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

A pr i l 25, 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 03 5 . W ILKERSON v . THE STATE.

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

A Sp al di ng Co u n t y j u ry fo u nd Del an ero u s W i l ker s on g ui l t y b ey o n d a

reas on ab l e d o u b t o f ag g rav at ed b at t ery , OCGA § 16 -5 -2 4 (a); an d ag g rav at ed as s au l t

,

OCGA § 1 6 -5 -2 1 (a) (2 ). Th e t ri al co urt d et erm i ned t hat t h e o ffen s es m erg ed an d

s en t en ced W i l k ers on t o t w en t y y ears i m p ri s o n m e n t fo r t h e ag g rav at ed b at t ery

.

Fo l l o wi ng t h e d en i al o f hi s m o ti o n fo r a n ew t ri al , W i l k ers o n co n t en d s t h at t h e t ri al

co u rt sh o u l d h a v e s et as i d e t h e verd i ct o n ag g rav at ed b at t ery , arg u i n g t h at t h e

i n d i ct m en t fai led t o al l eg e a cri m i n al act

. In ad d it i on , h e co n t en d s t hat

, aft er fi n d i n g

t h at th e o f

f e n s e s m erg ed

, t h e t ri al co u rt erred i n s en t en ci n g h i m fo r ag g rav at ed

b at t ery , rat h er t h an fo r ag g rav at ed as s au l t

, an d

, al t ern at i v el y , erred i n fai l i n g to

s en t en ce h i m t o a p un is h m en t wi t h i n th e s t at u t o ry ran g e fo r fal s e i m p ri s o n m en t u n d ert h e ru l e o f l en i ty

. Fi n al l y , h e c o n t en d s t hat he recei v ed i n effect i v e as s i s t an ce o f

co u ns el . Fo r t h e reas o n s ex pl ai n ed b el o w, we affi rm

.

Vi ewed i n t h e l i g h t m o st fav o rab l e t o t h e ju ry ’ s v erd i ct

, 1 th e reco rd s h o ws t h e

fo l l o w i n g

. Th e i n ci d en t t h at res u lt ed in t h e ch arg es o ccu rred o n M ay 10

, 2 0 1 2.

Du ri n g t h e p reced i n g y ear, t h e v i ct i m an d W i l kers o n were i n a rel at i o n sh i p an d l i v i n g

t o g et h er. On m

u lt i p l e o ccas i o n s , W i l k ers o n p h y s i cal l y ab us ed t h e v i ct i m , aft er wh i ch

t h ey wo u l d b reak u p, fo l l o wed b y a reco n ci l i at i on

. In Ap ri l 2 0 1 2

, aft er l earn i n g t h at

W i l k e r s o n was ab o u t to b e rel eas ed fro m jai l fo l l o wi ng t h e m o s t recen t in ci d en t o f

d o m es t ic ab u s e, t h e v i ct i m fl ed an d

, aft er s t a y i n g wi t h a fri en d, ch eck ed i n t o a

h o m el es s s h el t er i n G ri ffi n. W i l k ers o n co n t act ed t h e vi ct i m at t h e s h el t er an d

ag g res s i v el y co n fro n ted h er s ev era l t i m es , i n s i s t in g t hat sh e ret u rn to h i m

. On M ay

1 0

, sh e rel u ct an tl y ag reed to l eav e wi t h hi m

. Aft er g at h eri n g h er b el o n g i n g s an d

wal k i n g o u t s i d e, t he v i ct i m ch an g ed h er m i n d an d t o l d W i l k ers o n t h at s h e wo u l d n ot

l eav e wi t h h i m

. A s t h e v i ct i m reach ed fo r t h e d o o r h an d l e t o g o b ack i n t o t h e s h el t er,

W i lk ers o n g rab b ed h e r b y th e h ai r an d p u l l ed h er fo rcefu l l y t o t h e g ro un d

, s ay i n g

“ Bi t ch

, y o u wan t t o d i e o ff? ” T h e v i ct i m ’ s neck s t ru ck th e g ro u n d

, in ju ri n g h er s p i n al

1 Ja cks o n v. Vi r

g i n i a , 4 43 U. S. 3 0 7, 31 9 (III) (B) (9 9 SCt 2 7 8 1

, 6 1 LE2 d 5 6 0 ) (1 9 7 9).

