FOURTH D I VI SI ON

DI LLA R D, C. J.

, RA Y, P. J. and SELF, J.

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

A u gust 2, 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 97 5 . REED v . THE STATE. SE-0 3 0

S E LF , J u d g e.

Ti m m y Lan e Reed p l ed g u i l t y t o on e co u n t e a c h of traffi ck i n g in

m et h am p h et am i ne, po s s es s io n o f m ari ju an a wi t h i n t en t t o d i s tri b ut e, an d p o s s es s i o n

o f m o re t h an an o u nce o f m ari ju an a. Th e t ri al co u rt s en t en ced h im to s erv e 1 5 y ears

i n p ri s o n

. Reed ap p eal s

, co n t en di n g t h at th e t ri al co u rt erred i n fai l i n g t o s en ten ce h i m

b e l o w th e m an d at o ry m in im u m p u rs u an t to OCGA § 1 6 -1 3 -3 1 (g ) (2 ) (A )

. We

d i s ag ree an d affi rm

.

Th e fact s i n t hi s cas e are n o t i n d i s p ut e. In t h e s u m m er o f 20 1 5

, t h e Ch ero kee

Co u n t y M u l t i A g e n cy N arco t ics Sq u ad (“ CM ANS”) recei v ed a t i p t h at Reed was

s el l i n g m et h am

p h et am in e. On t h ree s ep arat e o ccas i o n s

, beg i n n i n g o n J u l y 2 3

, 2 0 1 5,

CM A NS u s ed an u n d erco v er ag en t an d co n fi d en ti al in fo rm an t t o p u rch as e fro m Reedb et ween 1 .2 g ram s an d 1 .9 g ram s o f m et h am p h et am i n e fo r “ a hu n d red do l l ars cas h ”

each t i m e. Bas ed o n t h es e t h ree p u rch as es

, CM ANS o ffi cers o b tai n ed a w a r r a n t to

s earch h i s res i d en ce. Offi cers reco v ered 2 1 1 g ram s o f m et h am p h et am i n e, 5 1 6 g ram s

o f m ari ju an a, an d $ 4

, 6 7 8 i n c a s h

. A t t h e t i m e o f t h e s earch

, t h ree i n d i v i d u al s were

p res en t in t h e res i d en ce, i n cl u d i n g Reed

, Reed ’ s n ei g h b o r, an d Reed ’ s g i rl fri en d,

Sh erri Sat t erfi e l d

. Th e n ei g h b o r was wo rk i n g o n Reed ’ s v eh i cl e an d ad m i t t ed to

h av in g u s ed m et h am

p het am i n e p ro v i d ed to h i m b y Reed t hat m o rn i n g i n ex ch an g e

fo r t he wo rk

. Reed cl ai m ed hi s g i rl fri en d k n ew no t h i n g ab o u t th e d ru g s fo u n d i n t h e

h o m e.

Reed ad m i t t ed t o po s s es s i n g fo u r t o fi ve o u n ces o f m et h am p h et a m i n e an d to

s el l i n g i t “ to m ak e a b u ck ” b ecau s e h e h ad lo st h is jo b

. Reed t o ld o ffi cers t h at h e

m ad e t wo s al es ev ery week an d t h at h e s o l d ap p ro x i m at el y fo u r ou n ces ev ery t wo to

t h r e e m o n t h s

. Offi cers arres t ed Reed an d t ran s p o rt ed h i m t o t h e Ch ero k ee Co u n t y

Ad u l t Det en ti o n Cen t er.

A week aft er h i s arres t

, narco t i cs ag en t s i n tercep ted a p h o n e cal l fro m t h e jai l

b et ween Reed an d a fam i l y m em b er d i s c u s s i n g s om et h i n g b u ri ed i n h is y ard

. Aft er

t al k i n g w i th th e fam il y m em b er, o ffi cers o b t ai n ed a s eco n d warran t t o s ear ch t h e

2res i den ce an d d i s co v ered $ 2 2 ,4 3 3 an d 1 1

. 8 g ram s o f m et h am p h et am i ne b u ri ed i n a

co n tai n er i n t h e y ard

.

