FOURTH D I VI SI ON

BA RNES, P. J.

, M C M I LLI A N 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

Febr uar y 22, 2016



# I n th e Co u r t o f

A p p eals o f

G eo r g ia

A1 5 A1 84 9 . SM ITH v . THE STATE.

M C M ILLI A N , J u dg e.

Ro b bi e Sm it h was co n v i ct ed b y a ju ry o f p o s s es s i o n o f co cai ne wi t h i n t en t to

d i s t ri b u t e, p o s ses s i on o f m ari ju an a wi t h i n t en t t o d is t ri b u t e, 1 t h eft b y recei v i ng s t o l en

p ro p ert y

, t wo co u n t s o f fl eei n g an d at t em p t i n g t o el ud e, o b s t ru ct i o n o f a l aw

en fo rcem en t o ffi cer, o perat i n g a m o t o r v eh i cl e w i t h a s u s p en d ed l i cen s e, an d t wo

co u nt s of p o s s es s i o n o f a fi rearm d u ri n g t h e co m m i s s io n o f a cri m e. Sm it h ap p eal s

fo l l o w i n g t h e d en i al o f h i s m o ti o n fo r n ew t ri al , as am en d ed , arg u i n g t h e t ri al co u rt

s h o u ld h av e g ran t ed h i s m o t io n fo r d i rect ed v e r di ct as to t h e d ru g d is tri b u t i o n

ch arg es

, t h e t ri a l co urt erred i n p erm i t t i n g a p o li ce offi cer t o g iv e h i s o p i n i o n

1 W e wi l l refer t o t h e fi rs t t wo offen ses co l l ect i v el y as t h e “ d ru g d i s t ri b u t i o n ”

ch arg es o r co u n ts

.co n cern in g Sm i t h ’ s in t en t t o d i s t ri b u t e t he d ru g s

, an d t h at hi s t ri al c o u n s el was

i n effect i v e b ecau s e h e d i d n o t ob ject t o th e t es t i m o n y o f t h e po l i ce o ffi cer. As m o re

fu l l y s et fo rt h b el o w, we fi n d t h es e co n t en t i o n s t o b e wi t h o u t m eri t an d affi rm

.

1

. S m i t h fi rs t co n t en d s t h at t h e t ri al co u rt erred b y d en y i n g h i s m ot i o n fo r

d i rect ed v erd i ct as t o t h e d ru g d i s tri b u t i o n ch arg es

.

A m ot i o n fo r d i r e c t e d v erd i ct s h o ul d b e g ran t ed o n l y wh en t h ere i s n o

co n fl i ct in t h e ev i d en ce an d t h e ev i d en ce d em an d s a v erd i ct o f acq u i t t al

as a m at t er o f l aw. Th e s tan d ard o f rev i ew fo r t h e den ial o f a m o ti o n fo r

a d i rect ed v erd i ct o f acq u it t al i s t h e s am e as fo r d e t erm in i n g th e

s u ffi ci en cy o f t h e ev i d en ce t o s u pp o rt a co n v i ct i o n : t h e ev i d en ce m u s t

b e s u ffi ci en t fo r a rat i o n al t ri er o f fact t o fi n d bey o n d a reas o n ab l e d o u b t

t h at t h e d efen d an t was g u i l t y o f t he ch arg ed o ffen se. T h e ev i den ce m u s t

b e rev i ewed i n th e l i g ht m o s t fav o rab le t o s u p p o r t t h e verd i ct an d th e

d efen d an t n o l o n g e r en

jo y s a p res u m

pt i o n o f i n n ocen ce; m o reo v er, an

ap p el l at e co u rt det erm in es ev i d en ce s u ffi ci en cy an d d o es n ot wei g h th e

ev i d en ce o r d et erm i n e t h e cred i b i l it y o f wi t n es s es

.

