SECOND DI VI SI ON

M I LLER, P. J.

, M ERCI ER and C OOM ER, 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.

https ://w w w

. ga a ppe a ls .us /r ule s

D E A D LIN E S A R E N O LO N G E R TO LLE D IN T

H I S

C O U R T. A LL FILIN G S M U ST B E S U B M I TTE D WITH IN

TH E TIM E S S E T B Y

O U R C O U R T R U LE S

.

October 21, 2020



# I n th e Co u r t o f

A p p eals o f

G eo r g ia

A2 0 A1 07 5 . LAW RENCE v . THE STATE.

M I LLE R , Pres i d i n g J u d g e.

In 2 0 1 3, a Li b ert y Co u n t y ju ry fo u nd Ad ri an Lawren ce g u il t y o f si x co u n t s o f

s ex u al ex p l o i t at i o n o f ch il d ren (OCGA § 1 6 -1 2 -1 0 0 (b )). Lawren ce ap p eal s fro m t h e

v erd i ct s

, t h e s en t en ce, an d t h e tri al co u rt ’ s d en i al o f h is m ot i o n fo r new t ri al

, arg u i n g

t h at (1 ) t h e t ri al co u rt erred i n det erm i n in g t h at he freel y an d v o l un t ari l y wai v ed h i s

ri gh t s b efo re m ak i n g s t at em en ts t o o ffi cers ; ( 2 ) v en u e was i n ap p ro p ri at e i n Li b ert y

Co u n t y an d t h u s t here was in s uffi ci en t ev i d en ce o f v en u e to s u pp o rt t h e v erd i ct ; (3 )

h i s tri al co u n sel ren d ered in effect i v e as s is t an ce b y fa i l i n g t o o b ject to a ju ry

i n s t ru ct i o n t h at al l eg ed l y p erm i t t ed t h e ju ry t o f i n d t h at h e co u l d b e co nv i ct ed fo r

co n du ct t h at o ccu rred i n Ch at h am Co u n ty ; an d (4 ) t h e t ri al co urt ab us ed i t s d i s cret i o n

wh en i t m ad e n o pro vi si o ns t o feed t h e ju ro rs an ev en i n g m eal o r p erm i t t ed t h em too b t ai n d i n n er d u ri n g del i b erat i o n s

. H av i n g rev i ewed t h e reco rd i n t h i s cas e an d

d i s cern ed n o rev ers i b l e erro r, we affi rm

.

Vi ewed in t h e li g h t m o s t fav o rab l e t o t h e ju ry ’ s v erd ict s

, 1 t h e reco rd s ho ws t h at

d et ect i v e cap t ai n Ch arl es W o od al l s peci al i zes in co m p u t er rel at ed in v es ti g at i o n s an d

w a s a s s i g n ed t o t h e “ in t ern et cri m es ag ai n s t ch i l d ren t as k fo rce” w i t h t h e Li b ert y

Co u n t y Sh eri ff’ s Dep art m en t

. In t h i s ro l e, Det ect iv e W o o d al l m o n i t o rs v ari o u s p eert o -p eer fi l e s h ari n g n et wo rk s t hat are u s ed fo r t he d i st ri b u t i o n o f ch i l d p orn o g rap h y

.

In Decem b er 2 0 0 9, w h il e h e was o p erat i ng o u t o f h i s Li b ert y Co un t y o ffi ce, Det ect i v e

W o o d al l o b s erv ed a sp eci fi c IP ad d res s t hat was o fferi n g fo r d o w n l o ad v ari o u s fi l es

co n tai n i n g ch i l d p orn og rap h y an d t h at t h e IP ad d res s was lo cal to Li bert y Co u n t y an d

h ad b een is s u ed b y a l o cal in t ern et serv i ce p ro v i d er. Ut i l i z i n g h i s u n derco v er

co m p u t er, Det ect i v e W o o d al l co n n ect ed t o th e co m p ut er as s o ci at ed w i t h t h e IP

ad d res s an d do wn l oad ed t wo fi les

, wh i ch h e d et erm i n ed were v i d eo s d ep i ct in g ch i ld

p o rn og rap hy

. Du ri n g h i s i n ve s tiga tion, D e t e c tive W o o dal l d o wn l oad ed fi l es fro m t h i s

s am e IP ad d res s o n s ev en o ccas i o n s

. Det ect i v e W o o d a l l d e t erm i n ed th at t h e IP

ad d res s w as l ocat ed at t h e Hu n t er Arm y A i rfi el d i n Fo rt St ewart

