FI FTH DI VI SI ON

M CFA DDEN, P. J.

, BRA NCH and BETHEL, 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 ay 5, 2017



# I n th e Co u r t o f

A p p eals o f

G eo r g ia

A1 7 A0 31 7 . BATTEN v

. THE STATE.

B E T H E L , J u d g e.

J es s e Lam ar Bat t en ap peal s fro m th e den i al o f h i s m o t i o n fo r a n e w t ri al

. He

arg u es t h at t h e t ri al co u rt erred i n d en y i ng h i s m ot i o n s t o s u p p res s an d i n ad m i t t i n g

cert ai n s t at em en t s t h at h e m ad e t o l aw en fo rcem en t o ffi cers

. W e d i sag ree an d affi rm

b ecau s e t h e t ri al co u rt d i d n o t err i n d en y i n g t h e m o t i o n s

.

Fo l l owi n g a co n v i ct i o n , we v i ew t he ev i d en ce “ i n t h e l ig h t m o st fav o rab l e t o

s u p p ort t h e v erd i ct ,” an d th e d efen d an t “ n o l o ng er en j o y s a p res u m

p t i o n o f

i n n o cen ce.” Ever h ar t v. S ta t e

, 3 3 7 G a

. Ap p

. 3 4 8

, 3 4 8 (7 8 6 SE2 d 8 6 6 ) (2 0 1 6 )

(q u o ti n g Cu l ver v. S t a t e

, 2 3 0 G a. Ap p

. 2 2 4

, 22 4 (4 9 6 SE2 d 2 9 2 ) (1 9 9 8 )). So v i ewed

,t h e ev i d en ce 1 s h o ws t hat th e Ben Hi l l Co u n t y Sh eri ff’ s Offi ce an d th e G eo rg i a Bu reau

o f In ves t ig at io n (“ GBI”) p l aced a t rack i n g dev i ce 2 o n Bat ten ’ s veh i cl e as p art o f t h ei r

i n v es t i g at i o n i n t o Bat t en ’ s d ru g d i s t ri b u ti on act i v i t i es

. On Decem b er 4

, 2 0 1 3

, t h e

v eh icl e t rack er i n di cat ed t h at Bat t en h ad s t o p p ed at s ev eral l o cat io n s as s o ci at ed wi th

t h e d i s t ri b u t i o n o f n arco t i cs

. Th e t rack er wen t d ead d uri n g Bat t en ’ s ret u rn t ri p h o m e,

an d t h e GBI i n v es t i g at o r m o n i t o ri n g Bat t en ’ s act i v it i es co n du ct ed s urv ei l l an ce o n t h e

i n t ers t at e t o l o ok fo r Bat t en ’ s v eh i cl e. Th e i n v es t i g at o r o bs erv ed Bat t en ’ s v eh i cl e an d

b eg an fo l l o wi n g h i m

, wh i l e i n fo rm i n g t h e Sh eri ff’ s o ffi ce of h i s w h ereab o ut s

.

In v es t i g at o rs fro m t h e Sh eri ff’ s o ffi ce co n t i nu ed t o fo l l o w Bat t en an d co n d u ct ed

s u rv ei l l an ce as h e s t o p ped fi rs t at t h e h ou s e o f a n a s s o ci at e wh o i nv es t i g at o rs

b el i ev ed m ay

h av e al s o b een i n v o l ved in t h e d i s t ri b u t i o n o f m et h am p h et am i n e, an d

l at er at an ap art m en t co m

p l ex

. On e o f t h e in v es ti g at o rs co nt i n ued to fo l l o w Bat t en as

h e l eft t h e co m

p lex an d d ro v e i nt o Ben Hi l l Co u n t y

. Sh o rt ly aft er cro ss i n g t h e co u n t y

l i ne, t h e i n ves t i g at o r o b s erv ed Bat t en cro s s t h e cen t er l i n e an d d eci d ed t o act i v at e h i s

1 In rev i ewi n g t h e d en i al o f a m ot i o n t o s up p res s, w e m a y co n s i der b o t h t h e

t ran s cri p t o f t h e m ot io n h eari n g an d t h e t ri al t ran s cri p t

. Da vi d s o n v. St a t e

, 2 5 7 Ga.