(Ci t at i o n s om i tt ed .) Hu g h es v. S t a t e

, 2 9 7 Ga. Ap p. 2 1 7

, 2 1 7 (6 7 6 SE2 d 85 2 ) (2 0 0 9 ).

Vi ewed i n t h i s l i g h t

, t h e ev i d en ce at t ri al s h o ws t hat Sm i t h w as arres t ed aft er

at t em p t i n g t o ev ad e a ro u t i n e “ l i cen s e/ s afet y ch eck ” p o l i ce ro ad b l o ck

, an en s u i n g

h i g h s p eed v eh i cl e ch as e, an d an at tem p t t o el u d e pu rs u i n g law en fo rcem en t o ffi cers

o n fo ot aft er h e s t op p ed an d ex i t ed h is v eh i cl e. Offi cer s fo u n d a n in e-m i l l i m et er

2h an dg u n wi t h an ex t en d ed cl i p

, wh i ch h o l d s ex t ra ro u n d s

, s i tt i n g o n t h e p a s s e n g er

s eat o f Sm i t h ’ s car, an d fu rt h er i n s p ect i o n rev eal ed t h at th ere was a l i ve ro u n d i n t h e

ch am b er. Po li ce al s o l earn ed t h at t h e weap o n was s t o len an d Sm it h ’ s d ri v er’ s l i cen s e

was s u s p en d ed . In ad d i t i o n t o t h e g un , p o l i ce o ffi cers fo u n d t wo m ari j u an a “ jo i n t s ”

i n an as h t ray

i n s i d e t h e v eh i cl e.

Po l i ce offi cers al s o s e arch ed al o n g t h e p at h Sm i t h ran aft er h e ex i t ed h i s

v eh icl e. St rewn al o n g t h e p at h, o ffi cers d is co v ered fi v e bag s co n t ai ni n g a g reen l eafy

s u b s t an ce s u b s eq u en tl y i d en t i fi ed as m ari ju an a; o n e o f t h e fi ve b ag s co n t ai n ed 4 5

. 3

g ram s o f m ari

ju an a, an d th e o t h er fo u r b ag s each co n t ai ned ap p ro xi m at el y 0 .9 g ram s

o f m ari j u an a. Offi cers al s o f

o u n d ei g h t i n d iv i d ual bag s co n t ai n in g wh at was

s u b s eq u en t l y i den t i fi ed as co cai n e; t wo o f t h e b ag s co n t ai n ed a m o re “ ch u n k y s o l i d ”

fo rm o f co cai n e wei g h in g 2 .5 1 g ram s an d t h e o t her s i x bag s co nt ai ned a m o re

p o wd ered fo rm o f co cai n e, wi t h a t o t al wei gh t o f 2 .2 5 g ram s

. Dep u t y Ch arl es Sm i t h,

wh o was o n e o f t h e o ffi cers wh o p u rs u ed Sm i t h w h en h e at t em p ted t o el u d e p o l i ce,

t es t i fi ed wi t h o u t o b

ject i o n at t ri al t hat “ u s u al l y i n m y li n e o f wo rk

, i n m

y k n o wl ed g e

an d ex p eri en ce, wi t h t h e am o u n t o f n arco t i cs t h at w as d i s co v ered

, i t ’ s us u al l y b ro k en

u p l i k e t h at fo r di st ri b u t io n p urp o s es .” Fo l l owi n g t h i s t es t i m o n y

, Sm i t h m o ved fo r a

d i rect ed v erd i ct , wh i ch t h e t ri al co u rt d en ied

.

3Sm i t h n o w arg u es t hat t he t ri al co u rt sh o u l d h av e g ran t ed hi s m o ti o n b ecau s e

t h e St at e’ s on l y ev i den ce o f i n t en t t o d is t ri bu t e was b as ed o n t h e m u l t i p le b ag s o f t h e

d ru g s an d Offi cer Sm i th ’ s n o n -ex p ert o p i n i on t es t i m o n y

.