, an d h e co n tact ed t h e

Un i ted St at es Arm

y Cri m i nal In v es t i g at i o n Co m m an d (“ CID”) at Fo rt St ewart

. Aft er

1 Ja cks o n v. Vi r

gi n i a , 4 4 3 U. S. 3 07 (9 9 SCt 2 7 8 1 , 6 1 LE2 d 5 6 0 ) (1 9 7 9 ).

2recei v i ng p erm i s s i o n fro m t h e co m m an d er to s earch Lawren ce’ s ro o m

, Det ect i v e

W o o d al l s ei zed Lawren ce’ s co m p u t er. Du ri n g a fo ren si c ex am i n a t i o n

, Det ect i v e

W o o d al l d et erm i ned th at t h e fi l es he h ad d o wn l o ad ed h ad b een d i st ri b u t ed t h ro u g h

Lawren ce’ s co m

p u t er b ecau s e t h ey h ad “ i d en t i cal h as h val u es ” an d w ere s t i l l s t o red

o n Lawren ce’ s co m

p u t er i n t h e “ s h are d i rect ory .” Ag en t J i l l i an Ri c h w i t h t h e CID

i n t erv i ewed Lawr e n c e a f t er h e s i g n ed a w ai v er o f ri g h t s, an d D et ect i v e W o o d al l

co n du ct ed a s ep arat e i n t erv i ew wi t h Lawren ce aft er h e s i gn ed a M i r a nd a 2 ri g h t s

warn i n g cert i fi cat e.

Lawren ce was i n d i ct ed o n s i x co u nt s o f s ex u al ex p l o i t at io n o f ch i l d ren (OCGA

§ 1 6 -1 2 -1 0 0 (b )), wi t h e a c h co u n t al leg i n g t h at h e k n o wi n g l y d i s t ri bu t ed ch i ld

p o rn og rap hy i n L i b ert y Co u n t y

. Th e ju ry fo u n d Lawren ce gu i l t y of al l co u n t s o f t h e

i n d i ct m en t

, an d t h e tri al co u rt s en t en ced Lawren ce t o s erv e 1 0 y ears

, wi t h t h e fi rs t s ix

y ears t o b e serv ed i n co n fi n em en t an d th e rem ai n der t o b e s erv e d o n p r o b at i o n.

Lawren ce fi led a m o t i o n fo r n ew t ri al

. Th e t ri al co u rt d en i ed t h e m ot i o n aft er a

h eari n g , an d t h i s ap p eal fo l l o wed

.

1

. Fi rs t

, Lawren ce a r g u e s t h at t h e t ri al co u rt erred i n d et erm i n i n g t h at h e

k n o wi n g l y

, v o l u n tari ly

, an d i n t el l i g en t l y wai ved h i s ri g h t s b efo re m ak i n g st at em en t s

2 Mi r a n d a v. Ar iz o n a , 3 8 4 U. S. 4 3 6 (8 6 SCt 1 6 0 2 , 1 6 LE2 d 6 94 ) (1 9 6 6 ).

3t o l aw en fo rcem en t

. Sp eci fi cal l y

, h e a r g u e s th at (1 ) h e was afrai d th at h e wo u l d b e

rep ri m an d ed o r l o s e ran k i f h e d i d n o t an s wer Ag en t Ri ch ’ s q ues t i o n s ; (2 ) h e h ad

b een awak e s in ce th e earl y m o r n in g o f t h e i n t erv i ew wi t h h er an d un d erwen t a

l en g t h y i nt erv i ew wi th o n l y o n e b at hro o m b reak an d wat er b reak ; an d (3 ) h e feared

d i s ch arg e, p ay red u ct i o n, an d d i s ci p l i n e if h e d i d n o t s p eak w i t h Det ect i v e W o o d al l

d u ri n g th e s eco n d i n terv i ew. Th i s en u m er a t i on o f erro r fai l s b ecau s e t h e t ri al co u rt

p ro p erl y d et erm i n ed t hat Lawren ce’ s s t at em en t s were freel y an d v o l un t ari l y m ad e.

