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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H I S

C O U R T. A LL FILIN G S M U ST B E S U B M I TTE D WITH IN

TH E TIM E S S E T B Y

O U R C O U R T R U LE S

.

June 4, 2021



# I n th e Co u r t o f

A p p eals o f

G eo r g ia

A2 1 A0 12 8 . DUFFIE v

. THE STATE.

R E E S E

, J u d g e.

Aft er a ju ry fo u n d Qu e n t o n Du ffi e g u il t y of fo u r co u n t s o f t raffi ck i n g

m et h am p h et am i ne an d a rel at ed co u n t o f p o s s es s i o n o f a fi rearm d u ri n g t h e

co m m i s s io n o f a fel o n y

, 1 t h e Su p eri o r Co u rt o f Gwi n n et t Co u n t y d en ied h i s am en d ed

m o ti o n fo r n ew t ri al

. Du ffi e ap p eal s

, arg u i n g t h at t h e t ri al co u rt p l ai n l y erred b y n ot

ch arg i n g t h e ju ry t h at t h e St at e h ad t o p ro v e Du ffi e kn ew th e ch em i cal i d en ti t y o f t h e

d ru g an d t h at t ri al co u n s el was i n effect i v e i n fa i l i n g t o req u es t s u ch an i n s t ru ct i o n.

Fo r t h e reas o n s s et fo rt h i n fra, we affi rm

.

1 See OCGA § § 1 6 -1 3 -3 1 (e) (1 ), (3 ); 1 6 -1 1 -1 0 6 (b ) (5 ).Co n st ru ed i n t h e li g h t m o s t fav o rab l e t o t h e verd i ct

, 2 t he reco rd s h o ws t h e

fo l l o w i n g fact s

. In Jan u ary 2 01 8

, Ti ffan y Jo s ep h

, a n arco t i cs p o l i ce d et ect i v e, as k ed

In v es t i g at o r Yay o i Hu g g i n s t o wo rk u n d erco v er i n J o s ep h ’ s i n v es t i g at i o n of Du ffi e.

W i th t h e as s i s t an ce o f a co nfi d en t i al in fo rm an t

, Hu gg i n s s et u p an d co n d u ct ed t h ree

co n tro l l ed b u y s fro m Du ffi e. Fo l l o wi ng t h o s e b u y s an d t h e su b seq u en t ex ecu t i o n o f

a s earch warran t at D u f

f i e ’s h o m e, a g ran d ju ry ret u rn ed a fi v e-co u n t i n d i ct m en t

ag ai n s t Du ffi e.

Co u nt 1 o f th e i n d i ct m en t ch arg ed Du ffi e wi t h traffi ck i ng m o re t h an 2 8 g ram s

o f a m i x tu re co n t ai n in g m et h am p h et am in e o n J an u ary 1 0

, 2 01 8

. O n th at d ay

, Hu g g i n s

m et wi t h Du ffi e at hi s No rcro s s ap art m en t t o b u y “ Ecs t as y ” (M DM A) an d co cai ne.

Hu g g i n s t es t i fi ed t h at

, aft er di s c u s s i n g w i t h Du ffi e t he am o u n t s an d p ri ci n g o f t h e

d ru g s th at s h e wan t ed t o b u y

, sh e p u rch as ed wh at ap peared t o b e 1 00 M DM A p i l l s

fo r $ 3 0 0 an d ap p ro x i m at el y 4 .5 g ram s o f co cai n e fo r $ 1 5 0

. Ho wev er, Dr. M os am m at

B e g u m

, a fo ren s i c ch em i s t wi t h t h e Geo rg i a Bu reau o f In v es t ig at i o n (“ GBI ” )

,

t es t i fi ed t h at h er t es t i n g o f t h e p i l l s co n fi rm ed t he p res en ce o f m et h am p h et am i n e.

Co u nt 2 o f t h e i nd ict m en t ch arg ed Hu g g i n s w i t h t r affi ck in g m o re t h an 2 8

g r a m s o f a m i x t u re co n t ai n i n g m et h am p h et am in e on J an u ary 3 0

, 2 0 1 8

. Hu g g in s

2 See Lo t t v. S t at e , 2 8 1 Ga. Ap p . 3 73 (1 ) (6 3 6 SE2 d 1 02 ) (2 0 0 6 ).

2t es t i fi ed th at s he m et Du ffi e at a M cDo n al d ’ s res t au r a n t o n t h at d ay i n Du l u t h an d

p u rch as ed 30 0 p il l s o f (p res u m ed ) M DM A fo r $ 9 5 0 an d ap p ro x i m at el y 3 0 g ram s o f

m e t h a m p h et am i n e. D r. Beg u m t es t i fi ed t h at her t es t i n g o f t h e l at t er su b s t an ce

co n fi rm ed t h e p res en ce o f m et h am p h et am i n e.

