THI RD DI VI SI ON

ELLI NGTON, P. J.

, BETHEL, J.

, and SENI OR A PPELLA T E 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

June 1, 2018



# I n th e Co u r t o f

A p p eals o f

G eo r g ia

A1 8 A0 54 9 . PROPES v . THE STATE.

E LLI N G T O N , Pres i d i n g J ud g e.

A Gwi n n et t Co u nt y ju ry fo u n d J am es Pro p es g u i l t y bey o n d a reas o n ab l e d o u bt

o f a v i ol at io n o f OCGA § 16 -5 -6 0 (c), wh ich p r o h i b i t s cert ai n co n d uct b y HIV

i n fect ed p ers o n s

. Sp ec i f i c al ly

, t h e ju ry fo u n d Pro p es g u il t y of, aft er o b t ai n i n g

k n o wl ed g e o f b ei ng i n fect ed wi t h HIV, k n o wi ng l y en g ag i n g i n s ex u al in t erco u rs e

wi t h o u t d i s cl o s i n g to t h e o t h er p ers o n t h e fact o f h i s b ei ng an HIV i nfec t e d p ers o n

p ri o r t o t h at i n terco u rs e. Fo l l o wi n g t h e d en i al o f h i s m o t i o n f o r a new tri al

, Pro p es

ap p eal s

, c o n t e n d i n g i nt er al i a, t h at t h e ev i d en ce w as i ns u ffi ci en t t o s u p p o rt h i s

co n vi ct i o n . Fo r t h e reas o n s ex pl ai n ed b el o w , we rev ers e.

1

. Pro p es co nt en d s th at t h e St at e fai l ed t o p res en t an y l ab o rat o ry t es t res u l t s o r

o t h er ev i d en ce fro m wh i ch t he ju ry co u l d fi n d t h at h e was an HIV i n fect ed p ers o nu n d er OCGA § 1 6 -5 -6 0

. Bas ed o n t h i s, Pro pes co n ten d s t h at t h e ev id en ce was

i n s u ffi ci en t t o s u p p o rt h i s co n vi ct i o n

.

“ W h en an ap pel l at e co u rt rev i ews t he s u ffi ci en cy o f t h e ev i d en ce, t h e rel ev an t

q u es ti o n i s wh et h er, aft er v i ewi n g t h e ev i d en ce i n t h e l i g h t m os t fav o rab l e t o t h e

p ro s ecu ti o n

, an y rat i on al tri er o f fact co u l d h av e fo u n d th e es s en t i al el em en t s o f t h e

cri m e b ey o n d a reas o n ab l e do u b t .” (Pu nct u at i o n an d fo o t n o t e o m i t t ed .) Ro d r i g u ez v.

S t a t e

, 3 43 G a. Ap p

. 5 2 6

, 5 27 (8 0 6 SE2 d 9 1 6 ) (2 0 1 7 ). 1 OCGA § 1 6 -5 -6 0 (c) p ro v i d es

,

i n p ert in en t p art

,

A p ers o n w h o i s an HIV in fect ed pers o n wh o

, aft er o b t ai ni n g k n o wl ed ge

o f b ei n g i n fect ed w i t h HIV[,]

. . . [k ] n o wi n g l y en g ag es i n s e x ual

i n t erco u rs e

. . . an d t h e HIV i n fect ed pers o n d o e s n o t d i s c l o s e t o th e

o t h er p ers o n t h e f

act o f t h at in fect ed p ers o n ’ s b ei n g an HIV i nfect ed

p ers on p ri o r t o t h at i n t erco u rs e . . . i s g u il t y o f a fel o n y [. 2 ]

1 See a l s o Ja cks o n v. Vi r g i n i a

, 44 3 U. S. 30 7 (9 9 SCt 27 8 1, 61 LE2 d 5 6 0 )

(1 9 7 9); Ra n ki n v. S t at e , 2 78 Ga. 7 0 4 , 7 0 5 (6 0 6 SE2 d 2 6 9 ) (2 0 04 ).

