FOURTH D I VI SI ON

BA RNES, P. J.

, RA Y and M CM I LLI A N, 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

October 27, 2015



# I n th e Co u r t o f

A p p eals o f

G eo r g ia

A1 5 A1 03 1 . HUFF v . THE STATE.

M C M ILLI A N , J u dg e.

Terren ce Ram o n Hu ff was co n vi ct ed by ju ry o f arm ed ro bb ery an d p o s s es s i o n

o f a k ni fe d u ri n g t h e co m m i s s i on o f a fel o n y an d s en t en ced t o 2 0 y ears

, 1 5 t o s erv e.

He fi l ed a m o t i on fo r n ew t ri al

, as t wi ce am en d ed

, wh i ch t h e t ri al co u rt d en i ed

fo l l o w i n g a h eari n g

. He ap p eal s

, co n t en d i n g t h at t h e t ri al co u rt v i o l at ed OCGA § 1 7

-

8 -5 7 b y i m

p erm is s i b l y co m

m en t i n g o n t h e s i m i l ari t y an d p ro b at iv e v al ue o f o t h er

cri m es ev i d en ce ad m i t ted at t ri al an d t h at h i s t ri al co u n s el was i n effect iv e. As m o re

fu l l y s et fo rt h b el o w, we ag ree t h e t ri al co u rt v io l at ed O CGA § 1 7 -8 -5 7 an d t h at

,

acco rd i n g l y , Hu ff i s en t it l ed t o a n ew t ri al

.Co n st ru ed t o s up p o rt t he ju ry ’ s v erd i ct

, 1 t he ev id en ce s h o ws t h at aro u n d 9 : 3 5

p .m

. o n Feb ru ary 2

, 2 0 0 9, t h ree m en wi t h t h ei r faces p art i al l y co n ceal ed en t ered t h e

Tri -Co u n t y Gas an d Gro cery co n v en i en ce s t o re i n Ray Ci t y

, Geo rg i a. Th e t al l er o f t h e

t h ree m en h ad a k ni fe, an d t h e o t h er t w o m en were arm ed wi t h g un s

. Th e m en

d em an d ed m o n ey 2 an d t h en wen t b eh i n d t he co u n t er wh ere t h e cas h reg i s t ers were

l o cat ed

. Cam eras i ns i d e t he st o re reco rd ed t h e ro b b ers ’ act i v it i es

, an d v i d e o c l i p s

were p l ay ed at t ri al s h o wi n g th e m en op en i n g t h e cas h drawers an d rem o v i n g cas h

, 3

t ak i n g s ev eral cart o ns of ci g aret t es o u t o f a b ox o n t h e fl o o r, an d rem ov i n g i t em s fro m

u n d ern eat h t he co u n ter. Th e m en t h en fl ed

, ru n n i n g ou t t he fro n t d o o r an d aro u n d t h e

s i de an d t o ward t h e b ack o f t h e b u i l di n g

.

1 Hu ff d o es n o t ch al l en ge t h e s u ffi ci en cy o f t h e ev id e n c e

. Nev ert h el es s

, we

h av e rev i ewed t h e ev i d en ce an d fi n d i t s u ffi ci en t t o au t h o ri ze H u ff’s c o n v i ct i on s

u n d er th e s t an d ard of Ja cks o n v. Vi r g i ni a

, 4 43 U.S. 3 0 7 (9 9 SCt 2 7 8 1

, 6 1 LE2 d 5 6 0 )

(1 9 7 9).

2 Th ere w ere t hree em

p l o y ees i n th e s t o re at t h e t i m e o f t h e ro b b ery

– t h e s t o re

m an ag er, h i s w i fe, an d an o t her em p l o y ee. Th e s t o re m an ag er an d h i s wi fe t es t i fi ed at

t ri al

, b u t t h e o t h er em

p l o y ee n o l o n g er wo rk ed at t h e s t o re at t he t i m e o f t ri al an d was

n o t cal l ed t o t es t ify

. Th e wi tn es s es t es t i fi ed t h at t h ey w ere at a t ab l e b y t h e d o o r wh en

t h e m en en t ered t h e s t o re an d t hat i s wh ere t h ey s t ay ed d u ri n g t he ro b b ery

.

