FI FTH DI VI SI ON

DI LLA R D, C. J.

, REESE and BETHEL, 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

Januar y 12, 2018



# I n th e Co u r t o f

A p p eals o f

G eo r g ia

A1 6 A0 58 8 . HAYES v . THE STATE.

D I LLA R D , Ch i ef J u d g e.

Fo l l owi n g a g u i l t y p l ea t o ch arg es o f b u rg l ary

, p o s s es s i on o f to o ls fo r t h e

co m m i s s io n o f a cri m e, an d m i s d em ean o r o b s t ru ct i o n o f a l aw en fo rcem en t o ffi cer,

M ari o n Hay es ap p eal ed t o t h is Co u rt (p ro ceed i n g p r o se ), co nt en d i n g t h at (1 ) t h e t ri al

co u rt i m p ro p erl y p art i ci pat ed i n t h e g u i l t y -p l ea p ro ceed in g s

, (2 ) t he pl ea wa s n ot

en t ered i n t o v o l u n t ari l y

, an d (3 ) h i s d eci s io n t o p ro ceed p ro s e wa s i n v a l i d

. An d in

Ha yes v. S t a t e

, 1 w e h el d th at th e t ri al co u rt i m p ro p erl y p art i ci p at ed i n t h e gu i l t y -p l ea

p ro ceed in g s

, rev ers i ng Hay es ’ s co n v i c t i o n s wi th o u t co n s i d eri n g hi s ad d i t i o n al

en u m erat i o n s o f e r r o r. 2 Bu t t h e Su p rem e Co u rt o f Geo rg ia rev ers ed o u r d eci s i o n in

1 3 3 7 Ga. Ap p . 2 8 0 (7 8 6 SE2 d 5 3 9 ) (2 0 1 6 )

2 S ee 3 37 Ga. Ap p . at 2 8 3

.S t a t e v. Ha

yes

, 3 an d rem an d ed fo r t h i s Co u rt t o co n s i d e r H a y es ’ s t w o rem ai n i n g

en u m erat i o n s o f erro r. Hav i n g d o n e s o

, we v acat e o ur earl i er o p i n i on

, ad o p t as o u r

o w n t h e o p i n i on an d ju d g m en t o f t h e Su p rem e Co u rt o f Geo rg i a as t o Hay es ’ s fi r s t

en u m erat i o n o f erro r, an d affi rm h is co n v i ct i o ns

.

Th e reco rd refl ect s t hat Hay es en t ered i n t o an Al fo r d 4 p l ea an d was s en t en ced

b y th e t ri al co u rt t o 2 0 y ears t o s erv e 7 y ears wi t h th e b al an ce o n pro b at i o n o n co u nt

1 (b u rg l ary ); fi v e y ears o n co u n t 3 (p o s s es s i o n o f t o o l s f o r t h e co m

m i s s i o n o f a

cri m e), to ru n co n cu rren t wi th co u n t 1 ; an d 12 m o n t h s o n co u n t 4 ( m i s d em ean o r

o b s t ru ct i on o f a l aw en fo rcem en t o ffi cer), al s o t o ru n co n cu rren t wi t h co u n t 1

. Al m o s t

fo u r y ears l at er, t h e t ri al co u rt g ran t ed Hay es ’ s p r o s e m o t i o n fo r an o u t -o f-t i m e

ap p eal t o h i s co n v i ct i o n s an d t h e a c c o m p an y i n g s en t en ce aft er th e St at e fi l ed n o

res p o n s e. Th i s ap peal fo l l ows

.

A t i m el y fi l ed d i rect a p p e a l f r o m a ju dg m en t en t ered on a g u i l t y p l ea i s “ a

p res c r i b e d m ean s b y w h ich a d efen d an t m ay ch al l en g e a g ui l t y p l ea [wh en ] t h e

3 3 0 1 Ga. 3 4 2 (8 0 1 SE2 d 5 0 ) (2 0 1 7 ).

