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.

P le a s e r e fe r to the S upr e m e C our t of G e or gia Judic ia l

E m e r ge nc y Or de r o f M a r c h 1 4

, 2 0 2 0 for fur the r infor m a tion a t (https ://w w w

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

A pr i l 24, 2020



# I n th e Co u r t o f

A p p eals o f

G eo r g ia

A2 0 A0 31 2 . CHISHOLM v

. THE STATE. DO-0 1 2 C

D O Y LE , Pres i d i n g J u d g e.

J o n at h an Ray m o n d Ch i s h o l m ap p eal s f r o m t h e d en i al o f h i s p l ea in b ar o f

fo rm er jeo p ard y , arg ui ng th at t he t ri al co u rt erred b y gran t i n g t h e St at e’ s m ot i o n fo r

m i s t ri al o n t h e b as i s t h a t t h e d efen s e at t o rn ey ’ s cro s s -ex am i n at i o n o f t h e v i ct i m

v i o l at ed OCGA § 2 4-4 -4 1 2 (“ th e Rap e Sh i el d St at u t e”). Fo r t h e reas o n s t h at fo l l o w,

we affi rm

.

“ [T] h e s t an d ard of rev i ew o f a g ran t or d en i al o f a d o u b l e j eo p ard y p l ea i n b ar

i s wh et her, aft er rev i ewi n g t h e t ri al co urt ’ s o ral an d w ri t t en ru l i n g s a s a wh o l e, t h e

t ri al co u rt ’ s fi n d i n g s s u p p o rt i t s co n cl u s i o n.” 1

1 (Pu n ct u at i o n o m i t ted .) Co t ma n v. S t a t e , 3 42 Ga. A p p

. 5 69

, 5 8 9 (4 ) (8 0 4 SE2 d

6 7 2 ) (2 0 1 7 ), q u o ti n g Jo h n s v. S t a t e , 3 1 9 Ga. Ap p

. 71 8

, 7 1 9 (7 3 8 SE2 d 3 0 4 ) (2 0 1 3 ).Here, t h e reco rd s ho ws t h at Ch i s h o lm was ch arg ed wi t h rap e an d ag g rav at ed

s o d o m y . At t ri al

, Ch is h o l m ’ s at t o rn ey arg ued d u ri n g h i s o p en i n g s tat em en t t h at t h e

s e x u a l i n t eract i o n b et w een Ch i s h o l m an d t h e v i ct i m was co n s en s u al

. T h e v i ct i m

t es t i fi ed t h at o n J an u ary 19

, 2 0 1 7

, wh en s h e was 1 6 y ears o l d, s h e was wal k i n g h o m e

i n t h e ev en i n g wh en Ch i s h o l m , an ad ul t n ei g h b o r, ap p ro ach ed h er. Ch i s h o l m

s u g g es t ed t h at th e t w o t a k e a s h o rt cu t th ro u gh a d i t ch -l i k e p at h

, an d t h e v i ct i m

ag reed

, d es p i te feel i n g unc om f or ta ble

. C hi sh o lm as k ed h er “ a l o t of q ues t i o n s ,” wh i ch

s h e an s w ered

, b u t s he b eg an t o feel ap p reh en si v e wh en h e s t o p p ed h er i n a s ecl u d ed

area. Th e v ict i m t es t i fi ed t h at Ch i s h o l m t h en k i s s ed h er, h ad h er l ay o n t h e g ro u n d o n

h i s s h i rt

, h el d her d own b y h er wri s ts s o t h at s h e co u l d n ’ t m o ve, co v ered h er m o u th

wi t h h is h an d , an d p en et rat ed h er wi t h h i s p en i s ag ai n s t h er wi ll

.

Du ri n g cro s s -ex am i n at i o n o f t h e v i ct i m , t he fo ll o wi n g co l l o qu y t o o k p l ace:

Q: An d wh i l e y o u were o n [t h e s t reet ] , i s n ’ t i t wh i l e y ou were wal k i n g

t h at t h i n gs o f a s ex ual n at u re were fi rs t d i scu s s ed ?

A: Yes

.

Q: Co rrect ?

A: Yes

.

Q: He m en t i on ed

— as k ed i f y o u were a v irg i n fo r ex am p l e. Co rrect ?

2A: Yes

.

Q: An d y ou t o l d h i m

n o ?

