FI RST DI VI SI ON DOYLE, C. J.

, PHI PPS, P. J.

, and BOGGS, J.

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 ls .us /r ule s /

Jul y 1, 2015



# I n th e Co u r t o f

A p p eals o f

G eo r g ia

A1 5 A0 27 5 . M INCEY v . THE STATE.

P H I P P S , Pres i d i n g J u dg e.

Gary M in cey ap p eal s fro m h i s co nv i ct i o ns fo r rap e (t h ree co u n t s ), arm ed

ro b b ery (t h ree co un t s ), ag g rav at ed s ex u al b at t e r y, ag g rav at ed s o d o m y , ag g rav at ed

as s au l t (t wo co u n t s ), fal s e i m p ri s onm e n t ( f

ive c ount s), ro b b ery b y fo rce, an d b u rg l ary ,

i n co n n ect i o n w i t h o ffen s es co m m i t t ed ag ai n s t fi v e wo m en ; o n e o f t h e rap e

c o nv i ct i o n s an d t h e ag g rav at ed s ex u al b at tery co n v i ct io n (al on g w i t h o t h er

co n vi ct i o n s ) i n v o l v ed o ffen s es co m m i t ted ag ai n s t H. W

. M i n cey co n ten d s t h at t h e

t ri al co urt erred b y den y i n g h i s m o t i o n t o su p p res s DNA ev id en ce 1 o b t ai n ed fro m h i m

1 “ DNA (d eo xy ri b o n u cl ei c aci d ) i s an org an i c s u b s t an ce fo u n d i n t h e ch ro m os o m es i n t h e n u cl eu s o f a cel l

. It p ro v i d es t he g en et i c co d e wh ich d et erm i n es

a p ers o n ’ s ch aract eri s t i cs .” Ca l d wel l v. S t at e , 2 60 Ga. 2 7 8 , 2 7 9 (1 ), n. 1 (3 9 3 SE2 d

4 3 6 ) (1 9 9 0 ).p u rs u an t t o a s earch warran t

, becau s e th e affi d av it s u b m it t ed in s u p p o rt of th e warran t

was i n s u ffi ci en t. 2 Fi n d i ng n o erro r, we affi rm

.

M i n cey as s ert s t h at t h e m ag i s t r a t e l ack ed p ro b ab le cau s e to i s s u e t he s earch

warran t t o ob tai n a sam

p l e o f hi s s al i v a b ecau s e th e in ci d en t d es cri b ed i n t h e affi d av i t

(wh ich i n ci d en t i n v o lv ed H. W .) s ub m i t t ed i n s u p p ort o f t h e warran t di d n o t s h o w a

fai r p ro b ab i l i t y t h at l aw en fo rcem en t o ffi ci al s h ad ob t ai n ed an y b i o l o g i cal ev i d en ce

fro m H. W . t o wh ich h i s DNA s am p l e co u ld b e co m

p ared

. 3

“ In d et erm i n i n g p ro b ab l e cau s e, t h e m ag i s t rat e’ s tas k i s t o m ak e a pract i cal

,

co m m o n -s en se d eci s i o n wh et h er, g i v en al l t h e ci rcu m s t an ces set fo rt h i n t h e affi d av i t

b efo re hi m , . . . th ere i s a fai r p ro b ab i l i t y t h at co n t rab an d o r ev i d en ce o f a cri m e wi l l

b e fo u nd i n a p art i cu l ar p l ace.” 4

2 As d is cu s s ed m o re, in f r a , t h e s earch warran t affi d av i t s et o ut al l eg at i on s i n v o l v i n g t he cri m es co m m i t t ed ag ai n st H. W

. (o n l y ), an d s t at ed t h at M in cey ’ s DNA

s am p l e wo ul d b e “ co m

p ared t o [H. W .’ s ] rap e k i t .”

