FI RST DI VI SI ON

BA RNES, P. J.

, GOBEI L, J.

, and SENI OR A PPELLA TE JUDGE PHI PPS

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

A pr i l 2, 2020



# I n th e Co u r t o f

A p p eals o f

G eo r g ia

A2 0 A0 45 7 . M E LTON v

. THE STATE.

P H I P P S , Sen i o r Ap p el l at e J u d g e.

In t h i s DUI cas e, we g ran t ed Laro y Ed ward M el t o n’ s a p p l i c at i o n fo r

i n t erl o cu t o ry ap peal t o rev i ew t h e t ri al co u rt ’ s o rd er d en y i ng h i s m ot i on t o s u p p res s

ev i d en ce o f t h e s t at e-ad m i n is t ered b reat h t es t. M el t o n al leg es th at t h e tri al co u rt erred

(1 ) b y fai l i n g t o ap p l y t h e t ot al i t y o f t h e ci rcu m s t an ces t es t to d et erm i n e wh et h er h e

v o l u n t a r i l y c o n s e n t ed t o t h e b reat h t es t an d (2 ) b y fai li n g t o fi n d t h at a p o rt i o n o f

Geo rg i a’ s i m

p l i ed co n s en t n o t i ce w as u n co n s t i t u t i o nal l y m i s l ead i n g an d co erci v e in

v i o l at i o n o f t h e Geo rg i a Co n s t i t u t i o n

. Becau s e t h e t ri al co u rt fai l ed t o i s su e a fi n d i n g

ad d res s i n g t h e v o l un tari n e s s o f M el t o n ’ s co ns en t t o t he b reat h t es t b as ed u p o n t h e

t o t al i t y of t h e ci rcu m s t an ces

, we v acat e t h e t ri al co urt ’ s o rd er an d rem an d t h i s ca s e

fo r a ru li n g o n t h i s i s s u e.On a m o t i on t o s u pp res s

, t h e St at e has t h e bu rd en o f p ro v i n g t hat

a s earch was l awfu l

. Th u s, wh en rel y i n g o n t h e co ns en t ex cep t i o n t o th e

warran t req u i rem en t

, t h e St at e h as th e b u rd en o f p ro vi n g t h at th e

accu s ed act ed freel y an d v o l u n t ari l y un d er t h e t o tal i t y o f th e

ci rcu m s t an ces

. W h ere, as h ere, t h e r e l e v an t fact s are u n di s p u t ed

, t h i s

Co u rt ’ s rev i ew i s d e n o v o

.

(Ci t at i o n s an d p un ct u at i on om i tt ed .) Her na n d ez v. S t at e

, 3 4 8 Ga. Ap p

. 5 6 9

, 5 6 9 (8 2 4

SE2 d 6 7 ) (2 0 1 9 ).

Th e reco rd s h o ws t h at o n Decem b er 24

, 20 1 7, a G wi nn et t Co u n ty p o l i ce o ffi cer

s t op p ed M el to n fo r s p eed i ng

. Th e o ffi cer n o ti ced a s t ro ng o d o r o f al co h ol i c b ev erag e

em an at i n g fro m i n s i d e t h e c a r

, a n d t h at M el t o n h ad b l o od s h o t ey es an d s l u rred

s p eech

. M el to n ad m i t t ed t o t h e o ffi cer t h at h e h ad recen t l y co n su m ed al co h o l

. In

ad d it i o n

, M el t o n ex h i b i t e d i m p ai rm en t o n fi el d so b ri et y t es t s an d h ad a p o s i t i v e

al co s en s o r read i ng

, i n d i cat i ng t h at h e was un d er th e i n fl u en ce o f al co h o l

. Th e o ffi cer

arres t ed M el t o n an d read h i m t h e i m p l i ed co n s en t n o t i ce fo r s u s p ect s ag e 2 1 o r o v er

p u rs u an t t o fo rm er OCGA § 4 0 -5 -6 7 .1 (b ) (2 ), w h i ch i n fo rm ed M el t o n th at h i s refu s al

t o s u b m i t t o t h e req u i red tes t in g m ay b e o ffered i n t o ev i d en ce ag ai n s t h i m a t t ri al

. 1

1 O CGA § 4 0-5

- 6 7 .1 (b ) (2 ) was s u bs eq uen t l y am en ded

, effect i v e Ap ri l 2 8

, 2 0 1 9

,

t o rem o v e t h is p ro v is i o n i n d i c a t i n g t h at a d efen d an t ’ s refu s al t o s ub m i t t o a b reat h t es t

co u l d b e ad m i t ted as t ri al ev i den ce. See Ga. L. 2 0 1 9 , p . 2 9 5 , § 2

.

