THI RD DI VI SI ON

M I LLER, P. J.

, M CFA DDEN and M CM I LLI A N, 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

Nov em ber 9, 2016



# I n th e Co u r t o f

A p p eals o f

G eo r g ia

A1 6 A1 09 3 . KRITLOW

v . THE STATE.

M C F A D D E N , J u d g e.

A f t e r a j u ry tri al

, Gary Kri tl o w was co n v i ct ed o f ag g rav at ed s o d o m y,

a ggrav at ed s ex u al b at t ery , ag g rav at ed as s au l t

, fal s e i m pri s o nm en t

, an d s e xua l ba tte r y

.

He ap p eal s , ch al l en g i n g t he s u ffi ci en cy o f th e ev i d en ce, t h e ad m i s s i o n of ev i d en ce

o f h i s pri o r s ex of

f e n s e s , an d t h e t ri al co u rt ’ s refu s al t o al l o w h i m t o at t em p t to

i m p each t h e v i ct i m b as ed o n h er fi n an ci al ci rcu m s t an ces

. H o wev er, t h ere was

s u ffi ci en t ev i d en ce t o s u p p o r t t h e j u ry ’ s v erd ict

, t h e ev id en ce of p ri o r s ex o ffen s es

was p ro p erl y ad m it t ed

, an d th e v i ct i m ’ s fi n an ci al s t at u s was i m m at eri al

. Acco rd i n g l y ,

we affi rm

.

1

. S u f f ici en cy o f t h e evi d en ce.“ On ap p eal fro m a cri m i n al co n v i ct i o n , we v i ew t h e ev i d en ce i n t h e l ig h t m o s t

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

, an d th e [d efen d an t ] i s n o l o n g er en t it l ed t o t h e p res u m p t i o n

o f i n no cen ce. [Ci t .] ” New s o m e v. S t a t e , 3 24 G a. A p p

. 66 5 (7 5 1 SE2 d 4 7 4 ) (2 0 1 3 ).

“ W e d et erm in e on l y

wh et h er t h e ev id en ce au t h o ri zed t h e ju ry t o fi nd t h e d efen d an t

g u i l t y b ey o n d a reas o n ab l e do u b t

, an d i n do i n g so w e n ei t her wei g h t h at ev i d en ce n o r

ju d g e th e cred i b i l i t y o f t h e wi t n es s es

. [Ci t .] ” Byr d v. S t a t e , 3 2 5 Ga. Ap p

. 2 4 (7 5 2

SE2 d 8 4 ) (2 0 1 3 ).

So v i ewed

, t h e ev id en ce s h o wed t h at o n Decem b er 1 6

, 20 1 3, Kri tl o w an d

an o th er m an wen t t o t h e v i ct i m ’ s h o u s e t o l o ad her p os s es si on s i n t o a m o v in g t ru ck

.

At o n e p oi n t

, wh i l e t h e o t h er m o v er was o u t si d e t h e h o u s e, Kri t l o w wen t i n s i d e an d

as k ed to u s e t h e b at h ro om

. W h en t h e v ict i m p o i nt ed h i m t o ward an u p s t ai rs

b at h ro o m , Kri t l ow fo rced t he v i ct i m u p t h e s t ai rs an d i n t o t h e b at h ro o m , wh ere h e

cl o s ed t h e d o or an d s ex u al l y as s au l t ed t h e vi ct i m

. He fo n d l ed h er b reas ts

, i n s ert ed h i s

fi ng er i nt o h er vag i n a, an d fo rced her to p erfo rm o ral s ex on h i m u n t i l h e ejacu l at ed

.

Du ri n g t h e as s au l t

, h e p rev en t ed t h e v i c t i m ’ s at tem p t s t o es cap e an d p u sh ed h er s o

h ard t h at h er h ead b an ged i nt o a m i rro r an d h i t t h e t o i l et t an k

.

Aft er th e as s au l t, Kri t l ow l eft t h e v i ct im i n t h e b at h ro o m

. Sh e t h e n fl ed fro m

t h e h o u s e an d cal l ed th e p o l i ce t o rep o rt t h e as s au l t

. K ri t l o w w as arres t ed

, an d

2s u b s eq u en t DNA tes ti n g s h o w ed t h at Kri t l o w ’ s s em en w a s p res en t o n t h e v i ct i m ’ s

p an ts

.

