2 9 7 Ga . 2 10

F INAL COP Y

S 1 5A0 2 8 1 . S MITH v . MAGNUS ON.

T HOMPSON
, Ch ie f Ju stic e

.

Th is is a n a

p p e a l b y th e wa rd e n fro m th e gra n t o f h a b e a s c o rp u s re lie f to

p e titio n e r An d r e w M a g n u so n b a se d o n th e ha b e a s c o u rt’s d e te rm in a tio n th a t

Ma g nu so n ’s g u ilty p le a s we re in v a lid a n d th a t 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. Fo r th e re a so ns th a t fo llo w, we fin d n o e rro r in th e h a b e a s c o u rt’s

c o n c lu sio n th a t Ma g n u so n ’s gu ilty ple a s we re in v a lid a nd

, th e re fo re , we a ffirm

. 1

Ma g n u s o n wa s in dic te d b y a F a y e tte Co u n ty g ra n d ju ry o n c h a rg e s o f

e n tic in g a c h i l d fo r in d e c e n t p u rp ose s (two c o u n ts), p osse ssio n of c h ild

p o rn o g ra p h y , a n d a tte m

p te d k id n a

p p in g

. In 2 0 0 1, d u rin g a g ro u p p le a ,

Ma g nu so n e n te re d n o n -n e g o tia te d g u ilty p le a s to a ll c o u n ts o f th e in dic t me n t.

Du rin g th e ple a h e a

rin g , th e j u d g e a s k e d if a n y d e fe n d a nt h a d e v e r b e e n a

p a tie n t in a m e nta l h e a lth fa c ility o r u n de r th e c a re o f a p sy c h ia trist, a n d

Ma g nu so n in c o rre c tly a n swe re d th a t h e h a d n o t. P le a c o u nse l in fo rm e d th e

1 Because we af

f irm the grant of h abeas r elief on the basi s o f h i s p l e a s , we do not include in this opinion any discussion of

the evidence presented in support of Magnuson’s
inef f ective assistance claim s and w e state no opinion regarding the h abeas court’s handling
of those claim s.ju d g e p rio r to a c c e p ta n c e of M a g n u so n ’s p le a s th a t Ma g n u so n h a d in fa c t b e e n

in stitu tio n a liz e d a

n d tre a te d fo r m e n ta l h e a lth p ro b le m s b u t a d d e d th a t he c o u ld

n o t sa y wh e th e r psy c h ia trists h a d b e e n in v o lv e d

. Co u n se l t h e n s ta te d th a t

Ma g nu so n h a d b e e n fo u n d c o m p e te n t to sta n d tria l, to wh ic h th e c o urt

re sp o n d e d

, “ h e a

p p e a rs a s su c h .” Th e c o u rt u ltim a te l y a c c e p te d Ma g n u so n ’s

p le a s w ith o ut m a k in g a n y fu rth e r in qu iry in to h is m e n ta l h e a lth histo ry o r h is

t h e n

- c u r r e n t m e n ta l sta te

. 2 Afte r a se n te n c in g h e a rin g , Ma g n u so n wa s se n te n c e d

t o t w o c o n se c u tiv e 20 -y e a r te rm s o f im p riso n m e n t o n th e e n tic e m e n t c h a rg e s,

a c o n se c u tiv e 2 0 -y e a r p ro b a te d t e r m o f im priso n m e n t o n th e p o rn og ra p h y

c h a r g e , a n d a c o n se c u tiv e fiv e -y e a r p ro b a te d te rm of im priso n m e n t o n th e

a tte m p te d k id n a

pp in g c h a rg e

.

