FOURTH D I VI SI ON

DOYLE, P. J.

, COOM ER and M A R KLE, 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

October 28, 2019



# I n th e Co u r t o f

A p p eals o f

G eo r g ia

A1 9 A0 98 3 . BRADSHAW v . THE STATE. DO-0 3 2

D O Y LE , Pres i d i n g J u d g e.

Th o m as Brad s h aw en t ered a n o n -n eg o t i at ed Al fo r d 1 p l ea to ag g rav at ed c h i l d

m o les t at i o n an d a n o n -n eg ot iat ed g u i l t y pl ea t o ch i l d m o l es t at io n an d p o s s es s i o n o f

d ru g -rel at ed o bject s

, an d h e was s en t en ced t o l i fe i n p ri s o n

. 2 Brad s haw lat er fi l ed a

m o ti o n t o wi t h d raw h i s p l ea, wh i ch th e t ri al co u rt d en ied

. Brad s h aw ap p eal s

, arg u i n g

t h at (1 ) fi rs t ap p el l at e co u n s el was i n effect i ve an d (2 ) h i s pl ea w a s n o t k no wi n g l y

,

v o l u n t a r i l y, o r in tel l i g en t l y m ad e. Fo r t h e reas o n s t h at fo l l o w, w e v acat e t h e t ri al

co u rt o rd er t o th e ex t en t t h at i t d en i ed h i s m o t i on to wi t h d raw h i s g u i l ty p l ea o n t h e

1 See No rt h Ca r o l i n a v. Al f o r d

, 4 0 0 U. S. 2 5 (9 1 SCt 1 60

, 2 7 L E 2 d 1 6 2 )

(1 9 7 0).

2 Th e co u rt l at er s u a s po n t e m o d i f i ed hi s sen t en ce t o 2 5 y ears i n p ri so n

fo l l o w ed b y

p ro b at i o n fo r t h e rem ai n d er o f h i s l ife.b as i s o f i neffect i v e as s i st an ce o f co u ns el an d rem an d fo r fu rt h er p ro c e e d i n g s

co n si s t en t wi t h t h i s o p i ni on

. 3

Th e reco rd s h o ws t h at aft er Brad s h aw was i n d ict ed

, h e was d en i ed b o n d an d

rem ai n ed i n jai l p en d i n g t ri al

. T h e St at e o ffered h i m a pl ea ag reem en t o f 2 0 y ears to

s erv e 1 5

, wh i ch h e d ecl i n ed t o accep t , p ro ceed i n g t o t ri al

.

Aft er t h e ju ry was im

p an el ed

, Brad s h aw d eci d ed t o en t er an n o n -n eg o t i at ed

g u i l t y p l ea t o ch i ld m o les t at io n an d p o s s es s i o n o f d ru g

- r e l at ed o bject s an d a n o n

n eg ot i at ed Al

f o r d p l ea t o ag grav at ed ch i l d m o l e s t a t i o n

. Du ri n g t h e pl ea co l l o q u y

,

am on g o t h er t h i n g s, th e t ri al co u rt ad v i sed Brad s h aw o f h i s ri g h t t o a ju ry t ri al an d

t h at h e wo u l d be g i vi n g u p t h at ri g h t b y en t eri n g t h e Al

f o r d p l ea an d g u i l t y

p l ea.

Brad s h aw co m

p l et ed a wai v er o f ri gh t s fo rm

, w h i ch l i s ted th e t h ree ch arg es at

t h e t o p o f t h e fo rm

. He an s wered q u es t i o n s o n t h e fo rm

, i n cl u di n g t h a t h e was 3 8

y ears o l d ; h ad a ten t h g rad e ed u cat i o n; was n o t m en t al l y d i s ab l e d o r u n d er t h e

i n fl u en ce o f al co h o l

, d ru g s

, o r m ed i cat i o n ; fu l l y u n d ers t oo d th e ch arg es ag ai n s t hi m ;

an d had co n ferred wi t h h i s at t o rn ey ab o u t t h e cas e an d t h e p os s i b l e ran ge o f s en t en ces

h e co u l d recei v e, i n c l u d i n g t he m ax i m u m o f l i fe i n p ri s o n

. Brad s h aw an s wered

3 W e affi rm t h e o rd er t o t h e ex t en t t h at t h e t r i a l c ou rt s u a s p o n te m o d i fi ed

Brad s h aw’ s s en ten ce.

