FI FTH DI VI SI ON

M CFA DDEN, P. J.

, M CM I LLI A N and GOSS, 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

June 3, 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 39 0 . SARAT-VASQUEZ v . THE STATE.

M C M ILLI A N , J u dg e.

M arl o n Iv an Sarat -Vas q u ez (“ Vas q u ez”) ap p eal s t h e d en i al o f h i s m o t i o n fo r

n ew t ri al aft er a j u ry co nv i ct ed h i m o f o n e co un t of ag g rav at ed ch i l d m o les t at i o n an d

t wo co u nt s o f ch il d m o les tat i o n 1 i n v o l v i n g t h e m i n o r d au g h t er o f Vas q uez’ s fri en d s

. 2

On ap p eal

, V as q u ez as s ert s t hat t h e t ri al co u rt v i o l at ed h i s d ue p ro ces s ri g h t s by

fai l i n g t o en s u re t h at hi s ri gh t t o b e as s i s t ed b y a cert i fi ed i n t erp ret er was s afeg u ard ed

1 Aft er a ju ry co n v i ct ed Vas q u ez o n al l t h ree co u n t s

, t h e t wo ch il d m o l es t at i o n

ch arg es were m erg ed fo r sen t en ci n g i n t o t h e ch arg e o f ag g rav at ed ch i l d m o l es t at i o n,

fo r wh i ch h e recei v ed a l i fe s en t en ce wi th 2 5 y ears t o s erv e.

2 Vas q u ez d o es no t co n t es t t h e s u ffi ci e n c y o f t h e ev i d en ce t o su p p o rt h i s

co n v i c t i o n s o n ap p eal

, an d h av i n g rev iewed t h e reco rd

, we fi n d t h at th e ev i d en ce

p res en t ed b y t h e St at e was s u ffi ci en t t o p ro v e t h e ch arg es ag ai n s t Vas qu ez b ey o n d a

reas on ab l e d o u bt

. Ja cks o n v. Vi r g i ni a

, 4 4 3 U

. S

. 3 0 7 (9 9 SCt 2 7 8 1

, 6 1 LE2 d 5 6 0 )

(1 9 7 9).an d t h at an y p u rp o rt ed wai v er o f th at ri g ht was n o t kn o wi n g

, v o l u n t ary

, o r

m ean i n g fu l

. He al s o as s ert s a cl ai m o f i n effect i v e as s i s tan ce co u n s el o n t h i s g ro u n d.

Becau s e we fi n d t h at Vas q u ez has fai led t o es t ab li s h an y vi o l at i o n o f h i s du e p ro ces s

ri gh t s, we affi rm

.

W h ere, as h ere, t h e t ri al co u rt ’ s den i al o f t h e m ot i o n fo r n ew t ri al i n v o l v es a

m i x ed q u es t i o n of l aw an d fact

, “ [w] e rev i ew d e n o v o t h e t ri al co u rt ’ s d eci s i o n as to

an y q u es t i o n s of l aw, wh i l e ap p l y i n g t h e cl earl y erro n eo u s s t an dard o f rev i ew t o an y

fact ual fi nd i ng s m ad e b y t hat co u rt

. . . . [, an d] we d efer t o t h e tri al co urt ’ s cred i b i l i t y

d et erm i n at io n s .” (Ci t at i o n an d p u nct u at io n o m it ted .) S t a te v. En i ch

, 3 3 7 Ga. A p p

.

7 2 4

, 7 26 (1 ) (7 8 8 SE2 d 8 0 3 ) (2 0 1 6 ). See al s o W ed el v. S ta t e

, 32 8 Ga. Ap p. 2 8

, 2 8

(7 6 1 SE2 d 4 5 4 ) (2 0 1 4 ). “ Un der t h e h i g h l y d eferen ti al cl ear-erro r s t an dard

. . . [,] we

wi l l n o t rev ers e a t ri al co u rt ’ s fact u al fi n d i ng s

. . . i f t here i s an y ev i d en ce to s u p p o rt

t h em

, an d t h i s h o ld s t ru e ev en i f t h e fi n d i n g s are b as ed u p o n ci rcu m st an t i al ev i d en ce

an d t h e reas o n ab le in fer e n ces wh i ch fl o w fro m th em .” (Ci t at i o n an d pu n ct u at i o n

o m it t ed ) Y

a r b r o u g h v. S t a t e , 3 0 3 Ga. 5 94 , 5 9 6 -9 7 (2 ) (8 1 4 SE2 d 2 8 6 ) (2 0 1 8 ).