Co u nt 3 o f t h e i n d i ct m en t ch arg ed Hu g g i n s wi t h t raffi ck in g m o re t h an 2 8

g ram s o f a m i x tu r e co n t ai n i n g m et h am p het am i n e o n M arch 2

, 2 0 1 8

. On th at d ay

,

Hu g g i n s wen t back t o Du ffi e’ s No rcro s s ap art m en t to p u rch as e 3 0 0 E cs t as y p i l l s fo r

$ 6 0 0

. Al th o u g h t h es e p i l l s ap p eared t o b e M DM A, Dr. Beg u m ’ s t es t i n g co n fi rm ed

t h e p res en ce o f b o t h m et h am ph et am i ne an d co cai ne.

Co u nt s 4 an d 5 o f t h e i n d i ct m en t ch arg ed D u ffi e wi t h traffi ck i n g m o re t h an 4 0 0

g ram s o f a m i x t u re co n t ai n i n g m et h am ph et am i n e an d h av i n g a fi rearm wi t h i n arm ’ s

reach du ri n g t h e co m

m i s s i o n o f t h at o f

fen s e o n M arch 1 4, 2 0 1 8

. Hu g g i n s h ad

arran g ed wi t h Du ffi e t o pu rch as e o v er 1

, 0 00 p il l s an d m o re t han an ou n ce o f co cai ne.

In s t ead

, o ffi cers ex ecu t ed a search warran t o n t h e No rcro s s ap art m en t

, wh ere t h ey

fo u n d D u ffi e al o n e. W h en t h e o ffi cers arri v ed

, th ey d i s co v ered a fi rearm o n t h e fl o o r

n ex t to Du ffi e’ s b ed wh ere h e ap p eared to b e s l eep i n g. A few s t ep s away fro m t h e b ed

was a cl o s et i n wh i c h o f

f i c e r s d i s co v ered

, i n ter al i a, wh at ap p eared to be a b ag o f

3Ecs t as y p i ll s

. Dr. Beg u m t es t i fi ed t h at h er t es t i n g co nfi rm ed t he p res e n c e o f

m et h am p h et am i ne an d co cai n e i n t h e p i l l s

.

Tes t ify i ng in h i s d efen s e, Du ffi e di d no t d i s p ut e t h at he h ad m ad e th e s al es in

q u es ti o n

. He cl ai m ed i n s t ead t hat

, al t h o u g h h e h ad b ee n s e l l i n g d ru g s fo r ab o u t 1 2

y ears an d s o m et i m es s o l d co cai n e, h e d eal t “ fak e d ru g s .” Sp eci fi cal l y

, hi s “ hu s t l e[ ] ”

fo r th e p as t fi v e o r s ix y ears i n v o l v ed p u rch as i n g creat i n e, v i t am i ns

, an d fo o d

co l o ri n g

, an d h av i n g s o m eo n e el s e m ix an d p res s t h es e s u b s t a n c e s i n t o p i l l s fo r an

eq u al s h are o f t h e p ro fi t. A l t ho u g h h e d i d n o t al way s s up erv i se t hi s p ro ces s , Du ffi e

t es t i fi ed t h at t h ere was n o m et h am p h et am in e i n h i s p ro d u ct

.

Aft er t h e j u ry fo u n d Du ffi e g u i l t y o f al l fi v e ch arg es ag ai n s t h i m

, Du ffi e fi l ed

a m o t i o n fo r a new t ri al

. At t h e h eari n g o n h is am en d ed m o t i o n

, D u ffi e’ s tri al co u n s el

t es t i f i e d t h at

, wh en d efen d in g a ch arg e fo r t raffi ck in g o r p o s s es s io n wi t h i n t en t to

d i s t ri b u t e, s h e u s u al l y req ues ted a ju ry i n s t ru ct i o n t h at t h e St at e h ad t o p ro v e

k n o wl ed g e o f w h at t h e d ru g was i n hi s p o ss es s i o n

. Co u n s e l d i d n o t recal l wh y s h e

wo u l d n ot h av e req u es t ed su ch a ch arg e at Du ffi e’ s t ri al

, “ i f i t was o v ers i gh t o r wh at .”

