FOURTH D I VI SI ON
ELLI NGTON, P. J.

, BRA N CH and M ERCI 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.

http://w w w .ga a ppe a l s .us /r ule s

M ay 5, 2016



# I n th e Co u r t o f

A p p eals o f

G eo r g ia

A1 6 A0 47 1 . HARPER v . THE STATE.

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

A Co wet a Co u n t y j u ry fo u n d Ch ri s t o p her Harp er g u i l t y b ey o n d a reas o n ab l e

d o u b t o f el ev en o ffen ses ari s i n g o u t o f a s eri es o f co n fro nt at io n s wi t h d et en t i o n

o ffi cers at t h e Co wet a C o u nt y jai l d u ri n g M ay , Ju n e, an d J u l y 2 0 13

. Fo l l o wi n g t h e

d en ial o f h i s m o t i o n fo r a n ew t ri al

, Harp er ap p eal s , ch al l en g i n g t h e s u ffi ci en cy o f t h e

ev i d en ce wi t h reg ard t o t h ree co u n t s o f t h e o ffen s e o f a t erro ri s t i c t hreat

, OCGA § 1 6

-

1 1 -3 7 (a); an d o n e co u n t o f t h e o ff e n s e o f i n t erferen ce wi t h go v ern m en t p ro p ert y ,

OCGA § 1 6 -7 -2 4 (a). 1 Fo r t h e reas o n s ex p lai n ed b el o w, we affi rm

.

1 Th e j u ry fo u nd Harp er n o t g u i l t y of a s e c o nd co u n t o f i n terferen ce wi th

g o v ern m en t p ro pert y an d th e o ffen s e o f p u b l i c i n decen cy

. Harp er rai s es n o cl ai m o f

erro r wi t h reg ard t o t h e rem ai n i n g co u n t s t o wh i ch t he ju ry re t u r n ed a v erd i ct o f

g u i l t y : t hree co u n t s o f o bs t ru ct i o n o f a l aw en fo rcem en t o ffi cer, O CGA § 1 6 -1 0 -2 4;

o n e co u n t o f s i m

p l e as s au l t

, OCGA § 1 6 -5 -2 0 (a) (2 ) (as a l es ser i n cl u d ed o ffen s e o fOn ap p eal fro m a cri m i nal co n v i ct i o n , t h e ap p el l at e co u rt

v i ew[s ] t h e ev i d en ce i n th e l i g h t m o s t fav o rab l e t o t h e v erd i ct [,] an d an

ap p el l an t n o l o ng er en

jo y s t h e p res u m

p t i o n o f i n no cen ce. [Th e ap p el l at e

co u rt ] d et erm i n es wh et h er t h e ev i d en ce i s su ffi ci en t u n der t h e s t an dard

o f Ja cks o n v. Vi r

g in i a , 4 4 3 U. S

. 3 0 7 (9 9 SCt 2 7 81

, 6 1 L E 2 d 5 6 0 )
(1 9 7 9 ), an d do es n o t wei g h t h e ev i den ce o r d et erm i n e wi t n es s

cred ib i l i t y . An y

co n fl i ct s o r i n co n s i s t en ci es i n t h e ev i d en ce are fo r t he
ju ry t o res o lv e. A s l o n g as t h ere is s o m e co m p et en t ev i den ce, ev en

t h o u g h co n t rad i ct ed

, t o s u p p o rt each fact n eces s ary t o m ak e o u t th e

St at e’ s cas e, [t h e ap p el l at e co u rt ] m u st u p h o l d t h e ju ry ’ s v erd i ct

.

(Ci t at i o n s o m i t t ed .) Ra n ki n v. S t a t e , 2 7 8 Ga. 7 0 4 , 7 0 5 (6 06 SE2 d 2 6 9 ) (2 0 0 4 ).

In p art i cu lar, t h e i n ten t i o n wi th w h i ch an act is d o n e i s p ecu li arl y fo r th e

fi nd er o f fact

. It i s oft en d i ffi cu lt t o p ro v e wi t h d i rect ev i d en ce an

i n d i vi d u al ’ s in t en t as it ex i st ed at t h e t i m e o f t h e act f o r w h i c h h e i s

b ei n g p ro s ecu ted

. Th u s , i n t e n t i s o ft en p ro v ed t hro u g h th e u s e o f

ci rcu m s t an ti al ev i d en ce.