4 S ee No r t h Ca r o l i n a v. Al

f o r d

, 4 0 0 U.S. 2 5 (9 1 SCt 1 6 0, 2 7 L E2 d 1 6 2) (1 9 7 0 ).

2q u es ti o n o n ap peal i s o n e wh i ch m ay b e res o l ved b y fact s ap peari ng in t h e reco rd [.] ” 5

An d on d i rect rev i ew, t h e St at e h as t h e b u rd en “ t o s ho w th at t h e pl ea was i n t el l i g en t l y

an d v o l u nt ari l y en t ered ,” wh i ch i t m ay d o “ b y s h owi n g o n t h e r e c ord o f t h e g ui l t y

p l ea h eari n g t h at th e d efen d an t was aware o f t h e ri gh t s bei n g w ai v ed an d t h e

co n seq u en ces o f t h e pl ea.” 6 W i t h t h es e g u i d in g p ri nci p l e s i n m i n d

, we wi l l n o w

5 Ca i n e v. S t a t e

, 2 6 6 Ga. 4 2 1

, 42 1 (4 6 7 SE2 d 5 7 0 ) ( 1 9 9 6) (p u n ct u at i o n

o m it t ed ); a cco r d Ca r ey v. S t a t e

, 2 9 3 Ga. 6 24

, 6 2 4 (7 48 SE2 d 89 1 ) (2 0 13 ). On ce

ag ai n

, Hay es fi l ed a m o t i on fo r an o u t -o f-t im e ap p ea l

, wh i ch t h e t ri al co u rt g ran t ed

aft er t h e St at e fai l ed t o res p o n d t o t h e m o t i o n. Gen eral l y

, an o u t -o f-t i m e ap p eal i s

g r a n t e d i n Geo rg i a wh en “ a d efen d an t h as t h e ri g h t t o fi l e a d irect ap p eal

, b u t i s

d en ied t h at ri g h t d u e t o i neffect i v e as s i s t an ce o f co u n sel .” S mi t h v. St a te

, 26 9 Ga. 2 1,

2 1 (4 94 SE2 d 6 68 ) (1 9 9 8 ).W h i l e Hay es ’ s ap p eal co nt ai n s n o arg u m en t wi th reg ard

t o an y al l eg ed i n e f

f e c t i v e as si s t an ce o f co un s el cau s i n g h i s fai l u re t o fi l e a t i m el y

ap p eal (al t ho u g h h e m ad e s u ch an arg u m en t i n h i s m o t i o n fo r o ut -o f-t i m e ap p eal ), t h e

St at e h as n ot co n t es t ed t h at Hay es i s en t i t l ed t o an o u t -o f-t i m e ap p eal

.

6 Hi cks v. S ta te

, 2 8 1 Ga. 8 3 6

, 8 3 7 (6 4 2 SE2 d 3 1) (2 0 0 7 ) (p u n ct uat i o n o m i t t ed );

a cco rd Ki n g v. S ta t e

, 2 70 G a. 3 6 7

, 3 6 9 (1 ) (5 0 9 SE2 d 3 2 ) (1 9 9 8). In s t ark co n t ras t to

t h e m eri t s b ri ef it fi l ed wi t h t h e Su p rem e Co u rt of Geo rg i a, t he S t a t e’ s bri ef t o t h i s

Co u rt co n t ai n s al m o s t n o ci tat i o n s t o au t h ori t y o r arg u m en t ap p l y i n g th e co nt ro l l i n g

l aw t o t he rel ev an t fact s

. Su ffi ce i t t o s ay

, t h i s fai l s t o co m pl y wi t h o u r ru l e s

. S e e

C O U R T O F A P P E A LS R U LE 2 5 (b ) (2 ) (“ Part Two sh al l co n t ai n ap p el lee’ s arg u m en t an d

t h e ci tat i o n o f a ut h o ri t i es as t o each en u m erat io n o f erro r. It s h al l al s o i n cl u d e t h e

s t an d ard o f rev i ew i f d i fferen t fro m t h at co n t en d ed b y t h e ap p el l an t.”). In cas es t h at

p res en t i s s u es o f s u ffi ci en t g rav i t y t o warran t rev i ew b y th e Su p rem e Co u rt o f