Th e s u p e r i o r c o urt d en i ed Du ffi e’ s m o t i o n

, co n cl ud i n g

, i nt er al i a, t h at t h e ju ry was

p ro p erl y ch arg ed . Th i s ap p eal fo l l o wed

.

4“ Becau s e [ D u ffi e] d i d n o t rai s e [h i s ] o b ject i o ns to t h e co u rt ’ s ch arg e at t ri al

,

we rev i ew [h i s ] ch al l en g es t o th e ju ry ch arg e o n l y fo r p l ai n erro r.” 3 “ [I] n d et erm i n i n g

wh et h er t h ere was p l ai n erro r, ju ry ch arg es m u s t be read an d co n s i d ered as a wh o l e.” 4

“ To p ro v e i n ef

fect i v e as s i s tan ce, [Du ffi e] was req u i red to s h ow t h at co u n sel ’ s

p erfo rm an ce w as defi ci en t an d t h at t h i s d efi ci en t p erfo rm an ce p reju d i ced h i s d efen s e.

Th e t r i a l c o u rt ’ s fact u al d et erm i n at i on s wi t h res p ect to co u n sel ’ s effect i v en es s wi l l

b e u p hel d o n ap p eal u n l es s cl earl y erro neo u s

. ” 5 W i t h t h e s e g u i d i n g pri n ci p l es in

m i n d , we t urn n o w t o Du ffi e’ s cl ai m s o f erro r.

3 W a l t er v. S t a t e

, 30 4 G a. 76 0

, 7 6 4 (3 ) (8 2 2 SE2 d 2 6 6) (2 0 1 8 ) (fo o t n o t e

o m it t ed ); s ee OCGA § 17 -8 -5 8 (b ) (“ Fai lu re t o o b ject i n acco rd an ce wi t h s u b s ect i o n

(a) o f t h i s Co d e s ect i o n s h al l precl u d e ap pel l at e rev i ew o f s uch p o rt i on of t h e ju ry

ch arg e, u n l e s s s u c h p o rt i o n o f t h e ju ry ch arg e co n s t i t ut es p l ai n erro r w h i ch affect s

s u b s t an t i al ri g h t s o f t h e p art ies . Su ch p l ai n erro r m ay b e co ns i d ered o n ap p eal ev en

i f i t was n o t b ro u g h t t o t h e co u rt ’ s at t en t i o n as p ro v i d ed i n s u b s ect i o n (a) o f t hi s Co d e

s ect i on .”); s ee al s o OCGA § 1 7 -8 -5 8 (a) (“ An y p art y w h o o b

ject s t o an y

p o rt i o n o f

t h e ch arg e t o t h e j u r y o r t h e fai l u re t o ch arg e t h e ju ry sh al l i nfo rm t h e co u rt o f t h e

s p eci fi c o b

ject i o n an d th e g ro u n d s f o r s u ch o b

ject i o n b efo re t h e ju ry ret i res to

d el i b erat e. Su ch o b

ject i on s s h al l b e d o n e o ut s i d e o f t he ju ry ’ s h eari n g an d

p res en ce.”).

4 McCu l l o u g h v. S t a te

, 3 3 0 Ga. Ap p

. 7 1 6, 7 2 4 (2 ) (7 6 9 SE2 d 13 8 ) (2 0 1 5 )

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

5 Lo t t

, 2 8 1 Ga. Ap p

. at 3 7 6 (4 ) (ci t at i o ns an d p u nct u at i o n om i t t ed ); s ee

S t r i ckl a nd

v. W a s h in gt o n , 4 6 6 U. S. 6 6 8 (1 0 4 SCt 2 05 2 , 8 0 LE2 d 6 7 4 ) (1 9 8 4 ).

51

. Du ffi e arg u es t h at t h e t ri al co u rt p l ai nl y erred b y n o t i ns t ru ct i n g t h e ju ry t h at

t h e St at e h ad t o pro ve t hat h e k new t h a t t h e s u b s t an ce h e p os s es s ed co n t ai n ed

m et h am p h et am i ne.