(Ci t at i o n an d pu nct u at io n o m i t t ed .) S mi t h v. S t a t e , 3 1 9 Ga. Ap p

. 6 40 (7 3 8 SE2 d 9 5 )

(2 0 1 3). A ju ry m ay i n fer th at a p ers o n act ed wi t h cri m i nal i n t en t aft er co n s i d eri n g t h e

ag g rav at ed as s au l t ); t wo co u n t s o f s i m p l e b at tery

, OCGA § 1 6-5 -2 3 (a) (1 ); an d o n e

co u nt o f d i s o rd erl y co n du ct

, OCGA § 1 6 -1 1 -3 9 (a) (1 ) (as a l es ser i n cl u d ed o ffen s e

o f a t erro ri st i c t h reat ).

2“ wo rd s, co nd u ct

, d em ean o r, m o t i v e, an d al l o th er ci rcu m s t an ces co nn ect ed wi t h t h e

act fo r wh i ch t h e accu s ed i s p ro s ecu t ed .” OCGA § 1 6 -2 -6

.

Vi ewed i n t h e l i g ht m o s t fav o rab l e t o t h e v erd i ct

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

fo l l o w i n g

. Harp er arri v ed at th e jai l i n M ay 2 0 13

. On M ay 2 8, aft er Harp er h ad b een

m o v e d t o an i so l at i o n cel l becau s e o f d i s ci p l in ary p ro b l em s , h e co v ered a cei l in g

m o un t ed s ecu ri t y cam era an d th e i n s i d e of h i s cel l d o o r, in cl u d i n g a v i ewi n g w i n d o w,

wi t h feces

. Th e s e c u r i t y cam era an d t he jai l cel l were t h e p ro p ert y o f t h e Co wet a

Co u n t y Sh eri ff’ s Offi ce. W i t h t h e l en s o b s cu red b y feces

, t h e cam era w as u n ab l e t o

reco rd v i deo

. W h en o ffi cers en t ered t h e cel l

, Harp er t h rew a cu p o f feces at o n e o f t h e

o ffi cers

. Aft er th e i n ci d en t

, t h e b efo u l ed eq ui p m en t an d s u rfaces were cl ean ed b y an

i n m at e wo rk er.

An o ffi cer, E. S., t es t i fi ed t h at

, o n Ju n e 3 0

, af t e r a n o t her feces -s m eari n g

i n ci d en t

, Harp er sai d

, i n t h e p res en ce o f o th er offi cers , “ t h at he was g o in g t o s t eal a

g u n ; h e was g o i n g t o co m e t o m y h o u s e an d b reak i n an d t h at h e wo ul d k i l l m e an d

m y fam i l y , wh o ev er was th ere wi t h m e

. H e s a i d h e was g oi n g t o t o rt u re m e;

. . . h e

s ai d h e was g o in g t o bl o w m y b rai n s o u t, an d an y

b o d y t h at w as t h ere wi t h m e wo u ld

g et t h e s am e.”

3Th e n ex t d ay , J u l y 1

, Harp er res i s t ed b ei ng p l aced i n a res t rai n t ch ai r an d t h en

h e t h reat en ed t o k il l o n e o f t h e o ffi cers i n v o lv ed i n t h e res t rai n t

, J

. M

., an d Offi cer J

.

M .’ s ch i l d ren . Ag ai n , o t h er o ffi cers wi t n es s ed t h e t h reat

.

On J u l y 1 8

, d u ri n g an o t h er co n fro n t at i o n , H arp er t o l d Offi cer E. S.,

“ [r] em em b er wh at I t o l d y o u l as t t i m e. I do n ’ t care if y o u r wi fe d i es , y o u r k i d s d i e.

.