3 Th ere were t wo cas h d rawers

– o n e fo r lo t tery t i ck et s al es an d o n e fo r g en eral

m erch an d i s e s al es

. Th e s t o re m an ag er t es t i fi ed th at ap p ro xi m at el y $2 0 0 0 was t ak en

d u ri n g t h e ro bb ery

.

2Po l i ce were d i s p at ch ed t o t h e st o re an d b eg an s earch i ng fo r t h e m en

. A l t h o u g h

p o l i ce fo un d a k n i fe a s h ort d i s t an c e f r o m t h e b ack o f th e st o re, t h e s earch fo r t h e

ro b b ers was u ns u cces s fu l . On e o f t h e s t o re’ s b l ack m erch an di s e b ag s w as fo u n d o n

t h e fl o o r b eh in d t h e co u nt er, an d ev id en ce was p res en t e d t h at t h e b ag h ad n o t b een

o n t h e fl o o r p ri o r t o t h e ro b b ery an d t h at t h e t al l ro b b er wi t h t h e k ni fe d ro p p ed i t o n

t h e fl o o r wh i l e h e wa s g o i n g t h ro u g h i t em s u n d ern eat h th e co u n t er. Th e b ag was

t es t ed fo r fi n g erp ri n t s an d fi v e p ri n t s

, o n e wh i ch m at ch ed Hu ff’ s ei g h t h d i g i t

, o r l eft

m i d d l e fi n g er, were rev eal ed o n t h e b ag

. Bo t h t he s t o re m an ag er an d h i s wi fe t es t i fi ed

t h at t h ey h ad s een Hu ff co m e i nt o t h e s t o re o n s ev eral o ccas io n s p ri or t o t h e ro b b ery

,

al t h o u g h h is face was o bs c u r e d d u r i n g t h e ro b b ery an d t h ey co u l d n o t i d en t i fy h i m

at t hat ti m e.

Th e St at e al s o pres en t ed ev i d en ce th at s ev eral w eek s l at er, o n Feb ru ary 2 6,

2 0 0 9

, Hu ff was arres t ed wi t h s ev eral o th er m en i n co n n ect io n w i t h an at t em p t ed

ro b b ery o f a Do m i n o s Pi zza St o re, an d h e l at er e n t e r e d a g u i l t y p l ea t o t h at ch arg e.

Ev i d en ce was p res en t ed t h at H u ff was t al l er t h an th e o t h er m en i n v o l v e d i n t h e

at t em p t ed ro b b ery

, an d v i d eo cl i p s o f t h e co n ven i en ce st o re ro b b ery cl earl y sh o w t h at

o n e o f t h e ro b b ers was t al l er t h an t h e o t h er t wo

.

31

. Hu ff co n ten d s t hat h e i s en t i t l ed t o a new t ri al b ecau s e t he t ri al co u rt v i o l at ed

OCGA § 1 7 -8 -5 7 4 b y co m m en t i n g o n t h e s i m i l ari ty an d pro b at iv e v al u e o f t h e s i m i l ar

t ran s act io n ev i d en ce. W e ag ree. T h e r e c o rd s h o ws t h at p ri o r t o t ri al

, t h e t ri al co u rt

co n du ct ed a h eari n g to det erm i n e th e ad m i ss i b i l i t y o f ev i d en ce o f t h e Do m i no s

at t em p t ed ro b b ery an d ru l ed th e ev i d en ce ad m is si b l e t o sh o w m od u s o peran d i

, b en t

o f m in d

, an d i d en ti t y o f t h e Defen d an t

. Su b s eq u en tl y

, wh en t h e St at e cal l ed i t s fi rs t

s i m i l ar t ran s act i o n wi t n e s s at t ri al

, t h e t ri al co u rt

, s u a s p o n t e, m ad e t h e fo l l o wi n g

s t at em en t t o t h e ju ry

.