Al t h ou g h t h e St at e i s r e q u i r ed t o s ho w m o re th an m ere po s s es s i o n t o

p ro v e t h at [t he d efen d an t ] i n t en d ed t o d i s t ri b u t e t he co cai n e, n o b ri g h t

l i ne ru l e ex i s t s reg ard i n g t h e am o u n t

. . . . Rat h er, t he St at e m ay s h o w

i n t en t t o d is t ri b u t e i n m an y way s

, i n cl u d i n g e x p e rt t es ti m o n y t h at th e

am o u nt o f co n t rab an d p o s s es s ed was i n co n s is t en t wi t h p ers o nal us e,

ev i d en ce s h o wi n g t h e m an n er o f p ack ag i n g

, a n d t h e p o ss es s i o n [o f

weap o n s ]

. T h e is s u e o f i n t en t i s p ecu l i a r l y a q u es t i o n o f fact fo r ju ry

d et erm i nat i o n

.

(Ci t at i o n s an d p u n ct u at i o n o m it t ed .) Ba rb er v. St a t e

, 3 1 7 Ga. Ap p

. 6 0 0, 6 0 5 (3 ) (7 3 2

SE2 d 1 2 5) (2 01 2 ). H ere, t h e d efen dan t p os s es s ed t wo di fferen t t y p e o f dru g s an d t h e

co cai n e h e p o s ses s ed was i n t wo d i fferen t fo rm s

. A l arg e q u an t i t y o f m ari ju an a was

fo u n d i n o n e b ag

, wh i l e sm al l er an d s i m i l ar q u an t it i es o f th e dru g were fo u n d i n o t h er

b ag s. In ad d i t io n t o t he m ari j u an a, Sm i t h al s o p o s ses s ed t wo d ifferen t fo r m s o f

co cai n e d i v i d ed in t o ei gh t in d i v i d ual b ag s

. Dep ut y Sm i t h tes t ifi ed

, wi t h o u t o b ject i o n,

t h at t h e q u an t i t y an d p ack ag i n g o f t h e d ru gs was i n d i cat i ve of d ru g d i s t ri b u t i o n

, an d

t h i s t es t i m o n y was b as ed o n h i s t rai n i n g an d ex p eri en ce. Fu rt h er, al t ho u g h i t i s t ru e

t h at Dep u t y Sm i t h was no t fo rm al l y t en d ered as an ex pert

, t h e tri al co u rt t aci t l y o r

4i m

p l i ed l y accep t ed h im as s u ch wh en h e al l o wed th e o ffi cer t o t es t i fy co n cern i n g h i s

o p i n i o n i n t h e areas o f n arco t i cs p os s es s i o n an d d i s t ri b u t i o n

. 2 S e e Ba rb er

, 3 1 7 Ga.

Ap p

. at 6 0 5 (3 ) (p o l ice of f i cer m ay g i v e o p in i o n as t o wh et h er t h e am o u n t o r v al u e

o f t h e co nt rab an d is co ns i st en t w i t h d i s t ri b u t i on

, p ro v i d ed t h e St at e l ay s a fo u n d at i o n

fo r t h e o p i ni o n ); Hu g h es , 2 9 7 Ga. Ap p . at 2 1 8

.

M o reo v er, i n ad di t i o n t o t h e o ffi cer’ s t es t i m o n y

, t h e ev id en ce al s o sh o ws t h at

Sm it h en g ag ed i n a h i g h -s p eed

, d an g ero u s ch as e an d th en a t t e m p t e d to fl ee fro m

p o l i ce o n fo o t an d t h at a n i ne-m i l l i m et er, lo ad ed h an d g u n wi t h a b u l l et i n t h e ch am b er

was fo u nd i n t h e fro n t p as s en g er s eat aft er Sm i t h fl ed fro m th e car. Ca u s ey v. S t a t e

