THI RD DI VI SI ON

M C FA DDEN, C. J.

, D OYLE, P. J.

, and HODGES, J.

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.

https ://w w w

. ga a ppe a ls .us /r ule s

D E A D LIN E S A R E N O LO N G E R TO LLE D IN T

H I S

C O U R T. A LL FILIN G S M U ST B E S U B M I TTE D WITH IN

TH E TIM E S S E T B Y

O U R C O U R T R U LE S

.

Januar y 7, 2021



# I n th e Co u r t o f

A p p eals o f

G eo r g ia

A2 0 A1 72 8 . POTEET v . THE STATE.

H O D G E S , J u d g e.

A j u r y co n v i ct ed Mari W il en e Po t eet o f p o s s es s i o n o f m et h am p h et am i n e

(OCGA § 16 -1 3 -3 0 (a)). Po t eet ap p eal s

, co nt en d i n g t h at t he ev i d en ce ag ai n s t h er i s

i n s u f f i c i e n t to s us t ai n her co n v i ct i on an d th at h er t ri al co u ns el was i n effect i v e. Fo r

t h e reas o n s t h at fo l l o w, we ag ree t h at t h e ev i d en ce is i n s u ffi ci en t an d we rev ers e h er

co n vi ct i o n

.

“ On ap p eal fro m a cri m i n al co n v i ct i o n

, a d efen d an t n o l o n g e r en jo y s t h e

p res u m p t i o n o f i n n o cen ce, an d t h e ev i d en ce i s v i ewed i n t he l i g h t m o s t fav o rab l e to

t h e g u i lt y v erd i ct .” (Ci tat i o n o m i t t ed .) W a l ker v. S t a te

, 34 9 Ga. Ap p

. 18 8 (8 2 5 SE2 d

5 7 8 ) (2 0 1 9 ).So vi ewed

, t h e ev i d en ce s h o w s t h at

, fo l lo wi n g a co n t r o l l ed b u y o f

m et h am p h et am i ne fro m Do u g l as Cat h ey b y a co n fi d en t i al i n fo rm an t

, p o l i ce ex ecu t ed

a s e a r c h warran t fo r Cat h ey ’ s h o m e. Po t eet was i n s i d e Cat h ey ’ s h o m e at t h e t i m e

.

Du ri n g t h e s earch o f t he h o m e

, p o li ce l o cat ed a g l as s p i p e i n si d e a fl o wer p o t

. Th e

p i p e t es ted p os i ti ve fo r m et h am p h e t a m i n e

. Th e p i p e al so h ad a red ti nt o n i t t h at

l o o k ed t o t h e p o l i ce o ffi cers l i k e res i d u e fro m red o r p u rp l e li p st i ck

. Bo t h Cat h ey an d

Po t eet d en i ed o wn ers h i p o f t he p i p e. W hen po l i ce an d a p a r o l e o ffi cer at t h e s cen e

as k ed Po t eet i f s he wo u l d p as s a d ru g t es t fo r m et h am p h et am i n e, sh e res p o n d ed t h at

s h e di d n o t k n o w i f s he wo u l d

. Sp eci fi cal l y

, Po t eet t o l d t h e m t h at s h e u s ed

m et h am p h et am i ne ap p ro x i m at el y t h ree d ay s p ri o r.

Im p o rt an t l y

, n o ev id en ce w as i n t ro d u ced th a t t h e p i p e h ad b een t es t ed fo r

fi ng er p ri n ts o r DNA, o r t h at th e red d i s h s u b st an ce o n th e p i p e was t es t ed to co n fi rm

i f i t w as l i p s t i ck

. Th ere was al s o n o t ev i d en ce t h at Po teet o wn ed an y l i p s ti ck

, n o r t h at

an y l i ps t ick was fo un d in t h e search o f Cat h ey ’ s h o m e. Las t l y

, t h ere was n o ev i d en ce

t h at t h e p i p e h ad b een recen tl y s m o k ed

.

Po t eet was arres t ed an d i n d ict ed fo r p o s s es s i o n o f m et h am p het am i ne.

