THI RD DI VI SI ON
ELLI NGTON, P. J.

, A NDREWS and RI CKM 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

M ar ch 15, 2017



# I n th e Co u r t o f

A p p eals o f

G eo r g ia

A1 7 A0 50 3 . M A RTIN v . THE STATE.

A N D R E W S , J u d g e.

Fo l l owi n g a ju ry t ri al

, Cu b a Al as k a M art i n III w as co n v i ct ed of arm ed ro b b ery

.

M art i n ap p eals, a ssert i n g t h at t h e t ri al co urt erred i n ad m i t t i n g i d en t i t y ev i d en ce u n d er

OCGA § 2 4 -4 -4 0 4 (b ). Fi nd i n g n o erro r, we affi rm

.

Vi ewed fav o rab ly t o t h e v erd i ct

, W a tf o r d v. S t a t e , 3 3 2 Ga. Ap p

. 4 9 9, 5 0 2 (1 )

(7 7 3 SE 2 d 4 5 2 ) (2 0 15 ), t h e ev i d en ce sh o w s t h at o n Decem ber 1 1, 2 0 1 2

, Oral i a

Rey es -Gau ci n was wal k i n g h om e fro m wo rk al o n g W es t A v e n u e i n Gai n es v i l l e,

t al k i n g o n h er cel l p h on e. Sh e n o t i ced t wo m en wal ki n g o n t h e o t her s i de o f th e s t reet

,

b u t d id n o t p ay m

u ch at t en t i on t o t h em

. Su d d en l y , o n e of t h e m en ap p ro ach ed h er

fro m beh i n d

. He m o v ed in cl o s e, d em an d ed h er ph o n e, an d s n at ch ed i t fro m h er h an d.

He t h en reach ed fo r Rey es -Gau ci n ’ s pu rs e. A s t h e t w o s tru g g led

, t h e m an p u s h edRey es -Gau ci n t o t h e g ro u n d

. H e g rab b ed h er p u rs e wh i l e p laci n g a s m al l

, b l ack o b ject

t h at s he b el i ev ed t o be a g u n ag ai n s t her head

. Rey es -Gau ci n cl o sed h er ey es , an d t h e

t wo m en fl ed . A s h o rt t i m e l at er, s h e s aw a wh it e v eh i cl e l eav in g t h e area.

R e ye s -Gau ci n rep o rt ed t h e ro b b ery t o p o li ce, d es cri b in g h er as s ai l an t s ’ race

an d h ei g h t

. S h e al s o in di cat ed t h at t h e g u nm an wo re a m as k an d t h at b ot h were

d res s ed i n d ark cl o t hi ng

. Rey es -Gau ci n ’ s deb i t card

, w h i ch h ad b een in h er p u rs e, was

u s ed at a g as s t at i o n l at er t hat ev en i n g

. Th e n ex t m o rn i ng , a p o l i c e offi cer l o cat ed

Re ye s

- G au ci n ’ s p u rs e o n a s treet n ear t h e ro b b ery s cen e. Her d eb i t card was i n s i d e

t h e b ag , b u t h er cas h was m i s s i n g

.

Th e i n v es t i gat o r as s i g n ed t o th e cas e h ad few i n i ti al lead s

. In t he Sp ri n g o f

2 0 1 3

, ho wev er, h e recei ved i n fo rm at i o n i m p l i cat i n g Ci era W i l s o n i n t h e cri m e. Th e

i n v e st i g at o r i n terv i ewed W i l s on , wh o i n d i cat ed t h at M art i n an d h i s co u s i n , Ry t av i ou s

El l i so n , h ad ro b b ed Rey es -Gau ci n , t h en u s ed h er d eb i t card t o fi l l s ev eral cars wi th

g as o li n e. Th e p o l i ce search ed a wh i t e car b el o ng i n g to Mart i n ’ s si s t er an d d i s co v ered

a s m al l , b l ack h an d g un b eari ng M art i n’ s fi n g erp ri n t u nd er t h e fro n t s eat

.