2M el to n co ns en t e d t o a s t at e-ad m i ni s tered b reat h tes t

. Th e t es t res u l ts rev eal ed t h at

M el to n h ad a b l o o d al co h o l co ncen t rat io n o f 0.0 9 9

, wh i ch was in ex ces s o f t h e l eg al

l i m i t o f 0.0 8

. M el t o n s u b s eq u en t l y was ch arg ed wi t h DUI per se, DUI l es s s afe, an d

s p eed i n g

.

M el t o n fi l ed a p ret ri al m o t i o n t o s u p pres s t h e b reat h t es t

, cl ai m i n g t h at h e was

co erced t o s u b m i t t o t h e t es t wh i l e h e was i n cu st o d y an d aft er b ei n g m i s i n fo rm ed t h at

h i s refu s al t o co n s en t w o ul d b e u s ed ag ai ns t h i m at tri al

. Fo l l o wi n g a h eari ng

, t h e t ri al

co u rt den i ed t h e m o t i o n

, fi n di n g t h at M el t o n h ad co ns en t ed t o t h e breat h t es t an d t h at

M el to n was n o t en t i t led to Mi r a n d a warn i n g s b efo re t he ad m i n i st rat i o n o f t h e b reat h

t es t . Th e co u rt t h en g ran t ed M el t o n a cert i fi cat e o f i m m ed iat e rev i ew.

M el t o n fi l ed a t i m el y ap p l i cat i o n i n t h e G eo rg i a Su p rem e Co u rt seek i n g rev i ew

o f t h e tri al co u rt ’ s d en i al o f h i s m o t i o n t o s up p res s. Th e ap p l i cat io n was tran s ferred

t o t hi s Co u rt b as ed u p o n t h e Su p rem e Co u rt ’ s co ncl u s io n t h at

t h e co n s t i t u t i on al q u es t i o n p r e s en t ed

. . . – wh et h er t h e l an g u ag e

co n t ai n ed i n OCGA § 40 -5 -6 7 .1 i s per s e co erci v e wh en u s ed t o ob t ai n

co n s en t t o a s t at e-ad m i n i s t ered b reat h t es t

, s u ch t h at i t v i ol at es t h e d ue

p ro ces s g u aran t ees o f t he Un i t ed St at es an d G e org i a Co n st i tu t i o n s

–

req u ires o n l y th e ap pl i cat i o n o f wel l -es t a b l i s h ed co n s t i t u t i o nal

p ri n ci p l es t o t h e fact s o f t h i s cas e. See El l io t t v. St a te

, 3 05 Ga. 1 7 9 (8 2 4

SE2 d 26 5 ) (2 0 1 9); Ol evi k v. S ta t e

, 3 0 2 Ga. 2 2 8 (8 0 6 SE2 d 5 05 ) (2 0 17 ).

3W e g ran t ed M el to n’ s ap pl icat i o n fo r i nt erl o cu t o ry ap p eal

, an d t hi s ap p eal en s u ed

.

Th e Geo rg i a Su p rem e Co u rt ’ s d eci s i o n s in El l i o tt an d Ol evi k h o l d t h at t h e

p ro t ect i o n ag ai n s t co m

pel l ed s el f-i n cri m i n at i o n p ro v i d ed b y Art i cl e I, Sect i o n I,

Parag rap h XVI o f t he Geo rg i a Co n s t i t u t i o n affo rd s a DUI s u s pect t h e ri g ht t o refu s e

a s t at e-ad m i n i s t ered b reat h t es t

. El l i o t t

, 3 0 5 Ga. at 1 7 9 -1 8 0 ; Ol evi k , 3 02 Ga. at 2 4 3

(2 ) (c) (i i i ). I n E l l i ot t

, t he Su p rem e Co u rt fu rt h er co n cl u d ed t h at t hi s s t at e

co n st i t u t io n al ri g h t p ro h i bi t s ad m i s s i o n o f ev i den ce t hat a D UI s u sp ect refu s ed a

b reat h t es t

. El l i o t t

, 30 5 Ga. at 1 8 0

, 2 0 9 -2 1 0 ( I V )

. A l t h o u g h OCGA § 4 0 -5 -6 7 .1 (b )

“ i s n o t p er s e co erci v e,” Ol ev i k

, 3 0 2 G a

. at 2 4 7 (3 ), t h e Su prem e Co u rt reco g n i zed

t h at “ th e fact t h at an o ffi cer read s a s us p ect th e i m pl i ed co ns en t n o t i ce an d o t h erwi s e

co m p l ies wi t h i m

pl ied co n s en t p ro ced ures d o es no t m ean th at t h e s u s pect g i v es act u al

an d v o l u n t ary co n s en t t o a p art i cu l ar t es t fo r Fo u rt h Am en d m en t p u rp o s es

