2 9 6 Ga . 7 28

F INAL COP Y
S 1 4 A1 6 5 8 . COOP ER v . THE S TATE.

T HOMPSON
, Ch ie f Ju stic e

.

Ap p e l l a n t Re gin a ld Co o p e r wa s fo u n d gu ilty o f m a lic e m u rd e r, fe lo n y

m u rd e r, a g g ra v a te d a ssa u lt, a n d two c ou n ts o f po sse ssio n o f a k n ife d urin g th e

c o m m issio n o f a c rim e in c on n e c tio n with th e d e a t h o f K e lv in Lin dse y

. 1 He

a p p e a ls h is c o nv ic tio ns a n d th e tria l c o urt’s d e nia l o f h is m o tio n fo r n e w tria l in

wh ic h h e c h a lle ng e d th e su ffic ie n c y o f th e e v id e nc e , a lle g e d h e re c e iv e d

in e ffe c tiv e a ssista n c e o f c o u n se l a t tria l a n d a sse rte d th e S ta te m a d e an im p ro p e r

c lo sin g a rg u m e n t. F o r th e re a so n s th a t fo llo w, we a ffirm

.

1 . Vie we d in th e lig h t m o st fa v o ra b le to th e ju ry ’s v e rd ic t, th e e v id e n c e

1 The crimes occurred o n May 13, 2005. Appellant was i n d i c t e d by a D oug h erty County

g rand jury on J anuary 31, 2007, o n charg es of malice murder, felony murder, ag g ravated assault and possession of a knif

e d u ri n g the commission of a crime (two counts). F ollowing a jury trial from

J uly 16-18, 2007, a

ppellant w as found g uilty on J uly 1 8

, 2 0 07, of malice murder, felony murder,

ag g r avated assault and both c ounts o f possession of a knife during the commission of a crime. That

same day appellant w as sentenced to life for the malice murder conviction, five y ears consecutive for one count of possession of a knife during the commission of a crime and five y ears concurrent for the second c ount o f possession of a knife during the commission of a crime. The f elony murder

count was vacated b y operation o f law, and the a g g ravated assault count was merg e d with the malice
murder count for sentencing

. See Malcolm v. State, 263 G a. 369 (434 SE2d 479) (1993). Appellant filed a premature notice of appeal directed to this Court on Aug ust 10, 2007 and a motion for new
trial on A ug ust 1 6, 2 007. Althoug h a hearing on appellant’s n ew trial motion was held J une 3, 2009,
the trial court’s order deny ing r elief was not entered until May 14, 2014. Appellant filed a second
notice of appeal on May 2 1, 2014, and the appeal was docketed in this Court for the September 2014
term and submitted for a decision on the briefs.sh o ws th a t a

pp e lla n t a g re e d to m e e t th e v ic tim e a rly on th e m orn in g o f M a y 1 3

,

2 0 0 5. Afte r pic k in g u p a frie n d

, An g e l a P e te rm a n , a p p e lla n t d ro v e h is F o rd

Ex p lo re r to m e e t th e v ic tim

. W ith P e te rm a n in th e c a r, a p p e lla n t a g re e d to d riv e

th e v ic tim to th e v i c t i m ’s b ro th e r’s h o u se

. D u rin g th e rid e , a p p e lla n t b e c a m e

a n g ry wh e n th e v ic tim re pe a te d ly a sk e d him fo r m o n e y

. Up o n th e ir a rriv a l a t

th e b ro th e r’s a

p a rtm e n t c o m

p le x , th e v ic tim re fu se d to ge t o u t o f a p p e lla n t’s c a r.

Ap p e lla n t th e n e xite d th e ve h ic le wh ic h p ro m p te d th e v ic tim to a lso ge t o u t, a n d

th e two m e n b e g a n a rg u in g

. Ac c o rd in g to P e te rm a n , th is arg u m e n t tu rn e d in to

a p h y sic a l a lte rc a tio n a fte r th e v ic tim h it a pp e lla n t, a n d sh e h e a rd th e two m e n

b e g in fig h tin g b e h in d th e c a r.