3 See OCGA § 1 7 -5 -3 0 (a) (2 ), pro v i d i n g t h at a d efen d an t m ay m o v e to

s u p p res s i t em s o b t ai ned wi t h a s earch warran t o n t h e g ro u nd t h at t he warran t was i l leg al b ecau s e t here was n ot p ro b ab l e cau s e fo r i t s i s s u an ce.

4 Co u ch v. S t at e , 3 2 6 Ga. Ap p

. 2 0 7

, 2 0 8 (2 ) (7 5 6 SE2 d 2 9 1 ) (2 0 1 4 ) (ci t at i on s

an d p u n ct u at i o n om i t t ed ), ci ti n g S t a t e v. Pa l mer , 2 8 5 G a 7 5

, 7 7 (6 7 3 SE2 d 2 3 7 ) (2 0 0 9).

2Th e ap p el l at e co u rt ’ s d u ty i s to det erm in e if t h ere was a s u b s t an ti al b as i s

fo r co ncl u d in g t h at p ro b ab l e cau s e ex i s t ed t o i s s u e t h e s earch w arran t

. Do u bt fu l cas es s h o u l d b e r es ol v ed i n fav o r o f u ph o l d i n g th e

d et erm i nat i o n t h at i s s u an ce o f a w arran t was p ro p er, refl ect in g b o t h a

d es i re t o en co u rag e u s e o f t h e w arran t p ro ces s b y p o l i ce o ffi cers an d a

reco g n i t i o n t h at o n ce a warran t has b een o b t ai n ed

, i n t ru si on u p o n

i n t eres t s p ro t ect e d by t h e Fo u rt h A m en d m en t is l es s s ev ere t h an

o t h erwi se m ay

b e t h e cas e. 5

Th e ev i d en ce i s co n s t ru ed m o s t fav o rab ly t o up h o l d th e fi n di n g s an d ju d g m en t o f t h e

t ri al co u rt ; th e t ri al co u rt ’ s fi n d i n g s as t o d i s p u t ed fact s an d cred i b il i t y w i l l b e u p h el d

u n l es s cl earl y erro n eo u s ; an d t h e t ri al co u rt ’ s ap pl i cat i o n o f t h e l a w t o u n d i s p u t ed

fact s i s s u b

ject t o d e n o v o rev i ew. 6 W e affo rd s u bs t an ti al d eferen ce t o a m ag i s t rat e’ s

d eci s i o n t o i s s u e a s earch warran t b as ed u p o n a fi n d i n g o f p ro b ab l e cau s e. 7

Co n st ru ed m o s t fav o rab l y to u p ho l d t h e fi n d i n g s an d ju dg m e n t o f t h e t ri al

co u rt

, t h e e v i d en ce s h ows t h at o n No v em b er 2 9

, 2 0 1 1, H. W

. was at h om e wh en a

m an en tered h er h o u s e, ro b b e d h er at g u n po i n t o f v ari o us i t em s , an d fo rced h er to

5 Gl en n v. S ta t e , 2 8 8 Ga. 4 6 2

, 4 6 6 (2 ) (d ) (7 0 4 SE2 d 7 9 4 ) (2 0 1 0 ) (ci t at i o n s an d

p u n ct u at i o n o m it t ed ).

6 Pa l mer , s u p ra at 7 8

.

7 Id

.

3h av e sex u al i n t erco urs e wi t h h i m

. T h e as s ai l an t th en o rd ered H. W

. t o t ak e a s h o wer,

wh i ch s h e di d

, an d h e l eft

. H. W

. al s o l eft t h e h ou s e, co n t act ed an d g av e a s t at em en t

t o p o l i ce, t h en wen t t o a h o sp i tal , wh ere a s ex ual as s au l t k i t was co m pl et ed

.

On No v em

ber 30

, 2 0 1 1

, p o l i ce o ffi cers at t em p ted t o i n i t i at e a s to p o f a v eh i cl e

t h ey s u sp ect ed was co n n ect ed t o a seri es o f rep o rt ed rap es

. Aft er an en su i n g v eh i cl e

ch as e an d fo o t ch as e, o ffi cers ap p reh en d ed t h e d ri v er, M i ncey , i n a ret en t i o n p o n d.