Th e St at e i m

m ed i at el y o b

ject ed

, an d co u n sel ap p ro ach ed t h e b en ch

. Aft er t h e

t ri al co u rt n o t ed t h at t h ey were “ g et t i n g in t o rap e s h i el d h ere,” d efen s e co u n s el arg u ed

t h at “ [t h e v ict i m ] s ai d u n der d i r e c t t h at t h e fi rs t t im e sh e feel s u n co m fo rt ab l e,

an y t h i n g , an y t h i ng of a s ex u al n at u re, was wh en t h ey were i n t h e d it ch

. An d n o w we

k n o w t h i s hap p en ed b efo re t h ey g ot t o t he d i tch

. So t h ey h a d t h i s t al k o f a s ex u al

n at u re o n [t h e s t reet ] wh i ch co n t rad i ct s wh at sh e ’s al read y t es t i fi ed

. . . .” Th e co u rt

res p o n d ed t h a t h e wo u l d n o t p erm i t d efen s e co u n s el t o “ g et i n to an y o t her p ri o r

s ex u al

— ,” an d d efen s e co u n s el i n t erject ed

, “ It ’ s part o f t h e res g es t ae o f t hi s cas e.”

Th e S t a t e m o v ed fo r a m i s t ri al

. T he t ri al co u rt i n i t i al l y ad v is ed t h at i t wo u ld

i n s t ru ct t h e ju ry

t o di s reg ard t h e s t at em en t, an d d efen se co u n s el co n ti n u ed t o arg u e

t h at h e had a ri g h t to cro s s -ex am i n e t h e v i ct i m ab o u t h er co n v ers at i o n wi t h Ch i s h o l m

.

Aft er ex cu s i n g t he j u ry an d t h e v i ct i m , t h e co urt en g ag ed i n a l en g t h y co l l o q u y wi th

co u ns el o n t h e i s s u e

. Aft er h av i n g t h e co urt rep o rt er read b ack d efen s e co u n sel ’ s

q u es ti o n t o t h e v i ct im reg ard in g h er v i rg i n i t y , t h e co u rt co ncl u d ed “ th at t h e d efen s e

v i o l at ed rap e s h i e l d b y a s k i n g a q u es t i o n rel at ed t o h er s ex u al co n d uct b efo re t h i s

i n ci d en t [,] wh i ch i s s t ri ct ly i m p ro p er,” b u t q u e s t i o ned wh et h er g ran t i n g a m i s t ri al

3wo u l d rai s e d o ub l e j eo pard y co ncern s

. Aft er b reak i n g t o p erm i t t h e part i es t o res earch

t h e i s su e, t h e co l l o q u y res um ed

, wi t h th e co u rt h eari n g d et ai l ed arg um en t s fro m b o th

p art i es , i n cl u d i ng reg ard in g t h e p os s i b i l i t y o f g iv i n g a cu rat i v e i n s t ru ct i o n

. In

p art i cu l ar, t h e St at e arg u ed t h at “ a cu rat i v e i n s t ru ct i o n

. . . ju s t d raws fu rt h er at t en t i o n

t o it

. . . . An d m

y co n cern i s t h at i n th e m i n d s o f t h es e ju ro rs [,] t hey h av e fo rm ed an

o p in i on ab o u t [t h e v ict i m ] b ecau s e of t h i s i n ad m i s s i b le ch aract er ev i d en ce t h a t h a s

co m e i n t h at can ’ t b e u n d o ne.” Th e t ri al co urt t h en g ran t ed t h e St at e’ s m o t i o n fo r a

m i s t ri al

.

Th ereaft er, Ch i s ho l m fi l ed a p l ea o f fo rm er j eo p ard y

. Th e t ri al co u rt en t ered a

wri t ten o rd er d et ai l i n g t h e t es t im o n y , an al y zi n g t he ap p l i cab l e l aw, an d co n cl u d i n g

t h at it : “ co n s ci en t i ou s ly ex erci s ed h i s s ou n d d i s cret i o n i n decl ar i n g t h e m i s t ri al ”;

“ co n s i d ered al t ern at i v es t o gran t i n g a m i s t ri al [an d] t h e p o s s i b l e ram i fi cat i o n s o f

g ran t i n g t h e m i s t ri al ”; an d “ g ran t ed t h e m i st ri al o n l y aft er al l owi n g co u n s el (an d t h e

co u r t ) t h e o pp o rt u n i ty t o res earch t h e i s s u e.” Th e co u rt al so co n cl u ded t h at

