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 6 , 2 0 1 6

S 1 6 A0 3 8 9 . LEWIS v

. THE S TATE.

MELTON, Ju stic e

.

F o llo win g a ju ry tria l, Ro n n ie D u a n e Le w is w a s f o u n d g u i lty o f m a lic e

m u rd e r, a rm e d ro b b e ry , b u rg la ry , fa lse im p riso n m e nt, an d a g gra v a te d a ssa u lt in

c o n n e c tio n with a h o m e in v a sio n a n d th e b e a tin g a n d sh o o tin g d e a th o f Op hir

Th o m pso n

. 1 On a

p p e a l, Le wis c o n te n d s th a t th e tria l c ou rt e rre d b y d e ny in g h is

m o tio n to su p p re ss t w o o f h i s c u sto d ia l sta te m e nts to p o lic e , a nd th a t h is tria l

c o u n se l wa s in e ffe c tiv e . We a ffirm

.

1

. Vie we d in th e lig h t m o st fa v o r a b le to th e ju ry ’s v e rd ic t, th e e v id e n c e

1 O n Ma y 2 1

, 2 0 1 3

, Le wis wa s in d ic te d fo r m a lic e m u rd e r, a rm e d ro b b e ry , b u rg la ry , fa lse im

p riso n m e n t, a n d a g g ra va te d a ssa u lt. F o llo w in g a No v e m b e r 4

- 7

, 2 0 1 3 ju ry tria l, Le wis w a s fo u n d g u ilty on a ll c o u n ts. On No v e m b e r 1 3

, 2 0 1 3

, th e tria l c o u rt se n te nc e d Le wis to life im p riso n m e nt with o u t th e p o ssib ility o f

p a r o le fo r m a lic e m

u rd e r; c on se c utiv e se n te n c e s of twe n ty y e a rs fo r a r me d

ro b b e ry , b u rg la ry , a n d a gg ra v a te d a ssa u lt; an d te n c o n s e cu t i v e y e a rs fo r fa lse
im p riso n m e n t. Le wis file d a m o tio n fo r ne w tria l o n No v e m b e r 1 4

, 2 0 1 3

, wh ic h
h e a m e n d e d o n Ma y 7

, 2 0 1 5. F o llo win g a Ju ly 9

, 2 0 1 5 h e a rin g , th e tria l c o urt d e n ie d th e m o tio n o n S e p te m b e r 1 8

, 2 01 5

. Le wis’ tim e ly a p pe a l w a s d o c k e te d
in th is Co u rt fo r th e Ja n u a ry 2 0 1 6 Te rm a n d su b m itte d fo r d e c isio n o n th e b rie fs.re v e a ls th a t, Th o m p so n liv e d in a h o m e o n a fifte e n a c re h o rse fa rm in Ha ra lso n

Co u n ty

. Th e re wa s a se c o n d h o m e o n th e p ro p e rty th a t Th om p so n a lso o wn e d

,

a n d he re n te d th a t h o m e to Le wis. O n F eb r u a ry 1 1

, 2 01 2

, Le wis an d Mic k e y

Mu ld e r we n t to Th o m

p so n ’ s h o m e wh ile Le wis wa s b ra n d ish in g wh a t a n

e y e witn e ss d e sc rie d a s a “ lo n g g u n .” Th is sa m e e y e wi tn e ss th e n sa w Le wis

b re a k th e g la ss in th e win d o w o f th e d o o r to Th o m p so n’s h o m e with th is g u n

.

A se c o n d e y e w i t n e ss sa w Le wis go in to th e h ou se wh ile h o ld in g a rifle

. On c e

Le wis an d Mu ld e r g o t in to th e h o use , th e y re stra in e d Th om p so n by wra

p p in g

h is h a nd s, fe e t, a nd to rso with Un iv e rsity o f Ge o rg ia -th e m e d d u c t ta pe