I d o n ’ t k n o w th at I m ad e t h e p reci s e o r co m p let e ru l i n g i n Ch am

bers t h i s

m o rn i n g b u t

, fo r t h e J u ry

, we’ re t o t h e p o i n t o f t h e cas e wh ere t h e St at e

i s o fferi ng wh at i s kn o wn as Si m i l ar T r a n s a c t i o n Ev id en ce. I’ m g o i n g

t o g i v e y ou a c h a r g e o n t h at i n ju s t a m i n u t e t o h el p ex p l ai n to y o u

wh at ’ s tak i n g p l ace as far as t h e pres en t at i o n o f t he ev i d en ce g o es

. Bu t

o n my d eci si o n ea r l i er I wa n t to a d d t h a t t h e C o u r t fo un d th a t th e

4 At t h e t i m e Hu ff was t ri ed i n 2 01 0 , t h at s ect io n p ro v i d ed :

It i s erro r fo r an y ju dg e i n an y cri m in al cas e, d uri n g i ts p ro gres s o r i n h i s

ch arg e t o t h e ju ry

, to ex p res s o r i n t i m at e h i s o p i n i o n as t o wh at h as o r

h as n o t b een p ro v ed o r as t o t h e g u i l t of th e accu s ed

. Sh o ul d an y j u d ge

v i o l at e t h is Co d e s ect i o n, t he v i o lat i o n s h al l b e h el d b y t h e [ap p el l at e

co u rt ] t o b e erro r an d t h e d eci s i o n i n t h e cas e rev ers ed

, an d a n ew t ri al

g ran ted i n t h e co u rt b el o w wi t h su ch d i rect i o n s as t h e [ap pel l at e co u rt ]

m ay l awfu l l y g i v e.

4p r o b a t ive va l u e a s t o t h e s i m i l a r it y a n d / o r t h e co nn ect i o n of th e

Def en s e’s ch a r

g e o u t wei

g h s a n y p rej u d i ce to t h e Def en d a n t a n d

a d mi t t ed t h e S i mi l a r Tr a n s a ct i on Evi d en ce.

(Em p h as i s s u p p l i ed .) Im

m ed i at el y t hereaft er, t h e Co urt ch arg e d t he j u ry o n t h e

co n si d erat io n o f t h e s i m i lar t ran s act i o n ev i d en ce:

So m et i m es ev i d en ce i s ad m i t t ed fo r a l i m i t ed pu rp o s e. Su c h ev i d en ce

m ay b e co n s i d ered b y t h e ju ry fo r t he s ol e i s s u e or p urp o s e fo r wh i ch th e

ev i d en ce i s l i m i t ed an d n o t fo r an y o t h er p u rp o s e. Th e law p ro vi d es t hat

ev i d en ce o f ot her act s o r o ccu rren ces o f t h i s Defen d an t t h at are

s u ffi ci en t l y s i m il ar o r co n n ect ed an d

, t h erefo re, p u rp o rt ed l y rel a t e d t o

t h e o ffen se or o ffen s es fo r wh i ch t h e D efen d an t is on t ri al m ay be

co n s i d ered fo r t h e l i m i ted p u rp o s e o f s h o wi n g

, i f i t d o es

, t h e in t en t

,

m o t i v e, i d en ti t y

, co u rs e of co n d u ct

, b en t o f m i n d

, m o d u s o p eran d i i n th e

cri m e ch arg ed i n t h e cas e n ow o n t ri al

. Su ch ev i d en ce, i f an y

, m ay n o t

b e co n s i d ered b y y o u fo r an y o t h er p u r p o s e

. . . . Befo re y o u m ay

co n s i d er an y o t h er act s o r o ccu rren ces fo r t h e li m i t e d p u rp o s es s t at ed

,

y o u m u s t fi rs t det erm i n e wh et h er t h e accu s ed co m m it ted t h e o t h er act s

o r o ccu rren ces

, if s o, yo u mu s t t h en d et e r m i n e w het h er th e a ct o r

o ccu r r en ce wa s s u

f f i ci en t l y s i mi l a r an d

, t h er ef o r e, p u r p o r t ed ly r el a ted

t o t h e cr i mes ch a r

g ed in t h e i n d i ct m en t s uch t h a t p r o o f of t h e ot her a ct

s

o r o ccu r r en ces t en d t o p r o ve t h e cr i me ch a rg ed i n t h e i n d i ct men t

.