As d et ai l ed b y

t he t ri al co u rt in i t s o rd er d en y in g t h e m o ti o n fo r n ew t ri al , o n

t h e fi rs t d ay o f t ri al

, t h e t ri al ju d g e as k ed Vas q u ez i n En g l i s h i f h e w an t ed t h e t r i a l

co u rt t o p ro v i de h i m wi t h an i n t erp ret er, t o wh ich Vas q u ez rep l i ed i n En g l i s h , “ No

,

2I d o n ’ t n eed an i n t erp ret er.” W h en t h e j u d ge t hen as k ed h i m i f h e was s u re, h e rep l i ed

,

“ Yes

, m a’ am .” At t h at p o in t t h e i n t e r p ret er as k ed t o b e ex cu s ed

, an d t he t ri al ju d g e

g ran t ed t hat req u es t

. Ad d it i on al l y

, t h e t ri al ju d g e “ ad dres s ed [Vas q u ez] di rect l y aft er

t h e cl os e o f t he St at e’ s cas e. T h e Co u rt wen t t h ro u g h [Vas q uez’ s] v ari o u s ri g h t s

rel at ed t o t es t i fyi n g

, a l l i n En g l i s h

, an d t h e D efen dan t res p o nd ed ap pro p ri at el y

, in

En g li s h

, each t i m e.” Al t h o u g h Vas q u ez i n i t i al l y ap peared to i n d i cat e t h at h e wan t ed

t o t es t i fy

, aft er co n su l t a t i o n wi t h h i s co u n s el

, h e an n o u n ced t hat he d i d n o t wi s h to

t es t i fy

.

At t h e h eari n g on t h e m o ti o n fo r n ew t ri al

, Vas q u ez’ s t ri al co u n s el t es ti fi ed t h at

h e m e t wi t h V as q u ez b efo re t ri al at l eas t t h ree o r fo u r t i m es

. Bas ed o n t h e s e

i n t eract i o n s

, t ri al co un sel b el i ev ed t h at Vas q u ez u n ders t an d s 9 0 percen t or m o re o f

En g li s h

. Tri al co u n s el an d V as q u e z d i s cu s s ed t h e i s s ue o f hav i n g an i n t erp ret er at

t ri al

. Al t h o u gh t ri al co u n s el t o l d Vas q u ez t h at h e was en ti t l ed t o h av e an in t erp ret er,

t h e at t o rn ey ad vi sed h i m t h a t i t wo u l d l o o k b et t er i f h e di d n o t u s e i n t erp ret at i o n

s erv i c e s a t t r i al

, es p eci al l y as s o m e o f t h e St at e’ s wi t n es s es wo u ld b e u s i n g an

i n t erp ret er. 3 T ri al co u n s el t h o u g h t i t wo u l d m ak e Vas q uez l o o k l i k e h e h ad b een in

3 W e n o te t h at an i n t erp ret er was em pl o y ed f o r t h e t e s ti m o n y of t h e v i ct i m ’ s

m o th er.

3t h e co u n try l o n g er an d h ad b een wo rk i n g w i th En g l is h -s p eak i n g p eo p le l o n g er.

Vas qu ez ag reed w i t h t h i s s t rat eg y

. Tri al co u n s el as k ed an o t her at t o rn ey

, wh o i s fl u en t

i n Sp an i s h

, t o s erv e as h i s as s i s t an t co u ns el an d to s it at t h e d efen s e t ab l e at t ri al an d

as s i s t Vas q u ez i n u n ders t an d i n g t h e p ro ceed i n g s

.

To co u n ter tri al co u ns el ’ s t es t i m o n y reg ard i n g Vas q u ez’ s ab i l i t y t o u nd ers t an d

En g li s h

, h i s ap pel l at e co u n s el i nt ro d u ced a co p y of t he o ri g i n al p u b l ic d efen d er cl i en t

fo l d er, w h i ch d i s p l ay ed a s ti ck er t h at s ai d “ In t erp ret er Need ed ,” as wel l as a n o t e in

t h e f il e wh ere s o m eo n e h ad wri t t en

, “ Sp eak s very l i t t l e En gl i s h

, p refers Sp an i s h.”

Tri al co un sel ex pl ai n ed t h at h e d i d n o t k n ow wh o i n h i s o ffi ce m ay h av e affi x ed t h e

s t ick er an d t hat t h e no t e was fax ed t o t h em fro m t h e i n d i gen t d efen s e o ffi ce. No o t h er

ev i d en ce was p res en t ed as t o wh o m ay h av e au t h o red t h e n o t e.