Wh e n a p p e lla nt g o t b a c k in sid e th e c a r , P e te rm a n n o tic e d b lo o d o n

a p p e lla n t ’ s sh irt a n d h a

n d s. S h e a lso sa w a

p p e lla n t h o ld in g w h a t sh e th o u g h t

wa s a k n ife

. A p p e l l an t c o m p la in e d to P e te rm a n a

b o u t th e v ic tim a n d th e

a lte rc a tio n , sta tin g “ I c a n ’t be lie v e th a t n - - - - ju st trie d m e ,” a n d te llin g h e r “ I

k n o w th a t I g o t h im a

b o u t te n tim e s.” Th e v ic tim ’s a uto p sy re p o rt re v e a le d th a t

th e v ic tim h a d b e e n sta

b b e d a n d c ut n u m e ro us tim e s, a n d h is b lo o d wa s fo u n d

o n th e g ro u n d wh e re th e two m e n h a d b e e n fig h tin g

. Afte r d ro p p in g P e te rm a n

o f f a t th e h o m e of a m

u tu a l frie n d

, a

p pe lla nt we nt h o m e , re tu rn in g la te r in a

2d iffe re n t c a r a n d we a rin g a c le a n sh irt. Su b se qu e n tly

, a p p e lla nt to ld P e te rm a n

n o t to m e n tio n th e n ig ht’s e v e n ts to a n y o n e

.

Ap p e lla n t c o n te n d s t h a t th e e v id e n c e a g a in st h im w a s e n tire ly

c irc u m sta n tia l a n d th a t th e S ta te fa ile d to e lim in a te e v e ry re a so n a b le hy p o th e sis

o t h e r th a n h is g u ilt. To wa rra n t a c o n v ic tio n o n c irc u m sta n tia l e vid e n c e , t h e

e v id e n c e m

u st b e s u f f i c i en t to e x c lu d e a ll re a so n a ble hy p o th e se s sa v e fo r th e

g u ilt o f t h e a c c u se d

. S e e Fa n ie l v

. S ta te

, 2 9 1 Ga

. 5 5 9

, 5 6 1 (7 3 1 S E2 d 7 5 0 )

(2 0 1 2 ).

It is th e p ro v in c e o f t h e ju ry , n o t th is Co u rt, to d e te rm in e th e c re d ib ility

o f th e witn e sse s, to re so lv e a n y c o n flic ts o r in c o nsiste n c ie s in th e e v id e n c e , a n d

wh e re a p p ro p ria te

, to de t e r m in e wh e th e r th e e v id e n c e e x c lu d e d e v e ry o th e r

re a so na b le hy p o th e sis sa v e th a t o f g u ilt. S e e H a rv e y v

. S ta te

, 2 9 2 Ga

. 7 9 2

, 7 9 3

(7 4 1 S E2 d 62 5 ) (2 0 1 3 ); F a n ie l v

. S ta te

, su p ra , 2 9 1 Ga

. a t 56 1. He re , th e

e v id e n c e a d d u c e d a t tria l wa s n o t wh o lly c irc u m sta ntia l, b u t e v e n if it wa s, we

c o n c lu d e th e e v id e n c e wa s su ffic ie n t to a u th o riz e a ra tio n a l trie r o f fa c t to h a v e

fo u n d a p p e lla nt g u ilty o f th e v ic tim ’s m u rd e r b e y on d a re a so n a

b le d o u b t, se e

Ja c k so n v

. Virg in ia

, 4 4 3 U. S

. 3 0 7 (9 9 S Ct 2 7 8 1

, 6 1 LE2 d 5 6 0 ) (1 9 7 9 ), a n d to

h a v e fo un d b e y o n d a re a so na b le d o u b t th a t th e e v id e n c e e x c lu d e d e v e ry o th e r

3re a so na

b le h y p o th e sis e xc e p t th a t o f a

p p e lla n t’s g u ilt.