(Em p h as i s s up p l i ed .) Fo l l o wi n g t h e l i m i t i n g i n s t ru ct i o n

, Hu ff’ s co u ns el as k ed fo r t h e

ju ry t o b e ex cu sed an d rep eat ed l y m o v ed fo r a m i s t ri al

, arg u i ng t h at th e ju ry h ad b een

5t ai n t ed b y t h e t ri al co u rt ’ s co m m en t s t o th e ju ry o n t h e pro b at i v e v al u e an d si m i l ari t y

o f t h e p ri o r cri m es ev i den ce. Th e t ri al co u rt d en i ed th e m o t i o n wi t h o u t ex p l an at i o n,

an d t h e t ri al res u m ed wi th t h e p res en t at i o n o f t h e s im i l ar t ran s act i o n wi t n es s es

.

G en eral l y s p eak i ng

, rem ark s m ad e by a tri al co u rt i n d i s c u s si n g t h e

ad m i s s i b i l i t y o f ev i den ce or ex p l ai n i n g i t s ru l i n g s d o no t co ns t i t u t e p r o h i b i t ed

ex p res s i o n s o f o p i n io n

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

, 2 92 Ga. 5 8 8

, 59 0 (2 ) (7 4 0 SE2 d 12 9 ) (2 0 1 3 ).

Ho wev er, co m

m en t s b y t h e t ri al ju d g e o n i ts ru l i ng s t h at i ncl u d e ex p res s i o n s o f

o p i n i o n as t o wh at h as b een p ro v en

, t h e cred i b i l it y o f a w i tn es s

, o r o n a d i s p u t ed i s s u e

o f m at eri al fact are cl earl y i m p ro p er u n d e r O CGA § 1 7 -8 -5 7

. See Mu r p hy v. S t a t e

,

2 9 0 Ga. 4 5 9

, 4 6 0 (2 ) (7 2 2 SE2 d 5 1 ) (2 0 1 2 ); Ch u m ley v. S t at e

, 28 2 Ga. 8 5 5

, 8 5 7 (2 )

(6 5 5 SE2 d 8 1 3 ) (2 0 0 8 ); Pa tel v. S t a t e , 2 8 2 Ga. 4 1 2 , 4 1 4 (2 ) (6 5 1 SE2 d 5 5 ) (2 0 0 7 ).

Un d e r a n a logous c ir c um st an ces

, o u r ap p el l at e co u rt s h av e o n s ev eral occas i on s

co n si d ered wh et h er a t ri al co u rt v i ol at es OCGA § 1 7-8 -5 7 b y m ak in g s tat em en t s t o

t h e j u r y t h at t h e d efen d an t ’ s s t at em en t was freel y an d v o l un t ari l y g i v en

, as

d et erm i n ed b y t h e t ri al co u rt at a h eari n g o u t s i d e t h e p res en ce o f t h e ju ry

, an d we fi n d

t h e reas o n i ng in t ho s e cas es eq u al l y ap p l i cab l e h ere. Fr eema n v. S t a t e

, 2 9 5 Ga. 8 2 0,

8 2 1 -8 2 2 (7 6 4 SE2 d 3 9 0 ) (2 0 1 4 ); Ch uml ey

, 2 8 2 Ga. at 8 5 7 (2 ); Ra y v. S t a t e

, 1 8 1 Ga.

