ri al co u ns el was ab l e t o i m p each M. D. at t ri al wi t h t h e T P O

ap p li cat io n s h e co m

p let ed

, w h i ch d i d n o t referen ce Dem eri t t e h i t t i n g h er h ead ag ai n s t

t h e w a ll. T he r e f

or e , as t he ap pl i cat i o n acco m p l is h ed t h e s am e p u rp o s e, ev en as s u m i n g

arg u en do t h at no t p res en t in g t he TPO t ran s cri p t was d efi ci en t

, D e m e r i t t e fai l ed to

s h o w “ h e was p reju di ced b y t he p erfo rm an ce o f h is l awy er” as h e d i d n o t p ro v e t h ere

1 4 Keen er v. S t a t e , 3 0 1 Ga. 8 48

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

8was “ a reas o n ab l e p ro b ab i l it y t h at

, b u t fo r co u n s el ’ s u n p ro fes s i o nal erro rs , t h e res u l t

o f t h e p ro ceed i n g wo u l d h av e b een d i fferen t .” 1 5

(c) Dem eri t te arg u e s t h at t ri al co u n sel w as i n effect i v e as h e al l o wed

Dem eri t t e’ s d au gh t er t o tak e t h e s t an d

. Sp eci fi cal l y , he as s ert s th at i f tri al co u n s el h ad

s t ip u l at ed t o h er t es t im o ny , h e m ay h av e recei v ed a l es ser s en ten ce as t h e St at e an d

t h e t r i a l c o u r t at t h e s en t en ci n g h eari n g b ot h referen ced t h e fact s h e was p u t o n t h e

s t an d d u ri n g t h e tri al

. Ho wev er, t ri al co un s el t es t i fi ed t h at h e m ad e t h e d eci s i o n b as ed

o n h i s b el i ef th at Dem eri t t e’ s d au g h t er wo u l d n o t b e p res en t at t ri al , wh i ch was d u e

t o h i s cl i en t ’ s i n si s t en ce t hat h i s d au g h t er wo u ld n o t b e b ro u g h t t o c o u rt

. T h u s , n ot

s t ip u l at i n g t o h er tes t im o n y in t h e b el i ef t h at s he w o u l d l i k el y no t ap p ear at co u rt was

a s t rat eg ic d eci s io n . Al t h o u g h t h i s p ro v ed u n s u cces s fu l

,

[a] s a g en eral r u l e, m at t ers o f reas o n ab l e tact i cs an d s t rat eg y , wh et h er

wi s e o r u n wi s e, d o n o t am o un t t o i n effect i ve as s i s t an ce o f co u n s el

. In

o t h er wo rd s , h in d s i g h t has n o p l ace i n an as s es s m en t o f t h e p erfo rm an ce

o f t ri al co u n s el

, an d a l awy er seco n d -g u es s i ng h i s o wn p erfo rm a nc e w i t h

t h e b en efi t o f h i n d s ig h t h as n o s i g n ifi can ce fo r an i n effect i v e as si st an ce

o f co u n s el cl ai m

. 1 6

1 5 Keen er

, 3 0 1 Ga. at 8 5 0 (2 ) (ci tat i o n an d p u n ct u at i o n o m i t t ed ).

1 6 W i l l i a ms v. S t a t e , 35 8 Ga. Ap p. 1 5 2

, 15 5 (a) (8 5 3 SE2 d 3 8 3 ) (2 0 21 ) (ci t at i o n

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

9(d ) Dem eri t t e as s ert s th at co l l ec tive ly tr ia l c ounse l’ s de f ic i en ci es p reju d i ced h i s

d efen s e an d ju s t i fi ed a n ew t ri al

. “ Al th o u g h w e m ay n ow co n s i d er wh et h er t h e

cu m u l at i v e effect o f erro rs req u i res a n ew t ri al

, wh ere, as h ere t h ere are n ot m u l t i p l e

erro rs , t h ere can b e n o cu m u lat i v e erro r.” 1 7

Ju d g men t a f f i r m ed . Do yl e, P. J., a n d

Br o wn

, J., co n cu r

.

1 7 W i l l i a ms , 3 5 8 Ga. Ap p . at 1 5 7 (c).

10