Th e as s i s t an t co un s el t e s t i f i ed t h at he d i d n o t i n t erp ret an y t h i n g fo r Vas q uez

d u ri n g t ri al an d t h at V a s q u e z a p p eared t o u n d ers t an d wh at was t ak i n g p l ace.

Ad d i t i o n al l y

, al t h o ug h Vas q u ez d i d n o t s p eak m u ch d u ri n g t ri al

, t h e t wo p as s ed n o t es

i n wh i ch Vas qu ez wro te i n Sp an i s h

, an d t h e as s is t an t co u n sel w ro t e i n b o t h En g l i s h

an d Sp an i s h

. Th e as s is t an t co u ns el s t at ed t hat h e di d no t recal l Vas q u ez ev er as k i n g

fo r an i n t erp ret er at t ri al

, an d i f as s i st an t co un s el b el i ev ed t h at Vas q u ez n eed ed h el p

wi t h t ran s l at i o n , h e wo u l d h av e n o t i fi ed t h e ju d g e.

4A l eg al as s is t an t, wh o s p eak s Sp an i s h an d wh o acco m p an i ed t ri al co u n s el t wo

t o t hree t i m es t o h el p wi t h t ran s l at i o n wh en h e v i s i t ed Vas q u ez i n jai l , t es t i fi ed t h at

a l t h o u g h Vas q uez s p o k e v ery li t t l e En g li s h, sh e b el i ev ed t h at he u n d ers to o d m o r e

En g li s h t h an h e sp o ke. Sh e s ai d s h e wo ul d ex p l ai n l eg al term s t o hi m i n Sp an i s h

, b ut

s h e ag reed t h a t m o s t o f t h e cl i en t s i n t h e p ub l i c d efen d er’ s o ffi ce need h el p

u n d ers t an d i n g s uch t erm i no l o g y. S h e al s o s t at ed t h at t ri al co u ns el v i si t ed Vas q uez

wi t h o u t h er.

Vas q u ez t es t i fi ed a t t h e h eari n g

, u si n g an i n t erp ret er. He s t at ed t h at h e o n l y

s p o k e “ [a] b o u t 20 p ercen t ” En g l i s h

. He s ai d t h at h e d id n o t un d ers tan d wh en t r i a l

co u ns el s p o k e t o h i m i n En g l i sh

, an d h e h ad t o g et hel p t ran sl at in g l et t ers wri t t en in

En g li s h b y h i s ap p el l at e co u n sel

. He s ai d t h at h e refu sed an i n t erp ret er o n t h e ad v i ce

o f h is co u n s el

, an d t h ere were part s o f t h e tri al an d wi t n es s t es t i m o ny t h at h e d i d n ot

u n d ers t an d , al t h o u g h h e d i d no t i d en t i fy an y s p eci fi c t es t i m o n y

o r o t h er p o rt i o n s o f

t h e tri al t h at h e d i d n o t fo l l o w. Ho wev er, Vas q u ez s ai d t h at h e d id n ot d i s ag ree wi th

h i s at t o rn ey ’ s ad v i ce reg ard i ng t h e in t erp ret er. He al s o s ai d t h at h e k new t h ere were

i n t erp ret ers p res en t at t ri al

, w h o co u l d h av e as s i s t ed h im

, b u t h e n ev er as k ed fo r h el p.

M o reo v er, ev en t h o u g h h e k n ew h e h ad Sp an i sh -s p eak i n g at t orn ey s n e x t t o h i m at

5t ri al

, he n ev er sp o ke t o t h em ab o u t h o w t h e tri al was g oi n g

. He fu rt h er ad m i t t ed t h at

h e was ab l e t o t al k t o h i s at to rn ey s ab o u t ev i d en ce h e t h o u g h t was i m p o rt an t

.

It is wel l s et t l ed t h at

[a] cri m in al defen d an t’ s “ ri g h t t o b e p res en t at al l s t a g es o f t h e t ri al

wh ere h is ab s e n c e m i gh t fru s t rat e t h e fai rn es s o f t h e p ro ceed i n g s ” i s

g u aran t eed b y t h e Si xt h Am en d m en t an d t h e d ue p ro ces s cl au s e o f th e

Fo u rt een t h Am en d m en t t o th e Un i t ed St at es Co ns t i t u t i o n. (Ci t at i o n an d

p u n ct u at i on o m i t t ed .) Ten n es s ee v. La n e

, 5 4 1 U.S. 5 0 9

, 5 2 3 (1 2 4 SCt

1 9 7 8

, 1 5 8 LE2 d 8 2 0) (2 0 0 4 ); s ee al s o Ga. Co ns t

. o f 1 9 83

, Art

. I, Sec. I,

Par. I.