Ap p . 2 6 0 , 2 6 1 (5 7 0 SE2 d 6 9 8 ) (2 0 0 2 ).

2 In s t al l at io n o f t h e t rack i n g d ev i ce h ad b een ap p ro v ed b y a ju d ge.

2l i gh t s an d s t o p Bat ten o u t o f co n cern t hat h e m ay hav e b een u n der th e in fl u en ce. 3 An

o ffi cer in a m ark ed p at ro l car as s i s t ed i n th e s t o p

. T h e i n ves t i g at o r i n s tru ct ed Bat t en

t o s t ep o u t of h i s v eh i cl e, req ues t ed i d en t i fi cat io n 4 an d p ro o f o f i ns u ran ce, an d as k ed

wh et h er Bat ten h ad an y t h i ng il l e g a l i n th e v eh i cl e, w h i ch Bat ten d en ied

. An o t h er

o ffi cer as k ed Bat ten i f he h ad “ a p ro b l em wi t h [t h e o ffi cer] s earch i n g [Bat t en ’ s ]

t ru ck ? ” Bat t en rep l i ed

, “ No

, g o ah ead .” Aft er o ffi cers d i s co v ered m et h am p h et am i n e

h i d d en i n a b o x u n d er t h e v eh i cl e, Bat t en was p l aced i n h an d cu ffs

.

Bat t en s p o k e wi t h po li ce wh i l e h an d cu ffed

, an d offi cers ad m i t th at h e h ad n ot

b een in fo r m e d o f h i s Mi r a n da ri g h t s ; ho wev er, th e St at e d i d n ot i n tro d u ce t h es e

s t at em en t s a t t ri al

. Bat ten was n o t t ak en i n t o cu s to d y fo l l o w i n g t h e s t o p

, b u t cam e

i n t o t h e Sh eri ff’ s o ffi ce t h e nex t d ay t o b e i n t erv i ewed reg ard i n g h i s d ru g d is tri b u t i o n

act i vi t y

. Bat ten was in fo rm ed o f h i s Mi ra n da ri g h ts pri o r t o t hat in t erv i ew, an d h e

s i gn ed a fo rm ack n o wl ed g i n g t h em

. Du ri n g t h at in t erv iew, wh i ch was l at er p l ay ed fo r

t h e ju ry

, Bat t e n ad m i tt ed to h i d i n g m et h am ph et am i n e i n a b o x h i dd en u n d er h i s

v eh icl e. Bat t en was arres t ed s o m et i m e l at er.

3 Du ri n g cro s s -ex am i n at i o n

, t h e o f f i c er ad m i t t ed t hat h e di d n o t i n cl u d e h i s

o b s erv at i o n o f Bat t en ’ s t raffi c o ffen s e i n h i s wri t t en rep ort

.

4 Th e o ffi cer o bt ai n ed Bat t en ’ s i den t i fi cat i o n fro m t h e v eh i cl e fo r h im

.

3Pri o r to t ri al

, Bat t en fi l ed a m o t i o n t o s u p p res s ev id en ce ari s in g fro m t h e s t o p,

arg u i n g t h at o ffi cers l ack ed pro b ab l e cau s e t o s to p Bat t en

, an d t h at Bat t en d i d n ot

co n sen t t o t h e s earch of h i s v e h i c l e

. Bat t en al s o m o ved t o s u p p res s h is st at em en t s

m a de t o p o l i ce becau s e h e was n o t i n fo rm ed o f h i s Mi r a n d a ri g h t s

. Th e t ri al co u rt

d en ied t h es e m o t i on s

.