. Le wis

a n d Mu ld e r th e n c ho k e d Th o m p so n a n d b e a t h im with th e b u tt o f Le wis’ g u n in

a n e ffo rt to g e t Th o m

p s o n t o r e v e a l to th e m th e c o m b in a tio n fo r a sa fe in th e

h o u se in wh ic h T h o m

p so n k e p t se ve ra l g un s a nd a g re a t d e a l o f c a sh

. L e wis a n d

Mu ld e r we re e v e n tu a lly a b le to o p e n th e sa fe

, a n d th e y sh o t Th o m p so n twic e in

th e h e a d

, killin g h im

. L e wis a n d Mu ld e r sto le m u l t i p l e gu ns a n d th o u sa n d s o f

d o lla rs in c a sh fro m th e sa fe

. Le w i s o pe n ly d isp la y e d h is n e wfo u n d m o n e y to

o th e rs a n d la te r c o n fe sse d to a frie nd th a t h e ha d k ille d Th o m p so n , b ut c la im e d

th a t he h a d d o n e s o i n s e lf-d e fe n se a n d th a t h e did n o t m e a n to d o it. He a lso

we n t to a frie n d ’s h o u se to sto re se v e ra l g u n s a fte r th e m u rd e r a n d ro b b e ry h a d

2ta k e n p la c e

.

In th e e a rly m o rn in g h o u rs o f F e b ru a ry 1 2

, 2 0 1 2

, Le w is sig ne d a wa iv e r

o f rig hts fo rm a nd e ng a g e d in th e first o f two in te rv ie ws w ith po lic e th a t h e h a d

th a t d a y

. T h e f

i r st in te rv ie w la ste d a

b o ut th irty m in u te s, a n d th e se c o n d

in te rv ie w to o k p la c e ro u gh ly twe lv e h ou rs la te r. In th e se in te rv ie ws, Le wis

c o n fe sse d to p o lic e th a t h e ha d stru c k Th om p so n in th e he a d se ve ra l tim e s with

th e b u tt o f a

g u n u n til th e g u n b ro k e

.

Th is e vid e n c e wa s su ffic ie nt to e n a b le a ra tio na l trie r o f fa c t to fin d Le wis

g u ilty o f a ll o f th e c rim e s of wh ic h he wa s c o n v ic te d b e y o n d a re a so n a b le d o u b t.

Ja c k so n v

. Virg in ia

, 4 4 3 U.S

. 3 0 7 (9 9 S Ct 2 7 8 1

, 6 1 LE2 d 5 6 0 ) (1 9 7 9 ). Th e ju ry

wa s fre e to re

je c t Le w is’ c la im th a t h e h a d o n ly b e e n a c tin g in se lf-d e fe n se a t th e

tim e th a t h e k i l l e d Th o m p so n

. S e e , e .g ., Ro p e r v

. S ta te

, 2 8 1 Ga

. 8 7 8 (1 ) (6 4 4

S E2 d 1 2 0 ) (2 0 0 7 ) (witn e ss c re d ib ility is fo r ju ry to de c id e , a s is th e q ue stio n o f

ju stific a tio n ; th e re fo re , ju ry is fre e to re je c t c la im th a t d e fe n d a n t a c te d in

se lf-d e fe n se ).

2

. L e wis c la im s th a t th e tria l c ou rt e rre d b y d e n y in g h is m o tio n to su p p re ss

3h is first two c u sto d ia l sta te m e n ts to p o lic e , 2 b e c a u se h e h a d no t m a d e h is

sta te m e n ts k n o win g ly a n d vo lu nta rily

. S p e c ific a lly

, h e c o nte n ds th a t, b e c a use

h e wa s u n d e r th e in flu e nc e o f d ru g s a t th e tim e th a t h e ga v e th e se sta te m e n ts, th e

sta te m e n ts sh o u ld h a v e b e e n e x c lu de d a t h is tria l. We d isa g re e

.

“ Th e m e re fa c t th a t [a d e fe n d a n t] wa s in to xic at e d a t t h e tim e o f th e

sta te m e n ts d o e s n o t a

u to m a tic a lly re n d e r th e m in a d m i s s i b l e

. [Cit.] ” Jo n e s v

.

S ta te , 2 8 5 Ga . 3 28 , 3 29 (2 ) (6 7 6 S E2 d 2 2 5 ) (2 0 0 9 ). In th is re g a rd

,

[t] h e tria l c o u rt d e te rm in e s th e a dm issib ility o f a d e fe nd a n t’s

sta te m e n t u nd e r th e p re p o n d e ra nc e o f th e e v id e nc e sta n da rd

c o n sid e rin g th e to ta lity o f th e c irc u m sta n c e s. On a pp e a l, we a c c e p t th e tria l c o u rt’s fin d in g s on d isp u te d fa c ts a n d c re d ib ility o f
witn e sse s un le ss c le a rly e rro n e o u s, b ut in d e p e n d e n tly a p p ly th e le g a l p rin c ip le s to th e fa c ts.