Li n g v. S t a t e

, 28 8 Ga. 2 9 9

, 3 0 0 (1 ) (7 0 2 SE2 d 8 81 ) (2 0 10 )

. A n d t h i s ri g h t i s

i m p l i cat ed wh ere a d efen d an t as sert s t h at t h e t ri al co u rt ’ s fai l u re t o pro v i d e a n

i n t erp ret er p rev en ted h i m fro m u n d ers t an d i n g an d fo l l o wi n g t h e t ri al b ecau s e “ ev ery

cri m i n al d efen d an t

– i f th e ri g h t t o b e p res en t is t o h av e m e a n i n g

– m u s t p o s s es s

s u ffi ci en t p r es en t ab i l i t y t o co n s u l t wi th h i s l awy er wi t h a reas o n ab l e d eg ree o f

rat i o nal u n d ers t an d in g .” (Ci t at i o n s an d p u nct u at i o n o m it t ed .) Id

. at 3 0 1(1 ). See al s o

Ra mo s v. Ter r

y

, 2 7 9 Ga. 8 8 9

, 8 9 2 (1 ) (6 2 2 SE2 d 3 3 9 ) (2 00 5 ) (“ Th e u se o f q u al i fi ed

i n t erp ret ers i s neces s ary t o p res erv e m ean i n g fu l acces s t o th e l eg al s y s t em fo r p ers on s

wh o sp eak an d u n d ers t an d o nl y l an g u ag es ot h er t h an E n g l i s h. [Ci t

. ] ”). “ On e wh o i s

u n ab le t o c o m m

u n i cat e effect i v el y i n E n g l i s h an d d o es n o t recei v e an i n terp ret er’ s

6as s i s tan ce i s n o m o re co m p et en t t o p ro ceed t h an an i n di v i d u al wh o i s i nco m p et en t

d u e t o m en t al i n cap aci t y .” Li n g , 2 88 Ga. at 3 01 (1 ).

Th e t ri al co u rt fo u n d t h at Vas q uez’ s po s t-co n v i ct i o n as s er t i o n t h at h e o n l y

u n d ers t o o d ab o ut 2 0 p ercen t o f En g l i s h an d t h e fact t h at he wro te o n e n o t e in Sp an i s h

d u ri n g t ri al were n o t en o u g h t o o v erco m e h i s t ri al co u n s el s’ t es t i m o n y t h at h e

u n d ers t an d s En g l i s h a n d h i s ap p aren t ab i l i t y t o res p o n d ap pro p ri at el y wh en

q u es ti o n ed b y t h e t ri al ju d g e i n En g l is h

. W e m u s t d efer t o t h e t ri al co u rt ’ s cred i b i l i t y

d et erm i n at i o n i n t h is reg ard

. Ad d i t i o n al l y

, i n l i g h t o f t h is ev id en ce, t h e t ri al co u rt

wo u l d h av e b een en t it l ed t o fi n d t hat t h e n o t at i o ns o n Vas q u ez’ s fi l es reg ard i n g h i s

n eed fo r an i n terp ret er an d h i s ab i l it y to s p eak En g l i s h w ere n o t s u ffi ci en t to s h o w a

v i o l at i o n o f d u e pro ces s, es p eci al l y as t h e s o urces o f t h es e n ot at i o n s were n ev er

i d en t i fi ed

. M o reo v er, t h e l eg al as s i s t an t t es t i fi ed t h at Vas qu ez u n d e r s to o d m o re

En g li s h t h an h e s p o k e, h e ad m i tt ed t h at h e kn ew he co u l d co n s u l t i n Sp an i sh wi t h h i s

co u ns el at an y t i m e, an d h e w a s ab l e t o d i s cu s s t h e ev i d en ce at tri al wi th t h em

. Th e

reco rd al s o s u p p ort s t h e t ri al co u rt ’ s fi n d in g t h at Vas q u ez ag reed wi t h h i s t ri al

7co u ns el ’ s a d v i ce t o fo reg o an i n t erp ret er i n o rd er t o i ncreas e h i s ch an ces o f an

acq u it t al at t ri al

. 4

Acco rd i ng l y

, w e fi n d n o v i o l at i o n o f Vas q uez’ s d u e p ro ces s ri g ht s

, an d we

affi rm t he d en i al o f h is th e m o t i o n fo r n ew t ri al o n th is g ro u n d. See Cr u z v. S t a t e

