FI FTH DI VI SI ON

M C FA DDEN, C. J.

, M CM ILLI A N, P. 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

Febr uar y 24, 2020



# I n th e Co u r t o f

A p p eals o f

G eo r g ia

A1 9 A1 76 1 . M O NTGOM ERY v . THE STATE.

M C F A D D E N , Ch i ef J u d g e.

Aft er a b en ch t ri al

, Perry M o n t g om e r y w a s c onvic t ed o f m

ul t i p l e d ru g offen s es

.

He ap p eal s

, ch al l en g i n g th e d en i al o f hi s m ot i o n t o s u p pres s an d t he effect i v en es s o f

h i s t ri al co u n s el

. Th e t ri al co u rt

, h o wev er, d id n o t ab us e i t s d i s cret i o n i n den y i n g t h e

m o ti o n t o s u pp r e s s a n d M o n t g om ery h as fai l ed t o s h o w t h at t ri al co u n sel ’ s

p erfo rm an ce was p reju d i ci al

. Acco rd i n gl y , we affi rm

.

1

. Fa ct s a n d p r o ced

ur a l p o s t u r e.

Vi ewed i n t h e l i g h t m o s t fav o ra b l e t o t h e ju dg m en t

, s ee Ja cks on v. Vi r g i n i a

,

4 4 3 U. S. 3 07 (9 9 SCt 2 78 1, 6 1 L E2 d 5 60 ) (1 97 9 ), th e ev i d en ce s h ows t h at

M o n tg o m ery h as m

u lt i pl e p ri o r fel o n y d ru g co n v i ct i on s

, i n cl u d in g s al e o f co cai n e in

1 9 9 2 a n d 1 9 9 3, m

u l t i p l e co u n t s o f s al e o f co cai n e an d o t h er o ffen s es in 1 99 9

, a n dp o s s es s i o n o f co cai n e wi t h i n t en t t o d i s t ri b u te an d s al e o f m ari ju an a in 20 1 0

. In 2 0 1 7,

wh i le M o n tg o m ery was o n p aro l e an d p ro b at i o n

, p o l ice recei v ed m u l ti p l e co m

p l ai n t s

an d a ti p fro m a c o n fi den t i al i n fo rm an t t h at M on t go m ery was s el l i n g

m et h am p h et am i ne an d m a r i

j u an a fro m a h o u s e i n Su m m erv i l l e, G eo rg i a.

M o n tg o m ery was l iv i n g i n t h e h o u s e wi t h Co d y M o b bs

, w h o was al s o o n fel o ny

p aro l e an d p ro b at i o n, an d M o b b s ’ s i s t er.

On M arch 2 3

, 2 0 1 7

, M o b b s ’ p aro l e an d p ro bat i o n offi cer wen t t o t h e h o u s e

wi t h t wo s h eri ff’ s d ep u t ies t o co n d u ct a “ k n o ck an d t al k ” i n v es t i g at i on

. Th e p aro l e

o ffi cer k n o ck ed o n t h e fro n t d o o r, wh i ch was an s w ered b y M o b b s

, an d as k ed h i m i f

an y o n e el s e was i n t h e h o u s e an d i f t h ey co u l d co m e in an d search th e h o us e. M o bb s

s ai d t h at h e d i d n o t k n o w i f an y o n e el s e was i n s i d e an d c o n s e n t e d t o t h e o ffi cers

s earch i n g t h e h o u s e. Up o n en t eri n g t h e h o u se, t h e o ffi cers s m el l ed a s t ro n g o d o r o f

m ari ju an a.