W i l s o n tes ti fi ed ag a i n s t M a rt i n at t ri al

, p ro v i d i n g t h e fo l l o wi n g acco u n t o f

ev en ts

. O n t h e n i g h t o f t he ro b b ery , s h e an d E l l i s o n g o t i n t o h er car, an d El l i so n

i n s t ru ct ed h er t o fo l l o w b eh i n d M art i n , wh o was d ri vi n g a wh i t e SUV. Th ey p ark ed

2o ff o f W es t Av en ue, an d El l i s o n an d M art i n l eft t he area, i n s t ru ct i n g W i l s o n t o wai t

fo r t h em i n t h e car. Ap p ro x i m at el y 1 5 t o 2 0 m i nu t es l at er, W i l s o n h e a r d a wo m an

s cream , an d E l l i s o n an d M art i n ran b ack t o t h e cars

. M art in w as h ol d i n g a s m al l

, d ark

h an dg u n , an d W i l s o n o b serv ed h i m t h ro w a p u rs e o n t o t h e p as s en g er s eat o f h i s

v eh icl e. He al s o had a s k i m as k wi th h im

. E l l i s o n t o ld W il s o n t o “ g o real l y fas t ,” an d

s h e sp ed away , t rav el i n g i n t h e o p p o s i t e d irect i o n o f M art i n

. Th e t h r ee m et u p at

M art i n ’ s h o u s e a sh o rt t i m e l at er, aft er wh ich M art i n an d El l i s o n r i fl ed t h ro u g h t h e

p u rs e, t oo k t he cas h

, an d wen t to t h e g as s t at i o n

. El li s on l at er to l d W i l s on th at M art in

h ad ap p ro ach ed a wo m an o n t h e s t reet an d t ak en h er p u rs e at g u np o i n t

.

1

. On ap p eal

, M art i n arg u es t h at t he t ri al co u rt erred i n ad m i t t i n g o th er-cri m es

ev i d en ce u n d er OCGA § 2 4 -4 -4 0 4 (b ). Sp eci fi cal l y , t h e St at e p res en t ed ev i d en ce t h at

o n J an uary 1 9

, 2 0 1 3

, an o t her Hi s p an i c wo m an wal ki n g i n Gai nes v i ll e w as ro b b ed by

t wo m en weari n g d ark cl o t h i n g an d t r av el i n g i n a wh i t e SUV. Acco rd i n g t o t h e

v i ct i m , Lu ci n a M ay o -Ro m ero , o n e o f t h e m en p o i n ted a g u n at h er, w h i l e t h e o t h er

s n at ch ed h er pu rs e fro m h er arm

. A few d ay s l at er, h er p u rs e was fo u n d d i s card ed o n

t h e s i d e o f t h e ro ad

. T h e v i ct im i d en t i fi ed M art i n as t h e m an w h o h a d s n at ch ed h er

p u rs e. Sh e fu rt h er t es ti fi ed t h at t he s m al l gu n s ei zed fro m t h e car b el o n g i n g t o

M art i n ’ s s i s t er was s i m il ar t o t h at u s ed b y t h e g u n m an

.

3Pu rs uan t t o OCGA § 2 4 -4 -4 0 4 (b ),

Ev i d en ce o f ot h er cri m es , wro n g s, o r act s s h al l n o t b e ad m is s i b l e t o

p ro v e t h e ch arac t e r o f a p ers o n i n o rd er t o s h o w act i o n in co n fo rm i t y

t h erewi th

. It m ay , h o wev er, b e ad m i s s ib l e fo r o t h er p urp o s es , i n cl ud i n g , b u t n o t l im i t ed t o , p ro o f o f m o t i v e, op p o rt u n i t y , i n t en t

, p r e pa rat i o n , p l an , k n o wl ed g e, i d en t i t y , o r ab s en ce o f m i st ak e o r acci den t

.

