THI RD DI VI SI ON

ELLI NGTON, P. J.

, M CFA DDEN, A ND 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 ar ch 3, 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 8 . W ILSON v . THE STATE.

M C F A D D E N , J u d g e.

Kev i n W il s o n ap p eal s fro m h i s co n v i ct i o n fo r ag g rav at ed as s au l t ag ai n s t

W i ll i am Cad e. He ch al l en ges t h e s u ffi ci en cy o f t he ev i d en ce, b u t i t was s u ffi ci en t to

s u p p ort h i s co n v i ct i o n

. H e arg u es t h at t h e t ri al co u rt erred i n ad m i t t i n g ev i d en ce o f

an earl i er al t ercat i o n he h ad wi t h Cad e’ s s i s t er (wh o was W i l s o n ’ s fo rm er g irl fri en d );

b u t we h o l d t h at t h e t ri al co urt d i d n o t ab us e h is d i s cret i o n i n ad m i t t i n g t h at ev i d en ce

as ot h er act ev i d en ce un d er OCGA § 2 4 -4 -4 04 (b ), an d co n s eq u en t l y we d o n o t reach

t h e tri al co u rt ’ s al t ern at i v e g ro u n d fo r ad m i t t i n g i t

. Fi nal l y W i l s o n arg u es t h at h e

recei v ed i n effect i v e as s i s tan ce b ecau s e h i s t ri al co u n sel o b ject ed t o o n l y o ne o f t h e

t wo g ro u n d s up o n wh i ch t h e t ri al co u rt ad m i tt ed t h a t e v i den ce; bu t as i t wasad m i s s i b l e, W i l so n ’ s t ri al co un s el was n o t i n effect iv e i n fai li n g to o b j ect t o i t o n an

al t ern at i v e g ro un d . W e t h erefo re affi rm

.

1

. S u f f ici en cy o f t h e evi d en ce.

W h en a d efen d an t ch al l en g es t h e s uffi ci en cy o f th e ev i d en ce s u p p o rt i n g h i s

cri m i n al co n v i ct i o n

, “ t h e rel ev an t q u es ti o n i s wh et h er, aft er vi ewi n g t h e ev i d en ce in

t h e l i g h t m o s t fav o rab l e t o t h e p ro s ecu t io n

, a n y rat i o n al tri er o f fact co u l d h av e fo u n d

t h e es s en t i al el em en t s of t he cri m e bey o n d a reas o nab l e do u b t .” Ja cks o n v. Vi r g i n i a

,

4 4 3 U. S. 3 0 7

, 3 1 9 (III) (B) (9 9 SCt 2 7 8 1

, 6 1 L E 2 d 5 6 0 ) (1 9 7 9) (ci t at i o n o m i t t ed ;

em ph as i s i n o ri g i n al ). “ As l o n g as t h ere i s s o m e co m p et en t ev i d en ce, ev en t h o u g h

co n trad i ct ed

, t o s u p p ort each fact n eces sary t o m ak e ou t t h e [s ] t at e’ s cas e, t h e ju ry ’ s

v erd i ct wi l l b e u p h el d .” Mi l l e r v

. S t a t e

, 2 7 3 Ga. 8 3 1

, 83 2 (5 4 6 SE2 d 5 2 4) (2 0 0 1 )

(ci t at i o n s an d p u n ct u at i o n o m i t t ed ).

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

, t h e ev i d en ce s ho wed th at W i l s o n h ad b een i n a

rel at i o n s h i p wi t h Cad e’ s s i st er b ut t he t wo had b ro k en u p i n O ct o b e r 2 0 1 1.

Nev ert h el es s

, W i l so n co n t i n u ed t o s h are an ap art m en t wi t h h is fo rm er gi rl fri en d

, t h ei r

y o u n g ch i l d, an d Cad e, am on g o t h ers

. On t h e m o rn in g o f J an u ary 4, 2 0 12

, W i l so n

i n t ercep ted h i s fo rm er g i rl fri e n d a s s h e was l eav i n g t h e ap art m en t wi t h t h e ch i ld in

h er arm s

, ap p ro ach ed h er h o l di n g an o p en po ck et k n i fe wi t h a si x-i n ch b l ad e, p o i n t ed

2t h e k n i fe at h er, b ack ed h er a n d t h e c h i l d i n t o a co rn er o ut s i d e t h e ap art m en t

,

t h reat en ed to cu t h er, an d d em an d ed t h at s he g i v e h i m th e ch i l d

. W i l s o n t oo k t h e ch i ld

i n t o t h e ap art m en t an d h is fo rm er g i rl fri en d cal l ed t h e p o li ce. Sh e di d n o t p res s

ch arg es ag ai ns t W i l s o n b u t t o l d t h e p o l i ce an d W i l s o n t h at s h e wan t ed h im o u t o f t h e

ap art m en t

. Sh e al s o t ol d W i l s o n t h at sh e wo u l d p ack h i s b el on g in g s fo r h i m to

ret ri ev e.