Offi cers fo u n d in t h e p on d

, n ear M i n cey , a s t ri p ed p i l l o wcas e h e h ad b een carry i n g.

Th e p il l o wcas e an d s o m e o f i t s co n ten t s h ad b een t ak en fro m H. W .’ s h o u se d u ri n g

t h e ro b b ery

t h e d ay b efo re. M i n cey

was t ak en i n t o cu s t o d y at t h at t i m e.

On De c e m

b er 1

, 2 0 1 1

, a l aw en fo rcem en t o ffi cer fi l ed an affi d av i t an d

ap p li cat io n fo r a s earch warran t

, i n wh i ch h e s o u g h t t o o b t ai n fro m M i n cey a s am p l e

o f s al i va fo r u s e i n DNA an al y s i s

. 8 Th e affi dav i t p ert i n en t l y al l eg ed t h e fo l l o wi n g :

On 11 -2 9 -1 1

, [ O f

f i c e r Q. L.] res p on d ed t o

. . . [a] Rap e an d Arm ed

Ro b bery cal l

. . . .Up o n [h i s ] arri v al

, h e s p o k e w i t h t h e v ict i m [H. W .]

.

. . . Th e v i ct i m s t a t e d s h e h ad ju s t b een ro b b ed an d rap ed at h er h o m e.

. . .Th e v ict i m st at ed t h e s u s p ect at t em pt ed t o p l ace h i s p en i s i n h er

v ag i na. Th e su s p e c t t h e n t o ld th e v i ct i m t o fi n g er h er sel f. Th e v i ct i m

s t at ed t h e s u s p ect at t em

p t ed t o p en et rat e h er ag ai n

. T h e vi ct i m s t at ed th e

8 Fo r a det ai l ed d is cu s s i o n o f D NA an al y si s an d t h e u s e o f D N A e v i d e n ce at

t ri al , s ee Ca l d

wel l , s u pra at 2 7 8-2 9 0 (1 ).

4s u s p ect co n t i n u ed ab ou t t h i rt y s eco n ds t ry in g t o g et h i s p en i s i n t o h e r

v a g i n a

. . . . Th e v ict i m s t at ed s h e d o es n o t kn o w

. . . wh y h e co u l d n o t

p e net rat e h er. Th e vi ct i m s t at ed t h e s u s pect wi p ed h er in n er th ig h s o f f

wi t h an u n k n own cl o t h an d t o l d h er t o t ak e a sh o w er.

. . W h en t h e v i ct i m

was i n t h e s h ower t he s u sp ect t o l d h er t o was h h er b o d y w i t h s o m e s o ap

. Th e v ict i m s t at ed s h e was u n ab le t o fi n d t he s o ap , s o s h e u sed h ai r

s h am p o o.

. . .Th e v i ct i m s t at ed s h e s t ay ed i n th e s h o wer fo r

ap p ro x i m at el y t en m i nu t es b efo re s he ex i ted t h e b at h ro o m an d w en t n ex t

d o o r. . . t o cal l fo r h el p

.

On 1 1 -3 0 -1 1

, t h e v ict i m ’ s rap e k it was t ak en t o t h e G. B. I. Cri m e Lab

fo r s ero l o g y tes t in g

. Th i s s earch warran t is b ei n g req u es t ed to o b t ai n th e

d efen d an t ’ s Bu ccal Cel l s fo r DNA an al y s is

. It wi l l b e co m pared t o th e

v i ct i m ’ s rap e k i t t h at was t ak en t o t he G.B.I. Cri m e Lab

.

Th e offi cer av er r e d i n t h e affi d av i t t h at th ere was p ro b ab le cau s e t o b el i ev e t h at

M i n cey h ad co m

m it t e d t h e rap e, t h at t h e i t em t o b e search ed o r s ei zed co ns t i t u t ed

ev i d en ce o f t h at cri m e, an d th at t h e i tem t o be s e a r c h e d w as a s al i v a s am p l e fro m

M i n c e y ( o b tai n ed b y s w ab b i n g t h e i n s i d e of h i s m o u t h). T h e m ag i s t rat e fo u n d

p ro b ab l e cau s e an d i s s u ed t h e s earch warran t

.