(Cita tio n s a n d p u nc tu a tio n o m itte d .) Wa tk in s v

. S ta te

, 2 8 9 Ga

. 35 9, 3 6 3 (4 ) (7 1 1

S E2 d 6 55 ) (2 0 1 1 ).

He re , in a d d itio n to re v ie win g bo th vid e o ta p e d c u sto d ia l sta te m e n ts fro m

Le wis, th e tria l c o u rt a lso h e a rd te stim o ny a t th e Ja c kso n De n no h e arin g fro m

th e in v e stig a to r wh o in te rv ie we d Le wis in th e v id e o s. Th e in v e stig a to r te stifie d

2 Ap p a re n tly

, Le wis a lso g a ve a th ird sta te m e n t to po lic e a p p ro x im a te ly

two w e e k s a fte r he g a v e th e m h is first two c usto d ia l sta te m e n ts. Ho we v e r, th a t th ird sta te m e n t is n o t a t issu e in th is a p p e a l.

4th a t, with re sp e c t to Le wis’ in itia l sta te m e n t to po lic e o n F e b ru a ry 1 2

, 2 0 1 2

, a t

a b o u t 4 :5 0 a m , Le wis wa s re a d h is Mira n d a r i g h ts a n d Le wis in d ic a te d th a t h e

u n d e rsto o d th e wa iv e r o f rig h ts f o r m wh e n h e sig n e d it; Le w is k n e w th a t th e

p o lic e we re in v e stig a tin g T h o m p so n ’s d e a th ; Le wis c o n se nte d to th e in te rv ie w

a n d kn e w wh a t h e wa s ta lk in g a b o u t du rin g th e in te rv i e w; a n d L ewis d id n o t

a p p e a r to b e in to x ic a te d

. Ab o u t th irty m in ute s in to th e in te rv ie w, L e wis c la im e d

th a t h e h a d b e e n u p fo r a c o u p le o f d a y s stra ig h t a n d wa s h ig h o n

m e th a m p h e ta m in e

. Th e p o lic e d e c i d e d to te rm in a te th e first in te rv ie w a t th a t

tim e , n ot b e c a

u se o f a n y c o n c e rn a

b o u t Le wis b e in g in to x ic a te d o r n ot k n o win g

wh a t wa s g o in g o n , b u t b e c a use Le wis h a d a lso in d ic a te d th a t h e wa s tire d a n d

n e e d e d to g e t so m e sle e p

.

Th e p o lic e p ro c e e d e d with a se c o n d in te rv ie w o f Le wis o n th e a fte rn o o n

o f F e bru a r y 1 2

, 2 0 1 2

, a

b o u t twe lv e h o u rs a fte r th e y h a d te rm in a te d th e ir first

in te rv ie w with him

. Be fo re t h i s se c o nd in te rv ie w, th e in v e stig a to r a g a in

re m in de d Le wis of h is Mira n d a rig h ts a nd L e wis a ga in c o n se n te d t o b e

in te rv ie we d

. Le wis wa s m o re fo rth c o m in g in th is in te rv ie w, a n d h e a p p e a re d to

k n o w wh a t h e wa s d o in g

– e v e n sta tin g to p o lic e th a t h e kn e w w h a t wa s g o in g

o n

. In th is in te rv ie w, Le wis a d m itte d to o wn in g Un iv e rsity of Ge o rg ia -th e m e d

5d u c t ta

pe a n d strik in g T h o m

pso n m ultip le tim e s in th e he a d with th e b u tt o f a

sh o tg u n u n til th e g u n b ro ke o n Th o m p so n ’s h e a d

.

He re ,

[t] h e re w a s n oth in g to in dic a t e t h a t [Le w is’] sta te m e n ts, e v e n if m a d e wh ile he wa s in to x ic a te d

, we re no t th e pro d u c t o f ra tio n a l in te lle c t a n d
fre e will. Ba se d o n o u r c a re fu l re v ie w o f th e e v id e n c e b e fo re th e tria l

c o u rt, we fin d th a t th e tria l ju d g e wa s a u th o riz e d to fin d th a t [Le wis] wa s

ra tio n a l a n d c o h e re nt a n d th a t h is sta te m e n ts we re g iv e n k no w in g ly a n d

v o lu n ta rily . [Cit.]

Jo n e s, su p ra , 2 8 5 Ga . a t 3 2 9 -3 3 0 (2 ).