A tri al co u rt p ro p erl y ad m i t s o t h er-cri m es ev i d en ce wh en (1 ) t h e e v i d en ce i s

rel ev an t to an i s su e o t h er t han t h e d efen d an t ’ s ch aract er; (2 ) i t s p ro b at i v e v al u e i s n ot

s u b s t an t i al l y o u t wei g h ed b y u n d u e p reju d i ce; an d (3 ) t h ere i s s u ffi ci en t p ro o f fo r t h e

ju ry t o fi n d b y a p rep o n d eran ce o f t h e ev id en ce t h at th e d efen d an t co m m i t t ed t h e

o t h er act

. See Br a n n o n v. S t a t e , 2 9 8 Ga. 60 1

, 6 0 6 (4 ) (7 8 3 SE2 d 6 4 2) (2 0 1 6 ). W e

rev i ew t h e ad m i s si o n o f s uch ev i d en ce “ fo r a cl ear ab u s e o f d i s c ret io n , ” m ak i n g “ a

co m m o n s en se as s es s m en t o f al l t h e ci rcu m s t an ces s u rro u n di n g t he ex t ri n s i c o ffen s e,

i n cl u d i n g p ro s ecu t o ri al n eed

, o v eral l s i m i l ari t y b et ween t h e ex t ri n s i c act an d t h e

ch arg ed offen s e, as wel l as t em p o ral rem o t en es s .” Id

.

M art i n arg u es t h at ev i d en ce o f t h e J an uary 1 9

, 2 0 1 3 ro b bery was n o t rel ev an t

t o an y is s u e o t h er th a n ch aract er. W e d i s ag ree. Th e St at e o ffered t h e ev i d en ce to

es t ab l i s h

, am o n g o t h er t hi n g s , M art i n ’ s i den t i t y as a p art i ci p an t i n t h e Rey es -Gau ci n

ro b b ery

. O t h e r-cri m es ev i d en ce m ay b e ad m i t t ed as p ro of o f i d en t it y i f i t i s

4s u ffi ci en t l y s i m i l a r t o t h e ch arg ed cri m e t o “ m ark t he o ffen s es as t h e [d efen d an t ’ s ]

h an di wo rk

. ” Id

. at 6 0 7

. In o th er wo rd s, “ [t ] h e ex t ri n s ic act m u s t b e a si gn at u re cri m e,

an d t h e d efen d an t m

us t h av e u s ed a m o d u s o p eran d i t h at i s u ni q u el y h i s.” W a t f o r d

,

s u p ra at 5 0 4 (2 ).

Th e t wo i nci d en ts at i s s ue h ere o ccu rred wi t h i n a p pro x i m at el y o n e m o n t h o f

each o t h er, an d b o t h in vo l v ed t he arm ed ro b b ery o f a Hi s pan i c w o m an wal k i n g al o n e

i n Gai n es v il l e, d u ri n g wh ich a p u rs e was s n at ch ed fro m t h e v i ct i m

. Th e p erp et rat o rs

wo re dark cl o t h in g an d u s ed a s m al l h an d g u n, a s w e l l as a wh i t e SUV, t o carry o ut

t h e cri m es

. In b o t h i n s t an ces , t h e st o len p u rs es were l at er fo u n d di s card ed on a

r o ad way

. Acco rd i n g t o W i ls o n , Hi s p an i cs w ere t h e t arg et o f t h e ro bb eri es b ec a u s e

“ t h ey wo rk ed

. . . [an d ] [t ] hey h ad al l t h e m o n ey .” Fi n al l y , M ay o -Ro m ero p o s i t i v el y

i d en t i fi ed M art i n as o n e o f h er as s ai l an t s i n t h e J an u ary 1 9 , 2 0 1 3 ro b b ery

.

Gi v en t h es e ci rcu m s t an ces , t h e t ri al co u rt was au t h ori zed t o fi n d th at t h e m o du s

o p eran di fo r each ro b bery “ was s u ffi ci en tl y s i m i l ar to m ark t h e o ffen ses as [M art in ’ s ]

h an di wo rk

. ” Br a n no n , s u p ra. Fu rt herm o re, al t h o u gh vari o u s ev i den ce, i n cl u d i n g

W i ls o n ’ s t es ti m on y , co n n ect ed M art i n to th e Rey es -Gau ci n cri m e, ad di t i o n al p ro o f

o f i den t i t y w as cert ai nl y rel ev an t

. See OCGA § 2 4-1 4 -8 (t es t i m o n y o f an acco m p l i ce

5m

u st b e co rro b o rat ed t o s us t ai n a fel o n y co n v i ct i o n ). Th e t ri al co u rt

, t herefo re,

p ro p erl y ad m i tt ed ev id en ce o f t h e J an u ary 1 9, 2 0 1 3 ro b bery

.