In 2 0 0 8

, M a g n u so n file d a p e titio n fo r h a b e a s c o rp u s a sse rtin g th a t h is

m e n ta l c o n d itio n p re v e nte d h i m fro m e n te rin g v a lid g uilty p le a s a n d c h a lle n g in g

2 Although group plea hearings m a y n ot b e i m perm issible per se, see Bullard v. Thom a s, 285 Ga. 545, 546 (678 SE2d 897) (2009), overruled on other grounds, Lejeune v. McLaughlin, 2 96 Ga. 291 ( 766 SE2d 8 03) (2014), a group p lea will, in m ost circum stances, be an inappropriate f

orum f or the acceptance of a def

endant’s plea to a serious c rim e. Courts

are rem inded that when a def e ndant is charged with a serious crim e, and e specially where the
def endant is known to have a history of m ental health disorders, it is im perative f o r the court

to engage the def

endant i n an i ndividual colloquy b oth t o e nsure the constitutional integrity
of the plea and to provide appellate cour t s with a com plete record in t he event o f a f uture challenge to the validity

of the plea.

2th e e ffe c tiv e n e ss o f p le a co u n se l o n n um e ro u s gro u n d s, a ll o f wh ic h in v o lv e d

a lle g a tio n s re la te d to c o u n se l’s fa ilu re to a d e q u a te ly in v e stig a te Ma gn u s o n ’s

m e n ta l h e a lth h isto ry a n d m e n ta l c o n d itio n a t th e tim e o f th e c rim e s a n d a t th e

tim e h is p le a

wa s e n te re d

, c o u n se l’s fa ilu re to d isc o v e r a n d u se su c h e v id e n c e

to su p p o rt m e n ta l h e a lth d e fe n se s wh ic h c o u ld h a v e b e e n ra ise d a t tria l, a n d /o r

c o u n se l’s fa ilu re to d isc ov e r a n d p re se n t su c h e v id e n c e to th e tria l c o urt a t th e

tim e o f h is p le a

.

An e v id e n tia ry h e a

rin g wa s h e ld a t wh ic h e v id e n c e o f Ma g n uso n ’s lo n g

h isto ry o f m e n ta l h e a lth p ro ble m s wa s in tro d u c e d. Th is u n d isp u te d e v i d e n c e

sh o we d th a t sin c e a n e a rly a g e , Ma g n uso n h a s su ffe re d fro m m e n ta l d iso rd e rs

re q u irin g th e c a re o f p sy c hia trists a n d m e n ta l h e a lth pro v id e rs, th e ta k in g o f

p re sc rib e d m e d ic a tio ns, a n d h is p a rtic ip a tio n in re g u la r g ro u p a n d in d iv id u a l

m e n ta l h e a lth th e ra

p ie s. His d iso rd e rs h a v e o n se v e ra l o c c a sio n s re su lte d in h is

h o sp ita liz a tio n. In a dd itio n to th is e vid e n c e , Ma g n u so n p re se n te d th e te stim o n y

o f two e x p e rt witn e sse s. Th e first witn e ss, Jo a n ne Kim b a ll, is a m e n ta l h e a lth

th e ra p ist wh o tre a te d Ma g n u so n b o t h b e fo re a n d a fte r h is a rre st o n th e in sta n t

c h a rg e s. Kim

ba ll te stifie d th a t wh e n sh e first m e t Ma g nu so n, h e h a d a d ia g n o sis

o f b ip o la r d iso rd e r, he wa s fu n c tio n in g a t a lo w le v e l o f m a tu rity

, a n d he n e e d e d

3h e lp with a d u lt d a ily liv i n g sk ills. S h e a lso re la te d th a t wh e n sh e v isite d

Ma g nu so n a fte r h is a rre st, h e d id n o t u nd e rsta n d th e se ve rity o f th e c h a rg e s

b e in g bro u g h t a g a in st h im

, a n d h e h a d n o c o m

p re he n sio n o f h o w lo n g h e m ig h t

sp e n d in ja il, b e lie v in g th a t h e wo u ld sp e n d six o r e ig ht we e k s in ja il a n d th e n

g o h o m e

.