Du ffi e rel i es p ri m ari l y o n Du va l l v. S t at e (“ D u v a l l II ”). 6 Th ere, t he Su p rem e

Co u rt o f Geo rg i a hel d t h at t h e t ri al co urt erred b y n o t in s t ru ct i n g th e ju ry t o co n s i d er

t h e defen s e o f m i s t a k e o f f act wh ere t h e d efen dan t

, ch arg ed wi th p o s s es s i o n o f a

co n tro l l ed s u b s t an ce, t es t i fi ed h e b el i ev ed t h e p res cri p t i o n sl eep i n g ai d was an o v ert h e-co u n t er sl eep ai d

. 7 In co n s t ru i n g fo rm er OCGA § 1 6 -1 3 -3 0 (a), t h e Su p rem e

Co u rt h el d t h at it was erro r n o t t o req u i re t h at t h e d efen d an t k n o w t h at th e p i l l s h e

p o s s es s ed were a co n t ro l led s u b s t an ce. 8

Ho wev er, Du va l l II an d t h e ot h er cas es o n w h i ch Du ffi e rel i e s 9 are

d i s t i n gu i sh ab l e fro m t h i s d r u g -t raffi ck i n g cas e. In a 2 0 13 am en d m en t t o OCGA §

6 Du va l l v. S ta t e , 2 8 9 Ga. 5 4 0 (7 1 2 SE2 d 8 5 0 ) (2 0 1 1 ) (“ Du va l l II ”).

7 Id

. at 5 4 1 -5 4 2 ; s ee al s o Du va l l v. S t a t e

, 3 0 5 Ga. A p p

. 54 5 (6 9 9 SE2 d 7 6 1 )

(2 0 1 0) (“ Du va l l I ”) (reg ard i n g t h e d efen d an t ’ s t es t i m o n y ), rev ers ed b y D u va l l II

.

8 Du va l l II , 2 89 Ga. at 5 4 1

.

9 See Pa t t er

s on v. S ta t e

, 3 2 8 Ga. Ap p

. 11 1

, 1 1 9 -1 21 (4 ) (7 6 1 SE2 d 5 2 4 ) (2 0 1 4 )

(rev ersing c on v i ct i o n fo r p o s s es s i o n of h y d ro co d o n e); s ee al s o Lewi s v. S t a t e

, 3 5 0 Ga.

Ap p . 1 4 3 , 1 5 1 (3 ) (a) (8 2 8 SE2 d 3 8 6 ) (2 0 19 ) (rev ers i n g fi rearm co n v i ct io n ).

616- 1 3- 31, the G e ne r al As sem bl y d el et ed m

u l ti p l e i n s t an ces o f “ k no wi ng l y ,” i n t er a lia

,

t h ro u g h ou t t h e t raffi ck i n g s tat u t e. Pri o r to 2 01 3

, § 1 6 -1 3 -3 1 (e) h ad p ro v i d ed i n p art :

An y p ers o n wh o kn o wi n g l y sel l s

, del i v ers

, o r b ri n g s i n t o t hi s s t at e o r h as

p o s s es si o n of 2 8 g ram s o r m o re o f m et h am p h et am i n e, am

p h et am in e, o r

a n y m ix t u re co nt ai n i n g ei t h er m et h am p h et am in e or am

p het am i n e, a s

d es cri b ed i n Sch ed ul e II, i n v io l at io n of th i s art i cl e co m m i t s t h e fel o n y

o ffen s e o f t raffi ck i n g i n m et h am p h et am in e o r am

p h et am i n e[.] 1 0

Th e cu rren t v ers i on p ro v id es i n rel ev an t p art :

Ex cep t as au t h o ri zed b y t h i s art i cl e, an y p e r s o n w h o s el ls

, d el iv ers

, o r

b ri n gs i n t o t h i s s t at e o r h as po s s es s i on o f 28 g ram s or m o re o f

m e t h am p het am i n e, am

p h et am i n e, o r an y m i x t ure co n t ai ni ng ei t h er

m et h am p h et am i ne o r am

p h et am i ne, as d es cri b ed i n Sc h e d ul e II, i n

v i o l at i o n o f t h i s art i cl e co m m i t s th e fel o n y o ffen s e o f t raffi ck i n g i n

m et h am p h et am i ne o r am

p h et am i n e[.] 1 1

“ Th i s l eg i s lat i v e ch an ge d o es n o t ex p l ai n wh at th e t erm ‘ kn o wi n g l y ’ was

i n t en d ed t o m ean w h en th e st at ut e was o ri g i n al l y p as s ed .” 1 2 H o wev er, “ s u ch ch an g e

1 0 See OCGA § 16 -1 3 -3 1 (e) (2 0 1 2) (em p h as i s s u p p l ied ).

