FOURTH D I VI SI ON

DOYLE, P. J.

, M I LLER and DI LLA RD, 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 ls .us /r ule s /

October 17, 2014



# I n th e Co u r t o f

A p p eals o f

G eo r g ia

A1 4 A1 37 5 . THE STATE v . M ARTINEZ-PALOM INO.

M I LLE R , J u d ge.

Fo l l owi n g a ju ry t ri al

, An g el M art in ez-Pal o m i no was co n vi ct ed o f k id n ap p i n g

(OCGA § 1 6 -5 -4 0 (a)), ag grav at ed ch i l d m ol es t at i o n (OCGA § 1 6 -6 -4 (c)), an d ch i ld

m o les t at i o n (OCGA § 1 6 -6 -4 (a) (1 )). 1 Th e St at e ap p eal s fro m t h e t ri al co u rt ’ s g ran t

o f M art i n ez-Pal o m i n o ’ s m o ti o n fo r n ew t ri al

, as am en d ed

, o n t h e bas i s t h at t h e co u rt

erred i n al l o wi n g a v i d e o r e c o r d i n g o f t h e ch i l d v i ct i m ’ s fo ren s i c i n t erv iew t o b e

p l ay ed d u r i n g j u r y d el i b erat i on s

. Th e St at e co n ten d s t h at t h ere was n o erro r in

1 Th e j u ry al s o fo u n d M art i nez-Pal o m i n o g u i l t y o f ag g rav at ed s ex u al b at t ery

an d an o t h er co u nt o f ch i l d m ol es tat i o n

, an d t h e t ri al co u rt m erg ed t h es e co u n t s i n to

t h e ag g rav at ed ch i l d m o l es t at i on co n v i ct i o n fo r s en t en ci n g p u rp o s es

. Th e tri al co u rt

al s o g ran t ed a d irect ed v erd i ct as t o a t hi rd ch i ld m o l es tat i o n ch arg e an d d ecl ared a

m i s t ri al as t o t h e o ffen s e o f en ti ci n g a ch i l d fo r i n d ecen t p u rp o s es

.al l o wi n g t h e ju ry to v i ew t h e v i d eo b ecau s e t h e reco rd i n g was p ro p erl y ad m i t t ed i n to

ev i d en ce, t h e ch i l d v i ct i m an d fo ren s i c i n t erv i ewer t es t i fi ed at t ri al an d w ere av ai l ab l e

fo r cro s s -ex am i n at i on

, an d d efen s e co u n s el ag reed t o al l o w t h e v i d eo reco rd i n g t o b e

p l ay ed to t h e j ury d u ri n g i t s d el ib erat i o n s

. 2 Fo r t h e reas on s th at fo l lo w, w e rev ers e t h e

t ri al co u rt ’ s g ran t o f Mart i n ez-Pal o m i n o’ s m o t io n fo r n ew t ri al b ecau s e t h ere was n o

erro r i n al l owi n g th e ju ry t o v i ew t h e v i d eo

.

W e rev iew t h e g ran t o f a m o t i o n fo r n ew t ri al o n s p eci al g ro un d s i n v o l v i n g a

q u es ti o n o f l aw de n o v o an d rev ers e i f t h e tri al co u rt co m m i tt ed l eg al erro r. S t a t e v.

Cl emen t s

, 2 8 9 Ga. 6 4 0 (1 ) (7 1 5 S E 2 d 5 9 ) (2 0 1 1) (m o ti o n fo r n ew t ri al b as ed o n

fai l u re t o d i s m i s s ju ro r); O’Nea l v. S t a t e

, 28 5 Ga. 3 6 1

, 3 6 3 (6 7 7 SE2 d 9 0 ) (2 0 0 9 )

(m o t i o n fo r n ew t ri al b as ed o n p ri o r d en ial o f m o ti o n t o s ev er).