Th e s t at e al s o i n t ro d u ced ev i d en ce o f Kri t l o w’s t wo p ri o r co n v i ct i o n s fo r

s ex u al offen s es

. In 20 0 5

, Kri t l o w p led g u i lt y i n Al ab am a t o en t i ci n g a ch i l d fo r s ex u al

act s b as ed on an i n ci d en t wh en h e fo rced a 1 4-y ear-o l d g i rl i n t o a b ed ro o m , b l o ck ed

h er a t t e m p t s t o es cap e, t o u ch ed h er b reas t s , an d i n s ert ed h is fi n g er i n to her v ag i na.

Ap p ro x i m at el y t w o y ears l at er, Kri t l o w pl ed g u i lt y i n Ten n es see t o s ex u al b at t ery

b as ed o n an i n ci d en t wh en h e was wo rk i n g at a fas t -fo o d res tau r a n t

, e n t ered a

b at h ro o m t h at h i s co -wo rk er w as cl ean i n g , cl o s ed an d l o ck ed t h e d oo r, p rev en t ed t h e

co -wo rk er fro m l eav i n g , pi nn ed h er ag ai ns t t h e wal l

, t o uch ed h er b reas t s an d

b u t t o ck s , an d at t em

p t ed t o fo rce h i s h an d s i n si de h er p an t s

.

In ch al l en g i n g t h e s u ffi c i en cy o f t h e ev i d en ce, Kri t l o w po i n t s t o al l eg ed

co n fl i ct s i n t h e ev i d en ce. “ Ho wev er, res o l v i n g ev i d en t i ary co n fl i ct s an d

i n co n s i s t en ci es , an d as s es s in g w i t n es s cred i bi l i t y , are t h e p ro v i nce o f t h e fact fi n d er,

n o t t h i s [c] o u rt

. Th e ev i d en ce au t ho ri zed t h e ju ry t o co n cl u d e t h at [Kri t l o w] was

g u i l t y of t h e cri m es o f wh i ch he was co n v i ct ed .” Ha mp t o n v. St a t e , 2 7 2 G a. 2 8 4

, 2 8 5

(1 ) (5 27 SE2 d 8 72 ) (2 0 0 0 ) (ci t at i o n s o m i t t ed ).

2

. Evi d en ce o f o t h er s exu a l a s s au l t

s

.

3Kri t l o w co n t en d s t h at t h e t ri al co u rt erred i n ad m i t t i n g t he ev i d en ce of h i s t wo

p ri o r s ex u al as s au l t s . Th e cl ai m i s wi t h ou t m eri t

.

Becau s e Kri t l o w’ s t ri al was hel d aft er J an u ary 1

, 2013, G e o r gi a’ s n ew ev i d en ce

co d e i s ap p l i cab l e. See Ga. L. 2 0 1 1 , p p . 9 9 § 1 0 1

. Th e n ew ev i d en ce co d e p ro v i d es

t h at “ [i ] n a cri m i n al pro ceed i n g i n w h i c h t h e accu s ed i s accu s ed o f an offen s e o f

s ex u al as s au l t

, ev id en ce o f t he accu s ed ’ s co m m i s s i o n o f an ot h er o f

f e n s e o f s ex u al

as s au l t s hal l b e ad m is s i b l e an d m ay b e co n s i d ered fo r it s b eari n g o n an y m at t er to

wh i ch i t i s rel ev an t .” OCGA § 2 4 -4 -4 1 3 (a). “ Th e l an g u a g e o f th i s p ro v is i o n was

i n t en d ed t o c r e a te a ‘ ru le o f i n cl u s i o n ,’ w i th a s t ro n g p res u m p t i o n i n fav o r o f

ad m i s s i b i l i t y as i t p ro v i d es t h at s u ch ev i d en ce ‘ s h al l b e ad m is s i b l e.’ ” S t eel e v. S t a t e ,

3 3 7 Ga. Ap p . 5 6 2 , 5 6 6 (3 ) (7 88 SE2 d 1 4 5 ) (2 0 1 6) (ci t at i o n s o m i t t ed ).