2affi rm at i v el y t h at he un ders t o od h e h ad a ri g h t t o a t r i a l b y j u ry

, t o b e p res u m ed

i n n o cen t, t o co n fro nt an d ex am i n e wi t n es s es ag ai n s t h i m

, t o t e s t i fy an d pres en t h i s

o wn wi t n es s es

, t o s ub p o en a wi tn es s es

, to be as s i s t ed b y an at t o rn ey at t ri al

, t o rem ai n

s i len t an d no t i n cri m in at e h i m s el f, t o ap p eal an y co n v i ct i o n i f h e wen t t o tri al

, an d

t h at h e w as g i v i n g u p o f al l t h o s e ri g h t s b y pl ead i n g g u il t y

. Brad s h aw al s o an s wered

affi rm at i v el y t h at h e u n d ers t o o d t h at an y g ui l t y p l ea co u l d affect h i s i m m i g rat i o n

s t at u s i f he was n o t a c i t i z e n an d t h at h e co u l d wi t h d raw h i s g u il t y p lea at an y t i m e

p ri o r t o pro n o u n cem en t o f a s en t en ce; an “ N/ A” ap p eared b y th e q ues t i o ns as k i n g i f

h e u n d ers t o o d t h at an y n eg o t iat ed p l ea w as n ot b i n d in g on t h e co u rt o r i f h is at t o rn ey

h ad ex p l ai n ed an y s u ch n eg o t iat ed ag reem en t w i t h h im

. Brad sh aw d en i ed t h at h e h ad

b een p ro m is ed o r t h reat en ed i n an y way t o i n fl u en ce h i m t o en t er t h e p l ea, an d h e

an s wered affi rm at i v el y t h at h e ag reed t o be bo u n d t o t h e co nd i t i o n s o f p ro b at i o n

at t ach ed t o t h e wai ver o f ri g h t s fo rm

.

A t t h e bo t t o m o f t h e fo rm

, Brad sh aw’ s at to rn ey s i g ned a cert i fi cat i o n

ack n owl ed gi ng t h at s he had rev i ewed al l o f t h e q u es ti o n s on t h e fo rm wi th Brad s h aw;

t h at s h e h ad ex p l ai n ed t o hi m al l o f t he ri g h t s co n t ai n ed i n t h e wai v er fo rm ; an d t h at

s h e h ad an s wered an y qu es t i o n s Brad s h aw h ad co n cern i n g h i s ri g h t s an d a n y o t h er

m at t ers co nt ai n ed i n t h e fo rm

.

3Fo l l owi n g t h e at t orn ey ’ s cert i fi cat io n was a parag rap h l ab el ed “ o rd er,” s t at i n g

t h at t h e p l ea co u rt h ad (1 ) rev i ewed t he fo rm ; an d (2 ) d et erm i n ed fro m th e fo rm an d

fro m fu rt h er qu es ti o n i n g of Brad s h aw th at (a) t h ere was a fact u al b as i s fo r t h e p l ea,

an d ( b ) t h e p l ea was freel y

, k n o wi n g ly

, an d v o l u nt ari l y en t ered w i t ho u t d u res s o r

p ro m i s es o f len i en cy

. Th ereaft er, t h e co u rt s en t en ced Brad s h aw t o l i fe i m pri s o n m en t

.

Brad s h aw’ s at to rn ey fi led a m o t i on t o wi t h d raw h i s g u il t y p l ea, arg u i n g t h at h e

recei v ed i n effect i v e as s i s t an ce o f p l ea co u n s el

, hi s p l ea was n o t k no wi n g l y an d

v o l u n t ari l y m ad e, an d h i s p lea was n o t su p p o rt ed b y a fact u al b as i s

. Brad s h aw al s o

s en t t o t h e cl erk o f t h e co u rt p ro se let t ers req ues t i n g co p ie s o f h i s cas e fi l es an d

as k i n g wh et h er he was o n t h e l i st o f p eo p l e w h o were “ [eav es ] d ro p p ed o n .” Th e cl erk

res p o n d ed t o Brad s h aw ab o u t h i s cas e fi l e an d fu rt h er t hat “ [u ] n fo rt u n at el y as far as

g i v i n g y o u i n fo rm at i o n as b ei n g o ne o f t h e d efen d an t s i n v o lv ed i n t h e eav es d ro p p i n g,

we are n o t en t i t led t o d o s o n o r d o we h av e a l i s t o f t h e d efen d an t s i n v o l v ed .”