2 At t h e o u t s et

, we ad dres s M art i n ez-Pal om i n o ’ s m o t i o n t o d is m i ss t he ap p eal

o n t he g ro u n d s t h at t he St at e fai l ed t o i n cl u d e en u m erat i o n s o f erro r in i t s b ri ef, as i s

req u i red b y Co u rt o f Ap p eal s Ru l e 22 (a) an d Ru l e 2 5 (a) (2 ). No t wi t h s t an d i n g t h e

St at e’ s fai l u re t o in cl u d e an en u m erat i o n o f erro rs i n i t s b ri ef, t h i s Co u rt i s req u i red

t o co n si d er t he ap p eal b ecau s e we ca n d i s cern fro m t h e St at e’ s b ri ef an d t h e reco rd

t h e erro rs t h at t h e St at e i s as sert i n g o n ap p eal

. See OCGA § 5 -6 -4 8 (f). Co n s eq u en t l y

,

we d en y M art in ez-Pal o m i n o ’ s m o t i o n t o d i s m is s t he ap p eal

. See, e.g

., Ja cks o n v.

S t a t e

, 3 1 4 Ga

. A p p

. 27 2

, n .1 (7 2 4 SE2 d 9) (2 0 1 2 ); S t a t e v. Ma d i s o n

, 3 1 1 Ga. Ap p.

3 1

, 3 2 (1 ) (7 1 4 SE2 d 7 14 ) (2 0 1 1 ). W e al so d en y M art in ez-Pa l o m i n o’ s m o t i o n to

s t ri k e t he St at e’ s res p o n se t o h i s m ot i o n t o d i s m is s fo r fai l u re t o i n cl u de a cert i fi cat e

o f s erv i ce b ecau s e t h e St at e re-fi l ed i t s res po n s e t o i n cl u de s u ch a cert i fi cat e.

2Vi ewed i n t h e l i g ht m o s t fav orab l e t o t h e ju ry ’ s v erd i ct

, 3 t h e ev i d en ce s h o ws

t h at M art i n ez-Pal om i n o an d h i s g i rl f r ie nd, R a q u el M ag o s

, were fri en d s wi t h an d l i v ed

a t the sa m e G a ines v i l le ap art m en t co m p l ex as t h e v i ct i m ’ s fam i l y

. M art in ez-Pal o m i n o

was al s o a m ai n ten an ce wo rk er at t h e ap art m en t co m pl ex

.

On J u n e 2 3

, 20 1 0

, t h e t h en 1 2 -y ear-o l d v i ct i m l eft h er ap art m en t an d wen t fo r

a wal k . On h er wal k , t h e v i ct i m en co u n t ered M art i n ez-Pal o m i no an d h i s co -wo rk er

at t h e ap art m en t co m

p l e x m ai l b o xes

. M art i n ez-Pal o m i no as k ed t h e v i ct i m i f s h e

wan ted a cu p o f wat er, an d t h e v i ct im res p o n d ed affi rm at i v el y

. Th e v i ct i m t h en wen t

wi t h M art i n ez-Pal o m i no an d t h e co -wo rk er t o M art i n ez-Pal o m i n o ’ s ap art m en t

.

At t h e ap art m en t

, M art i n ez-Pal o m i n o an d h i s co -wo rk er at e t hei r l u n ch wh i l e

t h e v i ct i m d ran k h er wat er. A t s o m e p o in t , t h e co -wo rk er wen t o u t t he fro n t d o o r to

m ak e a p h o n e cal l

. Th e v ict im t h en fi n i s h ed h er wat er, t h an k ed M art i n ez-Pal o m i n o,

an d t u rn ed t o l eav e o ut t h e fro nt d o o r. Befo re t h e v i ct i m was ab l e t o reach t h e fro nt

d o o r, h owev er, Mart i n ez-Pal o m i n o p u l l ed h er b ack b y t h e wai s t an d t h rew h er o n to

t h e co u ch

. M art in ez-Pal om i n o s t art ed k is s i n g t h e v i ct i m o n h er m o u t h an d n eck an d

at t em p t ed t o bi t e h er m o u th an d ear. M art i n ez-Pal o m i n o t h en g rab b ed t h e v i ct i m by

3 Ja cks o n , s u p ra, 3 1 4 Ga. Ap p . at 2 7 2

.

3h er ch es t

, u n d er her b reas t s

, an d fo rced h er d o wn t h e h al l an d i n t o t h e bat h ro o m

. Th e

v i ct i m t es t i fi ed t h at s h e was s cared an d wan t ed t o l eav e.