, 3 0 5

Ga. Ap p

. 8 0 5, 8 0 9 (2 ) (7 0 0 SE2 d 6 3 1 ) (2 01 0 ) (“ G i v en t h e fact t hat t h e d e f e n d an t s

n ev er o b ject ed t o t h e Sp an i s h t ran s l at i on o f t h e p ro ceed i n g s an d ev en affi rm at i v el y

s t at ed th at t h ey were ab l e t o u n d ers t an d t hei r i n t erp ret ers

, we can n o t s ay th at t h e t ri al

co u rt cl earl y erred i n fi n d i n g th at d efen d an t s ’ [p os t -co n v i ct i o n ] cl ai m t h at t h ey co u ld

n o t u n d ers t an d t h e p ro ceed i n gs l ack ed cred i b i l it y .”); Her s i v. S ta t e

, 2 57 Ga. Ap p

. 6 3,

6 4 (1 ) (5 7 0 SE2 d 3 6 5 ) (2 0 0 2 ) ( e v e n w h ere d efen dan t ’ s co m m an d o f t h e En g l i s h

l an g u ag e was n o t p erfect

, t h e ab s en ce o f an o ffi ci al i n t erp ret er o t h er t h an d efen d an t ’ s

b ro t h er cl earl y d i d n o t res u l t i n a d en ial o f h i s ri g h t t o m ean i n gfu l l y p art i ci p at e i n t h e

p ro ceed in g s ag ai n s t h i m ).

2

. V as q u ez al s o as s ert s t h at h i s t ri al co u n sel was i n effect i v e b ecau s e h e fai l ed

t o en su re t h at Vas q u ez had an i nt erp ret er an d

, i n fact

, a d v i s e d h i m t o fo reg o

4 W e ex pres s n o o pi n i o n as t o wh et h er t h i s s t rat eg y was reas on ab l e. See Li n g

, 2 8 8 Ga. at 30 2, n

. 1 (“ It i s n o t p ro fes s i o n al l y reas o n ab l e t o d eci de t o fo reg o o b t ai n i n g

an i n t erp ret er fo r an o t h erwi s e i n co m p et en t cri m i n al d efen dan t b as ed on s p ecu l at i v e

fears o f ju ro r bi as

, es p eci al l y wh ere

. . . t h ere is no e v i d e n ce th at t h e d efen d an t

p art i ci p at ed i n o r co n s en t ed t o t h e d eci s i o n .”)

8i n t erp ret at i o n s erv i ces

. To es t ab l i s h h i s cl ai m o f i n effect iv e as s i s t an ce o f co u n s e l

,

Vas qu ez m

u st s h o w b ot h t h at hi s at to rn ey ’ s p erfo rm an ce was d efi ci en t an d t h at h e

was p reju d i c e d a s a res u l t o f h i s co u n s el ’ s p erfo rm an ce. See St r i ckl a n d v.

W a s h i n g t o n

, 4 6 6 U.S. 66 8

, 6 8 7 (III) (1 0 4 SCt 2 0 52

, 8 0 LE2 d 67 4 ) (1 9 8 4 ). A

d efen d an t ’ s “ [f] ai l u re t o s at i s fy ei t h er p ro ng o f t he St ri ck l an d t es t i s s u ffi ci en t to

d efeat a cl ai m o f in effect i v e as s i s t an ce

, a n d i t i s n o t i n cu m b en t u p on t h i s Co u rt to

ex am i n e th e o t h er p ro n g

. ” (Ci t at i o n an d pu n ct uat i o n o m it t ed .) Gr een v. S ta t e

, 3 0 2 Ga.

8 1 6 , 8 1 8 (2 ) (8 0 9 SE2 d 7 38 ) (2 0 1 8 ).

As we h av e fo un d t h at Vas q u ez h as fai l ed t o s h o w t h at hi s d u e p ro ces s ri g h t s

were v i o l at ed at t ri al b y t h e ab s en ce o f an i n t erp ret er, he can n o t sh o w t h e req u i si t e

p reju d i ce u n d er t h e S t r i ckl a n d t es t t o es t ab l i s h h is cl ai m o f i n effect i v e as s i st an ce o f

co u ns el

. See Ci s n er o s v. S t a t e

, 2 9 9 Ga. 8 4 1, 8 5 1 (3 ) (a) (7 9 2 SE2 d 3 2 6) (2 01 6 ) (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 fai l s wh ere d efen d an t fai l s t o carry h i s b u rd en o f

s h o wi n g t h at i n t erp ret at i on p ro v i d ed at t ri al was s o i n ad eq u at e as t o d en y h i m a

fu n d am en t al l y fai r t ri al ).

Ju d g men t a f f i r m ed . McFa d

d en , P. J., a n d

Go s s

, J., co n cu r

.

9