SECOND DI VI SI ON RI CKM A N, C. J. , M I LLER, P. J. , PI PKI N, J.

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M ar ch 29, 2022



# I n th e Co u r t o f

A p p eals o f

G eo r g ia

A2 2 A0 56 4 . LILLY v . THE STATE.

M I LLE R , Pres i d i n g J u d g e.

Aft er t h e t ri al co u rt g ran ted h i s m o t i o n fo r an o u t-o f-t i m e ap p eal
, J am es Li l l y

s eek s rev i ew o f th e den i al o f hi s m o t i o n fo r n ew t ri al aft er a ju ry fo u n d h i m g u i l t y o f

rap e an d ex p l o it in g an el d er p ers o n

. On ap p eal
, h e arg u es t h at (1 ) th e t ri al co u rt erred

b y al l o wi n g i n t o ev i d en ce s t at em en t s by t h e v i ct i m ’ s d au g h t ers an d a n u rs e w h o

t reat ed an o t h er wi t n es s ; a n d ( 2 ) t h e ev i d en ce was i n s u ffi ci en t t o s u p p o rt h i s

co n vi ct i o n s

. Recen t p reced en t fro m t h e Su p rem e Co u rt o f Geo rg ia, h o wev er,

p recl u d es u s fro m h eari n g t h i s ap p eal

.

Du ri n g t h e pen d en cy o f t h i s ap p eal
, t h e Su p rem e Co u rt o f G eo rg i a d eci d ed t h e

cas es o f Co ok v. S t a te ,

_ _ _ Ga.

_ _ _ (Cas e No

. S 2 1 A1 2 7 0 ) (M ar. 1 5
, 2 0 2 2 ), an d

Ru t l ed g e v. S t a t e , _

_ _ Ga. _

_ _ (Cas e No . S2 1A1 03 6 ) (M ar. 1 5
, 2 0 2 2 ). In Co o k , t h eSu p rem e Co u rt d et erm i n ed t h at a s t an d al o ne m o ti o n fo r an o u t -o f-t i m e ap peal “ i s n ot

a l e g a l l y co g n i zab le v eh i cl e fo r a co n v i ct ed d efen d an t t o s eek rel i ef fro m al l eg e d

co n st i t u t io n al vi o l at i on s ” a n d t h at t h e s ol e rem ed y fo r a cri m in al d efen d an t wh o s e

at t em p t t o ap p eal was fru s t rat ed b y i n effect iv e as si s t an ce o f co un s el i s t o p u rs u e s u ch

a cl ai m th ro u g h a p et i t i o n fo r hab eas co r p u s

. I d

. a t

_

_ _ (5 ); s l i p o p

. at 8 1 -8 3

. In s o

h o l d i n g , t h e Su p rem e Co u rt d i rect ed t h at i t s d eci si o n i n Co ok ap p l i es t o al l cas es in

t h e “ ap p el l at e pi p el i ne” an d t h at an y t ri al co u rt o rd ers t h at h av e d eci d ed m o t i o n s fo r

o u t -o f-t i m e ap p eal s o n t h e m eri t s “ s h o u ld b e v acat ed i f d i rect rev i ew o f t h e cas e

rem ai n s p en d i n g o r i f t h e cas e i s o t h erwi s e n o t fi n al .” Id

. at

_ _ _ (4 ); s l i p o p

. at 7 8 -8 1.

In Ru t l ed g e , t h e Su prem e Co u rt ap p l i ed Co o k an d v acat ed t h e d en i al o f a m o t i o n fo r

an o ut -o f-t im e ap p eal an d rem an d ed fo r t h e t ri al co u rt t o d i s m is s th e m o t i o n fo r l ack

o f ju ri s d ict i o n

. Ru t l ed

g e , s u p ra, _

_ _ Ga. at

_

_ _; s l i p o p . at 3 -4

.

In l i g ht o f t h i s p reced en t , w e m u s t vacat e t he t r i a l c o u rt ’ s g ran t o f Li l l y ’ s

m o ti o n fo r an o u t -o f-t i m e ap p eal b ecau s e i t was “ n o t a l eg al l y co gn i zab le v eh i cl e fo r

a co n v i ct ed defen d an t t o s eek rel i ef fro m al l eg ed c o n s t i t u ti on al v i o lat i o n s .” Co ok
,

s u p ra,

_ _ _ Ga. at

_ _ _ (5 ); s l i p o p. at 8 1 -8 3

. A d d i t i o n al l y , “ we can n o t co n st ru e [Li l l y ’ s

m o ti o n f o r a n o u t -o f-t i m e ap p eal ] as a hab eas p et i ti o n b ecau s e i t w as fi l ed i n t h e

co n vi ct i n g co u rt rat h er t h an i n t h e c o u n t y i n wh i ch h e i s i n carcerat ed .” (Ci t at i o n

2o m it t ed .) Jo n es v. S t a te , 3 2 2 G a

. A p p

. 2 6 9
, 2 7 1 (1 ) (7 4 5 SE2 d 1 ) (2 0 1 3 ).

Acco rd in g ly
, we v acat e t he t ri al co u rt ’ s o rd er g ran t in g Li l l y ’ s m o t io n fo r an o u t -o ft i m e ap p eal an d rem an d fo r t h e t r i al co u rt t o d i s m i s s t h e m o ti on fo r l ack o f

ju ri s d i ct i o n

. W e ex p res s n o o p i n i o n o n t h e m e ri t s o f Li ll y ’ s ch al l en g e t o h i s

co n vi ct i o n s

.

Ju d g men t va ca t ed a n d ca s e r ema n d ed

. Ri ckma n , C. J., a n d Pi pki n , J., co n cu r

.

3