In th e S u p re m e Co u rt o f Ge o rg ia

De c id e d: Ju n e 1 , 2 0 1 5

S 1 4 G1 6 2 8 . THE S TATE v . EAS TER.

HUNS T EIN, Ju stic e

.

We g ra nte d c e rtio ra ri i n th is c a se to d e te rm in e wh e th e r th e Co u rt o f

Ap p e a ls c o rre c tly h e ld th a t th e tria l c o u rt c ha rg e d th e ju ry o n a gg ra v a te d a ssa u lt

in a m a n ne r n ot a lle g e d in th e in d ic tm e n t. Ea ste r v

. S ta te

, 3 2 7 Ga

. Ap p

. 7 5 4 (1 )

(a ) (7 6 1 S E 2 d 1 49 ) (2 0 14 ). F o r th e re a so n s se t fo rth b e lo w, w e h o l d t h a t t h e

tria l c o u rt d id n o t c h a rg e th e ju ry o n a g g ra v a te d a ssa u lt in a m a n ne r n o t a lle g e d

in th e in d ic tm e n t, a

n d th e r e fo re

, we re v e rse th e ju dg m e nt o f th e C o u rt o f

Ap p e a ls.

Vie we d in th e lig h t m o st fa v o ra b le to th e j u r y' s v e rd ic t, th e re c o rd

e sta b lish e s th a t Ap p e lle e An dra La m o nt E a ste r a n d De S h a wn Ella Co a tn e y h a d

d a te d a n d liv e d to g e th e r a t C o a tn e y ’s h o m e fo r o v e r a y e a r b e fo re e n d in g th e ir

re la tio nsh ip

. E a ste r a n d Co a tn e y h a d d iffic u ltie s du rin g a n d a fte r th e ir

re la tio nsh ip

, in c lu d in g Co a tn e y h a v in g to c a ll th e po lic e se v e ra l tim e s o n Ea ste ra fte r th e c ou p le b ro k e u p

. In re sp o n se to Ea ste r re p e a te d ly try in g to g a in a c c e ss

to C o a tn e y ’s h o m e

, sh e c h a n g e d th e lo c k s se v e ra l tim e s. On F e b ru a ry 1 7

, 2 0 0 6

,

Co a tn e y d isc o v e re d th a t th e fro n t win d ow a t h e r h o m e h a d b e e n bro k e n wh ile

sh e wa s a t wo rk

, a n d sh e su sp e c te d Ea ste r a s th e c u lp rit. Th e n e x t da y Co a tn e y

a rra n ge d c u rta in s o v e r th e b ro k e n win d o w in a p a rtic u la r wa y so th a t sh e wo u ld

b e a b le to te ll if th e y

h a d b e e n d istu rb e d wh e n sh e re tu rn e d h o m e

.

In th e e a rly m o rn in g h o u rs o f Fe b ru a ry 1 9

, 2 00 6, Co a tn e y re tu rn e d h om e

fro m wo rk to fin d th a t th e c u rta in s h a d b e e n d istu rb e d

. Afra id th a t Ea ste r m ig h t

b e in h e r h o m e

, Co a tn e y re trie v e d a g un sh e k e p t h id d e n o n th e to p o f h e r c h in a

c a b in e t a n d b e g a n to se a rc h e a c h ro o m of h e r h o m e

. Co a tn e y d isc o v e re d Ea ste r

h id in g in a b e d ro o m a n d sa w th a t h e wa s we a rin g ru b b e r g lo v e s a n d h o ld in g a

c r o wb a r. Co a tn e y sta rte d to b a c k o u t o f th e ro o m a s Ea ste r c a m e to w a r d s h e r

h o ld in g th e c ro wb a r in a n u p rig h t p o sitio n

. C o a tn e y a sk e d Ea ste r wh a t h e wa s

d o in g

, b u t h e did n o t a n swe r, a n d in ste a d, ke p t wa lk in g to wa rd s h e r. Co a tn e y

fire d o n e sh o t, h ittin g Ea ste r. Un d e te rre d, Ea ste r c o n tin u e d to wa lk to wa rd s h e r

with th e c ro wb a r, a

n d Co a tn e y sh o t h i m ag a i n

. Ea ste r th e n fle d th e h o m e

,

Co a tn e y c a lle d th e p o lic e , a n d Ea ste r su rre n d e re d to p o lic e la te r th a t m o rn in g

.