Th e se c o n d e x p e r t w i t n e ss, Dr. Te re n c e Ca m p b e ll, is a p sy c h o lo g ist

sp e c ia liz in g in fo re n sic psy c h o lo g y

. Dr

. C a mp b e ll sta te d th a t in h is o p in io n ,

c o n siste n t with Ma g n u so n ’s m e n ta l h e a lth histo ry , Ma g n u so n su ffe re d fro m a n

im p u lse c o n tro l d iso rd e r th a t c a u se s h im to m a k e fa

b ric a te d sta te m e nts th a t d o

n o t m a ke a

n y se n se a nd a re e a sily d isc re dite d. A c c o rd in g to Dr. Ca m pb e ll, th e

m a k in g of su c h sta te m e n ts is u su a lly d riv e n b y a n in d iv id ua l’s a n x ie ty in a n

e f fo rt to re m o v e h im se lf fro m a d iffic u lt situ a tio n. As it p e rta in s to t h e p l e a

h e a rin g , Dr. Ca m

p b e ll te stifie d th a t d u e to th e c irc u m sta nc e s of th e g ro u p p le a ,

Ma g nu so n ’s im

p u lse d iso rd e r, a n d th e fa c t th a t Ma g n u so n is m o re su sc e p tib le

to c on fo rm ity th a n th e ty p ic a l p e rso n , Ma g n u so n wo u ld h a v e a n swe re d th e p le a

c o u rt’s q u e stio ns in c o n fo rm ity with th e g e ne ra l a ffirm a tiv e a n swe r o f th e g ro u p

with ou t g iv in g a n y c o n s i d e ra tio n to o r h a v in g a n y re a l u n d e rsta n d in g o f th e

c o n se q u e n c e s o f h is a nswe rs. Ba se d o n th is an d o th e r e v id e n c e p re se n te d a t th e

4h e a r in g , th e h a be a s c o u rt g ra n te d Ma g nu so n ’s p e titio n , fin d in g Ma g n u so n ’s

p le a s w e re in v a lid b e c a

use “ h is m e n ta l h e a lth c o n ditio n p r ev e n te d h im fro m

u n d e rsta n d in g th e q ue stio ns o f th e c o u rt a n d a nswe rin g th e m tru th fu lly du e to

th e c irc u m sta nc e s o f th e g ro u p p le a .” 3 Th e ward e n a p p e a le d

.

1

. A p e titi o n e r wh o c h a lle n g e s th e v a lid ity o f h is g u ilty p le a b e a rs th e

b u rd e n of sh o win g th a t th e p le a wa s n o t v o lu n ta ry , k n o win g , o r in te llig e n t. S e e

Le je u n e v

. Mc L a

ug hlin

, 2 9 6 Ga

. 2 9 1, 2 9 4 (7 6 6 S E2 d 8 0 3 ) (2 0 14 ). Wh e n

re v ie win g a h a

b e a s c o u rt’s d e c isio n to g ra n t re lie f, we a c c e pt th e h a be a s c o u rt’s

fa c tu a l fin d in gs u n le ss th e y a re c le a rly e rro n e o u s, b u t we in d e p e n d e n tly a p p ly

th e le g a l p rin c ip le s to th e fa c ts. Up to n v

. Jo h n so n , 2 82 G a

. 6 0 0

, 6 0 2 (6 5 2 S E2 d

5 1 6 ) (2 00 7 ). A h a

b e a s c ou rt’s fa c tu a l fin d in g s c a n n ot b e fo u n d to b e c le a rly

e rro n e ou s if th e re is e v id e n c e in th e re c o rd to su p p o rt su c h fin d in g s. Id

.

As we h a v e sta te d p re v io u sly :

To e sta b lish th a t a g u ilty p le a is v a lid

, th e re c o rd m u st sh o w

3 W e note that M agnuson’s c laim that his p lea was not knowingly and v o l u n t a r i ly
entered is not subject to Georgia’s c ustom ary procedural def ault rule, which holds that claim s not raised at trial and on appeal are waived, because the rule does not apply to a claim

that

a c onviction or s entence is void. See OCGA § 9-14-48 (d); Tolbert v. Toole, 296 Ga. 357, 361, n. 8 (767 SE2d 24) (2014). See also Boy kin v. Alabam a, 395 U. S. 238, 243, n. 5 (89
SCt 1709, 23 LE2d 274) (1969) (“if a def endant’s g uilty plea is not equally voluntary an d knowing, it has been obtained in violation of due process and is theref o re void”).