In s i d e th e b at h ro o m

, M art i n ez-Pal om i n o p ul l ed do wn t h e v i ct i m ’ s s h o rt s an d

u n d erwear t o h er k n ees

. M art i n ez-Pal o m i n o t h en s at t he v i ct im d o w n o n t he s i n k an d

p u l l ed d o wn h is p an t s an d u n d erwear. M art i n ez-Pal o m i n o i ns ert ed h i s fi n ger i n t o t h e

v i ct i m ’ s v ag i na, cau s in g p ai n t o t h e v i c tim

. M a r tin ez-Pal o m i n o t h en m as t u rb at ed

, an d

as h e ejacu l at ed

, s o m eo n e k n o ck ed o n th e fro n t d o o r. M art i n ez-Pal o m in o p u l l ed h i s

fi ng er o u t o f t h e v i ct i m ’ s vag i n a, cl ean ed h i m s el f, an d p u l l ed u p h i s p an t s. W h en t h e

v i ct i m t ri ed to s cream

, M art i nez-Pal om i n o pu t h is h an d o ver t h e v i ct i m ’ s m o u t h an d

t o l d h er t o s h ut u p

. M art i n ez-Pal o m i n o t h en ex i t ed t h e b at h ro o m an d wen t to an s wer

t h e do o r. W h i l e M art i nez-Pal o m i n o was at t h e fro n t d oo r, t h e v i ct i m p u ll ed u p h er

p an ts

, fl ed o u t t h e b ack d o o r, an d ret u rn ed h o m e. Th e v i ct im d i d n o t i m m ed i at el y t el l

an y o n e ab o u t t h e i n ci d en t

.

Lat er th at ev en i ng

, M ag o s co n fro n t ed t h e v i ct i m b y t h e ap art m en t co m p l ex

p o o l r eg ard i n g t h e v i ct i m ’ s s ex u al as s au l t. M ag os t o l d th e v i ct i m th at M art i n ezPal o m in o t o l d h er wh at h ap p en ed

. M ag o s bl am ed t h e v i ct i m an d th reat en ed h er.

W h en M ag o s l eft

, t he v i ct im b eg an t o cry

, an d a nei g h bo r as k ed h er w h at w as wro n g.

Th e v i ct i m t o l d t h e n ei gh b o r th at s h e was s ex ual l y as s au l t ed by M art i n ez-Pal o m i n o.

4Th e n ei g h b o r c o n v i n c e d t h e v i ct i m t o t el l h er m o t h er ab o u t t h e i n ci d en t

, an d t h e

m o th er rep o rt ed t he i n ci d en t t o t h e p o l i ce.

Th e v ict i m was su b s eq u en t l y t a k e n t o t he h o sp i t al fo r a s ex u al as s au l t ex am

.

Th e ex am i n i n g n u rs e fo u n d s ev eral i n ju ri es t h at were co n s i s t en t w i t h t h e s ex u al

as s au l t rep o rt ed b y t he v ict i m

. Two week s aft er th e i n c i d e n t

, Dr. J u l ie Bat t l e

p erfo rm ed a fo ren s i c i n t erv i ew o f t h e vi ct i m

. Th e v i d eo t ap ed i nt erv i ew was ad m i t t ed

i n t o ev i d en ce i n i t s en t iret y wi t h o u t o b ject i o n an d a p o rt i o n o f t h e v i d eo was p l ay ed

fo r t h e ju ry b efo re i t w as s t o p p ed b ecau s e o f p o o r au d i o q u al i t y

. Dr. Bat t l e t h en

t es t i fi ed t h at s h e m ad e a v ery d et ai l ed rep o rt o f t h e in terv i ew, du ri n g wh i ch th e v i ct i m

reco u n ted t h at s h e was s ex u al l y as s au l t ed b y

M art i n ez-Pal o m i n o

.

At t ri al

, wh i l e t h e ju ry d el i b erat ed

, i t req ues t ed t o s ee t h e v i d eo reco rd i n g o f t h e

fo re n si c i n t erv i ew. M art i n ez-Pal o m i n o

, wh o h ad earl i er i n d i cat ed t h at h e wo u l d ag ree

t o al l ow t h e ju ry t o s ee t h e vi deo i f req u es t ed

, d id n ot o b ject to t h e p l ay i n g o f t h e

v i d eo d u ri n g ju ry d el i b erat i o n s

. Th e v i d eo was t h en p l ay ed i n o p en co u rt

, an d t h e ju ry

ret u rn ed t o t h ei r d el i berat i o n s aft er t h e v i d eo co n cl ud ed

.