At t h e h eari n g o n t h e m o t i o n to wi t h d raw t h e g u il t y p l ea, Brad s h aw t es t i fi ed

t h at h e h ad i n t en d ed t o g o to t ri al an d p ro ceed ed to p i ck a ju ry b ecau s e h e w as

i n n o cen t. Brad s haw fel t p res s u red t o en t er a p l ea by h i s at t o r n e y, wh o cam e t o h i m

wi t h i n fo rm at i on t h at t h e v i ct i m was g o in g t o ch an g e her tes t i m on y

, an d h e b el i ev ed

t h at t h e Al

fo rd p lea h e was en t e r i n g was act u al l y a b en ch t ri al b efo re t h e ju d ge.

4Brad s h aw di d n o t b el iev e t h at h e was ad m it t in g g u il t t o an y o f th e ch arg es

, an d h e d id

n o t recal l en t eri n g a g u i l t y pl ea t o t h e ch arg es o f ch i l d m o l es t at i o n o r p o s s es s i o n o f

d ru g -rel at ed o b

ject s

.

Pl ea co un sel al s o t es t i fi ed at t h e h eari n g

, an d s he recal l ed t h at Brad s h aw was

u n h ap p y wi t h t h e p l ea offers m ad e b y t h e St at e an d wan t ed a “ b et t er d eal ,” n o t a ju ry

t ri al

. Pl ea co u ns el tes ti fi ed t h at Brad s h aw u nd ers t o od t h at th e p l ea d eal s o ffered

,

es p eci al ly t h e o ffer o f 2 0 y ears t o s erv e 1 5, were very g oo d i n l i g ht of h i s p o t en t i al

ex p os u re t o li fe in p ri s on

. Pl ea co u ns el t es t i fi ed t h at Brad sh aw wan t ed a p l ea d eal o f

1 5 t o s erv e 5

, w hi ch was wh at an o t h er defen d an t was o ffered fo r ch i l d m o l es t a t i o n

ch arg es

, b u t t h e St a t e wo u l d no t co n s id er t h at fo r Brad s h aw, w h o w as faci n g an

ag g ra v at ed ch il d m o les tat i o n ch arg e. Pl ea co u n sel ev en t ual l y fo u nd o u t fro m t h e

v i ct i m t h at s h e i nt en d ed t o tes ti fy ag ai n s t h i m

b ecau s e s h e d i d n o t wan t t o ret u rn t o

y o u t h d et en t i o n ; co un s el al s o tes t i fi ed t hat Brad s h aw co n ti nu ed t o refu se t o t ak e t h e

p l ea o ffers

, b u t aft er a ju ry was s el ect ed h e s t at ed th at h e w an t ed t o en t er an Al f or d

p l ea t o ag g rav at ed c h i l d m o l es t at i o n an d w o u ld p l ead g u il t y t o t h e o th er ch arg es

.

Co u n s el s t at ed t h at at n o t i m e d i d s h e t el l h i m an Al f o rd p l ea w as a b en ch t ri al , an d

s h e ad v i s e d h i m t h at if h e wan t ed t o h av e t h e ju d g e h ear h i s s id e o f t h e st o ry

, h e

wo u l d h av e t o h av e a t ri al

.

5Aft er Brad s h aw en t ered h i s p l ea an d was s en ten ced

, h e co n t act ed p l ea co u n s el

,

wi s h in g to wi t h d raw t he p l ea; t h ey arg ued , an d h e accu s ed h er o f b ei n g i n effect i ve.