2

. Al t ern at iv el y , M art i n arg u es t h at M ay o -Ro m ero ’ s tr ia l te stim ony i d en t i fy i n g

h i m as t h e p u rs e s nat ch er s h o u l d h av e b een ex cl u d ed . Ag ai n , we d i s ag ree.

Th e reco rd s ho ws t hat M ay o -Ro m ero w as i n M e x i co at t he t i m e o f t ri al an d

t es t i fi ed t h ro ug h a Sk y

p e vi d eo feed

. Du ri n g h er t es t i m o n y , t h e p ro s ecu t o r s h o wed

M ay o -Ro m ero a p i ct u re o f M art i n an d as ked wh et her s h e reco g n i z e d “ t h i s m an .”

W h en M ay o -Ro m ero res p o n d ed

, “ y es ,” t h e p ro s ecu t o r i n q u i r e d

, “ W h o i s t h i s ? ”

M ay o -Ro m ero s t at ed : “ Th e o n e wh o s n at ch ed m y b ag .” Acco rd i n g t o th e St at e, t h e

p ro s ecu to r u sed a ph o t o g rap h t o o b t ai n t h e i d en ti fi cat i o n b ecau s e “ t he t es ti m o n y was

t ak en v i a Sk y

p e an d [M ay o -Ro m ero ] was u n ab le t o s can t h e co u rt ro o m ” t o i d en t i fy

M art i n i n p ers o n

.

M art i n co n t en d s t hat t h e i n -co u rt i d en t i fi cat i o n b as ed o n a si n g l e ph o t o g rap h

was i m p erm i s s i b l y s u g ges ti v e, i m p ro p er, an d u n rel iab l e. M art i n, h o wev er, n ev er

rai s ed t h i s arg u m en t b el ow. Al t h o u g h h e o b ject ed t o t h e o t h er-cri m es ev i d en ce an d

q u es ti o n ed wh y M ay o-Ro m ero h ad n ot p rev i o u s l y m ad e an i d en ti fi cat i o n , he d i d n ot

ch al l en g e t h e i d en t ifi cat i o n p ro ces s as i m p erm i s s ib l y s u g g es t i ve. Ad m i ss i o n o f t h e

ev i d en ce, t h erefo re, i s o n l y su b ject t o rev i ew fo r “ p l ai n erro r a f f e c t i n g s u b s t an t i al

6ri gh t s.” Jo n es v. S t a t e , 2 99 Ga. 4 0

, 42 (2 ) (7 8 5 S E 2 d 8 8 6 ) ( 2 01 6 ) (p u n ct u at i o n

o m it t ed ). Un d er t h e p l ai n erro r s t an d ard :

Fi rs t , t h ere m

u s t b e an erro r o r d efect
— s o m e s ort o f d ev i at i o n fro m a

l eg al ru le

— t h at h as n o t b een i n ten t io n al l y rel i n q u is hed o r ab an d o n ed

, i .e., affi rm at i v el y w ai v ed

, b y t h e ap p el lan t

. Seco n d, t h e l eg al erro r m u s t

b e cl ear o r o b v i ou s, rat h er t h an su b j ect t o reas o n ab l e d i s pu t e. Th i rd

, th e

erro r m u s t hav e affect ed t h e ap p el l an t ’ s s u b s t an t i al ri g h t s , wh i ch in th e

o rd i nary cas e m ean s h e m u s t d em o n st rat e t h at i t affect ed th e o u t co m e o f

t h e t ri al co u rt p ro ceed i n gs

. Fo u rt h an d fi n al ly

, i f t h e ab ov e t h ree p ro n g s

are s at i s fi ed

, t h e ap p el l at e co u rt h as t h e d i s cret i o n t o r em ed y t he erro r

— d i s c r e t i o n w h i ch o u gh t to b e ex erci s ed on l y i f t h e erro r s eri o us l y

affect s t h e fai rn es s, i n t eg ri t y or p u b li c rep u t at i o n o f ju d i ci al

p ro ceed i n g s

.