Fo l l o wi ng a ju ry t ri al

, s h e was co n v i ct ed

. Th e tri al co u rt den i ed Po t eet ’ s m o t i o n fo r

n ew t ri al

, as am en d ed , an d s h e n o w ap peal s

.

21

. Po t eet co n t en d s t h e ev i d en ce ag ai n s t her is i n s u ffi ci e n t t o s u s t ai n h er

co n vi ct i o n

. 1 W e ag ree.

It is wel l-s et t l ed t h at

[w] h en an ap p el lan t ch al l en g e s t h e s u ffi ci en cy o f t h e ev i d en ce t o

s u p p o rt [h er] co nv 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 v i ewi n g

t h e ev i d en ce i n t h e l i gh t m o s t fav o rab l e t o t h e p ro s ecu t i o n

, an y rat i o nal

t ri 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 o f th e cri m e bey o n d

a reas on ab le d o u b t. T h e ap p e l l an t n o l o n g er en jo y s a p res u m

p t i o n o f

i n n o cen ce, an d an ap pel l at e co u rt d et erm i n es o nl y th e l eg al s u ffi ci en cy

o f t h e ev i d en ce an d d oes n o t wei g h t h e ev i d en ce o r as ses s t h e cred i b i l i t y

o f t h e wi t n es s es

.

(Ci t at i o n s an d p un ct u at i o n o m i t t ed .) Ar ms t r o ng v. S ta t e

, 29 8 Ga. Ap p

. 8 55 , 8 5 6 (1 )

(6 8 1 SE2 d 6 6 2 ) ( 2 0 0 9 ). Ho wev er, ev en u n d er t h i s fo rg i vi n g s tan d ard

, “ th e St at e i s

req u i red t o p ro d u ce ev i d en ce o f s o m e m ean i n gfu l co n n ect i o n bet ween t he d efen d an t

an d t h e co n t rab an d .” (Ci t at i o n an d p u n ct u at i o n o m i tt ed .) Br o wn v. S ta t e

, 2 8 5 Ga.

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

1 W e n o te t h a t c o u ns el fo r Po teet fai l ed t o ci t e an y cas e l aw wh at s o ev er in

s u p p ort o f t h i s en u m erat i o n

. Acc o rd in g ly

, we co u l d d eem t h e en u m erat i o n

ab an do n ed

. See, e.g

. , S

m i t h v. S ta t e

, 2 1 4 Ga. Ap p. 6 3 1

, 6 3 3 ( 4 ) ( 4 4 8 SE2 d 9 0 6 )

(1 9 9 4); Co u rt o f Ap p eal s Ru l e 2 5 (c). In t h e i nt e r e s t o f j u s ti ce, h o wev er, we wi l l

ex erci s e o u r d is cret i o n t o ad d res s t h e en um erat io n

.

3Po t eet was co n v i ct ed fo r po s ses s i o n o f m et h am p h et am i ne as a res u l t o f t h e p i p e

wi t h d ru g res i d u e b ei n g fo u n d i n t h e fl o wer p o t i n Cat h ey ’ s res i d en ce.

A p ers o n wh o k no wi n g l y h as d i rect p h y s i cal co n t ro l o v e r a t h i n g at a

g i v en t i m e i s in act u al p o s s es s i on o f i t. A p ers o n wh o

, th o u g h n o t i n

act u al p o ss es s i o n

, k no wi n g l y h as b ot h t he p o w er an d i n t en ti on at a

g i v en t i m e t o ex erci s e d o m i n i o n o r co nt ro l ov er a t h i n g is t h en i n

co n s t ru ct iv e po s ses s i o n o f i t

. Th e l aw reco g n i zes t h at p o s ses s i o n m ay be

s o l e o r jo in t

. If o ne p ers o n al o n e h a s act u al o r co n s tru ct i ve p o ss es s i o n

o f a t h in g

, po s s es s i on i s s o l e. If t w o o r m o re p e r s o n s s h ared act u al o r

co n s t ru ct iv e p os s es s io n o f a t h i n g , p o s s es si o n i s jo i n t

.