,

2 7 4 Ga

. A p p

. 5 06

, 5 0 8 (6 18 SE2 d 1 2 7) (2 0 0 5 ) (l o ad ed weap o n

, larg e q u an t i t y o f

n arco t i cs an d cas h co ns t it ut ed ev i d en ce o f i n v o l v em en t i n dru g t rad e); s ee g en eral l y

S t a t e v

. J

a cks o n

, 2 8 7 Ga. 6 4 6

, 6 5 2 (6 9 7 SE2 d 7 5 7 ) (2 0 1 0 ) (n o t i n g t h at i t “ n ot

u n u s ual ” fo r d ru g d eal ers t o b e arm ed ). Th i s ev i d en ce, co u p l ed wi t h o t h er ev i d en ce

at t ri al

, was s uffi ci en t t o su p p ort Sm i t h ’ s co n v i ct i o n o f p o s s es si o n o f co cai n e an d

2 Sm i t h reco gn i zes t hat a l aw en fo rcem e n t o ffi cer m ay b e perm it t ed t o o ffer

o p i n i o n t es t i m o n y

, ev en i f no t f o r m al l y t en d ered as an ex p ert

, if an ad eq u at e

fo u n dat i o n i s l ai d w i t h res p ect t o t h e o ffi cer’ s t rai n in g an d ex p eri en ce, b ut g o es o n

t o arg u e t h at an ad eq u at e fo u n d at i o n was n o t l ai d fo r t h e o ffi cer’ s t es t i m o n y i n t h i s

cas e. Ho wev er, as m o re fu l l y s et o u t i n Di v i si on 2 b el ow, Sm it h di d n ot ob ject t o t h e

o ffi cer’ s t es t i m o n y o n th is g ro u n d at t ri al

, an d t h u s an y ch al l en g e t o t h e o ffi cer’ s

t es t i m o ny o n t h i s b as i s h as b een wai v ed

.

5m ari

ju an a wi t h i n t en t to d i s t ri b u t e b ey on d a reas o n a b l e d o u b t

. See e.g

., Th o ma s v.

S t a t e

, 32 1 G a. Ap p

. 2 1 4

, 2 1 5 (1 ) (7 4 1 SE2 d 2 9 8 ) (2 0 1 3 ) (ev i d en ce su ffi ci en t wh ere

o ffi cer tes t ifi ed q u an t i t y a n d p ack ag i n g o f crack co cai n e w as m ore co n s i s t en t wi th

d ru g s al es i n s t ead o f pers o n al u s e, an d m an n er of co n ceal m en t was ty p i cal o f “ s t reet

l ev el ” d ru g d eal er); Ho r n e v. S t a t e

, 3 1 8 Ga. Ap p

. 4 8 4, 4 8 4 (1 ) (7 3 3 SE2 d 4 8 7 ) (2 0 1 2 )

(ev i d en ce o f i n t en t to d i s t ri bu t e s u ffi ci en t wh ere offi cer tes t i fi ed am ou n t o f co cai n e

was g reat er t h an wh at wo u l d n o rm al l y be k ep t fo r p ers o n al u s e a n d d r u g s were

p ack ag ed s ep arat el y fo r di s tri b u t i o n ); Fl emi s t er v. S t a t e

, 3 1 7 Ga. A p p . 7 4 9 , 7 5 2 (1 )

(7 3 2 SE2 d 8 1 0 ) (2 0 1 2 ) (ev i d en ce s uffi ci en t wh ere o ffi cer t es t i fi ed d ru g s were

p ack ag ed i n a m an n er co m m on l y as s o ci at ed w i t h t h e s a l e of m ari ju an a); Ca u s ey v.

S t a t e

, 2 7 4 Ga. Ap p

. at 5 0 8 (ev i d en ce o f i n t en t t o d is t ri b u t e wh en l arg e q u an t i t i es o f

d ru g s, cas h

, an d a weap o n fo un d o n d efen d an t ’ s p ers o n). Acco rd i n gl y

, th e t ri al co u rt

d i d n o t err b y

d en y i n g Sm i t h ’ s m o t i o n fo r d i rect ed v erd i ct o n t h es e co u n t s

.