Th e s h eri ff’ s d ep u t i es fo un d M o nt g om ery as l eep i n a b ed ro o m an d awak en ed

h i m

. A s h o rt t i m e aft er t h e offi cers h ad s ecu red t h e s cen e, an o t h er o ffi cer arri v ed at

t h e ho u s e an d as k ed Mo n t g om ery wh ere th e m ari ju an a w as an d i f t h ey co u l d s earch

t h e h o us e. M o n t g o m ery i nd i cat ed t h at t h ere was m ari j u an a i n t h e l i vi n g ro o m an d

co n sen t ed t o a s earch o f t h e h o u s e. Th e o ffi cers t h en fo u n d m ari ju an a i n a b o wl an d

2a p ip e wi t h m ari ju an a res i d u e o n it i n th e li v i n g ro o m ; l arg e am o u n t s o f

m et h am p h et am i ne an d m ari

j uan a i n pl as t i c b ag s i n s i d e a j ack et in t h e bed ro o m wh ere

M o n tg o m ery h ad b een s l eep i n g ; an d di gi t al s cal es wi t h m et h am ph et am i n e an d

m ari ju an a res i d u e o n t h em

i n t he b ed ro o m . On e o f t h e o ffi cers al s o p ho t og rap h ed a

h an dg u n fo u n d at t h e s cen e. Du ri n g t he s earch

, M o n t g o m ery t o ld th e offi cers t h at an y

co n trab an d fo u n d i n t h e h o u se b el o n g ed t o h i m

.

M o n t g o m ery was ch arg ed i n a n i n e-co u nt i n d i ct m en t w i t h p o s s e s s i o n o f

m et h am p h et am i ne wi t h i n t en t t o d i s t ri b u t e, p o s s es s io n o f m ari ju an a wi th i n t en t to

d i s t ri b u t e, an d o t h er rel at ed d r u g o ffen s es

. M o n t g o m ery fi l ed a m o ti o n t o s u p p res s

ev i d en ce; wai v ed h is ri g ht to a ju ry t ri al ; an d jo i ned w i th t h e s t at e i n req u es t i n g t h at

t h e t ri al co u rt h o l d a co ns o li d a t e d m o t i o n t o s u pp res s h eari n g

, b en ch t ri al

, an d

p ro b at i o n rev o cat i o n h eari n g

. Aft er t h e co n s o l i dat ed heari ng

, th e t ri al co u rt d en i ed

t h e m o t i on t o s u p p res s

, fo u n d M o n t g o m ery g u i l t y o f al l o ffen s es

, an d i m p os ed a t o t al

s en t en ce o f t w en t y y ears

, wi t h t en y ears t o b e s erv ed i n co n fi n em en t an d t en y ears to

b e s erv ed o n p ro bat i o n

. M o n tg o m ery m ov ed fo r a n ew t ri al

, wh i ch t he t ri al c o u r t

d en ied aft er a h eari ng , an d t h i s ap p eal fo l l o wed

.

2

. Mo t i o n t o s u

p p r es s

.

3M o n t g o m ery co n t en d s t h at t h e t ri al co u rt erred i n d e n y i n g h i s m o t i o n to

s u p p res s b ecau s e t h e o ffi cers co n d uct ed an u n lawfu l warran t l es s s earch o f t h e h o u s e.

W e d i s ag ree.

Th e Fo u rt h Am e n d m en t p ro t ect s ag ai n s t u n reas on ab l e s earch es

an d sei zu res

. Ev en wi th p ro b ab l e cau s e, ab s en t ex ig en t ci rcu m s tan ces

o r p r o p er co n sen t

, warran t l es s s earch es an d s ei zu res w i t hi n a h o m e b y

o ffi cers i n t h e p u r s u i t o f t h ei r t rad i t i o n al l aw en fo rcem en t d u ti es are

p res um p t i v el y u nreas o nab l e.

Co r ey v. S t a t e

, 32 0 Ga. Ap p

. 3 5 0

, 3 5 3 (1 ) (7 3 9 SE2 d 7 9 0 ) ( 2 0 1 3 ) (ci t at io n s an d

p u n ct u at i o n o m it t ed ; em

ph as i s s u p p l i ed ). Bu t “ [i ] t i s wel l s et t l ed t h at a v al i d co n s en t

t o a search el i m i n at es t h e n eed fo r ei t h er p ro bab l e cau s e o r a s earch warran t .” Br o o ks

v. St a t e

, 2 8 5 Ga. 4 24

, 4 2 5 (6 7 7 SE2 d 6 8 ) (2 0 09 ). “ On e s u ch ex cep t i o n [t o t h e warran t

req u i rem en t ] i s w h en co n s en t t o s earch i s ob t ai n ed fro m a t h i rd p art y wh o p o s s es s ed

co m m o n au t ho ri t y o v er or o t h er s u ffi ci en t rel at i o n s h i p t o t h e prem i s es