A j u ry fo u n d Bat t en g u i l t y o f t raffi ck i n g i n m et h am p h et am in e an d op erat i n g

a v eh i cl e co n t a i n i n g a s ecret co m p art m en t

. Bat t en fi l ed a m o t i o n fo r a n ew t ri al

,

wh i ch t h e t ri al co urt d en i ed fo l l o wi n g a h eari n g . Th i s ap p eal fo l lo wed

.

Bat t en arg u es t h at t h e t ri al co urt erred i n d en y i n g h i s m o ti o n s t o s up p res s

.

W h i l e t h e t ri al co u rt ’ s fi n d i n g s as to d i s p u t ed fact s i n a ru l in g o n a

m o t i o n t o s u pp res s w i l l b e rev i ewed t o d et erm i ne wh et h er th e ru l i n g w as

cl earl y erro n eo u s

, wh ere t h e ev i d en ce i s u nco n t ro v ert ed an d n o q u es t i o n

reg ard i n g t h e cred i b i l i t y o f t h e wi t n es s es i s p res en t ed

, t h e tri al co u rt ’ s

ap p l icat i o n o f th e l aw t o u n d i s p u ted fact s i s s u b j ect t o d e n o v o ap p el l at e

rev i ew.

Jo h ns o n v. S t a te , 3 0 5 Ga. Ap p

. 6 3 5, 6 3 6 (7 0 0 SE2 d 6 1 2) (2 01 0 ) (ci t at i o n o m i t t ed ).

Becau s e t h e rel ev an t fact s h ere are u n d i s pu t ed

, we rev iew t h e t ri al co u rt ’ s ru l i n g d e

n o v o

.

4(a) Bat t en fi rs t arg u es t h at h e d i d n o t co n s en t t o a s earch o f h i s v eh i cl e, b ut

m erel y acq u i es ced to t h e au th o ri t y o f t h e p ol ice. Bat t en arg u es t hat th ere were s ev eral

p o l i ce o ffi cers p res en t

, s o m e of wh o m were s h in i ng fl as h l i g h t s

, an d th at t h e St at e d id

n o t m eet i t s bu rd en i n es tab l i s h i n g t h at co n s en t w as f r e e l y an d v ol u n t ari l y g i v en

.

Bat t en i s co rrect t h at th e St at e “ h as t h e b u rd en of p ro v i n g t h e v al id i ty o f a co n s en s u al

s earch an d m

u s t s h ow t h e co ns en t i s g i v en vo l un t ari ly .” S ta t e v. J o u r d a n

, 2 6 4 Ga.

Ap p

. 1 1 8

, 1 2 0 (1 ) (5 89 SE2 d 6 8 2 ) ( 2 0 0 3 ) (ci t at i on an d p u n ct u at i on o m i t t ed ).

“ Co n s en t w h i c h i s t h e p ro d u ct o f co erci o n o r d ecei t o n t h e p art o f t h e p o l i ce i s

i n v al i d

. Co n s en t i s n o t v o lu n t ary wh en i t i s t he res u l t of du res s o r co erci o n

, ex p res s

o r i m p l i ed .” Id

. at 1 2 1 (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 ).

Th e v o lu nt ari n es s o f co n s en t is d et erm i n ed b y t h e t o t al i t y o f th e

ci rcu m s t an ces ; n o s i n g l e fact o r co n t ro l s

. Th e s t an d ard fo r m eas u ri n g th e

s co p e o f a s u sp ect ’ s co n s en t u n d er t h e Fo u rt h Am en d m en t i s t h at o f

o b ject i v e reas o n ab len es s

— wh at wo u ld t h e t y p i cal r e a s o n ab l e p ers o n

h av e u n ders t o od b y t h e ex ch an g e bet ween th e o ffi cer an d t h e s u sp ect

.