In rev i ewi n g a ru l i n g on t h e a d m i s s i bi l i t y o f a d efen d an t’ s st at em en t s

wh ere t h e fact s are d is p ut ed

, we accep t t h e t ri al co u rt ’ s fact u al fi n d i n g s

an d cred i b i l i t y d et erm i n at i o ns u n les s t h ey are cl earl y erro n eo u s

, b u t we

i n d ep en d en t l y ap p ly t h e l aw t o t h e fact s

. A rev i ewi n g co urt m ay

co n s i d er fact s t h at d efi n i t i v el y can b e as cert ai n ed e x cl u s i v el y b y

referen ce t o ev i den ce t h at i s u n c o n t rad i ct ed an d p res en t s no q ues t i o n s

o f cred i b i li t y

, s u ch as fact s i n d i s p u tab l y d is cern i b l e fro m a v i d eo t ap e.

On t h e o th er han d

, to t h e ex t en t t h at leg a l l y s i g n i fi can t fact s were

p ro v ed b y ev i d en ce o t h er t h an t h e vi d eo reco rd i n g

, t h e t ri al co u rt as fact

fi nd er was en t it l ed t o d et erm i n e t h e cred i b i l i t y an d wei g ht o f th at o t h er

ev i d en ce.

(Ci t at i o n an d p u n ct u at i o n o m i t t ed .) S t a t e v. Ri ch a r d s o n

, 35 3 Ga. Ap p

. 3 6 8

, 3 6 8 -3 6 9

(8 3 7 SE2 d 5 2 4 ) (2 0 2 0 ).

4At t h e Ja cks o n-Den n o 3 h eari n g

, t h e t ri al co u rt h eard t es t i m o n y fro m Ag en t

Ri ch

, D et ect i v e W o o d al l

, an d Lawren ce an d en t ered ex t en s i v e fact u al fi n d i n g s o n t h e

r e c o r d b efo re d et erm i ni ng t h at Lawren ce’ s s t at em en t s were freel y an d v o l u n t ari l y

m ad e. As t o t h e i n t erv i ew wi t h Ag en t Ri ch

, w h i ch i t cl as s ifi ed as a d et en t i on

, t h e t ri al

co u rt fo u n d t h at L awren ce rep o rt ed t o fo rm at io n at ap p ro x im at el y 5 : 2 0 a.m .; h e

arri v ed at t h e CID o ffi ce at aro u n d n oo n ; h e h ad n o t h i ng t o eat th at m o rn in g ; an d h e

was to l d b y a s e r g e a n t t ran s p o rt i n g h i m t o t he CID o ffi ce t o an s w er t h e in t erv i ew

q u es ti o n s as a PFC s h o u l d. Th e t ri al co u rt al s o fo u nd

, ho wev er, th at Lawren ce h ad

b reak s d uri n g t h e d ay ; t hat h e h ad n o m ed i cal co n d i t i o n s ; h e u s ed t he b at h ro o m ; h e

h ad s om et h i n g t o d ri n k ; Ag en t Ri ch read t h e ri g h ts wai ver t o h i m al o ud ; t here were

n o t h reat s o r p ro m i s es du ri n g t h e i n t erv i ew p ro ces s ; an d

, al t h o u g h th e i n t erv i ew ro o m

u n d erwen t a ri s e i n t em

p erat u re d u ri n g t h e d ay

, t h e h eat was al l ev i at ed b y t h e o p en i n g

o f t h e d o o rs an d t h e t u rn i n g o n o f t h e ai r co n d i t io n er. Reg ard i n g t h e i n t erv iew wi th

D et ect i v e W o od al l

, t h e t ri al co u rt fo u n d t h at Det ect i v e W o o d al l i n t erv i e w e d

Lawren ce i n h is o ffi ce at t h e Li b ert y Co u n ty Sh eri f f ’s Offi ce; b efo re t h e in t erv i ew

b eg an Det ect i v e W o od al l ad v i sed Lawren ce th at he h ad a warran t fo r h i s arres t b ut