(Ci t at i o n an d p u n ct u at io n o m i t t ed .) Bl o u nt v. S t a t e

, 1 8 1 Ga. Ap p. 33 0

, 3 3 2 (2 ) (3 5 2

SE2 d 2 2 0 (1 9 8 6 ). Un d er Geo rg i a l aw, al t h o u g h

[p ] o s s es s i o n [o f dru g s ] m ay b e co n s t ru ct iv e,

. . . s p at i al p ro x im i t y al o ne

i s i n s u ffi ci en t t o p ro v e c o n s t ru ct i v e p o s s es s i o n of co n t rab an d

. Mere

p res en ce, wi t h o ut p ro o f o f p art ici p at io n

, is i n s u ffi ci en t t o s u p p o rt a

co n v i ct i o n. Rat h er, th e St at e m u s t s h o w t h at [Po t eet ] h ad t h e po wer an d

i n t en t t o ex erci s e co n t ro l o v er t h e [d ru g s ]

.

(Ci t at i o n s an d p u n ct u at i o n o m i t t ed .) Br o wn , 2 8 5 Ga. Ap p . at 3 3 1 . In d eed

,

[a] co nn ect i o n can be m ad e b et ween a d efen d an t an d co n t rab an d fo u n d

i n [h er] p res en ce b y e v i d e n ce wh i ch s h o ws t hat t h e co nt rab an d w as

d i s co v ered o n p rem i s es occu p i ed an d co n t ro l l ed b y t h e d efen d an t w i t h

n o ri g h t o f eq ual acces s an d co n t ro l in o t h ers

. Su ch o c c u p a t i o n an d

4co n t ro l m ay b e in ferred wh en t h e accu s ed i s t h e o wn er o r t en an t of th e

p rem i s es up o n wh i ch t h e i l l i ci t d ru g s are d i sco v ered

. Ho wev er, a m ere

o ccu p an t

, as di s ti n g u i s h ed fro m a res i d en t

, d o es n o t n eces s ari l y h av e th e

req u is i t e co n tro l o v er t h e p rem i s es t o au t h o ri ze t h e i n feren ce t h at [s h e]

p o s s es ses al l p ro p ert y

fo u n d t h ereo n. If s uch were t h e cas e, a p ers o n ’ s

m ere p res en ce at t h e s cen e o f th e d i s co very o f il l eg al d ru g s w o u l d

au t h ori ze [h er] co n v ict i o n , an d t h at p l ai n l y i s n o t t h e l aw.

(Ci t at i o n o m i t t ed .) Id . at 3 3 1 -3 3 2

.

As n o di rect ev i d en ce co n nect s [Po t eet ] t o t h e [p i p e w i t h

m et h a m ph et am i ne res i du e] fo u n d i n th e [fl ower p o t i n Cat h ey ’ s

res i d en ce] , i f [h er] co n v ict i o n fo r p o s s es s i on o f [m et h am p h et am i ne] i s

t o be su st ai ned i t m

u s t b e b as ed u p o n ci rcu m s tan t i al ev i d en ce. W h en a

co n v i ct i o n dep en ds en ti rel y o n ci rcu m s t a n t i al ev id en ce, ho wev er, th e

ci rcu m s t an ti al ev id en ce m u s t b e co n s is t en t wi t h t he hy p o th es i s o f g ui l t

an d m u s t ex cl u d e ev ery o t h er reas o n ab l e h y p ot h es i s

.

Mo r r i s o n v. S t at e , 2 2 0 Ga. Ap p. 1 5 1 , 1 5 3 (1 ) (a) (4 69 SE2 d 6 8 6 ) (1 9 9 6 ).

H e r e

, i t i s u n d i sp u t ed t h at Po t eet was n o t i n act u al p o s s es s i o n o f t h e d ru g s

,

wh i ch were fo u n d i n s i d e of a fl o wer p o t i n a res i d en ce w h i ch is n ei t h er o wn ed n o r

o ccu pi ed b y Po t eet

. Th e ev i d en ce rel i ed u p o n b y t h e St at e t o co n n ect Po t eet t o t h e

d ru g s o n t h e p i p e, o t h er t h an h er p res en ce i n t h e res id en ce wh ere i t w as l o cat ed

, i s t h e

p res en ce o f a s u b s t a n c e w h i c h m ay o r m ay no t b e l i p s ti ck res i d u e o n t h e p i pe,

5Po t eet ’ s gen der, an d Po t eet ’ s ad m i s s i o n t h at s he s m o k ed m et h am p h et am i n e recen t l y

en o ug h t h at s h e m i g h t fai l a d ru g s creen . Th at i s al l

.