2co rd

, an d sh e was i m m ed i at el y u n ab l e t o m o v e h er l i m b s

. D u e t o th e s p i n al co rd

i n ju ry cau s ed b y W i l k ers o n , th e v ict i m i s n o w an i n co m p let e qu ad ri p l eg i c, m ean i n g

s h e h as no u s e o f h er l eg s an d r e d u c e d u s e o f h er arm s , an d i s co n fi n ed t o a

wh eel ch ai r. Ot h er t h an t h e v ict i m , n o ey e wi t n es s to W i lk ers o n ’ s at t ack cam e fo rward

o r t es t ifi ed at t ri al

.

1

. W i l k ers o n co n ten d s t h at t h e t ri al co u rt s h o u l d h av e s et as i d e t h e verd i ct o n

ag g rav at ed b at t ery , arg u i n g t h at Co un t 1 o f t h e in d i ct m en t fai l ed t o al l eg e a cri m i n al

act

. In t erm s o f t h e p res erv at i o n o f erro r, W i l k ers on s t at es h e “ rai s ed t h e fai l ure o f t h e

g ran d ju ry t o al l eg e a cri m e i n t h e fi rs t co u nt o f th e i nd i ct m en t i n t h e m o t io n fo r n ew

t ri al .”

An accu s ed m ay

ch al l en g e an i n d i ct m en t as ab s o l ut el y v oi d o n t he b as i s t h at

i t fai ls t o ch arg e t h e accu s ed wi t h a cri m e i n th ree way s : b y fi l i n g a d em u rrer b efo re

t ri al

, b y fi l i n g a m o ti o n i n arres t o f ju d g m en t d u ri ng t h e t erm at wh i ch a ju d g m en t i s

en t ered

, o r b y fi l i n g a p et i t i o n fo r a wri t o f h ab eas co rp u s at an y t i m e. 2 W i l k ers o n h as

2 S h el t o n v. S t a t e , 3 0 7 Ga. Ap p

. 5 9 9, 6 0 3 (3 ) (b ) (7 0 5 SE2 d 6 99 ) (2 0 1 1 );

Gr o ga n v. S t a t e , 2 9 7 Ga. Ap p . 2 5 1 , 2 5 2 (6 7 6 SE2 d 7 6 4 ) (2 0 09 ); OCGA § 1 7 -9 -6 1;

s ee al so McKa

y v. S t a t e , 2 34 Ga. Ap p

. 5 5 6

, 5 6 0 (2 ) (5 0 7 SE2 d 4 8 4 ) (1 99 8 ) (“ [W ] h en

a cl ai m t h at an accu sat io n o r i n di ct m en t i s ab s o lu t el y v o i d is n o t p ro p erl y as s ert ed in

t h e t ri al co u rt

, i t can b e rev iewed o n ap p eal o n l y t h ro ug h a h ab eas co rp u s p ro ceed i n g.

. . . Th e i s s ue o f wh et h er t he i nd i ct m en t u nd erl y i n g [t h e d efen d an t ’ s ] co n v i ct i o n was

v o i d m u s t awai t d et erm in at i o n u nt i l s u ch t i m e as [h e] av ai ls h im s el f o f th e p ro p er