. . I’ m g o i n g t o get y o u r as s .” Offi cer E. S. u n d ers t o od Harp er t o b e referen ci n g t h e

t h reat s h e m ad e t o Offi cer E. S. o n J u n e 3 0. Harp er th e n t h r e w a c u p o f u ri n e o n

Offi cer E. S. an d an o th er o ffi cer, J

. G. Th i s i n t eract io n bet ween Harp er, Offi cer E. S.

an d Offi cer J

. G. d u ri n g wh i ch t h e t h reat s w ere m ad e, was reco rd ed wi t h o u t a u d i o ;

t h e reco rd i n g was ad m i t t ed i n t o ev i d en ce an d p l ay ed fo r t he ju ry

.

Th e i n d i ct m en t ch arg ed Harp er wi t h th e o ffen s e of a t erro ri s ti c t h reat by

“ t h reat en [i n g ] t o m

u rd er” Offi cer E. S. o n Ju n e 3 0

, 20 1 3

, (Co u n t 6 ), b y “ t h reat en [i n g ]

t o co m m i t bat t ery t o ” t h at o ffi cer o n J u ly 1 8 , 2 0 1 3 (Co un t 9 ), an d b y “ t h reat en [i n g ]

t o m u rd er” Offi cer J

. M

. on J u l y 1

, 2 0 1 3 (Co un t 7), each o f t h e t h reat s “ b ei n g a cri m e

o f v i o l en ce, wi t h t h e p u rp o s e o f t erro ri zi n g ” t h e n am ed v i ct i m

.

Co u nt 4 ch arg ed Harp er wi t h t h e o ffen s e o f i n t e r feren ce wi t h g o v ern m en t

p ro p ert y in t h at

, o n May 2 8

, 2 0 1 3

, h e “ u n l awfu l l y d eface[d ] t h e Co wet a Co u n t y J ai l

,

4p ro p ert y o f Co wet a Co u n t y Sh eri ff’ s O ffi ce, b y wi p i n g f e c e s on a jai l cel l cam era,

wal l , fl oo r, d o o r, an d wi n do w[.] ”

At t ri al , Harp er d id n o t p res en t an i n s an i t y d efen se.

1

. Harp er co n t en d s t h at t h e ev i d en ce was in s u ffi ci en t t o co n v ict hi m o f a

t e r r o r i s t i c t h reat

, as ch arg ed i n Co u n ts 6

, 7

, an d 9 of t h e i nd i ct m en t

, i n t h at n o

reas on ab l e p ers on wo u l d h av e b el i ev ed t h at h i s w o rd s co n s t i t u t ed “ a t ru e t h reat ”

u n d er t h e ci rcu m s t an ces an d t h at t h ere was no ev id en ce t h a t h e u t t ered t h e t h reat s

wi t h t he p u rp o s e of t erro ri zi n g t h e v i ct i m s

. In arg u i ng t h at t h e e v i d e n c e was

i n s u ffi ci en t

, h e co n t en ds t h at t he ev i d en ce es t ab l i s h ed t h at h i s j ai lers i n s ti g at ed t h e

co n fro n tat io n s wi t h h i m , h i s w o rd s were s ai d o n ly aft er h e was p h y s i cal l y res t rai n ed

,

h e was n o t cap ab l e o f act i ng o n h i s wo rd s , t wo o f t h e th ree t h reat s were “ co n d i t i o n al ,”

an d he was m en t al l y u n s t ab l e an d i n cap ab l e o f un d ers t an d i n g t h e co n s eq uen ces o f h i s

act i on s

.

[T] h e d et erm i n at i on o f wh et h er a d efen dan t h as m ad e a t erro ri s ti c t h reat

fo cu ses so l el y o n th e co n d u ct o f t h e accu sed an d is co m p let ed w h en th e

t h reat i s co m

m un i cat ed t o t he v i ct i m wi t h t h e i n t en t t o t erro ri ze. In t h i s

reg ard

, d irect ev i d en ce t h at t h e t h reat s were m ad e fo r t h e pu rp o s e o f

t erro ri zi n g an o t h er i s n o t n eces s ary i f t he ci rcu m s t an ces s urro u n di n g th e

t h reat s are s u ffi ci en t fo r a t ri er of fact t o fi n d t h e th reat s w ere m ad e fo r

s u ch a p u rp o se.