Th e ap p ro p ri at e i n q u i ry i s wh et her a reas o n ab l e p ers o n wo u l d feel free

t o d ecl i n e t h e o ffi cers ’ req u es t t o s earch o r ot herwi s e t erm i n a t e th e

en co u n ter. M ere acq u i e s c e n ce t o th e au th o ri t y as sert ed b y a p o l i ce

o ffi cer can n o t s u b s t i t u t e fo r free co n s en t

. A n d

, w e are req u i red t o

s cru ti n i ze cl o s el y an al l eg ed co ns en t t o s earch

.

Id

. (i n t ern al ci tat i o n s an d p un ct u at io n o m i tt ed ).

5Ev en t h o u g h t h ere were s ev eral p o l i ce o ffi cers p res en t d u ri n g t h e s t o p h o l d i n g

fl as hl i g h ts (as i t was d ark ), th e v i d eo t ap e o f th e t raffi c s t o p co rro b o rat es t h e o ffi cers ’

t es t i m o ny reg ard i n g t h e co n s en s u al n at u re o f t h e s e a r c h y i el d i n g t h e

m et h am p h et am i ne s o u g h t t o b e s u p p res s ed

. S ee Mo r r i s v. S t at e

, 2 3 9 Ga. Ap p

. 1 0 0,

1 0 1 (1 ) (5 2 0 SE2 d 4 8 5) (1 99 9 ) (co n s en t v o l u n t ary wh ere o ffi cer as k ed t h e d efen d an t

i f h e m i n d ed i f th e o ffi cer ex am i n ed a m at ch b o x

, an d t h e d efen d ed res p on d ed “ n o

, g o

ah ead .”). Bat t en was no t i n h an d cu ffs p ri o r t o th e search

, an d t here i s n o ev i d en ce t h at

h e w as b ei n g t hreat en ed in an y way

, t h at h e wa s m i s l ed

, o r t h at h e was su b ject t o a

l en g t h y d et en t io n b efo re g i v i n g h i s co n s en t t o s earch

. S ee Ken d r i ck v. S t a t e

, 3 3 5 Ga.

Ap p

. 7 6 6

, 7 6 9 (7 8 2 SE2 d 8 4 2 ) (2 0 16 ) (“ A co n sen t t o s e a r ch w i ll n o rm al l y b e h el d

v o l u n t ary i f t h e t o tal i t y o f t h e ci rcu m s t an ces fai ls t o s h o w t hat t he o ffi cers u s ed fear,

i n t i m i d at i o n

, t h reat o f p h y s ical p u n is h m en t

, o r l en g t h y d et en t i o n t o o bt ai n t h e

co n sen t .” (ci t at i o n o m i t t ed )); S t a t e v. W es t mo r el a n d

, 20 4 Ga. Ap p . 3 1 2 , 3 1 3 -1 4 (2 )

(4 1 8 SE2 d 8 2 2 ) (1 9 9 2 ) (c o n s e n t was ju s t acq u ies cen ce wh ere d efen d an t co n s en t ed

t o s earch o n l y aft er an o ffi cer t o l d h i m th at th e o ffi cer d id no t n eed a warran t ).

M o reo v er, t h e m ere fact t h at fo u r o ffi cers were pres en t an d h o l d i n g fl as h l i g h t s wh en

Bat t en was as k ed fo r p erm i ss io n t o s earch h i s v eh i cl e d o es n o t m ean t h at h i s co n s en t

was m erel y an acq u i es cen ce t o t h ei r au t h o ri ty

. S ee S mi t h v. S t a t e

, 1 65 Ga. A p p

. 3 3 3,

63 3 4 -3 5 (2 ) (2 9 9 SE2 d 89 1 ) (1 9 8 3 ) (co n s en t v o l u n tary wh ere d efen d an t was i n i t i al l y

o rd ered o u t o f h i s car at g u n p o i n t

, b u t p o l i ce were n o l on g er p o i nt i n g weap on s at h i m

wh en h e was as k ed fo r p erm i ss io n t o s earch h i s v eh icl e). Rat h er, t h e o ffi cers t es t i fi ed

t h at Bat t en was as ked wh et h er he wo u l d co n s en t, an d h e d i d s o