2

. Ap p e lla n t n e x t a rg u e s h is tria l c ou n se l wa s in e ffe c tiv e fo r n o t

p re se ntin g a d e fe n se ba se d o n c irc u m sta n tia l e v id e n c e a n d fo r no t re qu e stin g a

ju ry c h a rg e re g a rd in g th e S ta te ’s b u rd e n o f p ro o f in a p u re ly c irc um sta n tia l c a se

.

Th e se a rg u m e n ts la c k

m e rit.

To p re v a il o n h is in e ffe c tiv e a ssista n c e o f c o u n se l c la im

, a p p e lla n t m

u st

sh o w bo th th a t h i s t r i a l c o u n se l’s p e rfo rm a n c e wa s d e fic ie n t an d th a t th e

d e fic ie n t pe rfo rm a n c e wa s p re ju d ic ia l to h is d e fe n se

. S e e S tric k l a n d v

.

Wa sh in g to n , 4 66 U. S

. 6 6 8 (1 0 4 S Ct 2 0 5 2

, 8 0 LE2 d 6 7 4 ) (1 98 4 ); S m ith v

.

F ra n c i s, 2 5 3 Ga

. 7 8 2

, 7 83 (3 2 5 S E2 d 3 62 ) (1 9 8 5 ). “‘A stro n g p re su m p tio n

e x ists th a t c o u n se l’s c on d u c t fa lls with i n th e bro a d ra n g e o f p ro fe ssio n a l

c o n d u c t.’ [Cit.] ” Jo n e s v . S ta te , 2 9 4 G a

. 5 0 1

, 50 3 (7 5 5 S E2 d 1 3 1) (2 0 1 4 ). In

o rd e r to o v e rc o m e th is p re su m p tio n , a p p e lla n t m

u st sh o w th a t h is c o u n se l

“ p e rfo rm e d a t tria l in a n o b je c tiv e ly u n r ea s o na

b le wa y , c o n sid e rin g a ll th e

c irc u m sta n c e s a n d in th e lig h t o f p re v a ilin g p ro fe ssio n a l n o rm s.” Id

.

In th is c a se , a

p p e lla n t’s tria l c o u n s e l c h o se to fo c u s h e r a tte n tio n o n a

ju stific a tio n d e fe n se

. Giv e n th e a m ple e v id e n c e p re se n te d a t tria l th a t a p p e lla n t

fo u gh t w ith a n d sta

b b e d th e v ic tim

, a

p p e lla n t c a n n o t sh o w th a t th is c ho ic e o f

4d e fe n se wa s u n re a so n a b le

. Mo re o v e r, a

p p e lla n t did n o t c a ll tria l c o u n se l to

te stify a t th e m otio n fo r n e w tria l h e a rin g re ga rd in g th e d e c isio n s sh e m a d e a t

tria l with re sp e c t to h e r th e o ry o f d e fe n se

. In th e a b se n c e o f su c h te stim o n y a n d

e v id e n c e to th e c o n t ra ry , c o u n se l’s d e c isio n s a re p re su m e d to b e stra te g ic a n d

th u s in su ffic ie n t to su p p o rt a n i n e f f e c tiv e a ssista n c e o f c o u n se l c la im

. S e e

P o rte r v

. S ta t e , 2 9 2 G a

. 2 9 2, 2 9 4 (7 3 6 S E2 d 4 0 9 ) (2 0 13 ). No r c a n a p p e lla n t

sh o w h e w a s p re

ju d ic e d b y tria l c o u n se l’s fa ilu re to re q u e st a ju ry c h a rg e o n

c irc u m sta n tia l e v id e n c e a s it is c le a r fro m th e re c o rd th a t th e j u ry re c e iv e d

p ro p e r in stru c tio n s on c irc u m sta n tia l e v id e n c e fro m th e tria l c o u rt. S e e Ta y lo r

v . S ta te , 2 9 0 Ga

. 2 4 5, 2 4 6 (2 ) (7 19 S E2 d 4 1 7) (2 0 1 1 ).