Ab o ut 2 :0 0 t h e n ex t m orn i n g

, W i ls o n ret u rn ed t o t h e ap art m en t t o ret ri ev e h i s

b el o n g i n g s

, wh i ch h ad b een p laced n ear t he fro n t d o o r. H e en t ered t h e bed ro o m h e

h ad sh ared wi t h h i s fo rm er g i rl fri en d an d b eg an t hro wi n g t h i n g s ab o u t an d des t ro y i n g

h er pers on al pro pert y

. Cad e en t ered t h e ro o m

, an d W i l s o n ap p ro ach ed hi m

, cu rs i n g,

t al k i n g ab o u t h av i n g p u l l ed a k n i fe o n Cad e’ s si s t er, an d “ g et ti n g m o re an d m o re .

.

. h y p ed u p .” Cad e t ol d W i l so n t o l eav e an d t h e t wo b eg an t o arg u e. W i l s o n reach ed

fo r h i s k n i fe an d ch arg ed at Cad e, wh o ran i nt o an o t h er ro o m ; W i l s o n t h en g rab b ed

Cad e aro u n d t h e w ai st an d t h e t wo b eg an fi g h ti n g

. D u ri n g t h e fi g h t

, W i l s o n s t ab b ed

Cad e fi v e t i m es wi t h t h e k n i fe.

Th i s ev i d en ce au t h ori z e d t h e ju ry t o fi n d t hat W il so n co m m i t t ed ag g rav at ed

as s au l t ag ai n s t Cad e. See OCGA § 1 6 -5 -2 1 (b ) (2 ) (“ A pers o n co m m i t s t h e o ffen s e

o f ag g rav at ed as s au l t wh en h e or s h e as s au l t s

. . . [w] i t h a d ead l y weap o n o r wi t h an y

3o b

ject

, dev i ce, o r in s tru m en t wh i ch

, wh en u s ed o ffen s iv el y ag ai n st a p ers on

, i s l i k el y

t o o r act ual l y d o es res u lt i n s eri ou s b o d il y in ju ry .”). Al t h ou g h W i l s o n ch al l en g es t h e

cred i b i l i t y

o f s o m e o f t h e s t at e’ s wi t n es s es reg ard i ng h i s fi g h t wi t h Cad e, i t was fo r

t h e ju ry

, rat h er t h an t h i s co u rt

, t o d et erm i n e t h os e wi t n es s es ’ cred i b i li t y an d res o l v e

an y co nfl i ct s o r i n co n s i s t en ci es i n t he ev i d en ce. Veg a v. S t a t e

, 2 8 5 Ga. 3 2

, 33 (1 ) (6 7 3

SE2 d 2 2 3) (2 0 0 9).

2

. Ad mi ss i o n o f “o t h er a ct s ” evi d en ce u n der

OCGA § 2 4 -4 -4 0 4 (b

).

Pu r s u a n t t o OCGA § 2 4 -4 -4 0 4 (b ) (“ Ru l e 4 0 4 (b )”), t he t ri al co u rt p erm i t t ed

t h e s t at e t o in t ro d u ce ev i d en ce o f t h e earl ier al t ercat i o n b et ween W i l s o n an d h i s

fo rm er g irl fri en d fo r p u rp o s es o t h er t han t o s h o w W i l s o n’ s ch aract er. W il so n arg u es

t h at t h is was erro r. W e d i s ag ree.

“ Ru l e 4 0 4 (b ) p erm i t s th e ad m i s si o n i n cas es o f al l s o rt s o f ev i d en ce o f ‘ o t h er

act s ’ rel ev an t t o an y

fact o f co ns eq u en ce i n t he d et erm in at i o n o f t h e act i o n

, s o l o n g

as t h e ev i d en ce i s n o t o ff e r e d t o p r o v e ‘ t h e ch aract er of a p ers o n in o rd er t o s h o w

act i on in co n fo rm it y t h e r e w i t h.’ ” S t a t e v. Fr o s t

, 2 9 7 Ga. 2 9 6

, 30 0 (7 7 3 SE2 d 7 0 0 )

(2 0 1 5) (fo o t n o te o m i t t ed ). It i s “ an ev i den t i ary ru l e o f i ncl u s io n wh i ch co n t ai n s a n o n

ex h au s t i v e l i s t o f p urp o s es o t h er t h an b ad ch aract er fo r wh i ch o t h er act s ev i d en ce i s

4d eem ed rel ev an t an d m ay b e p ro p erl y o ffered i nt o ev id en ce.” S t a te v. Jo n es

, 2 9 7 Ga.