2 W e n ot e t h at

, al t h o u g h th e Co d e Co m m i s s io n t i t l ed t h e Co d e s ect i o n

“ Reck les s co n du ct ; HIV i n fect ed p ers o n s ,” t h e wo rd “ reck l es s ” d o es n o t ap p ear i n t h e

s t at u te. A fi n d i n g o f reck l es s n es s i s t h erefo re n o t a s ep arat e es s en t ial el em en t o f t h e

o ffen s e.

2Vi ewed i n th e l i g ht m o s t fav o rab l e t o t h e ju ry ’ s verd i ct

, t h e reco rd sh o ws t h at

t h e St at e p res en t ed t h e fo l l owi n g ev i d en ce at t ri al reg ard in g wh et h er, at t h e rel ev an t

t i m e, Pro p es was an HIV i n fect ed p ers on :

An i nv es t i g at o r fo r t h e Han co ck Co u n t y

, In d ian a p ro s ecu t o r’ s o ffi ce t es t i fi ed

t h at i n Feb ru ary 20 1 2 h e was i n v es t i g at i ng Pro pes fo r a cas e i n v o lv i n g fai l u re t o warn

reg ard i n g co m

m u n i cab l e d is eas e. Th e i n v es t i g at o r t es t i fi ed th at h i s l o cal j u ri s d i ct i o n

req u i red h i m t o co n fi rm t he H IV s t at us o f a s us p ect b efo r e o b t ai n i n g a warran t fo r

fa i l i n g t o warn

. Th e i n v es t i g at o r t es t i fi ed t h at h e s en t a s u b p o en a to t h e In d i an a

Dep art m en t o f Heal t h fo r reco rd s reg ard i n g Pro p es

. In res p on s e t o h is s u bp o en a, t h e

i n v es t i g at o r recei v ed sev eral do cu m en ts : an “ Af f i d a v i t o f Cu s t o d ian o f Bu s i n es s

Reco rd s” at t es ti n g t h at t h e o t h er d o cu m en t s were m ad e, k ep t, an d u s ed in t h e o rd i n ary

co u rs e o f b u s i n es s o f t h e I n d i a n a Dep art m en t o f Heal t h ; an Ad u l t HIV/ AIDS

Co n fi d en t i al Cas e Rep o rt i ss u ed b y t h e In d i an a Dep art m en t o f H e a l t h c o n cern i n g

Pro p es w h i ch i n di cat ed t h at he h ad an H IV i n fect i on

, a “ v i ral l o ad ” o f 1 0 ,0 0 0 ,0 0 0,

a n d a n eg at i ve “ HIV an t i b o d y t es t [ ] ” res u l t fo r “ HIV-1 /HIV-2 co m b i n at i on E I A ” ;

an d t wo n o ti ces i ss ued by H I V Care Co o rd i n at io n

, a p ro g ram o f t h e In d i an a

Dep art m en t o f Heal t h an d s i g n ed b y Pro pes i n J u ne an d Ju l y 2 01 2 t h at u n d er In d i an a

d u t y to warn l aws “ o n e m

u s t n o ti fy s ex

. . . p art n er(s ) o f h i s / h er p o si t i v e HIV o r AIDS

3s t at u s pri o r t o

. . . [e] n g ag i n g i n an y s ex u al act s [.] ” A ft er rev i ewi n g t h o s e do cu m en t s

,

t h e i n v es t i g at o r ap pl i ed fo r a warran t ag ai n s t Pro p es fo r f a i l u r e t o w arn reg ard i n g

co m m u n icab le d i s eas e. Du ri n g t h e i nv es t ig at or’ s t es t i m o n y

, t he t ri al co u rt ad m i t t ed

t h e In di an a h eal t h d ep art m en t d o cu m en t s o v er Pro p es ’ s o b ject i o n s as St at e’ s Ex h i b i t

1

.