3n o t pu rs u ed an y o f t h es e Becau s e W il k ers on fai l ed t o p ro p erl y as s ert h is ch al l en g e

t o t h e i n d i ct m en t i n t he t ri al co urt

, as t h e reco rd s h o ws , t h i s arg u m en t i s n o t p ro p erl y

b efo re t h i s Co u rt o n ap p eal

. 3

2

. W i l k ers o n c o n t e nd s t h at

, aft er fi n di ng th at t h e s en t en ces m erg ed

, t h e t ri al

co u rt erred i n s en t en ci n g hi m fo r ag g rav at ed bat t ery , rat h er t h an f o r a g g rav at ed

as s au l t

. W il k ers on co n t en ds th at

, al t h o ug h “ lab el ed an ag g rav at ed as s au l t ,” Co u n t 2

o f t h e i n d i ct m en t act u al l y co n tai n ed “ al l o f t he al l eg at i o n s of ag grav at ed b at t ery .” It

d i d n o t

. 4 Bu t

, ev en i f i t di d, W il k ers o n h as n o t art icu l at ed an y preju d ice t o h i m s el f.

p ro ced ures fo r at t ack i n g t h e co n v i ct i o n o n t h a t b as is .”) (ci t at i o n s an d pu n ct u at i o n

o m it t ed ); Ma

y v. S t a t e , 1 7 9 Ga. Ap p

. 7 3 6, 73 9 (8 ) (3 4 8 SE2 d 6 1 ) (1 9 86 ) (Gen eral l y ,

“ fai l u re t o ch al l en g e an i n d i ct m en t p ri o r t o v erd i ct a m o u n t s t o a wai v er.”) (ci t at i o n

o m it t ed ).

3 In ad d i t i o n, W i l k ers o n s t at es t h at “ h e al s o rai s ed t ri al co u n s el ’ s fai l ure t o fi l e

a d em u rrer t o t h e co u n t i n h i s m o t i on fo r n ew t ri al .” Nev ert h el es s , W i l k ers o n fai l ed

i n h is ap p el l at e bri ef t o s u pp o rt t h e cl ai m t h at h is co un s el ’ s fai l u re t o fi l e a d em u rrer

co n st i t u t ed in effect i ve as s i s t a n c e o f co u n sel wi t h an y ci t at i o n o f au t h o ri t y o r

arg u m en t

. See Di v i si o n 4

, i n fra. Acco rd i n g l y , t h i s arg u m en t i s d eem ed ab an d o n ed o n

ap p eal . See Co u rt o f Ap p eal s Ru l e 2 5 (c).

4 OCGA § 1 6 -5 -2 4 (a) p ro v i d es :

A p ers o n co m

m i t s t h e o ffen s e o f ag g rav at ed bat t ery wh en he o r s he

m al i ci o u s l y cau s es b od i l y h arm t o an o t h er b y d ep ri v in g hi m o r h er o f a

m e m b e r o f h i s o r h er b o d y , b y ren d eri ng a m em b er o f h i s o r h er b o d y

u s el es s , o r b y s eri o u s l y d i s fi g u ri n g h i s o r her b o dy o r a m em b er t h ereo f.

4W h et h er W i lk ers o n was s en t en ced on Co u n t 1 o r o n Co u n t 2

, h e faced t h e sam e ran g e

o f p u n i s h m en t s , an d h e recei v ed t h e m ax i m um s en ten ce o f 2 0 y ears i m p ri s o n m en t

. 5

He has sh o wn n o h arm

. Ru t l ed g e v. S t a te

, 2 4 5 G a. 7 6 8

, 7 7 1 (3 ) (2 6 7 SE2 d 1 9 9 )

(1 9 8 0) (“ Harm as wel l as erro r m u st b e es t ab l is h ed b y an ap p el l an t i n o rd er t o s ecu re

a rev ers al o f hi s c o n v i ct i o n .”) (ci t at i o n s o m i t t ed ); Du r r a n ce v. S t a t e , 3 1 9 Ga. Ap p.

8 6 6 , 8 7 1 (2 ) (7 3 8 SE2 d 6 92 ) (2 0 1 3 ) (acco rd ).

3

. W i l k ers o n co nt en d s t h at t he t ri al co u rt erred i n fai l i n g t o s en t en ce h i m t o a

p u n i s h m en t wi t h i n t h e st at ut o ry ran g e fo r fal s e i m p ri s o n m en t u n d er t h e ru l e o f l en i t y

.