Ea s t e r wa s in d ic te d fo r b u rg la ry a n d a g gra va te d a ssa u lt, a n d a ju ry fo u n d h im

2g u ilty o n b o th c o u n ts.

1

. Ea ste r a

p p e a le d th e tria l c o u rt’s d e n ia l o f his m o tio n fo r n e w tria l, in

wh ic h h e h a d a lle g e d, in te r a lia

, th a t th e tria l c ou rt e rre d in c h a rg in g th e ju ry o n

a g g ra v a te d a ssa u lt. With re sp e c t to th e issu e re le va n t to th e g ra nte d p e titio n fo r

c e rtio ra ri, th e Co u rt o f Ap p e a ls he ld th a t th e tria l c o u rt e rre d by g iv in g th e ju ry

a c h a rg e fro m wh ic h it c o u ld h a v e fo u n d th a t Ea ste r h a d c o m m itte d a g g ra v a te d

a ssa u lt b y a m e th o d n o t c h a rg e d in th e in d ic tm e n t

, i

. e

. , b y u sin g a d e a d ly

we a p on ra th e r th a n m e r e l y a n o b je c t lik e ly to re su lt in se rio u s b o d ily in ju ry

.

Ea ste r, 3 2 7 Ga

. Ap p . a t 7 5 9 -7 6 0

.

Ea ste r wa s in dic te d fo r a g g ra v a te d a ssa ult pu rsu a n t to fo rm e r OCGA § 1 6

-

5 -2 1 (a ) (2 ), 1 wh ic h a t th e tim e p ro v id e d a s fo llo ws: “ A p e r s o n c o mmits th e

o ffe n se o f a g gra v a te d a ssa u lt wh e n he o r sh e a ssa u lt s

. . . [ w ]ith a d e a d ly

we a p on or with a n y o b

je c t, d e v ic e

, o r in stru m e n t wh ic h

, wh e n u se d o ffe n siv e ly

a g a in st a pe rso n

, is lik e ly to o r a c t u a l l y d o e s re su lt in se rio u s bo d ily in ju ry .”

Th e in d ic tm e n t in th is c a se a lle g e d th a t Ea ste r a ssa u lte d Co a tn e y “ with a

c ro wb a r, a n ob

je c t wh ic h wh e n u se d o ffe n siv e ly a g a in st a n o th e r p e rso n is lik e ly

1 Th i s l an g u ag e i s n ow co d i fi ed at OCGA § 1 6 -5 -2 1 (b ) (2 ).

3to re su lt in se rio u s b o d ily in ju ry .”

With re ga rd to a gg ra v a te d a ssa u lt, th e c ou rt c h arg e d th e ju ry a s fo llo ws:

A p e rso n c om m its th e o ffe n se o f a g g ra v a te d a ss a u lt wh e n th a t

p e rso n a ssa u lts a n o th e r p e r so n with a d e a d ly we a p o n o r with a n y

o b je c t, d e v ic e o r in stru m e n t wh ic h, wh e n u se d o ffe n siv e ly a g a in st

a p e rso n, is lik e ly to o r a c tu a lly d o e s re su lt in se rio u s b o d ily in ju ry

.