Id . (p u n ct u at io n o m i t t ed ).

In t h i s c a s e , r e v ers al i s n o t au t h o ri zed b ecau s e no erro r o ccu rred

. M art i n ’ s

ch al l en g e t o t h e i d en ti fi cat i o n t es t i m o ny rel i es u p on cas es i n v o l v in g s u g g es t i v e

p r et r i a l p r o c e du res th at al l eg ed l y t ai n t ed a wi t n es s ’ s s u b s eq u en t i n -co u rt

i d e nt i fi cat i o n

. See, e.g ., W a l ker v. S t at e , 2 95 Ga. 6 8 8

, 6 9 2 -6 9 3 (3 ) (7 6 3 SE2 d 7 0 4 )

(2 0 1 4); W

ri g h t v. St at e , 3 0 2 Ga. Ap p

. 1 01

, 1 0 4

- 1 0 5 (4 ) (6 90 SE2 d 2 2 0) (2 0 1 0 );

Br a dl ey v

. S t a t e , 1 5 2 G a. Ap p

. 9 0 2

, 9 0 2 -9 0 4 (2 6 4 SE2 d 3 3 2 ) (1 9 80 ). Su ch cas es

7ad d res s t h e ex t ra safeg u ard s dev el o p ed b y co u rt s t o p ro t ect ag ai n s t p o t en t i al p ret ri al

m i s i d en t i fi cat i o n . Ou r Su p rem e Co u rt h as ex p lai n ed :

[b ] ecau s e p ret ri al i d en ti fi cat i o n p ro ced u res o ccu r b ey o n d t h e i m m ed i at e

s u p erv i s i o n o f t h e co u rt

, t h e l ik el i h o o d o f m i s id en t i fi cat io n i n s u ch cas es

i n creas es , an d co u rt s hav e req u i red t h a t pr e t r ia l ide ntif

ic a t ion pr oc e du res

c o m po rt wi t h cert ai n m i ni m

u m co n s t it u t i o n al req u i rem en t s i n o rd er t o

i n s u re fai rn es s

.

Ra l s t o n v. S t a t e , 2 5 1 Ga. 6 82 , 6 8 3 (2 ) (3 0 9 SE2 d 1 3 5 ) (1 9 83 ).

Th es e ex t ra s afeg uard s d o n o t ap p l y h ere. As Mart i n co nced es , May o -Ro m ero

m ad e n o p ret ri al i d en t ifi cat i o n

. A u t ho ri t i es h ad n ot p rev i o u s l y s h own h er an y

p h o t o g rap h s , an d s h e d i d n o t i d en t i fy M art i n as t he p erp et rat o r befo re t ri al

. H e r

t es t i m o ny co n s t it u t ed an i n-co u rt i d en ti fi cat i o n t h at was “ su b ject t o t h e s am e ru l es o f

ev i d en ce, wi t n es s cred i b i l i t y , a n d c ro s s -ex am i n at i o n as al l t es t i m o n y i n a cri m i n al

t ri al .” Id

. at 6 8 3-6 84 ; s ee al so Ivey v. S t a t e , 2 7 7 Ga. 8 7 5

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

(2 0 0 4) (“ Th e ‘ t o t al i ty o f th e ci rcu m st an ces ’ t es t fo r rel i ab i l i t y

. . . ap p l i es to

ex t ra-ju d i ci al p ret ri al i d en t i fi cat i o n pro ced u res s u ch as li n eu p s , s h o wu p s an d

p h o t o g rap h i c di sp l ay s , n o t t o th e i n -co urt p ro ced u res u s ed in th i s cas e.”) (p u n ct u at i o n

o m it t ed ). Acco rd in g l y , t h e t ri al co u rt d i d n o t err i n ad m i t t i n g t h e i d en t i fi cat i o n

t es t i m o ny . See Ra l

s t on , s u pra; Ivey , s u p ra.

8Ju d

g men t a f f i r med

. El l i n g t o n, P. J., a n d Ri ckma n
, J., co n cu r i n j u dg men t o n l y

.

9