Ap p

. 42

, 4 4 (3 ) (3 5 1 SE2 d 4 9 0) (1 9 8 6 )

. A l t h o u g h t h e t ri al co u rt i n th is cas e act ed

6p ro p erl y i n m ak i n g a t h res ho l d d et erm i n at i o n co n cern i ng t h e ad m i s s i bi l it y o f t h e

s i m i l ar cri m es ev id en ce u n d er W i l l i a ms v. S t a t e

, 26 1 Ga. 6 4 0

, 6 4 2 (4 0 9 SE2 d 6 4 9 )

(1 9 9 1), t h e t ri al co u rt s h ou l d h av e refrai n ed fro m co m m en t i n g o n t h e si m i lari t y an d

p ro b at i v e v al u e of t he o t her o ffen s e. Su ch s t at em en t s t o t h e j u ry

, ev en wh en co u p l ed

wi t h an i m

m ed i at e ch arg e o n t he ju ry ’ s res p o ns i b i l it y t o m ak e th e u l t i m at e

d et erm i n at i o n on s i m i l ari t y an d p ro b at i v e v al u e, v i o l at ed OCGA § 17 -8 -5 7

. In s t ead

,

o n ce t he t ri al co u r t d e t e r m i n ed an d ru l ed o u t si d e t h e p res en ce of t h e ju ry t h at t h e

s i m i l ar t ran s act i o n ev i d en ce was ad m i s s i b l e, i t sh o u l d h av e s im p l y p ro v i d ed t h e

ap p ro p ri at e l i m i t i n g i ns t ru ct i o n ab o u t t h e ev i den ce, wi t h o u t i n fo rm i n g th e ju ry o f t h e

co u rt ’ s ev al u at i on o f t he e v i d e n ce. 5 See Fr eema n

, 2 9 5 Ga. at 8 2 2. Cf. W i l l i a ms v.

S t a t e , 2 4 4 Ga. Ap p

. 6 9 2 , 6 9 6 (3 ) (5 3 6 SE2 d 5 7 2 ) (2 0 0 0 ) (n o rev ers i b l e erro r wh ere

t ri al co u rt s t a t e d

, i n o v erru l i ng o b ject i o n

, t h at t h ere was s uffi ci en t co rro b orat i o n o f

5 W e d o no t s ug g es t t h at t h e t ri al co u rt co u ld v io l at e OCGA § 1 7

- 8

- 5 7 by

s i m p l y ru l i n g o n an o b

ject i o n o n t h e g ro u n d s t hat t h e ev i d en ce i s m o re p re j u d i ci al

t h an p ro b at i v e; rat h er

, i t i s t h e co m m en t o n t he s i m i l ari t y o f th e ev id en ce h ere t h at

co n st i t u t es a v i o lat io n o f OCGA § 1 7 -8 -5 7

. A s e x p l ai ned ab o v e, rem ark s d u ri n g

co l l o q u i es b et w een t he ju dg e an d co u n sel o n t h e ad m i s si bi l i t y o f ev i d en ce wh erei n

t h e ju dg e m ak es “ rem ark s o f a ju d g e as s ig n in g a reas o n fo r h i s ru l i n g are n ei t h er an

ex p res s i o n o f op i n i o n n o r a co m m en t o n t h e ev i d en ce.” (Ci t at i o n om i t t ed .) See El l i s

v. S t a te

, 2 9 2 Ga. 2 7 6, 2 8 1-2 82 (3 ) (7 36 SE2 d 4 1 2 ) (2 0 1 3 ) (ju d g e’ s s t at em en t i n ru l i n g

o n o bject i o n t hat ev id en ce was “ ad m i ss i b l e a s a p r i o r co n s i s t en t ” d i d n o t v i o l at e

OCGA § 1 7 -8 -5 7 ).

7t h e s im i l ar t ran s act i o n ev i d en ce b ecau s e d efen s e co un s el s ho u l d h av e an t i ci p at ed

w h en po s i n g o b

ject io n t hat t ri al co u rt m i g h t feel co m p el led t o ex p lai n i t s earl i e r

ru l i n g t o ad m i t t h e ev i den ce).