Reed an d Sat t erfi el d were jo i n t ly i n di ct ed o n o n e co u n t each o f t raffi ck i n g in

m et h am p h et am i ne, p o ss es s i o n o f m ari ju an a wi t h i n t en t t o d i s tri b ut e, an d p o s s es s i o n

o f m o re t han an o u n ce o f m ari ju an a. Reed p l ed g u i l t y t o al l t h ree ch arg es an d t h e t ri al

co u rt s en t en ced h i m

as a fi rs t o ffen d er t o 1 5 y ears

.

Th e t ri al co u rt s en t en ced Reed u n d er O C G A § 1 6 -1 3 -3 1 (e) (2 ), wh i ch

p ro v id es :

An y pers o n wh o s el l s

, d el i v e r s

, o r b ri n g s in t o th is s t at e o r h as

p o s s es si o n o f 2 8 g ram s or m o re o f m et h am ph et am i n e, am

p h et am in e, o r

an y m i x t u re co n t ai n in g ei t her m et h am p het am i n e o r am

p h et am i n e, as

d es cri b ed i n Sch ed u l e II, i n v i o l at io n o f t h i s art icl e co m m i t s t h e fel o n y

o ffen s e of t raffi ck i n g i n m et h am p h et am i ne o r am

p h et am i n e an d

, u p o n

co n v i ct i o n th ereo f, s h al l b e p u n i s h e d as fo l l o ws :.

. . (2 ) If t h e q u an t i t y

o f m e t h am

p h et am i n e, am

p h et am i n e, o r a m ix t u re co n t ai n in g ei t h er

s u b s t an ce i nv o l v ed i s 2 0 0 g ram s o r m o re, b u t l es s t han 4 00 g ram s

, th e

p ers on s h al l b e s en t en ced t o a m an d at o ry m in i m u m t erm o f

i m p ri s o n m en t o f 1 5 y ears an d s h al l p ay a fi n e o f $ 30 0 ,0 0 0 .0 0

.

Th e t ri al co u rt d ecl i n ed Reed ’ s req u es t fo r a d ev i at i o n fro m t h e m an dat o ry m i n i m u m

s en t en ce. See OCGA § 1 6 -1 3 -3 1 (g ) (2 ). It reas o ned :

3Th ere are a l o t o f in s tan ces wh ere [s ] tat u tes t h at d en y d i s cret io n t o t he

Co u rt wo rk

– d o n ’ t a l w a ys w o rk t o w h at m i g h t b e t h e b es t ju st i ce i n a

cas e.

T h i s

. . . p art i cu l ar [s ] tat u t e h as

. . . eas ed s o m ewh at

. . . i n pro v i d i n g

d i s cret i o n

, b u t i t i s a v ery l i m i t ed d i s cret i o n . . . an d d efi n ed i n Sect i o n

(2 ) (a) – (g ) (2 ) (a).

An d

. . . I b el i ev e t h at th e Go v ern o r has b eg un t o r e

- e x a m i ne

. . . th e

d ru g l aws an d t o t ry an d creat e a p erh ap s a m o re rat i o n al s t ru ct u re t h an

. . . b efo re. I t h i nk t h e fo cu s o f t h at is

. . . o n ad d i ct i o n

. . . an d t h e h arm

t h at ad d ict i o n cau s es

.