3

. F in a ll y , ap p e lla n t a lle g e s p ro se c uto ria l m isc o nd u c t c la im in g th a t in

c lo sin g a rg u m e n t th e S ta te im p ro p e rly in tro d u c e d fa c ts n ot in e vid e n c e wh e n it

a rg u e d a p p e lla n t k ille d th e v ic tim o v e r twe n ty d o lla rs a n d sta te d th a t a p p e lla n t

“ m o re or le ss p u lle d [th e v ic tim ] o u t [o f th e c a r] .” Ap p e lla n t, h o we v e r, d id n o t

o b je c t to a n y sta te m e nts m a d e b y th e S ta te in its c lo sin g a rg u m e n t a n d th u s ha s

fa ile d to p re se rv e th is issu e fo r a p p e a l. Se e S c o tt v. S ta te

, 2 9 0 Ga

. 8 8 3

, 8 8 5 (2 )

(7 2 5 SE2 d 3 0 5 ) ( 2 0 1 2 ) (“ In th e a p p e a l o f a n o n -c a

p ita l c a se , ‘th e d e fe n d a n t’s

fa ilu re to o b

je c t to th e S ta te ’s c lo sin g a rg um e n t wa iv e s h is rig h t to re ly o n th e

5a lle g e d im

p ro prie ty o f th a t a

rg u m e n t a s a b a sis fo r re v e rsa l.’ [Cit.] ” ). F u rth e r,

th e te stim o n y a t tria l re v e a ls b o th th a t th e v ic tim a n ge re d a p p e lla n t b y a sk in g fo r

twe n ty d o lla rs a n d th a t a

p p e lla n t g o t ou t o f h is c a r to m a k e su re th a t th e v ic tim

g o t o u t. We fin d th a t th e p ro se c uto r’s a r g u m e n t wa s n o t im pro pe r a s th e

c o m p la in e d o f c o m m e n ts w e re b a se d o n p e rm issib le in fe re n c e s a n d le g itim a te ly

su p p o rte d b y th e fa c ts in e v id e n c e

. S e e Da vis v

. S ta te

, 2 8 5 Ga

. 3 43

, 3 4 7 (7 )

(6 7 6 SE 2 d 2 1 5 ) (2 0 0 9 ) (p ro se c u to rs h a ve w id e la titu de in c o n d u c tin g c lo sin g

a rg u m e n t a n d a re a

u th o riz e d to d ra w in fe re n c e s a n d m a k e d e d u c tio n s fro m th e

e v id e n c e p re se n te d ). Ac c o rd in g ly

, tria l c o u n se l’s fa ilu re to m a k e a m e ritle ss

o b je ct i o n to th e S ta te ’s c lo sin g a rg u m e n t is n o t e v id e n c e of in e ffe c tiv e

a ssista n c e . S e e S c o tt v . S ta te , su p ra , 2 9 0 Ga . a t 8 8 9 (7 ) (a ).

Ju d g m e n t a ffirm e d . All th e Ju stic e s c o nc u r.

De c id e d Ma rc h 1 6, 2 01 5

.

Mu rd e r. Do u g h e rty S u p e rio r Co u rt. Be fo re Ju d g e Lo c ke tte

.

P h il Ca n n o n , fo r a

p p e lla n t.

Gre g o ry W. E d wa rd s, Distric t Atto rn e y , Ka th ry n O. F a llin

, A s s i s t a n t

Distric t Atto rn e y , S a m

u e l S

. Ole n s, A t t o rn e y Ge n e ra l, Pa tric ia B. Atta wa y

6Bu rto n , De p u ty Atto rn e y Ge n e ra l, P a u la K. Sm ith

, Se n io r Assi s t a n t A tto rn e y

Ge n e ra l, Me g h a n H. Hill, Assista n t Atto rn e y Ge n e ra l, fo r a

pp e lle e

.

7