. Co mp a r e Ho l l en b ack

v. S t a t e

, 2 8 9 Ga. Ap p . 5 1 6

, 5 1 9 (6 5 7 SE2 d 8 8 4 ) (2 0 08 ) (co n s en t was n o t freel y an d

v o l u n t ari l y g i v en an d was m ere acq u i es cen ce t o au t h o ri ty wh ere t he o ffi cer i n fo rm ed

t h e d efen d an t h e was g o i n g t o s earch h er v eh i cl e an d s he d i d n o t ob ject

, b u t h an d ed

t h e o ffi cer h er k ey s ). On ce “ v o l u n t ary co n s en t i s l eg al ly o bt ai n ed

, i t co n t i n u es u n t i l

i t ei t h er i s rev o k ed o r wi t h d rawn .” Mo r r i s

, 23 9 Ga. Ap p

. at 1 0 1 (1 ) (a) (ci t a t i o n

o m it t ed ). Th ere i s n o ev i den ce ei t h er o ccu rred h ere. Th erefo re, we ag ree wi t h t h e t ri al

co u rt t hat t h e s earch was co n s en s u al

.

(b ) B a t t e n n ex t arg u es t h at t h e s t o p was u n lawfu l u n d er OCGA § 4 0 -8 -9 1

b ecau s e an i n v es t i g at o r co n d u ct ed t h e t raffi c s t op i n an un m ark ed v eh i cl e. OCGA §

4 0 -8 -9 1 (a) req u i res t h at an y v eh i cl e u s ed t o m ak e arres t s fo r t raffi c v i o l at i on s t o b e

“ d i st i n ct l y m ark ed on each s i d e an d t he back w i t h t h e n am e o f t h e ag en cy

res p o n s i b l e[.] ” Bu t Bat t en fai l ed t o rai s e th i s arg u m en t b el o w

, an d can n ot m ak e i t fo r

7t h e fi rs t t i m e o n ap p eal

. 5 S ee W es t v. S t a t e

, 30 0 G a. Ap p

. 5 8 3

, 5 8 5 (2 ) (6 8 5 SE2 d 4 8 6 )

( 2 0 0 9 ) (“ Is s u es an d o bject i on s n o t rai s ed i n th e t ri al co u rt an d ru l ed on by t h e t r i a l

co u rt are d eem ed wai v ed an d can n o t b e rai sed fo r t h e fi rs t t i m e o n ap p eal .” (fo o t n o t e

o m it t ed )). W e fi n d n o erro r h ere.

(c) Bat t en fu rt h er a r g u e s t h at as a res ul t o f h i s al l eg ed l y il l eg al arres t

, an y

s t at em en t s h e s u b seq uen t l y p ro v i d ed t o p o l i ce were t ai n t ed an d i n ad m i s s i b l e. M o re

s p eci fi cal l y

, i n h i s en u m erat i o n o f erro r, Bat t en arg u es t h e t ri al co urt erred in

al l o wi n g t h e ju ry t o hear h i s s t at em en t s m a d e t o p o l i ce d u ri n g h i s i n t erv i ew at t h e

5 E v en if Bat t en h ad n o t wai v ed t hi s arg u m en t

, i t w o u l d s t il l f a i l b ecau s e

OCGA § 4 0 -8 -9 1 (f) p ro v id es t h at “ [a] n ot h erwi s e l awfu l arres t s h al l n o t b e

i n v al i d at ed o r i n an y m an n er affect ed b y fai l u re t o co m p l y wi t h t h i s Co d e s ect i o n.”