Lawren ce was o n ly arres t ed aft er t h e i n t erv i ew; Det ect i ve W o o d al l read Lawren ce’ s

3 Ja cks o n v. Den n o , 3 7 8 U. S. 3 6 8 (8 4 SCt 1 7 74 , 1 2 LE2 d 9 0 8 ) (1 9 6 4 ).

5ri gh t s to h i m al o u d ; Lawren ce was n o t u n d er d u res s an d i n d i cat ed t hat h e u n d ers t o o d

h i s ri g ht s ; L awren ce n ev er as k ed fo r a b reak o r an at t o rn ey ; an d Det ect i v e W o o d al l

d i d n o t t h reat en Lawren ce o r m ak e an y p ro m i s es t o h i m

.

Gi v en t h e t es t i m o n y

at t h e h eari ng

, t h e t ri al co u rt ’ s fi nd i n g s o f f a c t were n ot

cl earl y err o n e o u s

. A g en t Ri ch t es t i fi ed t h at w h en L awren ce arri v ed at t h e CID

b u i l d i n g s h e di s cu s s ed Lawre n c e ’s r i g ht s wi t h h i m

. Al t h ou g h s he t es t i fi ed t h at t h e

i n t erv i ew las t ed s ev en h ou rs

, Ag en t Ri ch ex p l ai n ed t h at Lawren c e was al l o wed

b reak s

, h e w a s a s k ed wh et her h e n eed ed an y th i n g t o eat o r d ri n k, an d s h e d i d n ot

t h reat en h i m o r m ak e an y p ro m i s es

. Ad di t io n al l y

, L awren ce t es t i fi ed t h at Ag en t Ri ch

d i d n o t t h reat en h i m o r m ak e an y p ro m is es t o h i m

, an d D et ect i v e W o o d al l

, wh o was

al s o pres en t at t h e i nt erv i ew, t es t i fi ed th at Lawren ce was no t t h reat en ed wi t h l o s s o f

ran k o r p ay

. He ad d ed t hat wh i l e t h e ro o m was n o t o v erl y co m fo rt a b l e

, t h e y “ were

ab l e t o g et u p an d co ol i t o ff[.] ”

As t o t h e in t erv i ew wi t h Det ect i v e W o o dal l , Det ect i v e W o o d al l t es t i fi ed t h at

h e o b t ai n ed a warran t fo r Lawren ce b efo re t h e i nt erv i ew an d t o l d Lawren ce t h at t h e

warran t ex i s t ed b as ed o n t h e i n t erv i ew w i t h Ag e n t Ri ch

, b u t t h at h e s erv ed i t o n

Lawren ce aft er t h e i nt erv iew was co m p l et ed

. Det ect iv e W o o d al l t es t i f i ed t h at

Lawren ce was as ked wh et h er he wan t ed wat er o r n eed ed t o us e t h e b at hro o m

, an d

6t h at d u ri n g th e 3 0 -m i n u t e in te r v i e w Lawren ce was n o t t h reat en ed

, an d h e d i d n ot

i n d i cat e t h at h e wan ted an at t o rn ey o r t h at h e wan ted t o d i s c o n t i n u e t h e i n t erv i ew.

M o reo v er, as t o b ot h i n t erv i ews

, Lawren ce ad m i t t ed t h at Ag en t Ri ch an d Det ect i v e

W o o d al l rev i ewed h is ri g h ts wi t h h i m

, th at he in d icat ed t h at h e u n d ers t o o d t h o s e

ri gh t s, an d t h at h e was n ev er d en i ed a b reak

. See Ha nce v. S ta t e , 2 4 5 Ga. 8 5 6 , 8 5 8

-

8 5 9 (2 ) (2 6 8 SE2 d 3 3 9) (1 9 8 0 ) (d efen d an t ’ s s t at em en t s to CID ag en t s w ere freel y an d

v o l u n t ari l y m ad e wh ere t h e ag en ts

, act i ng th ro u gh th e d efen d an t ’ s co m m an d i n g

o ffi cer, r e q u e s t ed t hat t he defen d an t acco m p an y t hem to CID h ead q uart ers fo r t h e