5(Pu n ct u at i on an d fo o tn o t es o m it t ed

. ) La yn e v. S t a t e , 3 1 3 Ga. Ap p

. 6 0 8

, 6 11 (1 ) (7 2 2

SE2 d 3 5 1 ) (2 0 1 2 ). N on e o f t h e fact o rs i den t i fi ed b y Harp er p recl u ded t h e ju ry fro m

f i n d i n g t hat h e t h reat en ed t h e v i ct i m s wi t h v i o len ce an d t h at h i s p u rp o se was t o

t erro ri ze t h em

. See Smi t h v. S t a t e , 31 9 Ga. Ap p

. 6 4 0

, 6 4 1 -6 4 2 (7 3 8 SE2 d 95 ) (2 0 1 3 )

(Th e ev i d en ce au t h ori zed a fi nd i n g t h at t h e d efen d an t i n t en d ed t o t erro ri ze th e o wn er

o f a h ai r s al o n an d a cu st o m e r , wh ere h e wen t i n t o t h e s al o n an d l ou d l y cu rs ed t h e

v i ct i m s , t h reat en ed t o m ak e th em g et o n t h e fl oo r an d t o “ s p r a y” t h em , an d wh ere

t h ere was n o ev i d en ce th at t he d e f e n d a n t h ad an y p u rp o se fo r hi s t h reat en i n g

s t at em en t s o th er t h an t erro ri zi ng v i ct i m s , s u ch as h um o r.); Reeves v. S ta t e , 2 8 8 Ga.

Ap p

. 5 4 4

, 5 4 5 (6 5 4 SE2 d 4 4 9) (2 0 0 7) (Th e ev id en ce w as s u ffi ci en t t o su p p o rt a

co n vi c t i o n o f a t erro ri s t i c t h reat wh ere t h e d efen dan t was h an d cu ffed an d b ei n g

p l aced in a p at ro l car t o b e t ran s p o rt ed t o jai l an d h e t h reat en ed t o k i l l h i s wi fe wh en

h e g o t o u t o f jai l

, e v en t h o u g h h e l ack ed th e i m m ed iat e ab i l i t y t o carry o u t t h e

t h re a t

. ) ; M

o s s v. S t a t e , 13 9 G a. Ap p

. 1 3 6

, 1 3 7 (1 ) (2 2 8 SE2 d 3 0 ) (1 9 7 6 ) (Th e

ev i d en ce was s u ffi c i en t to s u p p o rt a co n v i ct io n of a t erro ri s t i c t h reat wh ere t h e

d efen d an t t h reat en ed t o k i l l s o m e o f t h e p ol i ce o ffi cers p res en t at t h e jai l wh ere h e

was b ei n g h el d

, ev en t h ou g h t he p o l i ce o ffi cers were arm ed an d t h e d efen d a n t was

n o t .). See al s o La

yn e v. S ta te

, 3 1 3 Ga. Ap p

. a t 6 1 1 (1 ) (Th e ev i d en ce au t h o ri zed to

6fi nd t h at

, i n t h reat en in g t o b l o w u p h i s h ou s e, t h e defen d an t in t en ded t o t erro ri ze

p o l i ce o ffi cers res p o nd i n g t o a d i s t u rb an ce, ev en t h o u g h th e d efen d an t h ad a h i s t o ry

o f m en t al i ll n es s an d h ad n o t b een t ak i n g hi s m en t al h eal t h m ed icat i o n , wh ere h e d id

n o t p lead t h e a f

f i r m a t i v e d efen s e o f i n san i t y .). Th e ev id en ce in t h is cas e was

s u ffi ci en t fo r t h e ju ry

t o fi n d t hat Harp er i n t en d ed t o t erro ri ze t h e v i ct i m s

.

2

. Harp er co n t en d s t h at t h e ev i d en ce was i n s uffi ci en t to s h o w t h at h i s co n d u ct

ro s e t o t h e l ev el o f d efaci n g g o v ern m en t p ro p ert y , as ch arg ed i n t h e i nd i ct m en t

, in

t h at

, al t h o u g h th ere was ev i d en ce t h at h e “ d i rt i ed ” t h e p ro p ert y at i s s u e, t h e p ro p ert y

was t h en “ si m

p l y cl ean ed

. ” Th e ap p l i cab l e s t at u t e 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 i n t erfere n c e w i t h g o v ern m en t p ro pert y wh en h e d es t ro y s , d am ag es , o r

d efaces g o v ern m en t p ro p ert y [.] ” OCGA § 1 6 -7 -2 4 (a).