Here, t h e s t at e s o ug h t t o i n t ro du ce t h e p ri or s ex cri m es ev i den ce fo r p u rp o s es

o f s h o wi n g K

ri tl o w ’ s in t en t an d l u s t fu l d i s po s it i on

. “ OCGA § 2 4 -4 -4 0 1

. . . d eem s

e v id en ce rel ev an t i f i t h as an y t en d en cy t o m ak e t h e ex i st en ce of an y fa c t t h a t i s o f

co n seq u en ce t o t h e d et erm i nat i o n o f t h e act i o n m o re p ro b ab l e o r l es s p ro bab l e t h an

i t wo u l d b e wi t h o u t th e ev i d en ce.” Ol d s v. S ta t e, 2 9 9 G a

. 65

, 6 9 -7 0 (2 ) (7 8 6 SE2 d

6 3 3 ) (2 0 1 6 ) (ci t at i o n an d p un ct u at i o n o m it t ed ). “ W i t h reg ard t o i n ten t

, a d efen d an t

wh o en ters a n ot g u i l t y p l ea m ak es i n t en t a m at eri al i s s u e[.] ” Br a d s h a w v. S t a t e , 2 9 6

4Ga. 65 0

, 6 56 (3 ) (7 69 SE2 d 8 92 ) (2 0 1 5 ) (ci t at i o n an d p u n ct u at i o n o m i t t ed ). Su ch a

p l ea req u i res t h e s t a te t o m eet i t s b u rd en of p ro v i n g ev ery el em en t o f th e cri m es

c h a r g ed

, an d “ [a] cu l p ab l e s t at e o f m i nd

– i n t en t o r cri m i n al n eg l i g en ce

– i s a n

es s en t i al el em en t o f ev ery cri m e[.] ” Ol d s , s u p ra at 72 (2 ) (ci t a t i o n s o m i t t ed ).

M o reo v er, “ e v i d en ce th at an accu s ed co m m it t ed an i n t en t i o n al act g en eral l y i s

rel ev an t t o s h o w

– t h e ev i d en ce, i n o t h er wo rd s , h as s o m e t en d en cy t o m ak e m o re o r

l es s p ro b ab l e

– t h at t h e s am e defen d an t co m m i t t ed a si m i lar act wi t h t h e s am e s o rt o f

i n t en t

, es p eci al l y wh en t h e act s were co m m it ted cl o s e i n t i m e an d i n s i m i l ar

ci rcu m s t an ces

. ” Id

. Th u s , t h e t ri al co u rt co rrect l y ru l ed th at t h e p r i o r s ex cri m es

ev i d en ce was rel ev an t t o t h e i s s u e o f i n t en t

.

As fo r l u s t fu l d is p o s i t i o n , al th o u g h i t

i s no t o n e o f t h e p u rp o s es s p eci fi cal ly s et o u t i n OCGA § 2 4 -4 -4 0 4 (b )
fo r t h e ad m i s si o n o f o th er act s , OCGA § 24 -4 -4 13 pro v id es an ex cep t i o n

t o t h e g en eral r u l e i n s ex u al as s au lt cas es an d al l o ws t h e ad m i s s i on o f [s u ch ] p ro p en s i t y ev i d en ce. [Ci t s

. ] Th us , t h e p ro v i s i o n s of OCGA §

2 4 -4 -4 1 3 (a) s u pers ed e t h e p ro v i s i o n s o f O CGA § 2 4 -4 -4 04 (b ) i n

s ex u al as s au l t cas es . [Ci t s .]

S t eel e , s u p ra at 5 6 6 (3 ) n . 5

.

M o reo v er, Kri t l o w cl ai m s t h at t h e v i ct i m was n o t cred ib l e, t h at h er t es t i m o ny

was i n co n s i s t en t wi t h o th er ev i den ce, an d tha t s he f a br ic at ed t h e as sau l t

. Acco rd i n g l y ,

5t h e ev i d en ce t h at Kri tl o w h ad co m m i t t ed s i m i l ar s ex u al as s au l t s w as rel ev an t b ecau s e

i t

h ad t h e t en d en cy t o b ol s t er t h e cred i b i l i t y o f t h e vi ct im b y d em on s trat i n g

t h at h e r c i rcu m s t an ces were n o t u n i q u e. In d eed

, i t h ad t h e t en d en cy t o d i s p ro v e a cl ai m o f fab ri cat i on b y s ho wi n g t hat [Kri t l o w ] p rey ed o n

wo m en i n th e v i ct im ’ s

. . . ci rcu m s tan ce[ o f b ei n g i n a p l a c e w h ere Kri t l o w co u l d fo rce th em i n t o a s m al l er ro o m an d b ar a d o o r p rev en t i n g

es cap e]

. Th u s , t h e ev i d e n ce s at i s fi ed O CGA § 2 4 -4 -4 1 3’ s rel ev an ce

t h res h o l d

.

Ma r l o w v. S t a t e , 33 7 Ga. Ap p

. 1

, 4 (1 ) (b ) (7 85 SE2 d 5 8 3 ) ( 2 0 1 6 )

, d i sap p ro v ed in

p art o n o t h er g ro u n d s, Qu i l l er v. S t a t e ,

_ _ _ Ga. A pp

.