p u rp os e o f b ei n g i n terv i ewed

, th e d efen d an t was ad v i s ed o f h i s ri g h ts

, t h e in t erv i ew

l as t ed m o re t h an ni ne h o u rs

, an d n o p ro m i s es were m ad e t o t h e d efen d an t d u ri n g t h e

i n t erv i ew); Ng u

yen v. S t a t e

, 2 7 3 Ga. 3 8 9

, 3 9 6 (2 ) (b ) (5 4 3 SE2 d 5 ) (2 0 0 1 ) (s t at em en t s

were freel y an d v o l un t a r y g i v en wh ere t h ere was n o ev i d en ce t h at t h e d et ect i v e

t h reat en ed t h e d ef

e n d an t o r o ffered h i m an y reward t o s p eak wi t h hi m o r t h at t h e

d efen d an t was d en i ed u s e o f t h e b at h ro o m

, fo o d

, o r w at er, an d t h e d efen d an t d i d n ot

req u es t an at t o rn ey or as k th e d et ect i v e t o s t op in t erv i ewi ng hi m ); D ext er v. S t a t e

, 2 9 3

Ga. Ap p

. 3 8 8

, 3 91 (2 ) (6 6 7 SE2 d 1 7 2 ) (2 0 0 8 ) (“ Po li ce can

. . . en co u rag e a d efen d an t

t o t el l t h e t ru t h wi t h o u t ren d eri n g a co n fes s i o n i n v o l u n t ary .”). Acco rd i n g l y

, t h e t ri al

co u rt p ro p erl y

ad m i t t ed Lawren ce’ s s tat em en t s fro m b o t h i n t erv i ews

.

72

. N ex t

, Lawren ce arg ues t h at t h ere was i n s uffi ci en t ev i den ce t o s up p o rt v en u e

i n L i bert y Co un t y b ecau s e al l o f t h e act i on ab l e co n d u ct i n t h is cas e

, i .e., t h e

d i s t ri b u t i o n o f p o rn o g rap h y

, o ccu rred o n a m i l it ary b as e i n Ch at h am Co u n t y

, an d t hu s

v en ue was o n l y ap p ro p ri at e i n fed eral co u rt

. Th i s arg u m en t fai l s b ecau s e v en u e was

p ro p er i n Li b ert y

Co u n t y an d t h e St at e p res en t ed s u ffi ci en t ev i d en ce o f v en u e.

Ou r Geo rg i a Co n s t i t u t i o n req u i res t hat v en u e i n al l cri m i n al cas es m u s t

b e l ai d i n t h e co u n ty i n w hi ch t h e cri m e was al l eg ed l y co m m i t t ed

. Ven ue

i s a ju ri s di ct i o nal fact

, an d i s an es sen t i al el em en t i n p ro v i n g t h at o n e i s

g u i l ty o f t h e cri m e ch arg ed . Li k e ev ery o th er m at eri al al l eg at io n i n t he

i n d i ct m en t

, v en u e m

u s t be p ro v ed b y t h e p ro s ecu t i o n b ey o n d a

reas o n ab l e d o u b t

. Th e St at e m ay es tab l i s h v en u e b y wh at ev er m ean s o f

p ro o f are av ai l ab le t o i t

, a n d i t m ay u s e bo t h d i rect an d ci rcu m s tan t i al

ev i d en ce. On ap p eal , we v i ew t h e ev i den ce i n th e li g h t m o s t fav orab l e

t o t h e v erd ict an d d et erm i n e wh et h er th e ev i d en ce was s u ffi ci en t t o

p erm i t a fi n d i n g t h at t h e cri m e was co m m i t t ed i n t h e co un t y wh ere t he

d efen d an t was i n d i ct ed

.