Ch i sh o l m ’ s

q u es t i o n i n g of th e v i ct i m co n cern i n g h er v i rg in i t y w a s i n v i o l at i o n o f

OCGA § 24 -4 -4 1 2 b ecau s e t h at li n e o f q u e s ti o n i n g i s s q u arel y wi t h i n

t h e s u bject p ro s cri b ed b y t h at s t at u t e, n am el y

“ ev i d en ce rel at in g t o t he

p as t s ex u al b eh av io r o f t h e co m p l ai n i n g wi t n es s

. ” OCGA § 2 4

- 4 -4 1 2

4( a )

. As s u ch

, t he decl arat i o n o f m is t ri al w as ap p ro p ri at e. Fo r t h e

fo reg o i ng reas on s , [Ch i s h o l m ’ s p ] lea o f [f] orm er [j] eo pardy is D E N I ED.

. . . 2

Th i s ap p eal fo l l o wed

.

1

. Ch i s h o l m co nt en d s th at t h e t ri al co u rt erred b y d en yi n g h i s p lea of fo rm er

jeo p ard y b ecau s e hi s cro s s-ex am i n at i o n o f th e v ict i m d i d n o t v i o l at e t h e Rap e Sh i el d

St at u t e. W e d i s ag ree.

In rel ev an t p art

, t h e Rap e Sh iel d St at ut e co d i fi ed i n OCGA § 2 4 -4 -4 1 2 (a)

(2 0 1 8) 3 b arred ev i d en ce

[i ] n a n y p r o s ecu t i o n fo r rap e [o r o th er s peci fi ed s ex ual o ffen s es ]

. . . rel at in g t o t h e p as t s ex u al b eh av io r o f t h e co m p l ai ni n g wi t n es s

. . . ei t h er

as d i rect ev i d e n c e o r o n cro s s-ex am i n at i o n

. . . , ex cep t as p ro v i d ed i n
[s u b sect i o n (b )]

. Fo r t h e p u rp os es of t h is Co de sect i o n , ev i den ce o f p as t

s ex u al b eh av i o r i n cl u d es , b u t i s n o t li m i ted to

, e v id en ce o f th e

co m p lai n i n g wi t n es s ’ s . . . n o n ch as ti t y

.

2 (Em p h as i s o m i t t ed .)

3 “ OCGA § 2 4 -4 -4 1 2 was s u bs t an t i al l y rev i s ed b y t h e G en eral A s s em b l y , effect i v e Ap ri l 1 8 , 2 01 9 . See Ga. L. 2 0 1 9

, p

. 81 , § § 5 , 9 . Th e rev i sed v ers i o n o f t h e Rap e Sh iel d St at u t e ap p l i es ‘t o an y m o t io n m ad e or h eari n g o r t ri al co m m en ced o n

o r aft er t h e effect i ve d at e o f t h is Act ’ an d t h u s i s i n ap p l i cab l e i n t h e pres en t cas e. Ga.

L. 20 1 9, p

. 8 1

, § 8 .” To r r es v. S t a t e ,

_ _ _ Ga. Ap p

.

__

_ ,

_ _ _ n .3 (Cas e No

. A1 9 A1 9 8 9,
d eci d ed J an

. 2 3, 2 0 2 0 ). Becau s e t h e tri al i n t h i s cas e co m m en ced o n N o v em

b er 1 3,

2 0 1 8 , t h e 2 0 1 8 v ers i o n o f t h e Rap e Sh iel d St at ut e ap p l i es t o t h i s cas e.

5Pu rs u an t t o OCGA § 2 4 -4 -4 1 2 (b ) (2 0 18 ),

[i ] n an y p ro s ecu ti o n fo r rap e [o r ot h e r s p e ci fi ed s ex u al o ffen ses ]

ev i d en ce rel at i n g to t he p as t s ex u al b eh av i o r o f t h e co m p l ai n i n g wi t n es s

m ay b e i n t ro du ced i f t h e c o u rt

, fo l l o wi n g t h e p ro ced u re d es cri b ed i n

s u b s ect i o n (c) o f t h is Co d e s ect i o n , fi n d s t h at t h e p a s t s ex u al b eh av i o r

d i r e c t l y i n v o l v ed th e part i ci p at i o n of t h e accu sed an d fi n d s t h at t h e

ev i d en ce ex p ect ed t o b e i n t ro d uced s u p po rt s an i nferen ce t h at th e

accu s ed co u l d h av e reas o n ab l y b el i ev e d t h at t he co m p l ai n i n g wi t n es s

co n s en t ed t o t h e co n du ct co m p l ai n ed o f i n t h e p ro s ecu t i o n

.