An i n v es t i g at o r fo r th e Cu rry Co u n ty

, Oreg on Sh eri ff’ s O ffi ce t es t i fi ed t h at h e

arres t ed Pro p es fo r reck l es s en d an g erm en t an d o t h er ch arg es i n J u l y 2 01 2

. D u ri n g t h e

i n v es t i g at o r’ s t es t i m o n y

, t h e t ri al co u rt ad m i t t ed ov er Pro pes ’ s o bject i o n s t h e Cu rry

Co u n t y i n d i ct m en t an d g u i l ty p l eas t o reck l es s en d an g erm en t an d at t em p ted as s au l t

,

wh i ch ch arg ed h i m wi t h u si n g b o d i l y fl u i d s co n t a i n i n g Hu m an Im m u n od efi ci en cy

Vi ru s as a d ead l y w e a p o n

. No rel ev an t l ab rep o rt s were i n t ro du ced d u ri n g t h e

i n v es t i g at o r’ s t es t i m o ny

.

Th e v i ct i m nam ed i n t h e i n d i ct m en t i n t h i s cas e t es t i fi ed t h at in J ul y 2 0 1 4 s h e

an d Pr o p e s h a d a rel at i o n s hi p t h at i ncl u d ed s ex u al i n t erco u rs e on t h ree o ccas i o n s

.

Du ri n g t h ei r s ex u al en co u n t ers , Pro p es d i d n o t wear a co n d o m

. Th e vi ct i m t es t i fi ed

t h at h e n ev er t o l d h er t hat h e w as HIV-p o s i ti v e. Th e v i ct i m t es t i fi ed t hat s he l earn ed

P r o p e s was HIV-p o s it i v e aft er t h e rel at i o ns h ip

, wh en s he fo u n d t wo art i cl es ab o u t

4h i m i n an i n t ern et search

. Th e v i ct i m wen t t o t h e Gwi nn et t Co u n t y Po l i ce Dep art m en t

an d rep o rt ed t h e o ffen s e.

A Gwi n n et t Co un t y i nv es t i g at o r i nt erv i ewed Pro p es

. Pro p es t o l d t h e

i n v es t i g at o r t h at h e was HIV-p o s i t i v e an d t h at h e h ad b een fo r ab o u t fi v e y ears . He

al s o ad m i t t ed t h at h e h ad s ex wi t h th e v ict i m

, al t h o ug h h e av erred t h at i t was o n l y

o n ce an d t h at h e h ad wo rn a co n d o m

, t h at h e d i d n o t t el l h er t h at h e was HIV-p o s i t i ve,

an d t h at h e k n ew h e co u l d g et i n t ro ub l e fo r fai l i n g t o d i s cl o s e hi s p os i t i v e s t at u s t o

a s ex u al p art n er. Th ere i s no ev i d en ce o f an y HIV t es t i ng b ey on d t h at referen ced by

t h e i n v es t i g at o r wh o t es ti fi ed ab o u t t h e In d i an a arres t

.

Fo r p u rp o s es o f defi n i n g t h e o ffen se o f p ro h i bi t ed co n d uct b y an H IV i n fect ed

p ers o n

, OCGA § 1 6 -5 -6 0

, i n s u b s ect i o n (a), i n co rp o rat es t h e d efi n i t io n s s et o u t in

Geo rg i a’ s Heal t h Co d e i n OCGA § 3 1 -2 2 -9 .1

, wh i ch d efi n es “ HIV i n fect ed p ers o n ”

as “ a p ers o n wh o h as b een d et erm i n ed t o b e in fect ed wi t h HIV, w h et h er or n o t t h at

p ers o n h as AIDS, o r wh o h as b een cl i n ical l y d i ag n o s ed as h av i n g AIDS.” OCGA §

3 1 -2 2-9

. 1 (a) (1 1 ). 3 “ Det erm in ed t o b e i nfec t e d w i t h HIV” m ean s “ hav i n g a

co n fi rm ed p os it i v e HIV t es t o r h av i n g b e e n c l i n ical l y d i ag n o s ed as h av i n g AIDS.”

3 W e n o t e t h a t t h e St at e h as n ot al l eg ed t h at Pro p es h as been cl i n i cal l y

d i ag n o s ed as h av i n g AIDS.