S ee a l s o S t a t e v. Ca r t er

, 2 1 5 Ga. Ap p

. 6 4 7

, 64 8 (4 5 1 S E 2 d 5 4 1 ) ( 1 9 9 4 ) (rev ers i n g

g ran t o f m ot i on t o s u pp res s d es p i t e fai l u re t o co m p l y wi t h OCGA § 4 0 -8 -9 1 wh ere

o ffi cers p u l l ed d efen d an t ov er i n an u n m ark ed car aft er ob s erv in g h i m cro s s i n g t h e

cen t erl in e s ev eral t i m es ). Fu rt h er, b ecau s e o f Bat t en ’ s errat i c d ri vi n g an d t h e o ffi cer’ s

co n cern s ab o u t Bat t en ’ s p o t en t ial i m p ai rm en t, t h e o ffi cer was au th o ri zed t o s t o p h i m

ev en i n an u n m ark ed v eh i cl e. S ee Th o ma s v. S t at e

, 2 6 1 Ga. Ap p

. 49 3

, 4 97 (2 ) (b )

(5 8 3 SE2 d 2 07 ) (2 0 0 3 ) (“ n o t h i n g i n [OCGA § 40 -8 -9 1]

. . . i n v al i d at es t raffi c arres t s

,

o r i n v es ti g at o ry s t o p s

, m ad e i n an u n m ark ed v eh i cl e[,] ” an d “ an o ffi cer i n an

u n m ark ed car m ay s t o p an errat i c d ri v er”); S a p p v. S t a te

, 2 9 7 Ga. Ap p

. 2 1 8

, 2 2 0 -2 1

( 1 ) ( 6 7 6 S E2 d 8 6 7 ) (2 0 0 9 ) (s t o p b y an o ffi cer i n an u n m ark ed v eh i cl e was n o t

u n lawfu l wh ere o ffi cer o bs erv ed d efen d an t ’ s v eh icl e cro s s th e cen t erl in e); C a r t e r

, 2 1 5 Ga. Ap p

. at 6 4 8

. Ad d i ti o n al l y

, th e reco rd i n di cat es t h a t a n o ffi cer i n a m ark ed

p at ro l car al s o effect ed t h e s t o p s i m u l t an eo u s l y

wi t h t h e u n m ark ed v eh i cl e.

8Sh eri ff’ s o ffi ce. 6 Bat t en f a ils to s uppor

t this p art i cu lar en um erat io n wi t h an y arg u m en t

o r au t h o ri t y

i n h i s b ri ef, wh i ch i s co n t rary to t h e req ui rem en t s of t h i s Co u rt ’ s ru l es

.

S ee Co u rt o f Ap p eal s Ru l e 2 5 (a) (3 ). Bat t en ’ s fai l u re t o s u p p o rt hi s as s ert io n o f erro r

wi t h an y au t h o ri t y h i n d ers o u r ab i l i t y t o d et erm i n e t he su b st an ce o f h i s arg u m en t o n

ap p eal

. As o u r ru les m ak e cl ear, “ [a] n y en um erat i o n of erro r t h at i s n o t su p po rt ed in

t h e b ri ef b y ci t at i o n o f au t h o ri t y o r arg um en t m ay b e d eem ed ab an d on ed .” Co u rt o f

Ap p eal s Ru l e 2 5 (c) (2 ); Ha f eez v. S t a t e

, 3 3 9 Ga. Ap p

. 4 6 7

, 4 70 (2 ) (7 9 3 SE2 d 6 3 2 )

(2 0 1 6) (d efen d an t ab an d on ed hi s en u m erat i on o f erro r b ecau s e h e m ad e n o arg u m en t

i n s u p p o rt o f i t). Th erefo re, b ecau s e Bat ten ab an d on ed t h i s erro r o n ap p eal

, we wi l l

n o t ad dres s i t

.

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

d en , P. J., a n d

Br a n ch , J., co n cu r

.

6 Th e St at e d id n o t s eek t o i n t ro d uce at tri al an y o f th e s t at em en t s Bat ten m ad e

t o p o l i ce d u ri n g t h e s t op

.

9