1 5 6 , 1 5 9 (2 ) (7 7 3 SE2 d 1 70 ) (2 0 1 5 ) (ci t at i o n s o m i t ted ).

Geo rg i a em

p lo y s a th ree-p ro n g t es t t o d et erm i ne t h e ad m i s s i b i l i t y o f ev i d en ce

o f o t h er act s u n d er Ru l e 40 4 (b ): “ (1 ) t h e ev i den ce m u s t b e rel ev an t t o an i s s u e o t h er

t h an d efen d an t ’ s ch aract er; (2 ) t h e pro b at i v e val u e m u s t n ot b e su b s t an t i al l y

o u t we ighe d b y u nd u e p reju di ce; (3 ) t h e g o v ern m en t m us t o ffer s uffi ci en t pro o f s o t h at

t h e ju ry co u l d f

i n d t h at d efen d an t co m

m i t t ed t h e act .” Br ad

s ha w v. S t a t e

, 2 9 6 Ga.

6 5 0

, 6 5 6 (3 ) (7 6 9 SE2 d 8 9 2 ) (2 0 1 5 ) (ci t at i o n an d fo o t n o te om i t t ed ). As d et ai l ed

b el o w, t h e t ri al co u rt d i d n o t ab u s e h i s d i s cret io n i n ap p l y i n g t h i s t es t an d ad m i t t i n g

t h e o t h er act s ev i d en ce. See Cu r ry v. S t a t e

, 33 0 Ga. A p p

. 6 1 0

, 6 1 6 (1 ) (7 68 SE2 d

7 9 1 ) (2 0 1 5 ). (Becau s e W i l s o n fai l ed t o p ro v i d e t h e t ran s c r i p t o f t he Ru l e 4 0 4 (b )

h eari n g in t h e reco rd o n ap p eal

, o u r rev i ew i s l i m i t ed t o t h e t ri al reco rd an d t h e

t ran s cri p t o f t h e h eari n g on t h e m o t i o n fo r n ew t ri al

, at wh i ch th e Ru l e 4 0 4 (b ) ru l i n g

was d i s cu s sed

. See Smi th v. St a t e

, 3 0 4 Ga. Ap p. 7 08

, 7 09 (1 ) (6 9 9 SE2 d 7 4 2 ) (2 0 1 0 ).)

(a) Pr o n g o n e: r el eva nce t o a n i s s u e ot h er t h a n ch a r act er

. Th e t ri al co u rt

ad m i t t ed t he ev i d en ce o f W i l so n ’ s al t erc a t i o n wi th h i s fo rm er gi rl fri en d fo r t h e

p u rp os e o f p ro v in g h is cri m in al i n t en t

, am o n g o t h er p u rp o s es

. W i l s o n arg u es t h at t h i s

p u rp os e was i m

p ro p er b ecau s e ag g r a v at ed as sau l t i s a cri m e o f g en eral i n t en t

. See

5g en e r a l l y Cl i n e v. St at e

, 19 9 Ga. Ap p

. 5 3 2

, 5 3 3 (2 ) (4 0 5 SE2 d 5 2 4 ) (1 9 9 1 )

(“ ag g rav at ed as s au l t co m m i t t ed b y m ean s o f a d ead l y o r o ffen s i v e weap o n

. . .

req u i res o n l y a g en eral cri m i n al i n t en t”) (ci t at i on s o m it t ed ). Bu t ou r Su p rem e Co u rt

h as h el d t h at “ o t h er act s ev i d en ce m ay b e rel ev an t u n d er Ru l e 4 0 4 (b ), wi t h o u t reg ard

t o wh et h er t h e ch arg ed cri m e is o n e req ui ri n g a s p eci fi c o r g en eral i nt en t

, wh en i t i s

o ffered fo r t h e p erm i s s ib l e p urp o se o f sh o w i n g a cri m i n al defen d an t ’ s i n t en t[.] ”

Jo n es

, s u p ra, 2 9 7 Ga. at 1 6 2 (2 ) (ci t at i o n o m i t t ed ). An d W il s on ’ s co u n s el arg u ed to

t h e j u r y a t t r i al t h at W il s on ’ s l ack o f cri m i n al in t en t was “ t h e b i g g es t th i n g” i n t h e

cas e.