5OCGA § 3 1

- 2 2 -9 .1 (a) (7 ). “ Co n fi rm ed p os i t i v e HIV t es t ” m ean s “ t h e res u l t s of at

l eas t t wo s ep arat e t y

p es o f HIV t es t s

, b o th o f wh i ch i n d i cat e t h e p res en ce o f HIV in

t h e su b s t an ce t es t ed t h ereb y .” OCGA § 3 1 -2 2 -9 .1 (a) (5 ). An d “ HIV t es t ” is d efi n ed

as “ an y an t i b o d y

, an ti gen

, v iral p art i cl e, vi ral cu l t u re, o r o t h er t es t to i n d icat e t h e

p res en ce o f HIV i n th e h u m an b o d y

, wh i ch t es t h as b een ap pro v ed fo r su ch p u rp o s es

b y t h e reg u lat i o n s o f t h e d ep art m en t [,] ” t h at i s

, t h e Dep art m en t of Co m m u n i t y Heal th

(DCH). O CGA § 3 1 -2 2-9 .1 (a) (1 2 ). See al s o Ro d r i g u ez v. S t a t e

, 3 4 3 G a. Ap p

. at 5 2 9.

Read i n g t h es e d efi n i t i on al s ect i o n s t o g et her, we h av e h el d t h at t h e St at e i s

req u i red to p ro v e, am o ng t h e o t h er el em en t s

, t h at a d efen d an t was det erm in ed t o b e

i n fect ed wi t h HIV by an HIV t es t ap p ro v ed fo r s u ch p urp o s es b y t h e reg u l at i o n s o f

DCH. Id

. at 5 29 -5 3 0 (“ [U] n d er t h e u n i fo rm ru l e o f s tri ct co n s t ru ct i o n, a p en al s t at u t e

can n ot b e ex p an d ed by i m p l i cat i o n t o i n cl u d e co n d u ct o r p ers o n s n o t ex p l i ci t l y

i d en t i fi ed i n t h e st at u t e.”) (p u n ct u at i o n an d fo o t n o t e o m i t t ed ). 4 As i n R od r ig u ez

, t h e

reco rd in t h i s cas e i s d e v o i d o f a n y ev id en ce th at Pro p es was det erm in ed t o b e

i n fect ed wi t h HIV b y an HIV tes t ap p ro v ed fo r s u ch p u rp o s es b y t h e reg u l at i o n s o f

DCH. See id

. at 5 3 0 (Th e o n l y ev i d en ce of t he d efen d an t’ s HIV s t at u s was a o n e-p ag e

4 See al s o Ro bi n C. Larn er, 1 8 Ga. J u r. C r i m i n a l L aw § 9 : 7 (M arch 2 0 1 8

u p d at e).

6l ab o rat o ry tes t i n g rep o rt t h at pres en t ed on l y “ raw b l o o d d at a an d m ed i cal jarg o n ” an d

d i d n ot p u rp o rt t o s at i s fy t h e reg u l at i o n s o f DCH, t h e d efen d an t’ s p o s t co i t al

ad m i s s i o n t o t h e v i ct i m t h at h e was “ HIV p o s i t i v e,” a n d h i s l a ter ad m i s s i o n to

i n v es t i g at o rs t hat h e was HIV p o s i t i v e, n ei th er o f wh i ch ad d res s ed t h e t y p e o f t es t i n g

d o n e o r t h e ap p ro v al b y

DCH.). Id . at 5 3 0 -5 3 1 . In Ro dr i g uez , we s peci fi cal l y

n o t ed

t h at t h ere was n o ev i d en ce as t o t h e n at u re o f a lab rep o rt ad m it t ed b y t h e St at e o r t h e

l ab ’ s co m p l i an ce wi t h D CH reg u l at i o n s or l i cen s in g req u i rem en t s an d n o t es t i m o ny

b y “ a p h y s i ci an o r o t her co m p et en t wi t n es s t o ex p l ai n t h e t es t rep o rt ; t es t i fy as t o i t s

o ri g i n, m et h od o l o gy

, o r m ean i n g ; o r d es cri b e h o w i t s at i s fi e[d ] t h e s t at u to ry cri t eri a

fo r d em o n s t rat i n g th at a p ers o n i s an HIV i nfect ed p ers on u n d e r th e d efi ni t i o n s in