2

. Sm i t h al s o co n t en d s t h at t he t ri al co u rt erred b y p erm i t ti n g D ep u t y Sm i t h to

g i v e o p i ni o n t es t i m o ny as t o t h e i s s u e o f p os s es s i on wi t h i n t en t t o d is t ri b u t e wi t h o ut

l ay in g an ad eq u at e fo u nd at i o n b a s e d o n h i s ex p eri en ce an d t rai n i n g

. Ho wev er, as

Sm it h ack n o wl ed g es i n h i s b ri e f o n ap p eal

, h i s t ri al co u n sel fai led t o o b ject t o t h e

o ffi cer’ s t es t i m o n y o n th i s b as i s. It i s wel l s et tl ed t h at t h e fai l u re t o m ak e a t i m el y an d

6s p eci fi c o b

ject io n t o t h e i n tro d u ct i o n o f ev i d e n ce at tri al i s t reat ed as a wai v er, an d

t h i s i n cl u d es an as s ert i on t h at t h e St at e fai led t o lay a p r o p e r f ou n d at i o n fo r t h e

ad m i s s i o n o f ev i d en ce at t ri al

. S l a u gh t er v. S t a t e

, 2 8 2 G a. Ap p

. 2 76

, 2 7 9 (2 ) (6 3 8

SE2 d 4 17 ) (2 0 0 6 ) (fai l u re t o rai s e fo u n d at i o n al o b ject io n to o ffi cer’ s t es t i m o n y t h at

t h e am o u n t an d fo rm o f d ru g s was i n d i cat i v e of i n ten t to s el l wai v ed ap p el l at e rev i ew

o f t h is i s s u e); s ee al so Ro b i n s o n v. S ta t e

, 3 3 2 G a. Ap p

. 2 4 0

, 2 44 (2 ) (7 7 1 SE2 d 7 5 1 )

(2 0 1 5) (co nt en t i o n t h a t St at e fai l ed t o l ay p ro p er fo u n d at i o n fo r in t ro d u ct i o n o f

t es t i m o ny co n cern i n g p ri o r arres t s wai ved wh en n o t r ai s ed in t ri al co u rt ).

Acco rd in g ly , t h i s en u m erat i o n p res en t s n o t h i n g fo r o u r rev i ew.

3

. In a rel at ed en um erat i o n

, Sm i t h arg u es t h at h i s tri al co u n s el was i n effect i v e

b eca u s e he di d n o t o b

j ect t o t h e St at e’ s fai l ure t o l ay a pro p er fo u n d at i on b efo re

Dep ut y S m i t h w a s a l l o wed t o g i v e h i s op i n i o n t es t i m o n y an d d i d n o t ob ject t o t h i s

t es t i m o ny

.

To s u cceed on h i s i n effect i v en es s cl ai m

, Sm i t h “ m u s t s ho w b o t h t h at h i s

co u ns el ’ s p erfo rm an ce was d e f ic i en t an d th at

, b u t fo r co u n sel ’ s u n p ro fes s i on al erro rs

,

t h ere i s a reas o n ab l e p ro b ab i l it y t h e o u t co m e o f t he t ri al wo u l d h av e b een di fferen t .”

Ba t t en v

. S t a t e

, 2 9 5 Ga. 44 2

, 4 4 5 (3 ) (7 6 1 SE2 d 7 0 ) (2 0 1 4 ). “ It i s t h e ap p el l an t ’ s

‘ heav y ’ b u rd en t o p ro ve t h e i n effect i v e as si st an ce o f co u n sel

, n o t t h e s t at e’ s b u rd en

7t o pro v e t h e ad eq u at e as s i s t an c e o f co u n s el .” (Ci t at i o n o m it t ed .) Id

. M o reo v er,

“ co u n s el i s s t ro n g l y p res u m ed t o hav e ren d ered ad eq u at e as si s t an ce a n d m a d e al l

s i gn i fi can t d eci s io n s i n t h e ex erci s e o f reas o nab l e p ro fes si on al ju d g m en t .” (Ci t at i o n

an d p u n ct u at i o n o m i t t ed .) Id

.

