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

De c id e d: F e b ru a ry 1 , 2 0 1 6

S 1 5 A1 8 2 6 . WHITE v . THE S TATE.

B L ACKW EL L , Ju stic e

.

Bra n d o n Wh ite wa s trie d b y a Ric h m o n d Co u nty j u r y a n d c o nv ic te d o f

m u rd e r a n d th e u n la wfu l p o sse ssio n o f a fire a r m d u rin g th e c o m m issio n o f a

c rim e , b o th in c o n n e c tio n with th e fa ta l sh o o t i n g o f Da m io n Co llie r. Wh ite

a p p e a ls, c o n te n d in g th a t th e e v id e n c e is in s u ffic ie n t to su sta in his c o n v ic tio n s

a n d th a t h e w a s d e n ie d th e e ffe c tiv e a ssista n c e o f c o u n se l. Up o n o u r re v ie w o f

th e re c o rd a n d b rie fs, we se e n o e rro r, a nd we a ffirm

. 1

1 Collier w as killed o n Septem b er 17, 2 010. W hite was indicted on Decem ber 7, 2010,
and charged with m alice m urder, f elony m urder, a nd the unlawf

u l possession o f a f

irearm during the com m i ssion of a c rim e. W hite was tried beginning on February 6, 2012, and the jury r eturned its verdict two day s later, f inding him guilty on all counts. W hite was sentenced

to i m prisonm ent f

o r lif e f or m alice m

urder and a consecutive term of im prisonm ent f

or f ive

y ears f or unlawf ul possession of a f

irearm during the com m ission of a crim e. The verdict as
to f elony m urder w as vacated by operation of law. Malcolm v. State, 2 63 Ga. 369, 371-372 (4) (434 SE2d 479) (1993). W hite tim ely f iled a m o tion f

or n ew trial on March 7, 2012, and
he am ended it on Novem ber 2 1, 2013. The trial court denied his m otion o n D ecem ber 22, 2014, and W hite tim ely f iled a notice o f appeal t o the C o u r t o f Appeals on D ecem ber 30,
2014. The case was t ransf erred to this C o u r t o n April 30, 2015, where it was docketed f or the Septem

ber 2015 term

and subm itted f

or decision on the brief

s.1

. Vie we d in th e lig h t m o st fa v o ra ble to th e v e rd ic t, th e e v id e nc e sh o w s

th a t W h ite

, a c c o m

p a n ie d b y two p a sse n g e rs, wa s d riv in g h is bu rg u n d y

Ch e v ro le t Im

pa la e a rly o n th e m o rn in g o f S e p te m b e r 1 7

, 20 1 0

. As Wh ite d ro v e

d o wn S e c on d Av e n u e in Au gu sta

, he a n d his p a sse ng e rs p a sse d b y a g ro u p o f

p e o p le “ ha n gin g o u t” in fro n t o f so m e a p a rtm e n ts. W h ite c irc le d b a c k

, slo we d

to a sto p , a n d his fro n t-se a t pa sse n g e r th e n fire d se v e ra l sh ots to wa rd th e g ro u p ,

o n e o f wh ic h fa ta lly wo un d e d Co llie r in th e c he st. W h ite sp e d a wa y , h ittin g a

sp e e d bu m

p a n d “ b o tto m in g o u t” a s he d id

. In ve stig a to rs la te r sp o k e with Wh ite

,

wh o wa s k n o wn to d riv e a b u rg u n d y Im

pa laa n d wh o se c a r h a d d a m a g e to th e

u n d e rc a rria g e c o n siste n t with th e m a rk s o n t h e sp e e d b u m p

. Wh ite in itia lly

d e n i e d in v o lv e m e n t in th e sh o o tin g , b u t h e su b se q u e n tly a d m itte d th a t h e h a d

b e e n d riv in g o n S e c o n d Av e n u e w ith Ern e st Wid e m a n a n d Alv in S tu rg is wh e n

S tu rg is p ro d u c e d wh a t a

p p e a re d to b e a .3 8 c a lib e r g u n a n d sta rte d sh o o tin g

.

Wh ite did n o t te stify a t h is tria l, b u t h is p rio r sta te me n t s t o i n v e stig a to rs we re

p re se nte d to th e ju ry

.

Ab o u t th e su ffic ie n c y o f th e e v id e n c e , Wh ite a rg u e s th a t th e e v id e nc e d oe s

n o t n e ga te se lf-d e fe n se , a s Wh ite to ld o ffic e rs th a t h e h e a rd a sh o t c o m in g fro m

th e o th e r g ro u p be fo re S tu rg is fire d

, a n d th e Sta te ’s witn e sse s c o uld n o t pin p o in t

2wh e re a ll o f th e sh ots o rig in a te d o r w h o sh o t first. Bu t th e o n ly e vid e n c e th a t

a n y o f th e sh o ts c a m e fro m so m e wh e re o th e r th a n Wh ite ’s v e h ic le wa s h is o wn

sta te m e n t a

b o u t th e first sh o t. An d th e ju ry wa s fre e n ot to be lie v e t h at c la im

.