Th e St at e arg u es

, h o w ev er, t h at t h e rev ers al an d ret ri al are n o t m an d at ed h ere

b ecau s e Hu ff ad m i t t ed t h at h e co m m i t t ed t h e s i m i l ar cri m e. Th e St at e is co rrect t h at

p art o f Hu ff’ s t ri al s t rat eg y was t o ad m i t h e was in v o l v ed i n t h e o t h er offen s e, p o i nt

o u t t o t h e ju ry th at h e h ad t ak en res p o n s i bi l i t y fo r th at cri m e b y p l ead i n g g u i l t y

, an d

arg u e t h at if h e was g u i l ty o f t h e p res en t ch arg es

, h e wo u l d h av e t ak en res p on s i b i l i t y

b y p l ead in g g u i l t y t o t h at cri m e al s o

. Bu t wh et h er o r n o t Hu ff ad m i t t ed t o t h e s i m i l ar

cri m e is “ i m

m at eri al

, s i n ce t h e erro r l i es i n th e t ri al co u rt ’ s in fo rm i ng t h e j u ry t h at i t

h ad ru l ed t hat [t he pri or o ffen s e was su ffi ci en t l y s i m i l ar an d th erefo re p ro bat i v e] .”

Ch u ml ey

, 2 8 2 Ga. at 8 5 7 (2 ). An d

, i n an y ev en t, Hu ff n ev er co n ced ed t h e si m i l ari t y

o f t h e p ri o r an d p res en t o ffen s es ; rat h er, o n e o f h i s t h eo ri es o f d efen s e was t o p o i nt

o u t th e i n s uffi ci en ci es i n t h e S t a t e ’s p ro o f an d arg ue t h at t h e St at e was u s i n g h i s

g u i l t y pl ea t o im

p ro p erl y bo l s t er i t s weak ev i d en ce o f t h e co n v en i en ce s t o re cri m e.

Th u s, u nd er t h es e ci rcu m st an ces

, t h e t ri al co u rt ’ s s t at em en t i n t h i s cas e th at t h e o t h er

cri m e was s im i lar an d t h erefo re p ro b at iv e o f Hu ff’ s g u il t o n t he cu rren t r o b b e r y

ch arg e w as p art i cu l arl y d am ag i n g t o Hu ff’ s t heo ry o f d efen s e. M o reo v er, reg ard l es s

8o f an y s h o wi n g o f h arm

, “ [i ] t is wel l es t ab l i s h ed t h at t h e t ri al co u rt ’ s co m p l i an ce wi th

t h e st at u t o ry l an g u ag e o f OCGA § 1 7 -8 -5 7 i s m an d at o ry an d th at a v i o l at i o n o f i t s

m an d at e req u i res a n ew t ri al .” 6 (Ci t at i o n an d p u n ct uat i o n om i t t ed .) Ch u m l ey

, 2 8 2 Ga.

at 8 5 8 (2 ). Acco rd i ng l y

, we m u s t rev ers e H u ff’ s co n v i ct i o n an d rem an d t h e cas e o r

a n ew t ri al

.

2

. In l i g h t o f ou r h o ld i n g i n Di v i s i o n 1, it i s u nn ece s s a r y fo r u s t o ad d res s

Hu ff’ s co n t en t i o n t hat h is t ri al co u n s el was i n effect i v e.

Ju d g men t r ever sed . Ba r n es , P. J., a n d

Ra y, J., co n cu r

.

6 W e n o t e t h at s in ce Hu ff wa s t ri ed

, O CGA § 1 7 -8 -5 7 h as b een am en d ed in

s ev eral m at eri al res p ect s

, an d w e ex p res s n o o p i n i o n as to t h e co n t i nu ed v iab i l i ty o f

t h i s s t at em en t u n d er t h e n ew s t at u t e. See Ga. L. 2 0 1 5 , p . 1 05 0 , § 1

.

9