In t h i s cas e, t h e s t at e o f m i n d req ui red fo r t he ch arg ed o ffen s e (ag g rav at ed

as s au l t ag ai n s t Cad e) was t h e s am e as t h e s t at e o f m i nd req u i red fo r t h e u n ch arg ed act

ag ai n s t W i l s o n ’ s fo rm er g i rl fri en d (an act t h at al s o co ul d c o n s t i t u t e an ag g rav at ed

as s au l t ). In b o t h i n s t an ces

, W i l s o n i n t en t i o n al l y p u l led a k n i fe d uri n g an al t ercat i o n.

See g en eral l y Du n a g a n v. S t a t e

, 2 6 9 Ga. 5 9 0

, 5 9 4 (2 ) (b ) (5 0 2 SE2 d 7 2 6) (1 9 9 8 )

(o ffen s e o f ag g rav at ed as s au lt can req u i re “ cri m i n al i n t en t t o co m m it t h e act s wh i ch

cau s ed t h e v i ct i m t o b e reas o n ab ly ap p re h e n s i v e o f recei v in g a v i o l en t i n ju ry ”).

“ [W ] h en t h e s t at e o f m i n d req u i red fo r t h e ch arg ed an d ex t ri ns i c offen s es is t h e s am e,

t h e fi rs t p ro n g o f t h e Ru l e 4 0 4 (b ) t es t [rel ev an ce] i s s at i s fi ed .” Br a ds h aw

, su p ra, 2 9 6

6Ga. at 6 5 7 (3 ). Acco rd Si l vey v. S t a t e

,

_ _ Ga. A p p

.

_

_ ,

_ _ (1 ) (a) (_

_ SE2 d

_ _ ) (Cas e

No

. A1 5 A1 1 3 9

, d eci ded No v

. 2 0

, 2 01 5 ). “ Hav i ng d et erm i ned t h at th e ev i den ce was

ad m i s s i b l e as t o i nt en t

. . . , we n eed n o t ex am i ne wh et h er i t was al s o ad m is s i b l e o n

t h e [o t h er i s s u es fo r w h i ch t h e t ri al co u rt ad m i t ted i t ]

. ” Br ad s ha w

, s u pra, 2 9 6 Ga. at

6 5 7 (3 ) n . 5 (ci t at io n o m i t t ed ).

(b ) Pr o n g t wo : u n d

ue p r ej u d i c e do es n o t su b s t a n t i a l l y o u t wei g h p r o b a t i ve

va l u e. W i l so n a r g u e s t h at t h e ev i d en ce o f h i s earl ier al tercat i o n wi t h h i s fo rm er

g i rl fri en d s h o ul d h a v e b e en ex cl u d ed o n t h e gro u n d th at

, u nd er OCGA § 2 4 -4 -4 0 3

(“ Ru l e 40 3”), “ [r] el ev an t ev i d en ce m ay b e ex cl u d ed i f i t s p ro bat i v e v al u e i s

s u b s t an t i al l y o u t wei g h ed b y th e d an g er o f u n fai r p reju d ice.” Bu t “ [i ] t is o n ly u n f a i r

p reju d i ce, s u b s t a n t i a l l

y o u t we i g h in g p ro b at i v e v al u e, wh i ch p erm i t s ex cl u s i o n o f

rel ev an t m at ter un d er Ru l e 4 0 3 .” Un it ed S t a t es v. Ter z a d o -Ma dr u ga

, 8 9 7 F2 d 1 0 9 9,

1 1 1 9 (B) (1 1 th Ci r. 19 9 0 ) (ci t at i o n o m i t ted ; em p h as i s i n o ri gi n al ), ci t ed b y Br a d s h a w

,

s u p ra, 2 9 6 Ga. at 6 5 8 (3 ). “ Ru l e 4 0 3 i s an ex t rao rd i n ary rem ed y t h at m u st b e u s ed

s p ari n g l y b ecau s e i t res u l t s i n t h e ex cl u s io n o f co nced ed l y p ro b at i v e ev i d en ce.”