In t h e i n s t an t cas e, th e Rap e Sh i el d St at ue b arred d efen s e co u n sel ’ s q u es t i o n

ab o ut t h e v i ct i m ’ s “ n o n ch as t i t y ” b ecau s e i t rel at ed t o h er p as t s ex u al b eh av i o r, 4 an d

i t d i d n o t fal l wi t h i n t h e s i n g l e s t at u t ory ex cep t i o n s et fo rt h i n OCGA § 2 4 -4 -4 1 2 (b )

(2 0 1 8) becau s e i t d i d n o t “ d i rect ly in v o l v e t h e p art i ci p at i o n o f t h e accu s ed .”

Ch i sh o l m ’ s arg u m en t t h at t h e q u es ti o n i s ad m i s s i b le fo r o t h er p u rp o s es , i n cl u d i n g

i m p each m en t

, cred i b il i t y , an d ev i d en ce o f m o t i v e an d s t at e o f m i nd o f b ot h th e v i ct i m

an d Ch i s h o l m

i s wi t h o u t m eri t . “ [I] f ev i d en ce o f t h e wi t n es s’ s p as t s ex u al b eh av i o r

4 As th e t ri al co u rt co n cl u d ed

, d efen s e co u n s el ’ s i n i t i al q u es t i on

— ab o u t wh en Ch i sh o l m an d t he v i ct im

fi rs t d i s cu s s ed “ t h i n gs o f a s ex u al n at u re”

— was a p ro p er

m et h o d t o im

p each t he v ict i m wi t h o u t v io l at i n g t he Rap e Sh iel d St at u t e. Un f o r t u n a t e l y , defen s e co u n s el d i d n o t s to p t h ere, b u t i ns t ead p ro ceed ed t o as k t h e

v i ct i m i f Ch i s h o lm i n q u i red ab o u t h er v i r g i ni t y an d s u g g es t ed t h at s h e rep l i ed

n eg at i v el y

.

6fal l s o ut s i d e t h e s co p e o f t h e s o l e s t at u t o ry ex cep t i o n co n t ai n ed in th e fo rm er Rap e

Sh i el d St at u t e, i t i s i n ad m i ss i b l e, an d ap p e l l a t e co urt s can n o t wri t e ad d i t i o n al

ex cep t i o n s i n t o t h e s t at u t o ry fram ewo rk .” 5

2

. Ch i s h o l m arg u es t h at t h e tri a l c o u rt erred b y den y i n g h i s p l ea o f fo rm er

jeo p ard y b ecau s e t h e r e w a s n o m an i fes t n eces s it y t o d ecl are a m i s t ri al an d t h at

l i m i ti n g i n s t ru ct i o ns wo u l d hav e cu red an y v i o l at i o n o f t h e Rap e Sh iel d St at u t e. Th i s

en u m erat i o n p res en t s n o b as is fo r rev ers al

.

On ce a ju ry i s i m

p an el ed an d s w o rn , jeo p ard y at t ach es an d a

d efe n d a n t i s en t it l ed t o b e acq u i t t ed o r co n v i ct ed b y t h at ju ry

. If a

m i s t ri al i s d ecl ared wi t h o u t th e defen d an t ’ s co ns en t o r o v er h i s

o b ject i o n , h e m ay b e ret ri ed o n l y i f t h ere was a m an i fes t n eces s i t y fo r

t h e m is t ri al

. A m an i fes t n eces s i t y ex i s t s wh en t he d efen d an t ’ s ri g h t t o

h av e t h e t ri al co m

p l et ed m u s t b e s u b o r d i n at ed t o t h e p u b l ic i n t eres t i n

a ffo rd i n g t h e p ro s ecu t o r a fai r o p p o rt u n i t y t o p res en t ev i d en ce t o a n

i m p art i al j u ry , an d t h e en d s of s u b s t an t i al ju s t i ce can n o t b e at t ai n ed