S e e Am os v

. Sta te

, 2 9 7 Ga

. 8 9 2 (1 ) (7 7 8 S E2 d 2 03 ) (2 0 15 ); F e rg u so n v

. S ta te

,

2 9 7 Ga . 3 42 , 3 4 4 (1 ) (7 7 3 S E2 d 7 4 9 ) (2 0 1 5 ).

Wh ite a lso a sse rts th a t, e v e n if S tu rg is d id sh o o t first, Wh ite ’s c o n d u c t

b e fo re a n d a fte r th e in c id e n t sh o w e d th a t h e d id no t k n o w th a t S tu rg is wa s g o in g

to sh o o t a n d th e S ta te fa ile d to p re se n t a ny e v id e n c e to th e c on tra ry

. “ A p e rso n

wh o d o e s n o t d ire c tl y c o m m it a c rim e m ay b e c o n v ic te d up on p ro o f th a t th e

c rim e wa s c om m itte d a n d th a t p e rso n wa s a p arty to it.” P o we ll v. S ta te

, 2 9 1 Ga

.

7 4 3

, 7 4 4 (1 ) (7 3 3 S E2 d 2 9 4) (2 0 1 2 ) (c ita tio n s a n d p u n c tu a t i on o m itte d ). S e e

a l so O CGA § 1 6 -2 -2 0 (b ) (d e fin in g p a rtie s to a c rim e ). “ Alth ou g h m e r e

p re se nc e a t th e sc e n e o f a c rim e is n o t su ffic i en t t o p ro v e th a t o ne w a s a p a rty

to th e c rim e , p re se nc e , c o m p a n io n sh ip

, and c o n d u c t b e fo re a n d a fte r th e o ffe nse

a re c irc um sta nc e s fro m wh ic h o n e ’s p a rtic ip a tio n in th e c rim in a l in te n t m a y b e

in fe rre d .” P o we ll, 2 9 1 Ga

. a t 7 4 4

- 7 4 5 (1 ) (c ita tio n s o m itte d ). Th e fa c t th a t

Wh i t e wa s m e re ly th e d riv e r a n d d id n o t a c tu a lly fire th e g u n d o e s n o t

u n d e rm in e th e le g a l su ffic ie n c y o f th e e v id e n c e a g a in st h im

. S e e Bry a n t v

. S ta te

,

32 9 6 Ga

. 4 5 6

, 4 5 8 (1 ) (7 69 S E2 d 5 7 ) (2 0 1 5 ). Th e e vid e n c e sh o we d th a t Wh ite

d ro v e S tu rg is slo wly p a st th e c rim e sc e ne , c irc le d b a c k

, re tu rn e d to th e sc e n e a

se c o nd tim e , sto pp e d b e fo re th e sh o o tin g , ra p id ly d ro v e S tu rg is a n d Wid e m a n

a wa y fro m th e sc e n e a fte r th e sh o o tin g , dro p p e d th e m o ff b e fo re g o in g to wo rk

,

a n d lie d a b o u t h is p re se n c e wh e n q u e stio n e d b y p o lic e

. It wa s fo r th e ju ry to

a sse ss th e c re d ib ility a n d we ig h t o f th e e v id e n c e

. S e e id .; Esc u tia v

. S ta te

, 2 7 7

Ga

. 4 0 0

, 4 0 2 (2 ) (5 8 9 S E 2 d 6 6 ) (2 0 03 ). On e re a so n a b ly m ig h t in fe r fro m th e

e v id e n c e th a t Wh ite a nd S tu rg is s h a r e d a c rim in a l in te n t with re sp e c t to th e

sh o o tin g , a

n d fo r th is re a so n, th e e v id e n c e w a s su ffic ie n t to a u th o riz e a ra tio n a l

trie r o f fa c t to fin d b e y on d a re a so n a b le d o u b t th a t Wh ite wa s a p a rty to th e

c rim e s o f wh ic h he wa s c o n v ic te d

. Ja c k so n v

. Virg in ia

, 4 4 3 U

. S

. 3 07

, 3 1 9 (III)

(B) (9 9 S Ct 2 7 81

, 6 1 L E2 d 56 0 ) (1 9 7 9 ). S e e a lso Bry a n t

, 2 9 6 Ga

. a t 4 5 8 (1 );

Esc u tia , 2 7 7 Ga . a t 4 0 2 (2 ).