M i n cey co nt en d s t h at t he s earch warran t w a s n o t b as ed o n p ro bab l e cau s e

b ecau s e l aw en fo rcem en t o ffi cers h ad s o ug h t t h e s am p le o f h i s DNA fo r t h e p u rp o s e

o f co m p ari n g i t t o ev i d en ce o b t ai n ed f r o m H

. W

., b u t n o t h i n g i n th e affi d av i t

5p ro v id ed a f a i r p r o b ab i l i t y t h at o ffi cers had o b t ai n ed a s am p le fro m H

. W

. wh i ch

co u ld b e co m

p ared to h is D NA s am

p l e. He as s ert s t h at t h e affi d av i t s h o wed t h at t h ere

h ad b een n o vag i n al p en et rat i o n; t h at aft er t h e as s au l t t he as s ai l an t h ad wi p ed H. W .’ s

i n n er t h i g h s wi t h an “ u nk n o wn ” cl o t h an d H. W

. h ad t ak en a s h o wer; an d t h at

, wh en

t h e affi d av i t was m ad e, t h ere h ad b een n o s h o wi n g th at an y s em i n al fl u i d was p res en t

i n t he s am

p l es t ak en fro m

H. W

.

Ho wev er, as s e t o u t ab o v e, t h e affi d av it in cl u d ed av erm en t s t hat H. W .’ s

as s ai lan t h ad at t em

pt ed v ag i n al p en et rat io n rep eat ed l y , an d t h at a rap e k i t h ad b een

co m p l et ed s o o n aft er t he as s au l t

.

By n o m ean s is pro b ab l e cau s e to b e eq u at ed wi t h p ro o f by ev en s o

m u ch a s a p rep o n d eran ce o f ev i d en ce.

. . .Pro b ab l e cau s e d o es n o t

d em an d t he cert ai n t y we as s o ci at e wi t h fo rm al t ri al s

. Tak i n g a co m m o n

s en s e ap p ro ach t o ev al u at i n g t h e affi d av i t

, we co ncl u d e t h at

. . . t h ere

.

. . i s s u ffi ci en t ev i d en ce t o fi n d p ro b ab l e cau s e fo r i s s u an ce of t h e s earch

warran t

. 9

Affo rd i ng t h e p ro p er d eferen ce t o t h e m ag i s t rat e’ s d eci s i o n , 1 0 we h o l d t h at

t h ere was a s u bs t an ti al b as i s fo r co n cl u d i n g t h at p ro b ab l e cau s e ex is ted fo r t h e

9 Br o wn v. St at e , 2 9 2 Ga. Ap p

. 2 6 9

, 2 7 6 (2 ) (6 6 3 SE2 d 74 9 ) (2 0 08 ) (ci t at i on s

o m it t ed ).

1 0 Fl ewel l in g

v. S t at e , 3 0 0 Ga. Ap p . 5 05 , 5 09 (2 ) (6 8 5 SE2 d 7 58 ) (2 0 0 9 ).

6i s su an ce o f t h e s earch w arran t

. 1 1 Th e t ri al co u rt d id n o t err i n d en y i n g t h e m o t i o n to

s u p p res s

. 1 2

Ju d g men t a f f i r m ed . Do yl e, C. J., a n d

Bo g g s , J., co ncu r

.

1 1 See g en eral l y Co l ema n v. S t a t e , 2 7 1 Ga. 8 0 0, 8 0 3 (4 ) (5 2 3 SE2 d 8 5 2 ) (1 9 9 9 );

Fa r ri s v. S t a t e , 2 9 3 Ga. Ap p . 6 7 4 , 6 7 6 (1 ) (6 6 7 SE2 d 6 7 6 ) (2 0 08 ).

1 2 See Co uch , s u p ra at 2 09 (2 ).

7