Fo l l owi n g t h e j u ry ’ s v erd i ct

, M art i n ez-Pal om i n o fi l ed a m o t i o n fo r n ew t ri al

as s ert i n g

, i n t er al i a, t h at t h e t ri al co u rt erred i n al l o wi n g t h e ju ry t o v iew t he v i d eo o f

t h e fo ren s i c in terv i ew d uri n g ju ry d el i b erat i o n s

. Th e m o t i o n fo r n ew tri al was h eard

5b y a d i ffe r en t ju d g e wh o d i d n o t p res i de o v er t h e o ri g i n al t ri al

. Th i s n ew ju d g e

g ran t ed M art i n ez-Pal o m i n o ’ s m o t i o n fo r n ew tri al o n t he s p eci al g ro u n d t h at t h e

o ri g i nal ju d g e erred b y al l o w i n g t h e en t i re v i d eo re co rd in g o f t h e ch i l d v i ct i m ’ s

fo ren s i c i n t erv iew t o b e p lay ed d u ri n g ju ry d el ib erat i on s . Th e St at e n o w ap p eal s

.

Th e St at e co n t en d s t h at t h e t ri al co u rt erred i n g ran t i n g M art i n ez-Pal o m i n o ’ s

m o ti o n fo r n ew t ri al b ecau se th ere was n o erro r i n al l o wi ng t h e ju ry t o v i ew t h e v i d eo

i n i ts en ti ret y

d u ri n g ju ry

d el ib erat i o n s . W e ag ree.

As a p rel i m i n ary m at t er, Mart i n ez-Pal o m i n o d i d n o t o bject t o t he p lay i n g o f t h e

v i d eo d u ri n g d el i b erat i o ns at t h e ju ry ’ s req u es t

. In fact

, wh en t h e t ri al co u rt s t o p p ed

p l ay i n g t h e reco rd i n g at t ri al b ecau s e o f p o o r a u d i o q u al i t y

, Mart i n ez-Pal o m i n o

ex p res s l y i n di cat ed t h at h e w o ul d n o t o b ject t o p lay i n g th e v i d eo at a l at er t i m e i f t h e

ju ry r e q u e s t e d i t

. “ A d efen d an t wi l l n o t be al l owed t o i n d u ce an as s ert ed erro r, s i t

s i len tl y h o p i n g fo r acq u i t t al

, an d o b t ai n a new t ri al wh en t h at t act i c fai l s .” (Fo o t n o t e

o m it t ed .) Bu ch a na n v. St a t e

, 2 5 4 Ga. Ap p

. 2 49

, 2 5 1 (2 ) (5 6 2 SE2 d 2 1 6 ) (2 0 0 2 ); s ee

al s o W es t mo r el a n d v. S t a t e

, 1 9 2 Ga. Ap p

. 1 7 3

, 1 76

- 1 7 7 ( 2 ) (b ) (3 8 4 SE2 d 2 4 9 )

(1 9 8 9) (“ [a] p art y can n o t cl ai m e r r o r wh ere h e h i m s el f co m m i t t ed o r i n v i t ed t h e

erro r.”) (p u n ct uat i o n o m i t t ed ).

6Nev ert h el es s

, ev en as s u m i n g M art in ez-Pal om i n o d i d n o t i n v i t e t h e al l eg ed

erro r, i t is wel l -es t ab li s h ed t h at i t i s p erm i s si b l e fo r t h e t ri al j u d ge, i n hi s d i s cret i o n,

t o p erm i t t he ju ry at t h ei r i n s t i g at i o n t o reh ear req u es t ed part s o f t h e e v i d e n c e aft er

t h ey hav e ret i red an d b eg u n d el i b erat i o n s

, so l o n g as i t is d o ne i n op en co u rt

. Lo p ez

v. S ta t e

, 2 9 1 Ga. Ap p . 2 1 0

, 2 1 4 (3 ) (6 6 1 SE2 d 6 1 8 ) (2 00 8 ); S u mma g e v. St a t e

, 2 4 8

G a

. Ap p

. 5 5 9, 5 6 1 (1 ) (5 4 6 SE2 d 9 1 0 ) (2 0 0 1 ). In t h i s cas e, t h e t ri al co u rt f o l l o w e d