2 . Wh ite c o n te n d s th a t h e wa s d e n ie d th e e ffe c tiv e a ssista n c e o f c o u n se l

a t h is tria l b e c a

u se h is la wy e r a lso h a d re p re se n te d Wid e m a n , a n d su c h

re p re se n ta tio n o f a p o te ntia l witn e ss, Wh ite sa y s, c re a te d a c o n f lic t o f in te re st

fo r th e la wy e r. To p re v a il o n a c la im th a t a c o n flic t o f in te re st wo rk e d a d e n ia l

o f th e e ffe c tiv e a ssista n c e o f c o u n se l, a d e fe n d a n t lik e Wh ite
— o ne wh o fa ile d

4to o bje c t to th e c o n flic t a t tria l
— m u st sh o w th a t “ a n a c tu a l c o nflic t o f in te re st

a d v e rse ly a ffe c te d h is la wy e r’s p e rfo rm a n c e .” Cu y le r v. Su lliv a n , 4 4 6 U. S

. 3 3 5

,

3 4 8 (IV) (B) (1 0 0 S Ct 1 7 0 8

, 6 4 LE2 d 3 3 3 ) (1 9 8 0 ) (fo otn o te o m itte d ). S e e a lso

Ba rre tt v

. S ta te

, 29 2 Ga

. 1 6 0

, 1 7 4 (3 ) (C) (2 ) (7 3 3 S E 2 d 3 0 4 ) (2 0 12 ). As we

c o n sid e r wh e th e r Wh ite h a s m a d e su c h a sh o win g , w e d o n ot, h o we v e r, in q u ire

“ in to a c tu a l c o n f

l ic t a s so m e th in g se p a ra te a n d a p a rt fro m a d v e rse e ffe c t.”

Mic k e n s v

. Ta y lo r, 5 3 5 U. S. 1 6 2

, 1 7 2

, n

. 5 (II) (1 2 2 S Ct 12 37

, 1 5 2 LE2 d 2 9 1 )

(2 0 0 2 ). Ra th e r, a s th e U n ite d S ta te s S u p re m e C o urt h a s e x p la in e d, a n “ a c tu a l

c o n flic t o f in te re st” m e a ns “ a c o n flic t th a t a ffe c te d c o u n se l’s p e rfo rma n c e — a s

o p p ose d to a m e re th e o re tic a l d iv isio n o f lo y a ltie s.” Id

. a t 1 7 1 (II) (e m p h a sis in

o rig in a l). S e e a lso To lb e rt v

. S ta te

,

_ __ Ga

.

_ __ ,

_ _ _ (2 ) ( a ) ( Ca s e Nu m

b e r

S 1 5 A1 0 7 3

, d e c id e d No v e m be r 2 3

, 2 0 15 ). Wh ite “ first a sse rte d a c o n flic t o f

in te re st o n th e p a rt o f h is tria l la wy e r in a m o tio n fo r n e w tria l, a n d o n th a t

m o tio n, h e h a d th e b u rd e n o f p ro v in g th a t h is tria l la wy e r ha d a n a c tu a l c o n flic t

o f in te re st, th a t is, on e th a t sig n ific a n tly a n d a d v e rse ly a ffe c te d th e a d e q u a c y o f

th e re p re se n ta tio n

. ” To lb e rt, _

_ _ Ga . a t _

_ _ (2 ) (a ).

Wh i t e re lie s o n e v id e n c e th a t h is tria l la wy e r h a d re p re se nte d Wid e m a n

with re sp e c t to fe lo n y c h a rg e s se v e n m o n th s b e fo re th e sh oo tin g in th is c a se a n d

5th e n re p re se n te d Wid e m a n b e fo re an d d uri n g a p o lic e in te rv ie w a b o u t th e

sh o o tin g o f C o ll i e r

. A lth o u g h th e la wy e r’s re p re se n ta tio n in Wid e m an ’s p rio r

c a se wa s u n d isp u te d

, h e r a lle g e d re p re se n ta tio n o f Wid e m a n fo r th e p o lic e

in te rv ie w wa s stro n g ly d isp u te d

. It is tru e th a t th e la wy e r sp o k e with Wid e m a n

b e fo re th e in te rv ie w a

n d th a t, a t o n e p o in t d u rin g th e in te rv ie w, a n in ve stig a to r

id e n tifie d h e r a s W id e m a n ’s la wy e r. B u t Wid e m an sig n e d a w a iv e r-o f-c o u n se l

fo rm a t th e in te rv ie w, a n d b o th th e in v e stig a to r a n d th e la wy e r te stifie d th a t th e

la wy e r wa s n o t re p re se ntin g Wid e m a n

. Th e la wy e r e x p la in e d th a t sh e m e t with

Wid e m an a n d a tte n d e d th e in te rv ie w to g a th e r in fo rm a tio n fo r Wh ite ’s d e fe n se

.