. . . so u g h t to

b e i n s p ect ed .” Da vi s v. S t a t e

, 2 6 2 Ga. 5 7 8

, 5 8 0 (1 ) (4 2 2 SE2 d 5 4 6 ) (1 9 9 2) (ci t at i on s

an d p u n ct u at i o n o m i t t ed ).

In t h i s cas e, it is u n di s p u t ed t h at M o b b s li v ed i n t h e h o u se w i t h M o n t g o m ery

an d th e o ffi cers o b t a i n e d M o b b s ’ co n s en t t o search t h e h o u se. A s M o n t g o m ery

c o nced es o n ap p eal

, t h e o ffi cers reas o n ab ly b el i ev ed th at M o b bs h ad au th o r i t y t o

al l o w t h em t o en ter an d search t h e co m m on areas o f t h e h o u s e. See S t a t e v.

4Ho l tz cl a w , 3 4 1 Ga. Ap p . 6 3 9 , 6 4 2 (1 ) (8 0 2 SE2 d 2 5 4 ) (2 0 1 7) (co n sen t v al i d wh ere

i t i s reas o n ab l e t o reco g n i ze t h at an y o f t he co -i n hab i t an ts o f a h ou s e h as th e ri g h t to

p erm i t th e in s p ect i o n in h i s o w n ri g h t an d t h at th e o t h ers hav e as su m ed t he ri s k t h at

o n e of t h ei r nu m

b er m i g h t p erm i t t h e co m m on area t o b e s earch ed ). Des p it e M o b b s ’

v al i d co n s en t to t h e s earch

, M o n t g o m ery arg ues t h at h i s own s u b s eq u en t co n s en t to

t h e s earch was t ai n t ed b y t h e o ffi cers ’ i l l eg al en try i nt o h is b ed ro o m

. Bu t co n t rary to

M o n tg o m ery ’ s arg u m en t

, t h ere i s n o ev i d en ce t h at t h e o ffi cers ’ en t ry i n t o t h e

b ed ro o m was i l l eg al

.

Rat h er, t h e ev i d en ce s h o ws t h a t t h e o ffi cers o nl y en t ered t h e b ed ro o m u p o n

d i s co v eri n g t h at M o nt go m ery was in i t an d th at t h ey di d n o t co n d u ct an y s earch o f

t h e b ed ro o m u nt i l aft er M on t g o m ery h ad co n sen t ed t o a s earch

. Gi ven t h e t o t al i t y o f

t h e ci rcu m s t an ces

– M o n t g o m ery ’ s l en g t h y f e l o n y d ru g h i s t o ry

, t h e rel i ab l e

i n fo rm at i o n th at M o n t g o m ery was s el l in g d ru g s fro m t he h ou s e, M on t g o m ery s h ari n g

t h e h o us e wi t h an o t h er p aro l ee, an d t h e s t ro n g o d o r o f m ari ju an a i n t h e h o us e

– t h e

o ffi cers h ad t he au t h o ri t y t o awak en Mo n t g om er y a n d s ecu re t h e scen e b efo re

co n du ct in g a s earch

.

Al t h ou g h l ack i n g a warran t

, t h e o ffi cers [h ad o bt ai ned M ob b s ’ co n s en t

an d ] t hu s h ad l a w f

u l au t h o ri t y t o en t er [t h e] res i den ce t o s earch fo r

d ru g s

. Su ch an u n d ert ak i n g i s frau g h t wi t h d an g er, p art i cu l arl y wh en

5o t h er p eo pl e a r e i n si d e. It l eav es t h e o ffi cers v u l nerab l e t o at tack

. Fo r

t h ei r s afet y ’ s s ak e i n th e co n d u ct o f a l awfu l s earch

, t h ey are au t h ori zed

t o d et ai n o ccu p an t s o f t h e res i d en ce wh i l e t h e p rem i s es are b ei n g

s ecu red

.