Co u n t 2 ch arg ed t h at W il k ers o n co m m i t t ed ag g rav at ed as s au l t i n t h at h e:

d i d m ak e u p o n th e p ers o n o f [ t h e v i ct i m ] w i t h h is h an ds

, an o bject

, d e vi ce, an d i n s t ru m en t s [s i c] wh ich wh en u s ed o ffen s i v el y ag ai n s t a

p ers on d i d res u l t i n s eri o u s b o d i l y i n ju ry b y p u ll i n g h er d o wn wi t h h i s h an d s res ul t i n g i n her fal l i n g an d b eco m in g an i n co m p l et e q u ad ri p l eg i c.

If t h e ju ry h ad fo u n d t h at W i l k ers o n h ad in t en d ed t o co m m i t th e as s au l t

, bu t t h at h e d i d n o t ma li ci o u s l

y cau s e t h e b o d i ly h arm t h at res u l t ed

, t h at i s , wi t h i n t en t t o cau s e

t h e h arm , i t co ul d h av e fo u n d h i m g ui l ty o f t h e ag g rav at ed as s au l t an d fo u nd h i m n ot

g u i l t y o f t h e a g g rav at ed bat t ery

. See McCl ai n v. S t a t e , 2 3 2 Ga. Ap p

. 2 8 2, 2 8 3 (1 ) (5 0 2 SE2 d 2 6 6 ) (1 9 9 8 ).

5 OCGA § § 1 6 -5 -2 1 (b ) (i m p ri s o n m en t fo r n o t l es s t h an o ne no r m ore t h an 2 0

y ears ), (i ) (i m

p ri s o nm en t fo r n o t l es s t h an t h ree n o r m ore t h an 2 0 y ears fo r o ffen s e b et ween p ers o n s fo rm erl y l i v i n g i n t h e s am e h o u s eh o ld ); 16 -5 -2 4 (b ) (i m p ri s o n m en t
f o r n o t l es s t h an on e n o r m o re t h an 2 0 y ears ), (g ) (i m p ri s o n m en t fo r n o t les s t h a n

t h ree no r m o re t h an 2 0 y ears fo r o ffen s e b et ween p ers on s fo rm erl y l i v i ng in t h e s am e h o u s eh o l d ).

5He co n t en d s t h at h e co u ld h av e co m m i t ted t h e o ffen s e o f fal s e i m p ri s o n m e n t by

s i m p l y res t rai n i n g th e vi ct i m ’ s l eg s an d

, i n t h at s en s e, “ ren d ered

. . . h er leg s u s el es s ”

as ch arg ed i n t h e i n d ict m en t

. W o rd g am es as i d e, n ot o n ly i s fal s e i m

pri s o n m en t n ot

t h e s am e o ffen s e as ag g rav at ed b at tery

, s o as t o i m p l i cat e t h e ru l e o f l en it y , 6 t h e t wo

o ffen s es h av e al m o s t n o t h i n g i n co m m o n

. Fal s e i m

p ri so n m en t i s at es sen ce a cri m e

o f u n l awfu ll y i n t erferi n g wi t h an o t h er p ers o n ’ s ab il i ty t o l eav e a p l ace. 7 Ag g rav at ed

6 T h e r u l e o f l en i t y ap p l i es wh e n a s t a t u t e , o r s t a t u t e s ,

e sta blishe s, o r es tab l i sh

, d i fferen t p u n i s h m en t s fo r the sa m e

o ffen s e, an d p ro v i d es t h at t h e am b i g u it y i s res o l v ed i n fav o r o f t h e d efen d an t

, wh o wi l l t h en recei v e t he l es s er

p un i s h m en t

. . . . Th e ru l e o f l en i t y i s a ru l e of co ns t ru ct i o n

t h at i s ap pl i ed on l y wh en an am b i g u i t y st il l ex i st s aft er h av i n g ap pl i ed t h e t rad it i o n al can o n s o f s t a t ut o ry

co n s t ru ct io n

. . . . [T] h e ru l e o f l en i t y m ay be ap p l i cab l e wh ere t h ere are d ifferen t g rad at io n s o f p u n i sh m en t fo r th e

s am e o ffen s e[.]