Th ere i s n o ev i d en ce t h at t h e res i d u e o n t h e p i p e i s act u al ly l i ps t i ck

. Ev en i f we

as s u m e th e res id u e i s l ip s t ick

, t h ere i s n o ev i d en ce th at Po teet own ed an y l i p s t i ck

, l et

al o n e t h e p art i cu l ar l i p s t i ck fo u n d o n t h e p i p e. T h e m ere p res en ce o f a p i p e wi th

l i ps t i ck o n i t i n t h e v i ci n i t y of a fem al e d o es n o t co n s ti t u t e d i r e c t e v i den ce o f

p o s s es s i o n b y t hat fem al e, as t h e St at e es s en t i al l y arg u e s

. Li k ewi s e, no r d o es t h e

p res en ce o f li p st i ck o n a p i p e d efi n i t i v el y el i m i nat e t h e p o s si bi l i t y t h at t h e d ru g s o n

t h e p i p e are p o s s es sed by a m al e, part i cu l arl y wh en t h at m al e i s th e o wn er o f t h e

res i den ce, as t h e St at e es sen t i al l y arg u es

. 2 Mo reo v er, t h ere i s no ev id en ce as t o wh en

t h e p i pe w as l as t s m o k ed

, l et al o n e t hat i t was s m ok ed d u ri n g th e t i m e Po t eet was at

Cat h ey ’ s h o u s e. Th ere i s al s o n o DNA o r fi n g erp ri n t ev i den ce l in k i n g Po t eet t o t h e

d ru g -l aced p i p e. In d eed

, t h e t o t al i t y o f t h e ev i d en ce a g ai n st Po teet i s t h at s h e is a

fem al e d ru g u s er in t he v i ci n i t y o f a p i p e i n s o m eo n e el s e’ s h ou s e t h at h ad d ru g

, an d

2 In d eed

, i n s u p p o rt o f i t s ex o nerat i o n o f Cat h ey as t h e own er o f t h e p i p e d u e

t o t h e p res en ce o f l ip s t ick o n i t

, t h e St at e as k ed t h e fo ll o wi n g qu es t i o n s : “ Det ect i ve,

b as ed u p on y ou r o b s erv at i o ns an d wh at y o u s aw o f M r. Cat h ey

, t h e fact t h at h e was

i n [a] rel at i o n s h i p w i t h M s

. Po t eet

, d i d h e ap pear t o be a h et ero sex u al m al e? ” an d

“ Bas ed up o n y ou r ob s erv at io n s o f h i m

, d i d y o u h av e an y co n c e r n t h at h e wo u l d b e

an y di fferen t th an a t y

p i cal m al e i n t h e n o rt h ern p art s o f Geo rg i a? ” Th e rel i an ce u p o n

g en der s tereo t y

p es o n l y h i g h li gh t s t h e d efi ci en ci es i n t h e ev id en ce i n t h is cas e.

6p o t en t i al ly l i p s t i ck

, res id u e o n i t

. Th i s i s i ns u ffi ci en t ci rcu m s t an ti al ev i den ce t o p ro v e

Po t eet ’ s p o s s es si o n o f t h e d ru g s

, as it d o es no t ex cl u d e ev ery o t h e r r e a s o n ab l e

h y p o t h es i s

– s u ch as th at t h e m et h am p h et am i n e o n t h e p i p e w as so l el y p os s es s ed by

Cat h ey

, t h e act u al o wn er o f t h e res i d en ce, o r th at i t had b een p os s es s ed b y a d i fferen t

p ers o n wh o was a p ri o r g ues t in Cat h y ’ s h o m e. See Mo r r i s o n

, 2 2 0 G a. Ap p

. at 1 5 2

(1 ) (a) (“ W h en t h e ci rcu m s t an t i al ev i d en ce s u pp o rt s m o re t h an o n e t h eo ry