I al s o b el i ev e th at m an d at o ry m i n i m u m s fo r d eal in g

. . . d o n ’t a l w ay s

wo rk t he perfect ju s t i ce, b u t I u n d ers tan d t h em b ecau se I s ee ev ery d ay

t h e i m p act of wh at y o u p ed d le. I s ee ch i l d ren wh o are n eg l ect ed

, ab u sed

,

wh o d i e b ecau s e o f p eo p l e wh o are s o

– wh o s e l iv es are s o wreck ed b y

m et h am p h et am i ne t h at t h ey can ’ t b e p aren t s

. I s ee s p o u s al ab u s e, t h eft

,

an d al l m a n n er o f v i o l en ce. I can ’ t ev en b eg i n t o ex pl ai n t o y o u wh at

k i n d o f

– ho w m et h am

p h et am i n e t ears at t h e fab ri c o f t h i s co m m un i t y

.

An d t h i s [s ] t at u t e i s d es i g n ed wi t h t h at i n m i n d, n o t t o p un i s h t h e u s er.

Th ere are [s ] t at ut es t h at p u n i s h u sers

, t o – t h at ad d res s t he v i o l at i o n o f

– o f ad d i ct io n an d u s e. Th i s [s ] t at u t e d o es wh at

– t he on l y t h i n g th e

Leg i s l at u re k n o w s h o w to d o

, i s t o t ry t o s t op t h e fl o w o f d ru g s i n t o th e

co m m u n i t y fro m th e s o u rce. A n d i n rev i ewi n g t h e el em en t s o f d ev iat i o n

,

wh i ch I’ m req u i red to fi n d al l o f t h em i n o rd er t o d ev i at e, i t ’ s an an d

, n o t

4an o r, at t h e t o p o f t h e l i s t

, I d o n ’t t h in k I can fi n d t h at y o u were n o t a

l ead er an d

. . . I real l y d o n ’ t t h i n k th at t h e in teres t of ju st i ce wo ul d be

s erv ed b y an i m p os i ti o n o f a l es s er s en t en ce.

Reed co n ten d s t h at t h e tri al co u rt ab u s ed i t s d is cret i o n in fai l i n g t o d ep art fro m

t h e 15 -y ear m an dat o ry m i n im u m “ b as ed o n q u an t i t y al on e.” Reed as s ert s t h at u n d er

OCGA § 1 6 -1 3 -3 1 (g ) ( 2 )

, m o re t h an m ere q u an t i t y m u s t be co n s id ered an d

, in

Reed ’ s cas e, t h ere was n o ag g rav at in g ev id en ce. Sp eci fi cal l y

, th e St at e p res en t ed n o

ev i d en ce t h at Re e d w a s a “ lead er” o r “ k i n g p i n ” o r t hat he m ai n t ai n ed an o rg an i zed

m et h am p h et am i ne d i s t ri b u t i o n n et wo rk ; n o fi r e a r m s w ere in v o l v ed ; Reed h ad n o

p ri o r fel o n i es ; Reed ’ s p re-t ri al d ru g s creen s were al l n eg at i v e; an d al l t h e wi t n es s es

wh o t es t i fi ed at t h e p l ea h eari ng o n Reed ’ s b eh al f i n d i cat ed th at h e w as a p ro d u ct i v e

m em b er o f s oci et y

. Fi n al l y

, Reed cl ai m s t h e t ri a l co u rt u t i l i zed a m ech an i cal

s en t en ci n g s ch em e “ t h at p rev en t ed p ro per co n si d erat io n ” of t h e req u es t fo r a

d ev iat i o n

.

W e fi n d n o m eri t i n th es e co n t en ti o n s. Fi rs t

, t h e reco rd co n tai n s n o ev i d en ce

t h at t h e t ri al co u rt decl i n ed to dev i at e “ b as ed o n qu an t i t y al o ne.” Th e reco rd al s o fai l s

t o su p p o rt Reed ’ s m ech an i cal s en t e n c i n g c l ai m

. Su ch a cl ai m req u ires “ a cl ear

s t a t em en t i n t h e reco rd th at co n s t i t u t es ei t h er a gen eral refu s al t o co n s i d er [ a