Geo rg i a (l i k e th i s o n e), i t i s no t u n reas o n ab l e fo r t hi s Co u r t t o e x pect t h e St at e to

p rep are i t s b ri efs to t h i s Co u rt wi t h t h e s am e care an d at ten t i o n

, o r s o m et h i n g

ap p ro ach i n g t h e s am e d eg ree o f care an d at t en ti o n

, as i t ap p l ies to t h e b ri efs fi l ed wi th

o u r Su p rem e Co u rt

.

3ad d res s Hay es ’ s co n t en ti o ns th at (1 ) h i s p l ea w as n o t en tered v o l u n t ari l y

, an d (2 ) h i s

d eci s i o n t o p ro ceed p r o s e was i n v al i d

.

1

. H ay es arg u es t h at h i s p l ea was n ot en t ered i n t o v ol u n t ari l y b ecau s e i t was

n o t m ad e k n o wi n gl y

. In d o i n g s o

, h e rep eat s an d rel i es u p o n m an y o f t h e co n t en t i on s

m ad e i n h i s a r g u m e n t t hat t h e t ri al co u rt i m pro p erl y p art i ci p at ed i n t h e p l ea

p ro ceed in g s

. Bu t t h at arg u m en t

, as d i s cu ss ed s u p r a

, was r e

j e c t e d b y o u r Su p rem e

Co u rt

. Nev ert hel es s, ev en l o o k i n g b ey o n d t h i s arg u m en t t o t h e rem ai nd er o f t h e

reco rd b efo re u s

, we d i sag ree t hat Hay es en t ered i n t o t he g u i lt y p l ea u nk n o wi n g l y o r

i n v o l u n t ari l y

.

It i s wel l es t ab l i sh ed t hat t o “ pro p erl y fo rm t h e b as is fo r a ju d g m e n t o f

co n vi ct i o n

, a g ui l t y p lea m u s t b e ‘ vo l u n t ary

, k no wi ng

, an d i n t el li g en t .’ ” 7 A n d as t h e

Su p rem e Co u rt of t h e Un i t ed St at es ex p l ai n e d i n Bo yki n v. A l a b a ma

, 8 a d efen d an t

wh o en t ers i nt o a g u i l ty p l ea m u s t b e ad v i s ed o f t h re e f

e d eral co n s t i t u t i o n al ri g h t s :

“ t h e p ri v i l eg e ag ai n s t co m p u l s o ry s el f-i n cri m i n at io n

, t h e ri gh t t o t ri al b y ju ry

, an d t h e

7 Ra h ee m v

. S t a t e

, 3 33 Ga. Ap p

. 8 2 1

, 8 2 4 (1 ) (7 7 7 SE2 d 4 9 6 ) (2 0 1 5 )

(p u n ct u at i o n o m i tt ed ); a cco r d Lej eu n e v. McLa u g h l i n

, 2 9 6 Ga. 2 9 1, 2 9 1 (1 ) ( 7 6 6

SE2 d 8 0 3 ) (2 0 1 4); s ee a l s o Hi cks v. S t a t e

, 28 1 Ga. 8 3 6

, 83 7 (6 4 2 S E 2 d 3 1 ) (2 0 0 7 )

(“ W i t h a few l i m i t ed ex cep ti o ns

, a p l ea o f g u i l t y g en eral l y wai v es al l d efen ses ex cep t

t h at b as ed o n t h e kn o wi n g an d v o l u n t ary n at u re o f t h e pl ea.” (p un ct u at i o n o m i t t ed )).

8 3 9 5 U.S. 2 38 (8 9 SCt 1 7 0 9, 2 3 LE2 d 2 7 4 ) (1 9 6 9 ).