“ t h e s t an d ard p ra c t i c e

, [ w h i ch ] i s t o b ri n g t h e ju ry back i n to o pen co u rt t o reh ear

reco rd ed ev i d en ce[.] ” Br i d g es v. S t a te

, 2 79 Ga. 3 51

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

To s h o w t h at t h e t ri al co u rt ’s a c t i o ns were an ab u s e of d i s cret i o n

, M art i n ezPal o m in o was req u i red t o s h o w t h at t h ere were “ s p eci al ci rcu m s t an ces ” t hat w o u l d

m ak e i t un

j u s t to al l o w t h e ju ry t o v i ew t h e v id eo

. See W a t ki n s v. S t a te

, 2 73 Ga. 3 0 7,

3 1 0 (3 ) (5 4 0 SE2 d 1 9 9 ) (2 00 1 ); Ma r ti n v. S t a te

, 2 4 0 Ga. A pp

. 9 0 1

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

7 2 8 ) (1 9 99 ). H e fai led t o m ak e s u ch a s h owi n g . Th e ju ry al read y h eard t h e v i ct i m ’ s

t es t i m o ny ab o ut t h e s ex u al ab u s e, as wel l as D r. Bat t l e’ s t es t i m o ny r e g a r d i n g t h e

fo ren s i c i n terv i ew. W h i l e Mart i n ez-Pal o m in o arg u es t hat t h e ju ry h eard i m p r o p er

ch aract er ev i d en ce reg ard i n g hi s p ro cl i v i t y fo r v i o l en ce an d s ex ual p ro m is cu o u s n es s

t h at i t di d n o t i n i t i al l y h ear up o n t h e i ni t ial p l ay i n g o f th e v i d eo

, t h e ju ry was en t i t l ed

t o co n si d er t h e v i ct i m ’ s o u t-o f-co u r t s t a t e m en t s as s ub s t an t i v e ev i d en ce u n d er t h e

7Ch i ld Hears ay St at u t e, fo rm er O CGA § 2 4 -3 -1 6

. 4 See Lo p ez

, su p ra, 29 1 Ga. Ap p

. at

2 1 2 (1 ). Th i s “ m at eri al ev id en ce [d id ] n o t b e c o m e i n a d m i s si bl e s i m pl y b ecau s e i t

i n ci d en t al l y p l ace[d ] [M art i n ez-Pal o m i n o ’ s ] ch aract e r i n i s s u e.” (Pu n ct u at i o n an d

fo o t n o t e o m i t t ed .) Jo h ns o n v. S t a t e

, 2 6 8 Ga. Ap p. 1

, 6 (1 ) (d ) (6 01 SE2 d 3 9 2 ) (2 0 0 4 ).

M o reo v er, t ri al co un s el t es ti fi ed at t he m o ti o n fo r n ew t ri al h eari n g t h at h e d id

n o t o b ject t o t h e p l ay i n g o f th e t ap e becau s e t h ere were s om e i n co ns i s t en ci es b et ween

t h e v i ct im ’ s t ri al t es ti m on y an d h er i n t erv i ew s t at em en t s an d t h e v i ct i m d i d no t ap p ear

cred i b l e d u ri n g h er i n t erv i ew, fact o rs t h at t ri al co u n s el b el i ev ed wo u l d b e b en efi ci al

t o M art i n ez-Pal o m i n o ’ s d efen se. Ad d i ti o n al l y

, t h e v ict i m t es t i fi ed at tri al an d was

s u b ject t o ex t en s i v e cro s s -ex am i n at i on

. Th erefo r e

, M a rt i n ez-Pal o m i n o had a fu l l

o p p o rt u ni t y t o c o n f

r o n t th e vi ct i m an d h is ri g h t t o a fai r t ri al was s afeg u ard ed