5d ev iat i o n ] o r an erro n eo u s ex p res s io n o f b el i ef th at t h e law d o es n o t p erm i t t h e

e xe r c ise of suc h d i scret i o n

. ” (Ci t at i o n an d p u n ct u at i o n o m i t t ed .) McCu l l o u g h v

. State

,

3 1 7 Ga. Ap p

. 85 3 (7 3 3 SE2 d 36 ) (2 0 1 2 ). Here, t h e t ri al co u rt ’ s s t at em en t s d u ri n g t h e

s en t en ci n g h eari n g cl earl y i n d icat e an awaren es s t h at i t had t h e d i s cret i o n t o d ev i at e

fro m t h e m an d at ory m i n i m u m sen t en ce; t h ere i s no t h i n g i n t h e t ri al co u rt ’ s s t at em en t

t h at i nd i cat es it was ap pl y i n g a m ech an i cal p o l i cy o r “ t h at t h er e w a s an o u t ri g ht

refu sal t o co n si d er [Reed ’ s req u es t t o d ev i at e] .” Id . at 8 5 5

.

Th e rem ai n d er o f Reed ’ s arg u m en t s fo cu s u p o n th e s tat u to ry fact o rs al l o wi n g

a t ri al co urt d i s cret i o n t o d ev i at e. OCGA § 1 6 -1 3-3 1 (g ) pro v i des t h r ee way s t h at a

t ri al co urt m ay i m

p o s e a red u ced o r s u s p en d ed s en t en ce u p o n a d efen d an t co n v i ct ed

o f v i o l at i n g t h e Co d e s ect io n

. Su b s ect i o n (1 ) al lo ws t h e t ri al co u rt t o d ep art fro m t h e

m an d at o ry m i n i m

u m s en t en ce i f i t d et erm i n es t h at t h e d efen d an t h as p ro v i d ed

“ s u b s t an t i al as s i st an ce i n th e i d en t i fi cat i o n

, arres t, o r co n vi ct i o n o f an y o f h i s o r h er

acco m pl i ces

, acces s o ri es

, co co n s p i rat o rs

, or pri n ci p al s .” OCGA § 1 6 -1 3 -3 1 (g ) (1 ).

Su b s ect io n (3 ) al l o ws fo r d ep art u re “ wh en t h e pro s ecu t i n g at t o rn ey an d t h e d efen d an t

h av e ag reed to a s en t en ce th at i s b el o w s u ch m an d at o ry m i n i m u m .” OCGA § 1 6 -1 3

-

3 1 (3 ). Fi n al ly , s u b sect i o n (2 ), wh i ch Reed co n t en ds ap p l i es i n t hi s cas e, p ro v i d es :

6In t h e co u r t ’s d i s cr et i o n

, t h e ju d g e ma y d ep art fro m t h e m an d at o ry

m i n i m um s en t en ce sp eci fi ed fo r a p ers o n wh o i s co n v i ct ed o f a vi o l at i o n

o f t h i s Co d e s ect i o n as s et fo rt h i n s u b p arag rap h (B) o f t h i s p ar a g r a p h

i f t h e ju dg e co n cl u des t h at : (i ) Th e d efen d an t was n ot a l ead er o f t h e

cri m i n al co n du ct ; (i i ) Th e d efen d a n t d i d n o t p o s s es s o r u s e a fi rearm

,

d an g e ro u s weap o n

, o r h azard o u s o bject d u ri ng t h e cri m e; (i i i ) T he

cri m i n al co nd u ct d i d n o t r e s u l t i n a d eat h o r s eri o u s bo d i l y i n ju ry t o a

p ers on o t h e r t h an t o a p ers o n wh o i s a p art y to t h e cri m e; (i v ) T he

d efen d an t h as no p ri o r fel o n y co n v ict i o n ; an d (v ) Th e i n t eres t s o f ju s t i ce

wi l l n o t be s erv ed b y t h e i m p o s it i on o f t h e pres cri b ed m a n d at o ry

m i n i m um s en t en ce.