(Ci t at i o n an d o m i tt ed .) Ad a ms v. S t a t e

, 3 1 2 Ga. Ap p

. 5 7 0

, 5 7 7 -5 7 8 (3 ) (b ) (7 1 8 SE2 d

8 9 9 ) ( 2 0 1 1 ). U n d er OCGA § 1 6 -1 2 -1 0 0 (b ) (5 ), “ [i ] t i s u n l awfu l fo r an y p ers o n

k n o wi n g l y t o creat e, rep ro d u ce, p u b l i s h

, p ro m o t e, sel l

, d is tr i bu t e

, g i v e, ex h i b i t

, o r

p o s s es s wi t h i n t en t t o s el l o r d i s t ri bu t e an y v is u al m ed i u m wh i ch dep i ct s a m i n o r o r

a p o rt i o n o f a m i n o r’ s b o dy en g ag ed i n an y s ex ual l y e x p l i c it co nd u ct .” (Em p h as i s

8s u p p li ed ). In t h e ab s en ce o f a s p eci fi c v en u e p ro v i s io n

, as is t h e cas e h ere, “ v en u e i s

d et erm i n ed b y Art

. V I, Sec. II, Para. VI o f t h e Geo rg ia Co n s t i t u t i on wh ich p ro v i d es :

al l cri m i n al cas es s h al l b e t r i e d in t h e co u n t y wh ere t he cri m e was co m m i t t ed .”

(Ci t at i o n an d p u n ct u at io n o m i t t ed .) S t a t e v. Kel l , 2 7 6 Ga. 4 2 3 , 4 2 5 (5 77 SE2 d 5 5 1 )

(2 0 0 3). In an al y zi ng OCGA § 16 -1 2 -1 0 0 (b ) (5 ), we recen tl y h el d t h at “ w h ere

. . . an

i n d i v i d u al k n owi n g l y m ak es m at eri al s av ai lab l e fo r o t h ers t o t ak e an d t h o s e m at eri al s

are i n fact t ak en

, d i s t ri b ut io n h as o ccu rred .” Ma d d o x v. S t a t e

, 34 6 Ga. Ap p

. 6 7 4

, 6 8 1

(3 ) (a) (8 1 6 SE2 d 7 9 6) (2 01 8 ).

Un d er OCGA § 1 6 -1 2-1 00 (b ) (5 ), t h erefo re, t h e cri m e o f u nl awfu l d is tri b u t i o n

o f v i s u al m ed i a was co m

m it t ed wh en Lawren ce k n o w i ng l y m ad e t he fi les av ai l ab l e

fro m Ch at h am Co u n ty a n d wh en Det ect i v e W o o d al l d o wn l o ad ed th e fi l es

. Becau s e

t h e fi l es were d o wn l oad ed i n Li b ert y Co u n t y , v en u e co u l d h av e leg al l y been l ai d in

Li b ert y Co u n t y

. See, e.g

., Pa t el v. S t a t e

, 2 8 2 Ga. 4 1 2

, 4 1 5 -4 1 6 (3 ) (6 5 1 SE2 d 5 5 )

(2 0 0 7) (an al yz i n g OCGA § 1 6 .1 2 .1 0 0

. 2 an d det erm i n i ng th at wh ere t he d efen d an t

was l ocat ed i n Ch ero k ee Co un t y an d u s ed hi s c o m p u t er t o t ran s m i t m es s ag es

co n tai n i n g s ex u al l y ex p l i ci t p h o t o g rap h s t o a p ol i ce o ffi cer l o cat ed i n Fay et te Co u n t y

an d s o l i ci t s ex ual act s fro m t h at o ffi cer, v en ue co ul d l eg al l y h av e b een l ai d i n ei t h er

Ch ero k ee Co u nt y o r Fay et t e Co u n t y); s ee al s o S ta t e v. Kel l

, 2 7 6 Ga. 42 3

, 4 2 5 (5 7 7

9SE2 d 5 5 1) (2 00 3 ) (wh ere t h e d efen d a n t w a s ch arg ed wi t h “ o b t ai ni n g ” Med i cai d

p ay m en t s t o wh i ch h e was n o t en t i t l ed b y m ean s o f a “ frau d u l en t sch em e o r d ev i ce,”

v e n u e w a s p ro p er ei t h er i n th e co u n t y wh ere t h e d efen d an t h at ch ed t he s ch em e,

p erfo rm ed o v ert act s i n fu rt h eran ce t h ereo f, an d recei v ed t h e p ay m en t s

, o r t h e co u n t y

wh ere t h e frau d u l en t el ect ro n i c t ran s m i s si o n s were s en t ).