. See

4 Fo rm er OCGA § 2 4 -3 -1 6 p ro vi d ed t h at

[a] s tat em en t m ad e b y a ch i l d u n d er t h e ag e o f 1 4 y ears des cri b i n g an y

act o f s ex u a l co n tact o r p h y s i cal ab u s e perfo rm ed wi t h o r o n th e ch i l d

b y an o t h er

. . . i s ad m i s s i b l e i n ev i d en ce b y th e t es t i m o n y o f t h e p ers o n

o r p ers o n s t o wh o m m ad e i f t h e ch i l d i s av ai lab l e t o t e s t i fy in th e

p ro ceed i n g s an d t h e co u rt fi n d s t h at t he ci rcu m s t an ces of t h e s t at em en t

p ro v i d e s u ffi ci en t i nd i ci a o f rel i ab i l i t y

.

Th ere was n o ch al len g e, m u ch l es s ev i d en ce p res en t ed

, th a t t h e t ap ed in t erv i ew

l ack ed an i nd i ci a o f rel i ab i l i t y , an d

, as i n d i cat ed ab o v e, Mart in ez-Pal o m i n o d i d n ot

o b ject t o i t s ad m i s s io n

.

8Ph i l l ip s v. St a t e

, 2 84 Ga. Ap p

. 2 2 4

, 2 27 -2 2 8 (1 ) (b ) (6 4 4 SE2 d 15 3 ) (2 0 0 7 ) (affi rm i n g

ad m i s s i o n o f v i d eo tap ed i n t erv i ew o f ch i l d v ict i m in t o ev i d en ce an d co n cl u di n g t h at

d efen d an t ’ s co n fro n tat io n ri g ht s were n ot vi o l at ed s i n ce th e v i ct i m t es t i fi ed at t ri al ).

C o n s eq u en t l y

, M art i n ez-Pal om i n o fai l ed t o es tab l i s h t h e ex i s t en ce o f s p eci al

ci rcu m s t an ces m ak i n g i t u n ju s t fo r t h e ju ry

t o v i ew t h e v i d eo d uri n g d el ib erat i o n s

.

Ev en i f t h e tri al c o u r t erred i n pl ay i n g t h e v i deo d u ri n g del i b erat i o n s

, “ erro r

al o n e i s n o t a u t o m a t i c a l l y g ro u n d s fo r a n ew t ri al b u t i s s u bject t o scru t i n y fo r

h arm l es s erro r.” (Ci t at i o n s an d p u n ct uat i o n o m i t ted .) Ta n ner v. S t a t e

, 2 4 3 Ga. Ap p.

6 4 0

, 6 4 3 (2 ) (5 3 3 SE2 d 7 9 4) (2 0 0 0 ). W h ere t h ere is s tro n g ev i d en ce o f t h e

d efen d an t ’ s g u i l t

, t h e ad m is s io n o f i m p ro p er ev id en ce i s h a r m l e s s e r ro r wh en i t i s

h i g h l y u n l i kel y t h at s u ch ev i d en ce co n t ri b u t ed t o t h e v erd i ct

. Ho l d en v. S ta t e

, 3 1 4 Ga.

Ap p

. 36

, 3 9 (2 ) (7 2 2 SE2 d 8 7 3 ) (2 0 1 2 ). Here, t h e v i ct i m t es t ifi e d t h a t M a r t i n ezPal o m in o s ex ua l l y as s au l t ed h er an d t he p h y si cal ex am i n at i o n o f t h e v i ct i m

co rro b o rat ed h er tes ti m on y

. T h erefo re, i t i s h i g h l y u n l i k el y t h at t h e p l ay i n g o f t h e

v i d eo t ap e t h at co n tai ned b ad ch aract er ev id en ce co n t ri b u t ed t o t h e v erd i ct , an d an y

erro r t h at m ay hav e o ccu rred i n p l ay i n g t h e v i d eo d u ri ng d el i b erat i o n s was harm l es s

.

Acco rd in g ly

, t he t ri al ju d g e erred i n co n cl u d i n g t h at M art i n ez-Pal o m i n o w as en t i t l ed

t o a n ew t ri al

.

9Ju d

g men t r ever sed . Do yl e, P. J., a nd

Di l l a rd , J., co ncu r

.

10