1 1 OCGA § 1 6 -1 3 -3 1 (e).

1 2 S co t t v. S ta te

, 2 9 5 Ga. 3 9

, 4 1 (2 ) (7 5 7 SE2 d 1 0 6 ) (2 0 14 ) (d is cu s s i n g d el et i o n

o f th e wo rd “ k no wi ng l y ” in OCGA § 1 6 -1 3 -3 1 (a) an d th e d efen dan t ’ s kn o wl ed g e o f

t h e wei g ht o f co cai n e fo u nd i n h i s p o s ses s i o n ).

7i s co n s i s t en t wi t h l eg i s l at i v e co n fi rm at i o n th at p ro o f o f a d efen d an t ’ s k n o wl ed g e o f

each el em en t of t h e t raffi ck i n g s t at u t e

. . . was req ui red i n fo rm er v ers i o ns o f t h e

s t at u te, b u t t h at t h e Gen eral As s em b l y n o l o n g er i nt en d [ed ] t hat i t b e s o .” 1 3

Becau s e OCGA § 1 6-1 3-3 1 (e), t h e m et h am ph et am i n e traffi ck i ng s tat u t e, was

am en d ed t o d el et e t h e “ k no wi n g l y ” req u irem en t, we fi n d n o erro r, m u ch l es s cl ear o r

o b v i o u s erro r i n t h e t ri al c o u r t ’s fai l u re t o s u a s p o n t e ch arg e t h e ju ry on s u ch a

req u i rem en t

. 1 4

2

. Du ffi e co n t en d s t h at t ri al co u n s el was i n effect i ve i n fai l i n g t o req u es t a ju ry

i n s t ru ct i o n reg ard i n g k n o wl ed g e o f t h e ch em ical i d en t i t y o f t h e dru g

. Becau s e t h i s

i n s t ru ct i o n was n ot warran t ed

, as d i s cu s s ed in Di v i s i o n 1

, s up ra, “ an y fai l u re o n t h e

p a r t of [Du ffi e’ s ] t ri al co u ns el t o req ues t

. . . i ts b ei n g g i v en can n o t co n s t i t u t e t h e

1 3 Id

.

1 4 See S t a t e v. Kel l

y

, 2 9 0 Ga. 29

, 3 3 (2 ) (a) (7 1 8 SE2 d 23 2 ) (2 0 1 5 ) (d i s cu s s i n g

p l ai n erro r s t an d ard o f rev i ew). To t h e ex t en t t h at Du ffi e co nt en d s t h at t h e t ri al co u rt

s h o u ld h av e s u a sp o nt e i n s t ru ct ed t h e ju ry o n m i s t ak e o f fact

, t h i s arg u m en t i s wi t h o ut

m eri t

. See Ma r lo w v. S ta t e

, 3 3 9 Ga. A p p

. 7 9 0

, 7 9 8

- 7 9 9 (3 ) (a) (7 9 2 SE2 d 7 1 2 )

(2 0 1 6).

8d efi ci en t p erfo rm an ce n eces s ary t o s at i sfy th e fi rs t p ro n g o f t h e i n effect i v e as s i s t an ce

o f co u ns el t es t .” 1 5 Acco rd i n g l y , we n eed n ot ex am i n e t h e p reju d i ce p ro n g. 1 6

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 5 Br o wn i n g

v. S t a t e , 2 8 3 Ga. 5 2 8 , 5 3 0 -5 3 1 (2 ) (a) (6 6 1 SE2 d 5 5 2 ) (2 0 0 8 ).

1 6 See Ba t t les v. S t a t e

, 2 9 0 Ga. 22 6

, 2 2 9 (2 ) (7 1 9 SE2 d 4 2 3 ) ( 2 0 1 1 ) ( “ If an

ap p el l an t fai ls t o m eet h i s or h er b u rd en of p ro v in g ei t h er p ro n g of t h e S t r ickl a n d t es t

, i t is n o t i n cu m

b en t u p o n t h e rev i ewi n g co urt t o ex am i n e t h e o th er p ro n g

. ”).

9