(Ci t at i o n s an d p u n ct uat i o n o m i t t ed .) McNa i r v. S t at e , 2 9 3 Ga. 2 8 2

, 2 8 3 -2 8 4 (7 4 5

SE2 d 6 4 6) (2 0 1 3).

7 See OCGA § 1 6 -5 -4 1 (a) (“ A p ers o n co m m i ts th e o ffen s e o f fal s e i m p ri s o n m en t wh en , i n v i o l a t i o n o f t h e p ers on al l i b ert y o f an o t h er, h e arres t s ,

co n fi n es , o r d et ai n s s u ch p ers o n wi t h o ut l eg al au t h o ri t y .”); Mo o re v. S t at e , 3 4 0 Ga. Ap p

. 1 5 1

, 1 5 4 -1 55 (7 9 6 SE2 d 7 5 4 ) (2 0 1 7); Ki s er v. S ta t e , 3 2 7 Ga. Ap p

. 1 7

, 1 9 -2 0 (2 ) (7 5 5 SE2 d 5 0 5) (2 0 14 ); W i l s o n v. S t a t e , 3 04 Ga. Ap p

. 7 4 3, 74 7 -7 4 8 (1 ) (d ) (6 9 8

SE2 d 6 ) (2 0 1 0 ).

6b at t ery , o n t h e o t h er han d

, i n v o l v es m al i ci o u sl y cau s i n g a seri o us p hy s i cal i n ju ry

. 8 It

i s d i ffi cu l t t o im ag i n e a b et t er ex am p l e o f cau s in g b od i ly harm b y ren d eri n g a m em b er

o f t h e vi ct i m ’ s b od y u s el es s t h an cau s in g a s p i n al co rd i n ju ry res u l ti n g i n p erm an en t

p aral y si s o f t h e v i ct i m ’ s l eg s . See Ja cks o n v. S t a t e , 3 1 6 Ga. Ap p . 5 8 8

, 5 9 0 (1 ) (7 3 0

SE2 d 6 9 ) (2 0 1 2 ). Th is arg u m en t l ack s m eri t

.

4

. W i l k ers on co n t en d s t h at h e recei v ed i n effect iv e as s i s t an c e o f c o u n s el

.

Sp eci fi cal l y , he arg u es t h at he was p reju di ced by h i s co u n s el ’ s fai l u re t o su b po en a t h e

reco rd s fro m t h e s h el ter wh ere t h e v i ct im w as s t ay i n g

. Had co u ns el s u b p o en aed t h e

reco rd s , h e arg ues , h e wo u ld h av e fo u n d t h at t h e v i ct im “ s u ffered fro m m en t al

i l ln es s ” wh i ch

, “ co m

bi n ed wi th h er m em ory i s s u es an d h eav y m ed i cat i on co u l d h av e

b een im peach i n g.”

To s u cceed on an i n effect i v e as s i s t an ce cl ai m , a cri m i n al d efen d an t m u s t

d em o n s t rat e b o t h t h at hi s t ri al co u n s el ’ s p erfo rm an ce was d efi ci en t an d th at p reju d i ce

res u l ted

. S t r ickl a n d v. W

as h i n g t o n , 4 6 6 U. S. 6 6 8

, 6 9 1 (1 04 SCt 2 0 52

, 8 0 LEd 2 d 6 7 4 )

(1 9 8 4).

8 See Th oma s v. St a t e , 3 2 5 G a. Ap p

. 6 8 2, 6 8 4 -6 8 5 (2 ) (7 54 SE2 d 6 6 1 ) (2 0 1 4 );

Br o cki n gt o n v. S t a t e , 3 1 6 Ga. Ap p . 9 0

, 9 3 (1 ) (7 2 8 SE2 d 7 5 3 ) (2 0 1 2 ).