P l ea co u n s el t es t i fi ed t h at Brad s h aw accu s ed h er o f bei n g “ i n v o l v ed wi t h al l t h e

co n tro v ers y go i n g o n wi t h t h e s h eri ff, an d t h at was — ju s t t o b e fai r, t h at was p ri o r

t o i t co m i n g o u t ab o u t t h e reco rd i n g s ; an d t o b e fai r, M r. Brad s h aw h ad i n di cat ed a

l o t o f co n cern bet ween Oct o ber o f [2 0 1 7 ] an d J an u ary o f [2 0 1 8 ] ab ou t t h e s h eri ff’ s

o ffi ce bei n g co rru p t an d ab o u t t h em try i ng t o s et h i m u p .” Fi rs t ap pel l at e co u n s el d id

n o t i n v es t i gat e t h e i s su e o f s h eri ff’ s o ffi ce co rru p t i o n fu rt h er o r ad d an y i n fo rm at i o n

ab o ut t h e eav es d ro pp i n g i n t o t he reco rd

.

At t h e co n cl u si o n o f th e h ear i n g

, t h e co u rt d en i ed Brad s h aw’ s m o t i o n to

wi t h d raw h i s g u i l ty p l ea b u t m o d i fi ed hi s o ri g in al sen t en ce to 25 y ears i m p ri s o n m en t

fo l l o w ed b y

l i fe o n p ro b at i on . Brad s h aw n o w ap p eal s

.

1. B r a dsha

w f ir st arg u es t h at h e recei v ed i n effect iv e as si st an ce o f fi rs t ap p el l at e

co u ns el

, wh o fai l ed t o m ak e a reco rd reg ard i n g t h e effect

, i f an y

, of t h e lo cal l aw

en fo rcem en t eav es d ro p p i n g an d reco rd i ng o f Brad s haw’ s co nv ers at i o n s wi t h h i s p l ea

co u ns el

.

As t h e St at e co n ced es

, t h i s cas e was affect ed b y t h e W o rt h Co u n t y Sh eri ff’ s

Dep art m en t act i o n s o f eav es d r o p p i n g on jai l ed d efen d an t s wh i l e t h o s e d efen d an t s

6were s peak i n g wi t h co u n s el

. Al t h o u g h i t i s u ncl ear h o w m u ch of th i s i n fo rm at i o n was

k n o wn b y p l ea co u n s el o r fi rs t ap p el lat e co u n s el

, it is cl ear th at fi rs t ap p el l at e co u n s el

fai l ed to dev el o p t h e reco rd to d et erm i ne wh et h er Br a d s h a w was reco rd ed i l l eg al l y

an d i f t h o s e reco rd i n g s h a d a n y e ffect o n t h e d i s t ri ct at t o rn ey ’ s p ro s ecu t i o n o f o r

n eg ot i at i on s wi th Brad s haw. Bas ed o n t hi s un u s al ci rcu m s t an ce an d i n an ab u n d an ce

o f cau t io n

, t herefo re, we “ v acat e t h e t ri al co u rt ’ s d en i al o f [Brad s haw’ s ] m o t i o n an d

rem an d t h i s cas e t o t h e t ri al co u rt i n o rd er t o d ev el o p t h e reco rd reg ard i n g h i s cl ai m

o f [fi rs t ap p el l at e co u n s el ] i n effect i v en es s , aft er wh i ch [Brad s h aw] m ay ap p eal an y

d en ial o f t h at m ot i o n .” 4

2

. Brad s h aw arg u es th at h i s p l ea was n o t k n o wi n g l y

, v o l un t ari l y

, a n d

i n t el l i g en t l y w ai v ed becau s e h e was n ot su ffi ci en t l y ap p ri sed of h i s r i g h t t o a ju ry

t ri al

.