(Em p h as i s s u p p li ed .) OCGA § 1 6 -1 3 -3 1 (g ) (2 ) (A).

Th i s s t at u t e ex p l i ci t l y a u t h o ri zes th e t ri al co u rt t o ex erci s e i t s d i s cr et i o n in

d ep art i n g fro m t h e m an d at o ry m i n i m u m s en t en ce o n l y i f al l fi ve fact o rs are p res en t

.

See La s t oh kei n v. S t a t e

, 1 99 Ga. Ap p

. 5 5 5, 5 5 6 (2 ) (4 0 5 SE2 d 55 4 ) (1 99 1 ) (“ [OCGA

§ 1 6

- 1 3

- 3 1 ( g ) (1 )] d o es n ot b y i t s term s req u ire t h e ju d g e t o i m p o s e a red u ced o r

s u s p en d ed s en t en ce in t h e ev en t a defen dan t h as ren d ered s u ch as s i st an ce b ut i n s t ead

m erel y au t h o ri zes h i m t o d o s o

. ”). Co n t rary t o Reed ’ s co n ten t io n

, t h e s t at u t e d o es n ot

s t a t e t h at t h e t ri al co u rt mu s t d ep art fro m th e m an d at o ry m i n i m u m s en t en ce i n t h e

ev en t i t fi n d s t he p res en ce o f al l fi v e fact o rs

. It al s o d o es n o t req u i re co ns i d erat i o n o f

ag g rav at i n g ev i d en ce t o s up p o rt a d eci s i o n n ot t o d ep art fro m t h e m an d at o ry

7m i n i m

u m s en t en ce. Th e fi rs t fo u r fact ors can b e d et erm i n ed fro m o b ject i v e ev i d en ce

i n t h e reco rd

, b u t t he fi ft h i s

, b y i t s v ery n at ure, s u b ject i v e. “ [A] p p l i cat i o n o f [an

i n t eres t o f ju s t i ce] s t an d ard t o t h e p ecu l i ar ci rcu m s t an ces o f a part i cu lar cas e i s a

m a t t e r co m

m i t t ed t o t h e s o u n d d i s cret i o n o f t h e t ri al co urt

, an d we rev iew t h e t r i a l

co u rt ’ s d eci s i o n fo r ab u s e of d i s cret i o n.” (Ci t at i o n s an d p u nct u at i o n o m i t t ed .)

W o o d a rd Even t

s v. Co f f ee Ho u s e In d

u s

.,

_ _ G a. Ap p.

_

_ (Cas e N o

. A1 7 A0 3 0 6,

d eci d ed Ju n e 2 , 2 0 1 7 ).

In t h i s c a s e

, t h e reco rd fro m t h e p lea h eari n g refl ect s t h at t h e t ri al co u rt was

wel l aware o f i t s d i s cret i o n t o d ep art fro m t h e m an d at ory m i n i m u m s en ten ce an d t h e

fact ors co n t ai n ed i n OCGA § 1 6-1 3 -3 1 (g ) (2 ) (A). Ho wev er, t h e t ri al co urt co n cl u d ed

t h at t h e fi ft h fact o r

– t h e “ i n t eres t s o f ju s t i ce”

– d i d no t wei g h in fav or o f Reed

. As

we can no t s ay t h at t h e t ri al co urt ab u s ed it s d i scret i o n i n reach i n g t h i s co n cl u s i o n

, we

affi rm

. 1

Ju d g men t a f f i r m ed . Di l l ar d

, C. J., a n d Ra

y, P. J., co n cu r

.

1 Bas ed u p o n o ur an al y s i s o f t h e i n t eres t s o f ju s t i ce fact o r, we n eed n ot co n s i d er

Reed ’ s arg u m en t s as t o th e rem ai n i n g fo u r fact o rs

.

8