4ri gh t t o co nfro n t o n e’ s accu s ers .” 9 Th u s

, w h en a cri m i nal d efen dan t ch al l en g es t h e

v al i d i t y o f h i s g u i l ty p l ea, t h e St at e “ m u s t d em o n s t rat e t h at t h e d efen d an t i n t el l i g en t l y

an d v o l u n t ari l y en t ered th e p l ea,” 1 0 wh i ch t h e St at e m ay d o b y “ s ho wi n g o n t h e reco rd

o f t h e p l ea h eari n g t hat t h e d efen d an t u n d ers t o o d t h e ri g h t s h e w as wai v i n g an d t h e

co n seq u en ces o f h i s p l ea[.] ” 1 1

Here, t h e reco rd rev eal s t h at p ri o r t o t h e tri al co u rt ’ s accep t an ce o f Hay es ’ s

p l ea, t h ere wa s a n e x t e n s i v e an d t ho ro u gh co l l o q u y wi t h Hay es

, i n wh i ch t h e co u rt

d i s cu s s ed wi t h hi m

, in ter a l i a

, h i s co m p et en cy t o en t e r i n t o a gu i lt y p l ea; h i s

u n d ers t an d i n g o f t h e ch arg es ; hi s rev iew o f t he g u i l t y -p l ea fo rm wi t h t h e as s i s t an ce

o f co u n sel ; h i s di s cu s si o n o f t h e u n d erl y in g fact s an d p o t en ti al d efen ses wi t h co u n sel ;

h i s s a t i s fact i on wi t h co u n s el ’ s rep res en t at io n ; h i s u n d ers t an d i ng of t h e p o t en t i al

s en t en ce as t o each ch arg e, i n cl u d in g t h e m in i m u m a n d m ax i m

u m s en t en ce; h i s

u n d e rs t an d i n g t h at t h e t ri al co u rt was n o t bo u n d t o accep t t h e St at e ’s

9 Ra heem

, 3 3 3 Ga. A p p. at 8 2 4 (1 ) (p u n ct u at i o n o m it t ed ); Fo s t er v. S t a t e

, 3 1 9

Ga. Ap p

. 8 1 5

, 8 1 6 (2 ) (7 38 SE2 d 6 5 1 ) (2 0 1 3); Ch il d s v. S t a t e

, 3 1 1 Ga. Ap p

. 8 9 1

, 8 9 1

(1 ) (7 17 SE2 d 5 09 ) (2 0 1 1 ); s ee a l s o Bo yki n , 3 95 U.S. at 2 4 3

.

1 0 S mi t h v. S t a t e

, 3 1 1 Ga. Ap p

. 4 8 3

, 4 8 4 (7 16 SE2 d 5 4 9 ) (2 0 11 ); a cco r d Ro ch a

v. S t a t e , 2 8 7 Ga. Ap p . 4 4 6, 4 48 -4 9 (2 ) (6 5 1 SE2 d 7 8 1 ) (2 0 0 7 ).

1 1 S mi th

, 3 1 1 G a. Ap p

. at 4 8 4 (p u n ct uat i o n om i t t ed ); a cco r d Bl a ckmo n v. S t a t e

, 2 9 7 Ga. Ap p . 9 9 , 9 9 (1 ) (6 7 6 SE2 d 4 1 3 ) (2 0 0 9 ).

5reco m

m en d a t i o n ; h i s u n d ers tan d i n g of th e ri gh t s w ai v ed b y en t eri n g in t o a g ui l t y

p l ea, i n cl u d i n g each o f t h e t h ree Bo yki n ri g ht s ; an d h i s u n d ers t an d i n g o f t h e co l l at eral

co n seq u en ces of p l ead i n g g ui l t y

. Th e St at e t h en p ro v id ed a d et ai l ed reci t at i o n o f t h e

fact ual b as i s fo r t h e g u i l t y p lea b efo re o fferi n g i t s s en t en ci n g reco m m en d at i o n

.