3

. Lawren ce cl ai m s t h at h i s t ri al co u n sel ren d ered i neffect i v e as s i st an ce by

fai l i n g t o o b

j e c t t o a ju ry i n s t ru ct i o n t h at d efi n ed “ d i s t ri b u t i o n” in a way t h at

p erm i t t ed t h e ju ry t o fi n d t h at h e co u l d b e co n v i ct ed b as ed o n co n d u ct t h at occu rred

o n l y i n Ch at h am Co u n t y

, s p eci fi cal l y

, h i s p os s es s i n g t he m at eri al a t i s s u e wi t h t h e

i n t en t t o d i s t ri b u t e i t b y m ak i n g i t av ai l ab l e v i a fi l e s h a r i n g

. Th i s cl ai m i s n ot

m eri t o ri o u s

.

“ To p rev ai l o n a cl ai m o f i neffect i v e as s i s t an ce o f tri al co u n s el

, a d efen d an t

b ears t h e b u rd en o f s h o wi n g b o t h t h at t r i a l c o u n s el was d efi ci en t an d t hat h e was

p reju d i ced b y t h e defi ci en cy .” (Ci t at i o n om i t t ed .) Th o ma s v. S t a t e

, 2 8 8 Ga. Ap p

. 8 2 7

(6 5 5 SE2 d 7 0 1 ) (2 0 07 ). “ Preju d i ce i s sh o w n b y d em o n st rat i n g t h a t a reas o n ab l e

p ro b ab i l i t y ex i s t s t h at t h e o u tco m e o f t he cas e wo u l d h av e b een d ifferen t b u t fo r t h e

d efi ci en t p erfo rm an ce o f co u ns el .” (Ci t at i o n an d p un ct u at i o n o m it ted .) Id

.

Here, t h e t ri al co u rt i n s t ru ct ed t h e ju ry as fo l l o w s :

10It i s u n l awfu l fo r an y pers o n t o k no wi n g l y d i st r i b u t e

, gi v e, o r p os s es s

wi t h i n t en t t o s el l or d i s t ri b u t e an y v i s u al m ed iu m w h i ch d ep i ct s a m i n o r

o r a p o rt i o n o f a m in o r’ s b o d y en g ag ed in an y s ex ual l y ex p li ci t co n d u ct

.

. . . Di s t ri b u t i on m ean s an y a c t

, i n cl u di n g p o s s es s i on wi t h i n t en t t o

d i s t ri b u t e, p ro d u ct io n, t ran s m is s i o n

, ad vert i sem en t

, an d t ran sp o rt at i o n

rel at ed t o t h e .

. . t ran s fer o f m at eri al i n v o l vi n g t he s ex u al ex p l o i t at i o n

o f a m i n or. Lawren ce’ s co m p l ai n t i s t h at b ecau s e t h e t ri al co urt i ncl u d ed

“ p o s s es s i o n wi t h i n t en t to d i s tri b u t e” i n t h e d efi ni t i o n o f “ d i s t ri bu t i o n ,”

t h e ju ry co u ld hav e co n v i ct ed h i m b as ed o n co n d uct th at occu rred s o l el y

i n Ch at h am Co u n t y

, i .e., h i s p os s es si o n an d p o st i ng o f p o rn o g rap hi c

m at eri al wh i l e h e was lo cat ed o n th e m i l i t ary b as e i n Fo rt St ewart

. Ev en

as s u m i n g

, h o wev er, th at t ri al co u n s el was d efi ci en t by fai l in g t o o b ject

t o t h is p ort io n o f t h e ch arg e, t he t ri al co urt ex p l i ci t l y i n s t ru ct ed t h e ju ry

t h at t h ey wo u l d b e au th o ri zed t o ret u rn a g u il ty v erd i ct if t h ey fo u n d t hat

Lawren ce co m

m i t t ed al l o f t h e ch arg ed o ffen s es “ i n Li b ert y Co un t y

,

Geo rg i a,” as s et fo rt h i n t h e i n d i ct m en t

, an d t h at t h e St at e was req u i red

t o p ro ve b ey o n d a reas o nab l e d o u b t t h at v en u e was i n Li b ert y Co un t y

.