. ” (Ci t at i o n

o m it t ed .) El l i ot t

, 3 0 5 Ga. at 2 2 2 ( I I I ) (E). W h en a d efen d an t ch al l en g es t h e

v o l u n t ari n es s o f h i s co n s en t to a b reat h t es t, th e tri al co u rt m u s t ex am in e t h e t o t al i t y

o f t h e ci rcu m s t an ces su rro u n d i n g t he co n s en t

. O l evi k

, 3 0 2 Ga. at 2 5 1 (3 ).

“ Det erm i n i n g t h e vo l u n t ari nes s o f (o r l ack of co m p u ls io n s u rro u n d i ng ) a d efen d an t ’ s

[co n s en t t o a b reat h t es t ] i nv o l v es co n s i d erat i o n s si m i lar t o t ho s e e m pl o y ed in

4d et erm i n i n g wh et her a d efen d an t v o l u n t ari l y co n s en t ed t o a search

, ” i n cl u d i n g s u ch

fact ors as

t h e ag e o f t h e accu s ed

, h i s ed u cat i on

, h is i n t el l i g en ce, t h e l e n g t h o f

d et en t i o n

, wh et h er th e accu s ed was ad v i s ed o f h i s co n st i tu t i o n al ri g h t s

,

t h e p r o l o n g ed n at u re o f q ues t i o n i n g

, t h e us e of p h y si cal p u ni s h m en t

, an d

t h e p s y ch o lo g i cal i m

p act o f al l t h es e fact o rs on t h e accu s ed

. In

d et erm i ni n g v o l u n tari n es s , n o s i n g l e fact o r i s co n t ro ll i ng

.

(Ci t at i o n o m i t t ed .) O l evi k , 3 0 2 Ga. at 2 5 1 (3 ) (b ).

M el t o n h as ch al l en g ed t h e v o l u n t ari n es s o f h i s co n s en t t o th e b reat h t es t u n d er

t h e t o t al i t y o f t he ci rcu m s t an ces

, i n cl u d i n g h is co n t en t i o n t h at h e was u n co m fo rt ab l e

an d i n pai n wh en t h e i m

p l ied co n s en t n o t i ce was read to hi m an d t h at th e i m p l i ed

co n sen t n o t i ce co n t ai n ed th e m is l ead i n g

, co erci v e t h reat t h at hi s refu s al t o s u b m i t to

t h e b reat h t es t co u l d b e u sed as ev i d en ce at t ri al

. Bu t t h e tri al co u rt ’ s o rd er fai l ed to

ad d res s th e i s s u e of v o l un t ari n es s i n acco rd an ce wi th t h e t o t al it y o f t h e ci rcu m s t an ces

t es t

. Un der t h es e ci r c u m s t a n c es

, we m u s t rem an d t h is cas e t o t h e t ri al co u rt fo r t h e

en t ry o f fi n d i n g s an d a c o n c l u s i o n ad d res s i ng t h e v ol u n t ari n es s i ss u e. See S t a t e v.

Tu r nq u es t

, 3 0 5 Ga. 75 8

, 7 7 5 -7 7 6 (5 ) (8 2 7 SE2 d 8 6 5 ) (2 0 19 ) (rem an d i n g cas e fo r t h e

t ri al co u rt t o co n si d er d efen dan t ’ s arg u m en t th at h is b reat h t es t res u l t s s ho u l d b e

s u p p res s ed b ecau s e t h e i m p l i ed co ns en t ad v i s em en t p ro v i d ed to hi m w as m i s l ead i n g,

5i m

p l i cat i n g t h e d eci si o n i n El l i o t t ). See al s o El l i o t t

, 3 0 5 Ga. at 2 2 3 (III) (E)

(reco g n i zi n g t hat i t s h o l d in g “ m ay affect a t o t al i ty -o f-t h e-ci rcu m s t an ces i n q u i ry i n to

w h e t h er a d efen d an t vo l u n t ari l y s u b m i t t ed t o a b reat h t es t wh ere t he St at e fi r s t

t h reat en ed t h at

, i f [t h e t es t was ] refu s ed

, t hat wo u l d b e ev i d en ce ag ai n st [d efen d an t ]

at t ri al

. ”).

Ju d g men t va ca t ed a nd ca s e r ema n d

ed . Ba r n es , P. J., a n d Go b ei l, J., co n cu r

.

6