Ha r ri s o n v. S t a t e

, 2 1 3 Ga. Ap p

. 1 7 4

, 1 7 6 (4 4 4 SE2 d 3 5 4 ) (1 9 94 ). See al s o Owen s v.

S t a t e

, 3 32 Ga. Ap p

. 5 25

, 5 2 7 (2 ) (7 7 3 SE2 d 7 8 3 ) (2 0 1 5) (d efen d an t w as l aw f u l l y

d et ai ned i n l i v i n g ro o m wh i l e o ffi cers co n d u ct ed a s earch o f t h e h o u s e p u rs u an t t o a

F our th A m e ndm e n t wai v er i n a p ro b at i o n o rd er p ert ai n i ng t o d efen d an t’ s h o u s em at e);

Bo n ds v. S t a t e

, 1 8 8 Ga. Ap p

. 1 3 5

, 1 36 (3 7 2 SE2 d 44 8 ) (1 9 8 8 ) (n o t i n g t h at s earch was

n o t co n d u ct ed u n t i l “ t he o ffi cers fi rs t s ecu red t h e p rem i s e s b y acco u n t i n g fo r al l

o ccu pan t s . . . s o as t o as s u re co n t ro l o f [t h e p rem i s es ] an d t h e o ccu p an t s ”).

“ In o rd er t o ju s t ify a warran t l es s s earch o n t h e g ro un d s o f co n s en t

, t h e [s ] t at e

h as t h e bu rd en o f p ro v in g t h at t h e co n sen t was freel y an d v o l u n tari l y g iv en un d er t h e

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

. ” Br o o ks

, s u p ra (ci tat i o n an d p u nc tua tion o m i t t ed ). Here,

i n ad d i t i o n to t he ci rcu m s t an ces d es cri bed ab o v e, t h e s t at e p r e s e n t ed u n refu t ed

t es t i m o ny th at n o n e of t h e o f f i c e r s t h reat en ed

, i nt i m i d at ed

, or co erced M o b b s o r

M o n tg o m ery i n an y w ay b efo re th ey each c o n sen t ed t o t he s earch

. “ T h e ev i d en ce

p res en t ed at t h e heari ng / t ri al au t h o ri zed th e [t ri al ] co u rt t o d et erm i n e t h at [M o b b s an d

M o n tg o m ery v o lu n t ari l y ] co n s en t ed t o t h e [o ffi cers ’ s earch of] th e res i d en ce, an d

6co n seq u en t l y t h e co u rt d i d n o t err b y d en y i ng [t he] m o t i o n t o s u p p res s

. ” S p o o n e v.

S t a t e

, 3 3 5 G a. Ap p. 8 1 6

, 81 8 -8 1 9 (1 ) (7 8 3 SE 2 d 3 4 2 ) (2 01 6 ). See B r oo ks

, s u p ra at

4 2 5 -4 2 6 (co n s en t t o s earch was freel y an d v o l u n t ari l y g i v e n w h ere, am on g o t h er

t h i n g s

, t h ere was n o ev i d e n ce o f co erci v e p o li ce t act i cs an d n o al l eg at i o n t h at t h e

d efen d an t ’ s ag e o r l ev el o f i n t el l i g en ce ren d ered h i s co n s en t i nv o l u n tary ).

3

. In ef f ect i ve a s s i s t a n ce o

f co u n s el

.