Sm i t h ’ s t ri a l at t o rn ey t es t i fi ed at t h e m o t i o n fo r n ew t ri al h eari n g t h at h i s

p ri m ary d efen se s tra t e g y wa s t o s h o w t h at t h e co nt rab an d

, wh ich w as fo u n d o n t h e

g ro u nd near s ev e r a l ap art m en t co m pl ex es

, d i d n o t bel o n g t o Sm i t h

. Tri al co u n s el

t es t i fi ed t h at Dep u t y S m i t h ’ s t es t i m o n y was n o t rel ev an t t o t h i s d efen s e, an d,

m o r e o v er, b as ed o n t h e n u m ero u s cas es h e h ad t ri ed wi t h t h e p ro s ecu ti n g at t o r n e y,

h e was “ co n fi d en t” t hat i f h e h ad o b ject ed

, t h e St at e’ s at t o r n e y s i m p ly wo u l d h av e

el i ci t ed tes t i m o n y t o “ sh o re u p ” t he fo u n d at i o n fo r Dep u t y Sm it h ’ s t es t i m o n y

. Th e

reco rd al s o s h o ws t h at t ri al co u n s el d i d cro s s -ex am i n e D ep u t y Sm i t h

, an d t h at i n s t ead

o f at t ack i n g h i s cred en t i al s

, at t em p t ed t o s ho w t hat h i s o p i n i o n ab ou t Sm i th ’ s i n t en t

i n p o s s es s i n g t h e d ru g s was i l l -fo u n d ed

.

“ As a g en eral ru le, m at t ers o f reas o n ab l e t act i cs an d s trat eg y

, wh et h er wi s e o r

u n wi s e, d o n o t am o u n t t o in effect iv e as s i s t an ce of co u n s el .” Ba r b er

, 3 1 7 Ga. Ap p

. at

6 0 4 (2 ) (b ) (n o i n effect i v en es s b e c au s e reas o n ab l e tri al s t rat eg y n o t t o ob ject wh en

o ffi cer as k ed t o ex pl ai n d iffer e n ce b et ween s i m p l e p os s es s i on an d po s s es s i o n wi th

8i n t en t t o d i st ri b u t e w h en t ri al s t rat eg y was th at defen d an t d id n o t p os s es s t h e d ru g s ).

T h a t S m it h n o w d i sag rees “ wi t h t h e d eci s io ns

, t act i cs

, o r st rat eg i es m ad e b y t ri a l

co u ns el do es n o t d em o n st rat e t hat [h i s ] t ri al co u n s el ren d ered i n effect i v e as s i s t an ce.”

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

, 2 5 7 G a

. Ap p

. 8 19

, 8 23 (2 ) (b )

(5 7 2 SE2 d 3 7 0 ) (2 00 2 ). M o reo v er, Sm i t h d i d no t at t em p t to m ak e an y s h owi n g o n

m o ti o n fo r n ew t ri al t h at Dep ut y Sm it h was n o t q u al i fi ed b y t rai n i n g an d ex p eri en ce

t o g i v e h is o p i n i o n

, wh i c h w as h i s b u rd en

, rat h er t h an t h e St at e’ s

, t o carry t o p ro v e

h i s i neffect i v en es s cl ai m

. Acco rd i n g ly

, t h i s en u m erat i o n affo rd s n o b as i s fo r rev ers al

.

Ju d g men t a f f i r m ed . Ba r nes , P. J., a n d

Mer ci er , J., co n cu r

.

9