5 To r r es ,

_

_ _ Ga. A p p. at

_

_ _ (3 ), ci ti n g W

h i t e v. S t a t e , 3 0 5 Ga. 1 11 , 1 1 5 (1 ) (8 2 3 SE2 d 7 9 4) (2 0 19 ) (h ol d i n g t h at “ a n at u r a l read i n g o f t h e t ex t o f O CGA §

2 4 -4 -4 1 2 i n d i cat es t h at e vide nc e o f a co m p l ai n i n g wi t n es s ’ s p as t sex u al b eh av i o r m ay

n o t b e i n tro d u ced by an y part y at a t ri al in v o l v i n g a p ro s ecu t i on fo r cert ai n s e x u a l

cri m es u n l es s s u ch ev i d en ce fal l s u n d er t h e o n e s p eci fi c ex cep t i o n co n tai n ed i n t h e

s t at u te i t s el f”). W e fu rt h er n o t e t h at ev en i f t h e q u es t i o n p o sed by d efen s e co u n s el d id

fal l wi t h i n th e s t at u t o ry ex cep t i o n , Ch is ho l m fai l ed t o fo l lo w t he m an d at o ry

p ro ced ure s et fo rt h i n OCGA § 2 4 -4 -4 1 2 (c) fo r i n t ro d u ci n g s u ch ev i d en ce.

7wi t h ou t d is co n t i n u in g th e t ri al

. Th e t ri al co u rt ’ s d eci s io n t h at t h ere w as

a m an i fes t n eces s i t y

t o g ran t a m i st ri al i s en t i t l ed t o g reat d eferen ce. 6

An d “ [w] h ere, as h ere, t h ere i s n o sh o wi n g o f pro s ecu t ori al m i s co n d u ct

, a t ri al co u rt

h as b ro ad d i s cret i o n t o d eci d e wh et h er t o g ran t a m i s t ri al .” 7

Th e Su p rem e Co u rt o f Geo rg i a h as ex p l ai n ed t h at

[a] t ri al ju d g e h as act ed wi t h in hi s so u nd di s cret i o n i n reject i n g po s si bl e

al t ern at i v es an d i n g ran t i n g a m i s t ri al i f reas o n ab l e ju d g es co u l d d i ffer

ab o u t t h e p ro p er d i s p o s i t i o n , ev en t h o u gh i n a s t ri ct

, l i t eral sen s e, th e

m i s t ri al is n o t n eces sary

. Th i s g reat d eferen ce m ean s t h at t h e av ai l ab i l i t y

o f an o t h er al tern at i v e d o es n o t wi th o u t m ore ren der a m i s t ri al o rd er an

ab u s e o f s o u n d d is cret i o n

. Deferen ce t o t h e ju d g e’ s s o u n d d i scret i o n

al s o p recl u d es a rev iewi n g co u rt fro m as s um i n g , i n t h e ab s en ce o f reco rd

ev i d en ce, t h at t h e tri al ju d g e d e p ri ved a d efen dan t of co n s t i t u t i o nal

ri gh ts

. 8

“ [T] h i s Co urt , t h e Su p rem e Co u rt o f Geo rg i a, an d t h e Un i t ed St at es Co u rt o f

Ap p e al s fo r t h e El ev en t h Ci rcu i t h av e h el d t h at t h e i n tro d u ct i o n o f ev i d en ce

6 (Ci tat i o n s an d p u n ct u at i o n o m i t t ed .) Bi r d so n g v. S t a te

, 2 9 8 Ga. Ap p

. 3 2 2

, 3 2 5 (2 ) (6 80 SE2 d 1 59 ) (2 0 0 9 ).

7 Mea d o ws v. S t a t e , 3 0 3 Ga. 5 0 7 , 5 1 1 (2 ) (a) (8 1 3 SE2 d 3 5 0 ) (2 0 18 ).

8 (Pu n ct uat i o n o m i t t ed .) Tu bb s v. St a t e , 2 76 G a. 7 5 1

, 75 4 (3 ) (5 8 3 SE2 d 8 5 3 ) (2 0 0 3).