Th e t erm “ d eface[ ] ” i s n o t d efi n ed

.

[ I ]n c o n s i d eri n g t h e m ean i n g o f a s t at u t e, o u r ch arg e as an ap p el l at e

co u r t i s t o p res um e t h at t h e Gen eral As s em b l y m ean t wh at i t s ai d an d

s ai d wh at i t m ean t

. An d t o ward t h a t e n d

, we m u s t affo rd t h e st at ut o ry

t ex t i t s p l ai n an d o rd i n ary m ean i n g , co n s id er t h e t ex t co nt ex t u al l y , an d

read t he tex t in i t s m o st n at u ral an d reas o n ab l e w ay , as an o r d i n ary

s p eak er o f t h e En g li s h l an g uag e wo u l d

.

7(Pu n ct u at i on an d fo o t n o t es o m i t t ed .) Ma r t i n ez v. St a t e , 3 2 5 Ga. Ap p

. 2 6 7

, 2 7 3 (2 )

(7 5 0 SE2 d 5 04 ) (2 0 1 3 ). In ad d it i o n , “ t h e fu n d am en tal ru l es o f s t at u to ry co ns t ru ct i o n

r e q u i re u s

. . . t o av o id a co n s t ru ct i o n t h at m ak es s o m e l an g u ag e m ere s u rp l u s ag e.”

(Pu n ct u at i on an d fo ot n o t e o m i tt ed .) Al g r en v. St a te

, 3 3 0 G a. A pp

. 1

, 6 (3 ) (7 6 4 SE2 d

6 1 1 ) (2 0 1 4 ).

Th e p l ai n an d ord in ary m ean in g o f “ d eface” in b o t h l eg al an d l ay p arl an ce i s

t o m ar t h e face o r i m

pai r th e s u rface ap p earan ce o f t h e o b ject

. Mo n r o e v. S ta t e , 2 5 0

Ga

. 3 0

, 3 4

, n

. 4 (2 9 5 SE2 d 5 1 2 ) (1 9 8 2 ); S a b el v. S t a t e , 2 4 8 Ga. 1 0, 1 2 -1 3 (2 ) (2 8 2

SE2 d 6 1) ( 1 9 8 1 ), o v erru l ed o n o t h er g ro un d s b y Ro wer v. S t a t e , 2 64 G a. 3 2 3 (4 4 3

SE2 d 8 3 9) (1 9 9 4). Ju s t as , wh en a t h i n g i s d am ag ed

, t he d am ag e m ay b e rep arab l e o r

i rrep arab l e, w e co n cl ud e t h at t h e ap p earan ce o f a t h i n g m ay b e im p ai red perm an en t l y

o r tem p o rari l y

. See S i

f u en t es v. S t a t e , 2 9 3 Ga. 4 4 1

, 4 4 2 (7 4 6 SE2 d 1 2 7 ) (2 0 1 3 )

(b u i l di n g s were “ d eface[d ] ” b y s p ray pai n t ed g raffi t i o r tag g i n g ); S a b el v. S t a t e , 2 4 8

Ga. at 1 3 (2 ) (Sp ray i n g g o v ern m en t b ui l di n g s an d m on u m en t s w it h b l ack s p ray p ai nt

“ d efac e d” the m a nd c onstit u ted i n t erferen ce w i t h g o v ern m en t p ro p ert y

. ). Th e fact t h at

t h e cam era an d cel l s u r faces co u l d b e cl ean ed an d res t o red t o t h ei r p rev i ou s

ap p earan ce d i d n ot p recl u de t h e j u ry fro m fi n di ng t h at Harp er d ef a c e d t h e m by

8wi p in g feces o n t hem

. Th e ev i d en ce was s u ffi ci en t fo r t h e ju ry t o fi n d t he el em en t s

o f i n t erferen ce wi t h g o v ern m en t p ro p ert y

.

Ju d g men t a f f i r m ed . Br a nch a n d

Mer ci er , JJ., co n cu r

.

9