OCGA § 3 1 -2 2 -9 .1 .” (Pu n ct u at i o n o m i t t e d

. ) I d

. Becau s e t h e reco rd in t h i s cas e

s u ffers f r o m t he s am e defi ci en ci es

, we co ncl u d e th at t he St at e fai l ed t o m eet i t s

b u rd en t o p ro v e Pro p es ’ s HIV p o s i t iv e st at us u n d er OCGA § 1 6 -5 -6 0

. Ro d r i g u ez v.

S t a t e , 3 4 3 Ga. Ap p

. at 5 3 1

. 5

5 W e n o te t hat t h e St at e arg u ed o n ap p eal t h at t h e ev i d en ce, s p eci fi cal l y

, t h e

d o cu m en t s ad m i t t ed as

St at e’ s Ex h i b i t n u m

b er o n e,

. . . [,] Ap pel l an t ’ s co n fes s i o n as to k n owi n g

h e was in fect e d w i t h H I V[,] as w el l as h i s p rev i o u s p l ea o f g ui l ty i n

Oreg o n fo r s i m i l ar b eh av i o rs were ad m i t t ed fo r th e ju ry ’ s co n s id erat i o n

.

. . . [T] h e ev i d en ce cl earl y i n cu l p a t e s A p p el l an t h av i ng b ei ng HIV

72 . Pro p es ’ s rem ai n i n g en u m erat ed erro rs are m o ot

.

Ju d g men t r ever

s ed

. Bet h el

, J., a n d S en io r Ap p el la t e Ju dg e Her b er t E. Ph i pp s

co n cu r

.

i n fect ed , h av i ng k n o w l ed g e o f h i s HIV s t at u s an d n o t n o t i fy i ng s ex ual

p art n ers o f t h at s t at u s p ri o r t o en gag i n g i n s ex u al i n t erco u rs e[.]

Al t h o u g h Ro d

r i g u ez was d eci d ed aft er ju d g m en t was en t e r ed i n t h i s cas e, i t was

d eci d ed b as ed o n t h e p l ai n m ean i n g o f OCGA § § 1 6 -5 -6 0 an d 31 -2 2 -9 .1

, t h e t ex t o f

wh i ch h as n o t c h a n g e d in an y p ert i nen t way

, an d i t d i d no t co n st i tu t e a s u b s t an t i v e

ch an ge i n an y ex is t i n g cas e law reg ard i ng t h e e s s e n t ial el em en t s o f t h e o ffen s e o f

p ro h ib i t ed co n d uct b y an HIV-i nfect ed p ers o n

. See Ga. L. 2 00 3

, p p

. 30 6 -3 0 7 (Act No

. 5 4

, § 1); Ga. L. 2 01 1

, p p

. , 3 3 7

, 3 4 5

, 7 05

, 7 4 5

, 7 4 8 (Act N o

. 8 4, § 10

, an d A c t No

. 2 4 4

, § 6 -3 ); Ga. L. 2 01 6

, p p

. 7 5 2 -7 5 4 (Act No

. 5 6 8

, § 3 ). Acco rd i n g l y

, th ere i s n o

i s su e rega r ding w he the r o ur de c i s i o n in t h is cas e co n s t i tu t es i m p erm i s s ib l e ret ro act i v e

ap p li cat io n o f a ch an ge i n t h e l aw aft er en t ry o f ju d g m en t

. See Ha mmo n d v. S t a t e

, 2 8 9

Ga. 14 2

, 1 4 3 (7 1 0 SE2 d 1 24 ) (2 0 1 1 ); S co tt v. Her n an d

ez -Cu eva s

, 26 0 Ga. 46 6

, 4 6 6

-

4 6 7 (1 ) (3 9 6 SE2 d 9 00 ) (1 9 9 0 ).

8