. . . Th e c ro wb a r, if a n d wh e n u se d wh e n m a k in g an a s s a u l t o n

a n o th e r p e rso n, is no t a d e a d ly w e a p on p e r se

, bu t m a y o r m ay n o t

b e a d e a d ly we a

p o n d e p e n d in g u po n th e m a n n e r in wh ic h it is u se d

in th e c irc um sta nc e s o f th e c a se

. W h e t h er o r n o t, u n d e r a ll th e

c irc u m sta n c e s a n d fa c ts o f th is c a se

, th e c ro w b a r a lle g e d in th is Bill

o f In d ic tm e nt to ha v e b e e n u se d in m a k in g an a ssa u lt u p o n t h e

v ic tim d id

, in fa c t, c o n stitu te a d e a d ly we a po n o r a we a

p o n lik e ly to

c a u se se rio u s b o d ily in

ju ry is a m a tte r to be d e c id e d b y y o u

, th e

ju ry

, fro m e v i d e n c e in th is c a se

. In de c id in g wh e th e r th e a lle g e d

in stru m e n t wa s a we a

p o n c a p a b le o f c a u sin g d e a th o r b od ily in

ju ry

,

y o u m a y c o n sid e r d ire c t p ro o f o f th e c h a ra c te r o f th e we a p o n , an y

e x h ib itio n to th e ju ry o r oth e r e v id e n c e o f th e c a p a b ili t i e s of th e

in stru m e n t. Th e in stru m e nt in q u e stio n is th e c ro wb a r.

De fe n se c o u n se l d id n o t o bje c t to th e se c ha rg e s. Th e c o u rt se n t th e in d ic tm e n t

o u t with th e ju ry fo r th e ir d e lib e ra tio n s.

Afte r d e lib e ra tio ns b e g a n

, th e j u r y se n t a no te to th e ju d g e a sk in g if it

c o u ld h a v e a c o p y o f th e la w de fin in g a g g ra v a te d a ssa u lt a n d b a tte ry

. Afte r th e

c o u rt re a d th e n o te to c ou n s e l

, d e fe n se c o u n se l ra ise d fo r th e first tim e a n

o b j e c tio n th a t th e ju ry c ha rg e o n a g g ra v a te d a ssa u lt d id n o t m a tc h th e

a lle g a tio n s in t h e in d ic tm e n t. F in d in g th a t it c o u ld n o t “ u n d o ” th e c h arg e

4a lre a d y g iv e n to th e ju ry

, th e ju d ge re c h a rg e d th e ju ry o n a gg ra v a te d a ssa u lt a n d

th e c ro wb a r, a s it h a d d o n e o rig in a lly

.

Alth o u g h c o u n se l d id n o t ob je c t a fte r th e c ou rt in itia lly g a v e th e

in stru c tio n s to th e ju ry

, “ ‘we a re re q u i r e d to c o n sid e r wh e th e r th e c o u rt’s ju ry

in stru c tio n c o n stitu te s p la in e rro r sin c e [Ea ste r] pro p e rly e nu m e r at e d a n d a r g u e d

th e issu e s o n a

pp e a l.’” G re e n v

. S ta te

, 29 1 Ga

. 2 87

, 2 9 4 (8 ) (7 2 8 S E2 d 6 6 8 )

(2 0 1 2 ).

Re v e rsa l is a

u th o riz e d if a ll fo u r p ro ng s o f th e sta n d a rd a d o p te d in

S ta te v

. Ke lly

, 29 0 G a

. 2 9 (2 ) (7 1 8 SE2 d 2 3 2 ) (2 0 1 1 ), a re m e t: th e

in str u c tio n wa s e rro n e o u s, th e e rro r wa s o b v io u s, th e in stru c tio n

lik e ly a ffe c te d th e o u tc o m e o f t h e p r o c e e d in g s, a nd th e e rro r

se rio u sly a ffe c ts th e fa irn e ss, in te gri t y o r pu blic re p u ta tio n o f

ju d ic ia l p ro c e e d in gs.

Gre e n , 2 9 1 Ga

. a t 2 94

.