7To s h o w t h at t h e perfo rm an ce o f hi s l awy er was d efi ci en t

, [t he

d efen d an t ] m

u s t p ro v e t h at h i s l awy er p erfo rm ed [h i s ] d u t i es at t ri al i n

an o b ject i v el y un reas on ab l e way , co n s i d eri n g al l th e ci rcu m s t an ces , an d

i n t h e l i g h t of p rev ai li n g p ro fes s i o n al n o rm s

. As fo r p reju d i ce, t h e

p ro p er s t an d ard req ui res t h e d efen d an t t o s ho w t h at t h ere i s a reas o n ab l e

p ro b ab i l i t y t h at

, b ut fo r co u n s el ’ s u n p ro fes si o n al erro rs , t h e res u l t o f th e

p ro ceed i n g wo u l d h av e b een d i f f eren t

. A reas o n ab l e p ro b ab i li t y is a

p ro b ab i l i t y s u ffi ci en t t o u n d erm i n e co n fi d en ce in t h e o u t co m e. If th e

d efe n d an t fai l s t o s at is fy ei t her p ro n g o f t he S t r i ckl a n d t es t, t h i s Co u rt

i s n o t req u i red t o ex am i n e t h e o t h er.

(Ci t at i o n s an d p un ct u at i on o m i t t ed

. ) S ta t e v. Ha rr i s , 3 0 1 Ga. 2 3 4

, 2 3 7 (2 ) (7 9 9 SE2 d

8 0 1 ) (2 0 1 7 ).

W i l k ers on ten d ered t h e s u b ject reco rd s at th e h eari n g o n h is m o t i o n fo r a n ew

t ri al

. Th e reco rd s sh o w t h at

, a few d ay s aft er ch eck in g i n t o t h e s h el t er an d ab o u t t wo

week s b efo re th e al t ercat i o n at i s s u e, t h e v i ct i m m et wi t h a cas ewo rk er at t h e s h el t er,

an d t h ey co m

p let ed a “ Barri ers t o Ho us i n g St ab i l i t y As s es s m en t .” Th e q u es t i o n “ Do

y o u h av e m en tal h eal th is s ues t h at h av e cau s ed y o u t o l o s e y o u r h o u s in g i n t h e p as t ? ”

was ch eck ed “ y es .” W il k ers o n h as n ot s h o wn w h at m en tal heal t h i s s u es t h e v i ct i m

h ad o r ho w h e co u l d h av e s ho wn at t ri al t h at th o se i s s ues di m i n i s h ed t h e v i ct i m ’ s

cred i b i l i t y reg ard in g t he ev en t s at i s s u e. W e co n cl ud e t h at W i l k ers o n h as n o t carri ed

h i s b urd en of s h o wi n g t h at

, b u t fo r co u n s el ’ s fai lu re t o o b t ai n t h e as s es sm en t fro m t h e

8s h el t er, th ere i s a reas o n ab l e p ro b ab i l i t y t hat t he res u l t o f t h e p ro ceed i n g wo u l d h av e

b een d i fferen t

. Th e t ri al co u rt d i d n ot err i n reject i n g W i l k ers o n ’ s i n effect i v e

as s i s tan ce cl ai m

. Ta

yl or v. St at e , 2 8 2 Ga. 6 9 3

, 69 6

- 6 9 7 (2 ) (c) (6 5 3 SE2 d 4 7 7 )

( 2 0 0 7 ) ; W

i cker s o n v. S ta t e , 3 2 1 Ga. Ap p

. 8 4 4

, 8 53 -8 5 4 (4 ) (a) (7 4 3 SE2 d 5 0 9 )

(2 0 1 3).

Ju d g men t a f f ir med

. Bet h el

, J., a n d S en i o r Ap p el l a te Ju d

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