5th a t th e d e fe n d a n t u n d e rsto o d a n d in te llig e n tly e n te re d th e p l e a

.

Th e tria l c o u rt m

u st d e te rm in e t h a t th e ple a is v o lu n ta ry , th e d e fe n da n t u n d e rsta nd s th e n a tu re o f th e c h a rg e s, a n d th e r e is a fa c tu a l b a sis fo r th e ple a

. In a d d itio n , th e tria l c o urt m ust in fo rm th e d e fe n da n t o f th e rig h ts b e in g w a iv e d

, th e te rm s o f a n y n e go ti a t e d

p le a , a n d th e m in im

u m a n d m a x im

u m p o ssib le se n te n c e s.

(Cita tio n s o m itte d .) Ma d d ox v

. S ta te

, 2 7 8 Ga

. 8 23

, 8 2 5

- 8 2 6 ( 6 07 SE2 d 5 8 7 )

(2 0 0 5 ), q u o tin g Jo h n so n v

. S ta te

, 2 7 5 Ga

. 5 3 8

, 5 3 9 (1 ) (5 7 0 SE2 d 2 89 ) (2 0 0 2 ).

S e e Bra d y v

. Un ite d S ta te s, 3 9 7 U. S

. 7 42

, 7 4 8 (I) (9 0 S Ct 1 46 3

, 2 5 LE2 d 7 4 7 )

(1 9 7 0 ) (To p ro p e rly fo rm th e b a sis fo r a

ju dg m e n t o f c o nv ic tio n , a gu ilty p le a

m u st be v o lu n ta ry , k n o win g , a n d in te llig e n t.). Ou r re v ie w o f th is c a se le a d s u s

to c o n c lu d e th a t th e re is re c o rd e v id e n c e su p p o rtin g t h e h a b e a s c o u rt’s

d e te rm in a tio n th a t a t th e tim e h e e n te re d h is g u ilty p le a s, Ma g n u so n ’s m e n ta l

c o n d itio n p re v e n te d h im f r o m u n d e rsta n d in g th e c o n se q u e nc e s o f h is p le a s.

S p e c ifi c a l ly

, th e h a

b e a s c o u rt c o n sid e re d th e u n d isp ute d e vid e n c e o f

Ma g nu so n ’s h isto ry o f m e n ta l d iso rd e rs a n d fo u n d p e rsu a siv e Dr. Ca m p b e ll’s

te stim o n y re g a rd in g Ma gn u so n ’s in a b ility to c o m

p re h e n d th e im

po rt o f th e p le a

c o u rt’s q u e stio n s a n d to a n swe r th o se qu e stio n s tru th fu lly

. Th is e v id e n c e wa s

b o lste re d b y Kim

b a ll’s t e stim o n y , a lso c re d ite d b y th e h a be a s c o urt, sh o win g

th a t ju st prio r to e n te rin g h is p le a s, Ma g n u so n b e lie v e d h e wo u ld b e in c a rc e ra te d

6fo r we e ks, n o t y e a rs. At th e sa m e tim e , b e c a u se p le a c o u n se l d ie d p rio r to th e

h a b e a s p ro c e e d in g s a n d th e ple a c o u rt fa ile d to m a k e a n in d e p e n d e n t in q u iry

re la te d to Ma g n u so n ’s m e n ta l st a t e o r h is u n d e rsta n d in g o f th e p ro c e e d in g s,

th e re is n o e v id e n c e in th e re c o rd sh o win g th a t M a g n u so n g a in e d a m o re

a c c u ra te u n d e rsta n d in g o f th e c o n se q u e nc e s o f h is p le a s th ro u g h c o n ve rsa tio n s

with p le a c o u n se l.