3

. Le wis c o n te n d s th a t h is tria l c o un se l wa s i n e ffe c tiv e fo r fa ilin g to

re q u e st a ju ry in stru ct i o n on th e n e e d fo r his c u sto d ia l sta te m e n ts to b e

c o rro b o ra te d b y in d e p e n d e nt e v id e n c e

. S e e O CGA § 24 -8 -8 2 3 (“ A c on fe ssio n

a lo n e , u n c o rro b o ra te d b y a n y o th e r e v id e n c e , sh a ll n o t ju stify a c o n v ic tio n ” ).

In o rd e r to su c c e e d o n h is c la im o f in e ffe c tiv e a ssista n c e , [Le wis] m u st

p ro v e b o th th a t h is tria l c o u n se l' s p e rfo rm a n c e wa s d e fic ie n t a n d th a t th e re is a re a so n a

ble pro b a bility th a t th e tria l re su lt wo u ld h a v e b e e n d iffe re n t if n o t fo r th e d e fic ie nt p e rfo rm a n c e

. Stric k la n d v

. Wa sh in gto n , 4 6 6 U. S

. 6 6 8 (1 0 4 S Ct 2 0 5 2

, 8 0 LE2 d 6 74 ) (1 9 84 ). If a n a p p e lla n t fa ils to m e e t h is

o r h e r b u rd e n of p ro v in g e ith e r p ro n g o f th e S tric k la n d te st, th e re v ie win g

c o u rt d o e s n o t h a v e to e x a m in e th e oth e r pro n g

. Id

. a t 6 9 7 (IV); F u lle r v

. S ta te

, 2 77 Ga

. 5 0 5 (3 ) (5 9 1 S E2 d 7 8 2 ) (2 0 04 )

. I n re v ie win g th e tria l

c o u rt' s d e c isio n , “‘[w] e a c c e p t th e tria l c ou rt' s fa c tu a l fin d in g s a n d

c re d ib ility d e te rm in a tio n s u n le ss c le a rly e rro n e o us, bu t we in de p e n d e n tly

a p p ly th e le g a l p rin c ip le s to th e fa c ts.’ [Cit.] ” Ro b in so n v

. S ta te

, 2 7 7 Ga

. 7 5 , 7 6 (5 8 6 S E2 d 3 1 3 ) (2 0 0 3 ).

6Wrig h t v . S ta te , 2 9 1 Ga

. 8 6 9

, 8 7 0 (2 ) (7 3 4 S E2 d 8 76 ) (2 0 1 2 ).

P re te r m i t t i n g t h e q u e s t i o n w h e t

h e r c o u n s e l r e n d e r e d d e f

i c i e n t p e r f o r m a n c e

b y fa ilin g to re q u e st a c h a rg e o n c o rro b o ra io n , w e fin d th a t

, i n l ig h t o f th e

o v e rwh e lm in g e v id e n c e o f Le wis’ g u ilt, th e re is n o re a so n a b le p ro b a b ility th a t

th e tria l re su lt wo u ld h a v e b e e n d iffe re n t b u t fo r th is a lle g e d d e fic ie n t

p e rfo rm a n c e

. In de e d

, in a d d itio n to h is c o n fe ssio n to p o lic e re g a rd in g h is

p a rtic ip a tio n in th e c rim e s a t issu e a n d h is own e rsh ip of Un iv e rsity o f G e o rg ia

th e m e d d u c t ta

p e c on n e c te d to th e c rim e s, a n e y e witn e ss sa w Le wis a n d Mu ld e r

a tte m p tin g to b re a k in to Th om

p so n ’s h o m e with a rifle o n th e d a y o f th e m u rd e r;

a se c o n d e y e witn e ss sa w Le wis e n te rin g th e ho m e with a rifle ; Le wis a d m itte d

to a frie n d th a t h e h a d k ille d Th o m p so n ; a nd Le wis e ve n sh owe d to o th e rs th e

g u n s a n d m o n e y th a t h e h a d su d d e n ly a c qu ire d o n th e d a y o f Th o m p so n ’s d e a th

.

Du e to th e o v e rwh e lm in g e v id e n c e o f Le wis’ g u ilt, w e up h o ld th e tria l c o u rt’s

c o n c lu sio n th a t Le wis h a s fa ile d to c a rry h is b u rd e n o f p ro v in g th a t h i s t r i a l

c o u n se l wa s in e ffe c tiv e

. S e e , e .g ., La n d e rs v. S ta te

, 2 7 0 Ga

. 18 9 (4 ) (5 0 8 S E2 d

6 3 7 ) (1 99 8 ).

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

7