M o n t g o m ery cl ai m s th at h i s tri al co u n s el was in effect i v e in fai li n g t o o b ject to

h ears ay t es t i m o ny t h at i n fo rm an t s h ad t o ld t he p o l i ce t h at M o n tg o m ery was s el l i n g

m ari ju an a an d m et h am

p het am i n e fro m t h e h o u s e. To p rev ai l o n t hi s cl ai m

,

M o n tg o m ery “ m

u s t s h o w b o t h t h at h i s co u n s el ’ s p erfo rm an ce was d efi ci en t an d t h at

t h e d efi ci en t p erfo rm an ce s o p reju d i ced hi m t h at

, b u t fo r th e d efi c i e n c y, th ere i s a

reas on ab l e p ro b ab i li t y th at t h e o u t co m e o f t h e t ri al wo ul d h av e b e e n di fferen t .”

S t o d g h i l l v. S t a t e

, 3 5 1 Ga. Ap p

. 7 4 4

, 7 4 7 ( 3 ) (8 3 2 SE2 d 8 91 ) (2 0 19 ) (ci tat i o n an d

p u nct uat i o n o m i t ted ). M o nt g o m ery h as fai l ed to sh o w p reju d i ce, s o h i s

i n effect i v en es s cl ai m fai l s an d we n eed n o t co n s i d er t h e is s u e o f d efi ci en t

p erfo rm an ce. S

mi t h v. S t at e

, 2 9 6 Ga. 7 3 1

, 7 3 3 (2 ) (7 7 0 SE2 d 6 1 0 ) (2 0 15 ); S t o d g h i l l

,

s u p ra.

7In at t em p t in g t o s h o w p r e

j u d i ce, M o n t g o m ery co n t en ds t h at w i t ho u t t h e

p u rp ort ed h ears ay tes ti m o n y co n cern i n g t h e i nfo rm an t t i ps t o p o l i ce t hat h e was

s el l i n g d ru g s

, t h ere was i n s u ffi ci en t ev i d en ce t h at h e had an y i n t en t t o d is t ri b u t e t h e

d ru g s. Ho wev er, ev en wi t h o u t t h e p u rp o rt ed h e a r s a y, t h e s t at e pres en t ed o t h er

s u ffi ci en t c i rcu m s t an t i al ev i d en ce s h o wi n g Mo n t g o m ery ’ s i n ten t t o d i s t ri b u t e,

i n cl u d i n g t he l arg e am o u n ts o f m et h am p h et am i ne an d m ari

ju an a fo u n d i n th e h o u s e,

t h e p ack ag i n g o f t h e d r u g s fo r ap p aren t s al e, t h e p res en ce o f d ig i t al scal es wi th

m et h am p h et am i ne an d m ari

ju an a res i d u e o n t h em

, M o n t g o m ery ’ s p ri o r co n v i ct i on s

fo r s al e o f d ru g s

, an d a n o ffi cer’ s t es t i m o n y t h at i n h is ex p eri en ce t h e am o u n t s an d

p ack ag i ng o f th e d ru g s in d i cat ed t h at t h ey were n ot in t en d ed fo r pers o n al u s e an d

i n s t ead were m ean t fo r s al e. See Hel t o n v. S t at e

, 2 7 1 Ga. Ap p

. 27 2

, 2 7 5 -2 7 6 (b ) (6 0 9

SE2 d 2 0 0) (2 00 5 ); McNa i r v. S t a t e

, 2 26 Ga. Ap p

. 5 1 6

, 5 17 (1 ) (4 8 7 SE2 d 1 0 0 )

(1 9 9 7).

Becau s e t h ere w as s u ffi ci en t ci rcu m st an t i al ev i d en ce o f M on t g o m ery ’ s i n t en t

t o d i s t ri b u t e, Mo n t g om ery h as fai l ed t o s h ow a reas o n ab l e p ro b ab i l i t y t h at t h e

o u t co m e o f t h e t ri al wo u l d h av e b een d ifferen t i f h i s co u n s el h ad o b j ect ed t o t h e

p u rp ort ed h ears ay

. A cco rd i n g l y

, h e h as fai l ed t o s h ow t h at h e was d e p r i v e d o f

effect i v e as s is t an ce o f co u n s el

.

8Ju d

g men t a f f i r m ed . McMi l l i a n , P. J., a n d S en i o r Ap p el l a t e Ju d

g e Her b er t E.

Ph i p ps , co ncu r

.

9