A cri m i n al d ef e nda nt m us t p ers o n al l y an d i n t el l i g en t l y p art i ci pat e

i n t h e wai v er o f th e co n s t i t u ti o nal ri gh t t o a t ri al b y j u ry

. W h en th e

p u rp o rt ed wai v er of th is ri g h t i s q u es t io n ed

, t h e St at e b ears t h e b u rd en

o f s h o wi n g t h at t h e wai v er was m ad e b o th in t el l i gen t l y an d k no wi ng l y

,

ei t h er (1 ) b y sh o wi ng o n t h e reco rd th at t h e d efen d an t was co g ni zan t o f

4 (Pu n ct uat i o n o m i t t ed

. ) W a t s o n v. St a te

, 3 0 7 G a. Ap p

. 8 3 9

, 84 1 (2 ) (7 0 6 SE2 d

1 9 4 ) (2 0 11 ). See al s o Hi l l s v. S t a t e

, 2 9 6 Ga. Ap p. 1 0 1

, 1 0 3 (6 7 8 SE2 d 6 1 4 ) (2 0 0 9 );

Fr eema n v. S t a t e , 2 82 Ga. Ap p . 1 8 5

, 1 8 9 (3 ) (6 3 8 SE2 d 3 5 8 ) (2 0 06 ).

7t h e ri g h t bei n g wai v ed ; o r (2 ) b y fi l l i n g a si l en t o r in co m p l et e reco rd

t h ro ug h t h e u s e o f ex tri n si c ev i d en ce wh ich affi rm at i v el y s ho ws t hat th e

wai v er was k n o wi n g ly

an d v o l u n t ari l y m ad e. 5

Brad s h aw arg u es t h at t h e t ri al co u rt fai l ed t o p ro p erl y i n fo rm hi m o f h i s ri g ht

t o a ju ry t ri al p u rs uan t t o Bo yki n v. Al a b a ma

. 6 In s u p p o rt o f th i s arg u m en t

, h e ci t es to

m a n y c a s es fro m d i fferen t s t at e an d fed eral co u rt s

, s p eci fi cal ly

, Un i ted St a t es v.

Du a r t e-Hi

g a r ed a

, 7 fo r t h e p ro p o s i t i o n t h at t h e p l ea co u rt s h o u l d h av e ex p l ai n ed t h e

m i n u t i a o f th e tri al pro ces s

— t h e n u m b er o f ju ro rs p res en t

, h is ab i l i t y t o be i n v o l v ed

i n c h o o s i n g t h e ju ry

, t h e pro ces s o f v o i r d i re, et c.

— i n o rd er fo r h i s wai v er t o b e

k n o wi n g and inte l l i g en t

. Th i s Co u rt ad d res s ed a s im il ar arg um en t i n S ei t ma n v. S t a t e

, 8

an d hel d t h at s uch a s p eci fi c ex p l an at i o n o f t h e co m p l ex i t i es o f t h e ju ry t ri al p ro ces s

b y th e p l e a c o u rt i s n o t n eces s ary i n o rd er fo r a d efen d an t t o w ai v e t h e ri g h t t o t h e

ju ry t ri al

. 9 M o reo v er, i n th i s c as e, t h e reco rd i s cl ear th at Brad s haw was ad v i s ed

5 (Pu n ct u at i o n o m i t t ed

. ) S ei t ma n v. St a te

, 3 2 0 Ga. Ap p

. 64 6 (7 4 0 SE2 d 3 6 8 )

(2 0 1 3), q u o t i n g W

h it a ker v. S ta t e

, 2 5 6 Ga. Ap p

. 4 3 6

, 4 3 9 (2 ) (5 8 6 SE2 d 5 9 4) (2 0 0 2 ).

6 3 9 5 U. S. 2 38 (8 9 SCt 1 7 0 9 , 2 3 LE2 d 2 7 4) (1 96 9 ).

7 1 1 3 F3 d 1 0 0 0, 1 0 03 (9 t h Ci r. 1 9 9 7 ).

8 3 2 0 Ga. Ap p . 6 4 6 (7 4 0 SE2 d 3 6 8 ) (2 0 1 3 ).

9 See i d . at 6 4 8

.

8t h o ro u g hl y o f hi s ri g h t t o a j u ry t ri al an d th e rel at ed i n t ri caci es b o th o n t h e wai v er o f

ri gh t s fo rm

an d i n co u rt b y

t h e ju d g e. Acco rd i n gl y , t h i s arg u m en t i s wi t h o u t m eri t

.

Ju d g men t a f f ir med i n p a r t

, va ca t ed in pa r t

, a n d ca s e rema n ded wi t h d i r ect i o n.

Co o mer a n d Ma r kl e, JJ., co n cu r

.

9