Th erefo re, Lawren ce can n o t d em on s trat e t hat h e was p reju d i ced b y t ri al

co u n s el ’ s fai l u re t o o bject t o t h e ju ry in s t ru ct i o n s an d t h i s en u m erat i o n

p res en t s n o b as i s fo r rev ers al

. See S la ug h t er v. S t a t e

, 34 5 Ga. Ap p

. 7 9 0

,

7 9 2 (2 ) (8 1 5 SE2 d 1 4 1 ) (2 0 1 8 ) (“ Becau s e t h e ch arg e req u i red t h e ju ry

t o fi nd b ey on d a reas o n ab l e d o u b t t h at v e n u e was i n Fu l t o n Co un t y

,

wh i ch t he ju ry co ul d d o b as ed o n t h e e v i den ce p res en t ed at t ri al

, th e

ex t ran eo u s i n s t ru ct i o n d i d n o t l i k el y affect t h e o u tco m e o f th e

p ro ceed i n g s .”).

114

. Las t

, Lawren ce co n t en d s t h at t h e tri al co u rt ab u sed i ts d i s cret i o n w h e n i t

m ad e n o p ro v is i o n s t o feed t h e ju ro rs an ev en i n g m eal d uri n g d el i berat io n s an d t h at

i t d i d n o t al l o w t h em to o b t ai n d i n n er, ren deri ng t h em wi t h ou t a m eal break fo r al m o s t

n i n e h ou rs an d t h us co erci n g t h em t o arri ve at a “ fas t v erd i ct .”

As Lawren ce ack n o wl ed g es

, a t ri al co u rt is e m po wered “ [t ] o co n t ro l

, i n t h e

fu rt heran ce o f

ju s t i ce, t h e co n du ct o f i t s offi cers an d al l o t her p ers o ns co n nect ed wi th

a ju d i ci al p ro ceed i n g b efo re i t

, in ev ery m at t er ap p ert ai n i n g t h eret o [.] ” OCGA § 1 5 -1

-

3 (4 ). Fu rt h er, we h av e h el d t h at “ t h e t ri al co u rt h as a b ro ad d is cret i o n i n reg u l at i n g

an d co n t ro l l i n g t h e b u si n es s o f t he co u rt

, an d th e ap p el l at e co u rt s h ou l d n ev er

i n t erfere w i t h i ts ex erci s e un l es s i t i s m ad e t o ap p ear t h at w ro n g o r o pp res s i on res u l t s

fro m i t s ab u s e, o r t h e co u rt i n s o m e m an n er tak es away ri g h t s t h e p art i es h av e u n d er

t h e l aw.” (Ci t at i on an d p u n ct u at i o n o m i t t ed .) McKi n n ey v. S t a t e

, 3 2 6 Ga. Ap p

. 7 5 3,

7 5 7 (2 ) (7 5 5 SE2 d 3 1 5) (2 01 4 ). W e reco g n i ze t h at t h e tri al p ro ceed ed u n t i l t h e n i g h t

,

t h e j u ry b eg an th ei r d el i berat io n s at aro u n d 9 :2 3 p .m

., an d t h e ju ry reach ed a v erd i ct

s h o rt l y aft erward

. S i m

u l t an eo u s l y

, h o wev er, t h e reco rd s h ows t h at t h e ju ro rs were

affo rd ed a l u n ch break an d m ul t i p l e b reak s t h ereaf

t e r

, a n d n o ju ro r co m

p lai n ed o f

b ei n g h u ng ry o r t o o t i red t o p ro ceed wi t h d el i b erat i o n s o r feel i n g ru s h ed t o ren d er a

v erd i ct . Acco rd i n g l y

, t h e reco rd d o es n o t d em o ns t rat e t h at t h e t ri al co u rt ab u s ed i t s

12d i s cret i o n i n reg u l at i n g an d co n t ro l l i n g t h e b u s in es s o f t h e co urt s o as t o co erce t h e

ju ry i n t o ren d eri n g a h as t y

v erd i ct

.

Becau s e Lawren ce h as fai l ed t o d em o n s t rat e an y rev ers i bl e erro r, we affi rm t h e

v erd i ct s

, t h e s en t en ce, an d t h e t ri al co u rt ’ s d en i al o f h i s m o t io n fo r n ew t ri al

.

Ju d g men t a f f i r m ed . Mer ci er

a n d Co omer

, JJ., co n cu r

.

13