Un i ted S t a t es v. US In

f r a s tr u ct u r e

, 5 7 6 F3 d 1 1 9 5, 1 2 1 1 (II) (B) (2 ) (1 1 th Ci r. 2 0 0 9 )

( c i t at io n o m i t t ed ). Ev en i n cl o s e cas es

, “ t h e b al an ce

. . . i s s tru ck i n fav o r o f

ad m i s s i b i l i t y i n d et erm i n i ng wh et h er i t s pro b at i v e val u e i s o ut wei g h ed by t h e d an g er

7o f u n fai r p rej u d i c e

. ” Ter z ad o -Ma d r u ga

, s u p ra, 8 9 7 F2 d

. at 1 1 1 9 (B). A l t h o u g h

W i ls o n arg u es t o t h is co u rt t h at t he pro b at iv e v al u e of ev i d en ce o f t h e e arl i er

al t ercat i on was “ l o w o r n o n -ex i s t en t ,” t h e ev i den ce was p ro b at iv e o f t h e is su e o f h i s

i n t en t

, wh i ch

, as m en ti o n ed ab o v e

, h i s t ri al co u ns el arg u ed t o t h e ju ry w as “ t h e

b i g g es t t hi n g ” in t h e cas e. Th e t ri al co u rt d i d n o t ab us e h i s di s cret io n i n b al an ci n g t h e

o t h er act ’ s p ro b at iv e v al u e ag ai n s t i t s p r e j u d ici al effect

. See Br a d

sh a w

, s u p ra, 2 9 6

Ga. at 6 57 (3 ).

(c) Pr o n g t hr ee: p r o o

f t h a t W i l s o n co m mi tt ed t h e o t h er a ct

. Al t h o u g h W i l so n

arg u es t h a t th e ev i d en ce “ was i n s u ffi ci en t t o sh o w t h at t h i s p ri o r b ad act ev en

o ccu rred at al l

, ” h i s f

o rm er g i rl fri en d t es t i fi ed t h at W i l s o n h ad acco st ed an d

t h reat en ed h er wi t h th e k n i fe an d an o t h e r p ers o n t es t i fi ed to wi t n es s i n g t h at

al t ercat i on

. Th i s ev i d en ce was s u ffi ci en t fo r t h e ju ry to fi n d b y a p rep o n deran ce o f t h e

ev i d en ce t h at t h e o t her act was co m m i t t ed

, t h ereb y s at is fy i n g t h e t h ird pro n g req u i red

fo r t h e ad m i s s i on o f t he ot her act ev i d en ce u n d er Ru l e 4 0 4 (b ). B r ad s h a w

, s u p ra, 2 9 6

Ga. at 6 58 (3 ).

3

. Ad mi ss i o n o f “o t h er a ct s ” evi d en ce o n a lt er n a t i ve g r o u n d

.

W i l s o n a r g u e s t h at t h e t ri al co u rt erred i n ad m i t t i ng t h e ev id en ce o f h i s

al t ercat i on wi t h h i s fo rm er gi rl fri en d o n an al t ern at i v e g ro u n d

– t h at t h e al t ercat i o n

8was i n t ri n s ic t o t he s u b seq uen t ag g rav at ed as sau l t ag ai ns t Cad e. See g en eral l y Un i t ed

S t a t es v. W

i l so n

, 7 8 8 F3 d 1 29 8

, 1 3 1 3 -1 3 1 4 (II) (A) (1 1t h Ci r. 2 0 1 5) (1 1 t h Ci r. 2 0 1 5 )

(d i s cu s s i ng ad m i s si b i l it y o f in t ri n s ic ev i d en ce). Gi v en o ur d et erm i n at i on th at t h e t ri al

co u rt d i d n ot err i n ad m it t i n g t h e ev i d en ce un d er Ru l e 4 0 4 (b ), we n eed n o t ad d res s

t h i s cl ai m o f erro r.

4

. In ef f ect i ve a s s i s t a n ce o

f co u n s el

.

W i l s o n arg u es t h at h i s t ri al co u n s el was in effect i v e i n fai li n g t o c h a l l en g e

ad m i s s i b i l i t y o f t h e ev id en ce o f h i s al t ercat i o n w i t h h i s fo rm er g irl fri en d as i n t ri n s i c

ev i d en ce. W e fi n d n o m eri t t o W i l s o n ’ s arg u m e n t b ecau s e, as d i s cu s sed ab o v e, t h e

ev i d en ce was ad m i s s i b l e o n a n o t h er g ro u nd

, un d er Ru l e 4 0 4 (b ). See Da u g h t i e v.

S t a t e

, 2 97 G a. 2 6 1

, 2 66 (4 ) (7 7 3 SE2 d 2 63 ) (2 01 5 ) (co u n s el i s no t ob l i g at ed t o o b ject

t o ad m i s s i b l e ev i d en ce).

Ju d g men t a f f i r m ed . El l i n g t o n , P. J., a n d Mer ci er , J., co n cu r

.

9