Th e wa rd e n re b u ts th e h a

b e a s c o urt’s v ie w of th e e v id e n c e b y p o in tin g to

th e fa c t th a t M a g n u so n , w h o wa s 2 3 y e ars o ld a t th e tim e o f se n te n c in g a n d h a d

c o m p le te d th e 1 2 th g ra d e , w a s a d v ise d a t th e p le a h e a rin g o f a ll o f th e rig h ts h e

wa s wa iv in g b y p l e a din g gu ilty a n d sta te d th a t h e u n d e rsto od h e wa s e n te rin g

a b lin d p le a a n d wh a t th a t m e a n t. Wh ile th e se a sse rtio n s a re su p p o rte d b y th e

re c o rd

, th e y d o n o t c o n tra d ic t th e h a b e a s c o u rt’s fin d in g s th a t Ma g n u so n

su ffe re d fro m a m e n ta l d iso rd e r a t th e tim e o f h is p le a s w h i c h p re v e n te d h im

fro m u n d e rsta n d in g a n d tru th f u l l y a n swe rin g th e p le a c o u rt’s q u e stio n s.

S im ila rly

, th e wa rd e n ’s a rg u m e n t th a t th e h a

be a s c o u rt’s fin d in g s re g a rd in g

Ma g nu so n ’s m e n ta l c o n d itio n a t th e tim e h is ple a s we r e e n te re d a re

in c o nse q u e n tia l b e c a

u s e c o u n s e l c o r

r e c t e d Ma g n u so n ’s m issta te m e n t m isse s th e

p o in t. It wa s n o t th e v e ra c ity o f th e in fo rm a tio n p ro v id e d to th e ple a c ou rt th a t

7fo rm e d th e b a sis o f th e h a b e a s c o u rt’s fin d i n g s b u t th e fa c t th a t th e g ro u p

d y n a m ic a n d Ma g n u so n ’s diso rd e r p re v e n te d him fro m m a k in g a n in te llig e n t

a n d k n o w in g d e c isio n to e n te r h i s p le a s. T h e p le a c o llo q u y a lso h ig h lig h ts

c o u n se l’s u n fa m ilia rity with a t le a st o n e im p o rta n t d e ta il o f Ma g n u so n ’s m e n ta l

h e a lth h isto ry a

n d c o un se l’s fa ilu re to d isc lo se th e fu ll e x te n t o f th is h isto ry to

th e c o u rt. Giv e n th e sta te o f th e re c o rdin th is c a se a n d th e d e fe re n c e a ffo rd e d

a h a b e a s c o u rt’s fa c tu a l fin d in g s, w e c an n o t sa y th a t th e h a b e a s c o u rt’s

d e te rm in a tio n th a t Ma g n u so n ’s p le a s we re n o t k n o win g ly a n d in te l l i g e n tly

e n te re d wa s e rro n e ou s. S e e We th e rin g to n v

. Ca rlisle

, 2 7 3 Ga

. 8 5 4

, 85 5 ( 5 4 7

S E2 d 55 9 ) (2 0 0 1 ), o v e rru le d o n o th e r g ro u n d s, L e je u n e , su p ra , 2 9 6 Ga

. a t 2 9 9 ;

Tu rp in v . To d d , 2 7 1 Ga . 3 86 , 3 9 0 (5 1 9 S E 2 d 6 7 8 ) (1 99 9).

2

. Be c a u se of ou r h o ld in g in Div isio n 1

, we ne e d n o t a d dre ss th e h a b e a s

c o u rt' s ru lin g s o n Ma gn u so n ’s c la im s o f in e ffe c tiv e a ssista n c e o f c o u n se l.

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 Ju n e 1

, 2 0 1 5

.

Ha b e a s c orp u s. Ch a tto o g a

S u p e rio r Co u rt. Be fo re Ju d g e Gra h a m

.

S a m u e l S

. O le n s, Atto rn e y Ge ne ra l, P a tric ia B. Atta wa y Bu rto n , De p u ty

8Atto rn e y Ge ne ra l, P a ula K

. S m i t

h

, S e n io r A ssista nt Atto rn e y Ge n e ra l; Wo m a c k

,

Go ttlie b & Ro d h a m , S te ve n M. Ro d h a m , fo r a p p e lla n t.

La w Firm o f S h e in & Bra n d e n b u rg , M a rc ia G. S h e i n , E l i z a b e th A.

Bra n d e n b u rg ; La w Offic e s o f Je ffe ry C. Ta lle y , Je ffe ry C. Ta lle y , fo r a p p e lle e

.

9