Th is c a se is g o v e rn e d b y Gre e n

, an d we a re u n p e rsu a d e d b y Ea ste r’s

a rg u m e n ts th a t we sh o u ld re e x a m in e Gre e n a t th is tim e

. In Gre e n

, we c la rifie d

th a t th e “ o b

je c t, d e v ic e

, o r in stru m e n t” ph r a s e i n f o rm e r OCGA § 16 -5 -2 1 (a )

(2 ) sim p ly d e sc rib e s a sp e c ific m o d e

– ra th e r t h an c on stitu tin g an a lte rn a tiv e

m o d e – o f “ d e a dly we a

po n” a gg ra v a te d a ssa u lt, a n d th a t, th e re fo re

, it is n o t e rro r

to re fe r to a “ de a d ly w e a

p o n ” in in stru c tin g th e ju ry o n a n a gg ra v a te d a ssa u lt

5c o u nt p re d ic a te d o n th e u se o f a n “ o b je c t, de v ic e

, o r in stru m e n t.” 29 1 G a. a t

2 9 5

. Th is h o ld in g a

p p lie s sq u a re ly t o t h e c i r cu m sta n c e s o f th is c a se

. Th e

re le v a n t la n g u a g e o f th e in dic tm e n t a n d ju ry in stru c tio n s i n G r e e n are a lm o st

id e n tic a l to th o se a t issu e h e re

. 2 9 1 Ga

. a t 29 5. A s we fo un d in Gre e n

, h e re th e

c o u rt’s use o f th e p h ra se “ d e a d ly we a p o n ” in th e ju ry in stru c tio n s wa s a g e n e ra l

re fe re nc e to t h e a g g ra v a tin g c irc u m sta n c e in fo rm e r OCGA § 16 -5 -2 1 (a ) (2 ),

wh ic h a lso in c lu d e d “ a n y o b je c t, d e v ic e

, o r in stru m e n t wh ic h

, wh e n u se d

o ffe n siv e ly a g a in st a pe rso n

, is lik e ly to o r a c tu a lly d o e s re su lt in se rio u s b o d ily

in ju ry .” 2 9 1 Ga

. a t 2 9 5

. Ad d itio n a lly

, a s in Gre e n

, th e c o u rt in stru c te d th e ju ry

th a t th e a ssa u ltin g o b

je c t

– h e re a c r o w b a r

– wa s n o t a de a dly we a p o n p e r se

.

2 9 1 Ga . a t 2 9 5 . Th e re fo re , b e c a u se th e ju ry in stru c tio ns we re c orre c t, th e re is

n o p la in e rro r pu rsu a n t to t h e t e s t a d o p t ed in Ke lly

. Gre e n

, 29 1 Ga

. a t 2 9 5

.

Ac c o rd in g ly , we re v e rse th e ju d g m e n t o f th e Co u rt o f Ap p e a ls. 2

Ju d g m e n t re ve rse d . All th e Ju stic e s c o n c u r.

2 In t hi s Co u rt

, th e St at e arg u es t h at t h e Co u rt of Ap p eal s sh o ul d h av e fo l l o wed

Green

. W e ag ree. W e n o t e, h owev er, t h at t h e St at e fai l ed t o ci te Green in i t s b ri ef to

t h e Co u rt o f Ap p eal s

, an d ev en aft er t h e Co u rt o f Ap p eal s i s su ed a d eci s i o n t h at was

i n co n s i s t en t wi t h Green

, t he St at e fi l ed n o m o t i o n fo r reco n s i d erat i o n an d o t h erwi s e

d i d no t hi n g t o bri n g Green t o t h e at t en ti o n o f t he Co u rt of Ap p eal s. W e t a k e t h i s

o ccas i o n t o rem i n d l awy ers of t h ei r o b l i gat i on t o b ri n g p ert i n en t l eg al au t h o ri t y t o t h e

at t en ti o n o f t h e co u rt s an d t o d o s o i n a t i m el y m an ner.

6