_

_ _ n

. 3 (Cas e N o

. A1 6 A0 1 1 4,

d eci d ed Ju l y

1 5, 2 0 1 6 ).

Kri t l o w fu rt h er arg u es t h at t he p ri o r act s ev id en ce m us t b e ex cl u ded b ecau s e

u n d er OCGA § 2 4 -4

- 4 0 3

, rel ev an t ev i d en ce m ay b e ex cl u d ed wh ere it s pro b at i v e

v al u e i s s u b s t an t i al l y o u t wei gh ed b y t h e d an g er o f un fai r p reju d i ce. W e n eed n o t

, in

t h i s cas e, d eci d e “ wh et h er t h at p ro v is i o n [o f OCGA § 2 4 -4 -4 0 3 ] ap p l i es t o ev i d en ce

ad m i s s i b l e u n der OCGA § 2 4 -4 -4 1 3 (a).” S t eel e , su p ra at 5 6 7 n

. 7 (ci t at i o n s o m i t t ed ).

See al s o S t a t e v. Fr o st

, 2 9 7 Ga. 2 9 6

, 3 0 1 n

. 6

. (7 7 3 SE2 d 7 0 0 ) (2 01 5 ). Becau s e ev en

i f we as su m e, wi t h o u t d eci d i n g, t h at i t d o es ap p l y , g iv en t h e ci rcu m s tan ces o f t h i s

cas e, t h e t ri al co u rt “ d i d n ot ab u s e i t s d i s cret i o n i n fi n d i n g t h at th e p ro bat i v e v al u e o f

t h e ev id en ce o f ap p el lan t ’ s p r i o r cri m es w as no t s u bs t an ti al l y o u twei g h ed b y i t s

6p reju d i ci a l effect an d i n ad m i t t i n g t h e ev i den ce o f ap p el l an t ’ s t w o p ri o r g ui l t y

p l eas [.] ” Jo n es v. St a t e ,

__ _ Ga.

_ _ _ (4 ) (7 8 8 SE2 d 4 7 7) (2 01 6 ) (ci t at i o n s o m i t t ed ).

3

. Vi ct i m’s f

i na n ci al s ta t u s

.

Kri t l o w co m

pl ai n s t h at t he t ri al co u rt erred i n p rev en ti n g h i m fro m im p each i n g

t h e vi ct i m as t o h er p u rp o rt ed b i as ari s i ng fro m fi n an ci al d i ffi cu lt ies t h at co u l d h av e

m o ti v at ed h er t o fal s el y accu s e Kri t l o w i n ord er to m ak e so m e u n id en t i fi ed l eg al

cl ai m ag ai n s t h i s em

p l oy er. Ho wev er, an y s u ch b i as m u s t ari se fro m a “ m o t i v e t h at

co u ld b e r ea so na b l

y in f er r ed t o cau s e t es ti m o n y t o b e s had ed o r d i s t o rt ed .” No el l i en

v

. S t a t e , 2 9 8 Ga. Ap p

. 4 7

, 5 0 (3 ) (a) (i ) (6 79 SE2 d 7 5) (2 0 0 9 ) (ci t at i o n o m i t t e d ;

e m p h as i s s u p p l i ed ). Th ere i s n o ev i d en ce in t h e reco rd fro m wh i ch i t co u l d b e

reas on ab l y i n ferred t hat th e v i ct i m h ad an y s u ch bi as o r m o t iv e. Kri tl o w h as fai l ed to

p o i n t t o a n yt h i n g in t h e reco rd s u p p o rt i n g h i s p u re s p ecu l at i o n t h at th e v i ct i m ’ s

fi nan ci al s t at u s m o t i vat ed h er to fab ri cat e t h e s ex u al as s au lt

. A wi t n es s m ay n o t b e

i m p each ed b as ed o n a wh ol ly i m m at eri al m at ter, an d t h e v i ct i m ’ s fi n an ci al s t at u s

“ was wh ol l y i m

m at eri al to t h e is s u e o f [Kri t l o w’ s] g u i l t [.] ” G i l ber t v. St a t e , 1 5 9 Ga.

Ap p . 3 2 6 , 3 2 7 -3 2 8 (2 ) (2 8 3 SE2 d 3 6 1 ) (1 9 81 ) (ci t at i o n s o m i t t ed ).

Ju d g men t a f f i r m ed . Mi l l er

, P. J., McMi l l i a n , J., co n cu r

.

7