Th e reco rd

, t h en

, es t ab l is h es t h at Hay es u nd ers t o o d t h e n at ure o f t h e ch arg es

ag ai n s t h i m

, t h e ri g h t s h e was wai v i n g

, an d t h e co n s eq u en ces o f th e p lea. A s a res u l t

,

Hay es ’ s p l ea was en t ered i n to k n o wi n gl y an d v ol u n t ari l y

, an d t h i s en u m erat i o n o f

erro r i s wi t h o u t m eri t

. 1 2

2

. In h i s fi n al en u m erat i o n

, Hay es arg u es t h at h e was p res en t ed wi th th e ch o i ce

o f p ro ceed i n g wi t h co u n sel h e n o l o n g er wi s h ed t o ret ai n o r p ro ceed in g p r o s e

, t hu s

ren d eri n g h i s d eci s i o n t o pro ceed p r o s e i n val i d

. H e al s o m ai n t ai n s t h at hi s d eci s i o n

t o pro ceed p ro s e w as i nv al i d b ecau s e n o wai v er of co u n s el ap p ears in th e reco rd

. Bu t

as t h e St at e ri g ht l y p o i n t s ou t

, t h i s en u m erat i o n o f erro r is a n o ns t art er b ecau s e Hay es

en t ered in t o h i s gu i l t y p l ea wi t h t h e as s i s t an ce o f co u n s el an d was n o t act i n g p r o s e

.

1 2 S ee B el ch e r v

. S t a t e

, 3 0 4 G a. Ap p. 6 45

, 64 8 (1 ) (b ) (i ) (6 97 SE2 d 3 0 0 )

(2 0 1 0); s ee al

s o McDa n i el v. S t a te

, 2 7 1 Ga. 5 5 2

, 5 5 3 (2 ) ( 5 2 2 S E2 d 6 4 8 ) (1 9 9 9 )

(“ M ak in g a k n o w i n g an d v o l u n t ary p l ea r eq u i res an u n d ers t an d i n g o f th e n at u re o f

t h e ch arg e, t he ri g h t s b ei n g wai v ed , an d t h e co n s eq uen ces o f t h e p l ea.”).

6In d eed

, as d i s cu ss ed su p r a

, th e reco rd refl ect s t h at

, p ri o r t o accep t i n g Hay es ’ s

p l ea, t he t ri a l c o u rt i n q ui red as t o h i s ex am i n at i o n of t h e g u i l t y -p l ea fo rm wi t h t h e

as s i s tan ce of co u n s el ; h is d is cu s s i o n o f t h e u n d erl y i n g fa c t s a n d p o t en t i al d efen s es

w ith c ou n s el ; an d h i s s at i s fact io n wi th co un s el ’ s rep res en t at io n

. Fu rt h erm o re, at a f e w

p o i n t s d u ri n g t h e g u il t y -p l ea h ea r i ng

, H ay es co n ferred wi t h h is at t o rn ey

, Hay es ’ s

at t o rn ey i n t erject ed q u es t i o ns wh en th e t ri al co u rt m a d e i nq u i ry i n t o Hay es ’ s

co m p et en cy t o en t er i n t o a g u i l t y p l ea, an d Hay es an s wered i n t h e affi rm at i v e wh en

as k ed i f hi s at to rn ey was s tan d i n g n ex t t o h i m

. Ac co rd i n g l y

, t h ere i s n o m eri t to

Hay es ’ s co n ten t i o n t h at h i s d eci s i o n t o p ro ceed p r o s e was i nv al i d b ecau s e h e was

rep res en t ed b y

an at t o rn ey du ri n g h i s g u il t y -p l ea h eari n g

.

Fo r al l t h es e reas o n s , we affi rm Hay es ’ s co n v ict i o n s

.

Ju d g men t a f f i r m ed . Rees e a nd

Bet h el , JJ., co n cu r

.

7