In a n y e v e n t, re g a rd le s s o f th e p re c ise tim in g a n d e x te n t o f th e la wy e r’s

p rio r re p re se n ta tio n o f Wid e m a n , Wh ite h a s n o t sh o wn th a t su c h re p re se n ta tio n

a m o u n te d to a n a c tu a l c o n flic t o f in te re st th a t sig n ific a n tly a n d a d v e rse ly

a ffe c te d th e re p re se n ta tio n o f Wh ite

. Th e la wy e r d id n o t re p re se n t Wid e m a n a t

tria l, n o r d id e ith e r p a rty c a ll Wid e m an a s a witn e ss. S e e Willia m s v

. Sta te

, 2 4 2

Ga

. Ap p

. 1

, 2 (5 2 8 S E2 d 5 2 1 ) (2 0 0 0 ). Cf. To lb e rt,

_ _ _ Ga

. a t

__

_ (2 ) (a )
- (d );

Hill v

. S ta te

, 2 6 9 Ga

. 2 3

, 24 -2 5 (2 ) (4 9 4 S E2 d 66 1) (1 9 9 8 ). Wh ite a rg u e s th a t

Wid e m an ’s te stim o ny wo uld h a v e b e e n im p o rta n t b u t th a t th e la w y e r’s c o n flic t

o f in te re st c a

use d h e r n o t to c a ll Wid e m an a s a witn e ss a n d c ro ss-e x a m in e h im

6v ig o ro u sly

. In h e r te stim o n y o n m o tio n fo r n e w tria l, h o we v e r, Wh ite ’s la wy e r

e x p la in e d th a t sh e d id n o t su b p o e n a Wid e m a n b e c a use his v e rsio n o f e v e n ts

wo u ld n o t b e h e lp fu l to h e r c lie n t. S e e Ab e rn a th y v

. S ta te

, 2 7 8 Ga

. Ap p

. 5 7 4

,

5 8 5 (3 ) (a ) (6 3 0 SE2 d 4 21 ) (2 0 0 6 ) (d e c isio n n o t to c a l l an i n d i v id u a l a s a

witn e ss “ wa s n ot b a se d upo n a n y p e rc e iv e d c o n flic t o f in te re st, bu t ra th e r wa s

d u e to [th e la wy e r’s] c o n c lu sio n

. . . th a t [th e in d iv id u a l] wo uld n o t m a k e a g o o d

witn e ss” ). In d e e d

, te stim o n y o f th e in v e stig a to r a n d a se rg e a n t wh o p re v io u sly

in te rv ie we d Wid e m a

n in d ic a te d th at h e lik e ly wo uld h a v e te stifie d th a t Wh ite

wa s in v o lv e d in ga n g a c t i v i t y

. An d e v e n a t th e h e a rin g o n th e m o tio n fo r n e w

tria l, Wh ite n e v e r c a lle d Wid e m an a s a witn e ss.

It a p p e a rs, th e re fo re , th a t th e la wy e r’s fa ilu re to c a ll Wid e m a n a n d c ro sse x a m in e h im a s a ho stile witn e ss a m o un te d to n o m o re th a n a d e c isio n o n tria l

s tra te g y

. S e e Willia m s, 24 2 Ga

. Ap p

. a t 2. Th e re c o rd d o e s n ot sh ow th a t t h i s

d e c isio n wa s “ th e re su lt of a c o n flic t o f in te re st, a s o p p o se d to a re as o n a b l e

stra te g ic d e c isio n, a n u n re a so n a ble stra te g ic d e c isio n , o r e ve n in a tte n tio n a n d

n e g le c t.” To lb e rt,

__

_ Ga

. a t

_ _ _ (2 ) (d ) (fo otn ote o m itte d ). Ac c o rd in g ly

, Wh ite

h a s fa ile d to e sta blish th a t h i s l a w y e r’s d e c isio n n o t to c a ll Wid e m a n wa s

a n y th in g b u t a

stra te g ic d e c isio n , an d h e h a s fa ile d , th e re fo re , to sh o w th a t th e

7a lle g e d c o nflic t of in te re st a dv e rse ly a ffe c te d th e la wy e r’s re p re se nta tio n in a n y

wa y

. S e e Ba rre tt, 29 2 Ga

. a t 1 7 5 (3 ) (C) (2 ). F or th a t re a so n , th e tria l c o u rt wa s

a u th oriz e d to d e ny Wh ite ’s m o tio n fo r ne w tria l o n th e gro u n d th a t h e fa ile d to

d e m o n stra te a

n a c tu a l c o n flic t o f in te re st th a t sig n ific a n tly an d a d v e rse ly

a ffe c te d h is la wy e r’s re p re se nta tio n o f h im a t tria l.

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

8