8p ro h ib i t ed b y t h e Rap e Sh i el d St at u t e g i v es a co u rt g ro u n ds t o fi n d m an i fes t n eces s i t y

fo r a m i st ri al. ” 9 F urt h erm o re, “ a s i n g le u nan s wered q u es t i on b y d efen s e co u n s el ab o ut

t h e v i ct i m ’ s s ex u al hi s t o r y m a y a l o n e g i v e ri s e to t h e m an i fes t n eces si t y fo r a

m i s t ri al .” 1 0

Th e Su p rem e Co u rt o f Geo rg i a

h as rep eat ed l y em

p h a s i zed t h at

, b efo re co ncl u d in g t h at m an i fes t

n eces s i t y f

o r a m i s tri al ex i st s , t h e t ri al co u rt sh o ul d g i ve carefu l

, d el i b erat e, an d s t u di o u s co n s i d erat i o n to wh et h er t h e ci rcu m s tan ces

d em an d a m is t ri al

, wi t h a k een ey e t o ward o t h er, l es s d ras t i c,

al t ern at i v es , cal l i n g fo r a reces s i f neces s ary an d feas ib l e t o g u ard

ag ai ns t h as t y

m i s tak es

. 1 1

Here, aft er co n cl ud i n g t h at d efen s e co u n s el ’ s q u es t i o n t o t h e v ict i m was

i m p ro p er, th e tri a l c o u rt i n i t i al l y p ro p o s ed gi v i n g t he ju ry a cu rat i ve o r l i m i t i n g

i n s t ru ct i o n

. On l y aft er h eari n g arg u m en t

, reces s in g t o res earch t h e is s u e an d t o g i v e

co u ns el t he o p po rt u n i t y t o d o t h e s am e, an d recei v i n g ad di t i o n al res earch d i d t h e t ri al

9 Bi r d s o ng , 2 9 8 Ga. Ap p

. at 3 2 6 (2 ), ci t in g Ab d i v. S t a t e , 24 9 Ga. 8 2 7

, 8 2 9 (2 9 4

SE2 d 5 0 6) (1 9 8 2 ), S t a t e v. Ab d i

, 1 6 2 Ga. A p p

. 2 0

, 2 2 ( 2 8 8 S E2 d 77 2 ), & Ab d i v. Geo rg i a , 7 44 F2 d 1 5 0 0 , 1 5 0 2-1 5 0 4 (1 1 t h Ci r. 1 9 8 4 ).

1 0 Ba n ks v. S ta te , 2 3 0 Ga. Ap p . 2 5 8

, 2 6 3 (3 ) (4 9 5 SE2 d 8 7 7 ) (1 9 98 ).

1 1 M ea do ws , 3 0 3 Ga. at 5 1 4 (2 ) (c), q u o t i ng Ha rvey v. S t a t e , 2 9 6 G a. 8 2 3

, 8 3 2 (7 7 0 SE2 d 8 4 0 ) (2 0 1 5 ).

9co u rt d eci d e t o g ran t t h e m i s t ri al

, reject i n g an y p o s s i b l e al t ern at i v e. Gi v en t h e n at u re

o f t h e q u es t i on , d efen s e co u n s el ’ s s ug g es t i o n t h at t he v i ct i m t o l d Ch i s h ol m t h at s h e

was n o t a v i rg i n , t h e preju d i ce to t h e St at e’ s cas e, t h e t ri al co u rt ’ s carefu l

co n si d erat io n o f t h e l aw, fact s , an d p o s s i b le al t ern at iv es , we fi n d n o ab u s e o f t h e t ri al

co u rt ’ s b ro ad d i s cret io n i n d ecl ari n g a m i s t ri al

. 1 2 “ Acco rd i ng l y , t h e t ri al co u rt d i d n ot

err [b y ] d en y in g [Ch is h ol m ’ s ] s u b s eq u en t p l ea i n b ar o f fo rm er jeo pard y .” 1 3

Ju d g men t a f f i r m ed . McFa d

d en , C. J., a nd

Ho d g es , J., co n cu r

.

1 2 See Ha rvey , 2 9 6 Ga. at 8 3 3 -8 3 4 (2 ) (c); Bi r d s o n g , 2 9 8 Ga. Ap p

. at 3 2 6 -3 2 7 (2 ).

1 3 Bi rd

so n g , 2 9 8 Ga. Ap p . at 3 2 7 (2 ).

10