, o n e

co n si s t en t wi t h g u i l t an d an ot h er wi t h i n n ocen ce, i t do es n o t ex cl u d e ev ery o t h er

reas on ab l e h y

po th es i s ex cep t g u i l t an d is no t s u ffi ci en t t o p ro v e t h e defen d an t ’ s g u i l t

b ey o n d a reas o n ab l e d o u b t

. W h i l e t h e d et erm i n at i o n of wh et h er t h e ci rcu m s t an ces are

s u ffi ci en t t o ex cl u d e ev ery reas o n ab l e hy p ot h es i s ex cep t t hat o f d efen d an t ’ s g u i l t i s

u s u al l y m ad e by t h e ju ry an d wh i le w e m u s t v iew t h e ev i den ce i n t h e l i g h t m o s t

fav o rab l e t o t h e ju ry v erd i ct

, we m u s t n ot be b li n d ed b y t h at ve r d i ct wh en a

reas on ab l e h y

p o t h es i s o f i n n o cen ce ap p e a r s fro m t h e ev i d en ce o r l ack t h ereo f, an d

m ay d ecl are s u ch as a m at t er o f l aw.”) (ci t at i o n s an d p u n ct u at io n o m i tt ed ).

Acco rd i ng l y

, Po teet ’ s co n v i ct io n m u s t b e rev ers ed

. See, e.g

. , Br o wn

, 2 8 5 Ga.

Ap p

. at 3 3 1 -3 33 (h o ld i n g t h at ev id en ce wa s i n s uffi ci en t t o s u p p o rt co n v i ct i o n o f

k n o w n d ru g d eal er fo r t raffi ck i n g wh o was s t an d i n g i n fro n t o f a h o m e w i t h d r u g s

i n s i d e, ev en t h ou g h h e fl ed t h e s cen e

, w h en t h ere was n o t hi n g co n n ect i n g t h e

7d efen d an t t o t h e co n ten t s o f t h e h o u s e); S t even s v. S t a t e

, 2 4 5 Ga. A p p

. 2 37 , 2 3 9 (1 )

(5 3 7 SE2 d 6 8 8 ) (2 0 0 0 ) (h o l di n g t hat ev i den ce was i n s uffi ci en t t o s u p p o rt co n v i ct i o n

wh en d efen d an t was p res en t i n a d i fferen t ro o m o f a h o u s e fro m w h ere dru g s were

l o cat ed an d n o t h i n g co n n ect ed t h e d efen d an t t o t he co n t en t s o f th e h o u s e); Mo r r i s o n

,

2 2 0 G a. Ap p

. at 1 5 2 -1 5 3 (1 ) (a) (h o l d i ng th at ev i d en ce was in s u ffi ci en t t o s u p po rt

co n vi ct i o n rel at e d t o l arg e am o u n t o f dru g s l o cat ed b eh i n d a refri gerat o r wh en

d efen d an t d i d no t res i d e i n t h e h o u s e, was o ne o f m u lt i pl e ad u l ts i n t h e h o u s e at t h e

t i m e p o l i ce arri v ed

, an d n o th i n g co n n ect ed t h e defen d an t t o t h e d ru g s ); Bl ou n t

, 1 8 1

Ga. Ap p

. at 3 32 -3 33 (2 ) (h ol d i n g t h at ev i d en ce was i n s u ffi ci en t t o su s t ai n co n v i ct i o n

o f d efen d an t wh o was p res en t at t h e t im e a s earch warran t w as ex ecu t ed b ecau s e

n o t h i n g co n n ect ed h im t o t h e d ru gs i n t h e h o u s e or i n hi s w i fe’ s car; t h e fact t h at

m en ’ s cl o t h i ng was i n hi s wi fe’ s t ru nk wh ere t h e d ru g s were l o cat ed d id n o t co n n ect

t h e d ef e n d a n t becau s e t here was n o ev i d en ce reg ard i n g t o wh om th e cl o t h es

b el o n g ed ).

2

. In l i g h t o f o u r deci s i o n i n D i v i s i o n 1

, we n eed n o t a d d r e s s Po t eet ’ s o t h er

en u m erat i o n o f erro r.

Ju d g men t r ever sed . McFa d

d en , C. J., a n d

Do yl e, P. J., co n cu r

.

8