2 9 7 Ga . 2 68

F INAL COP Y

S 1 5 A0 61 4 . S MITH v

. THE S TATE.

H UNSTEI

N , Ju stic e

.

Ap p e lla n t Ro n a ld S m ith a p p e a ls h is c o nv ic tio n s fo r fe lo n y m u rd e r a n d

o t h e r c rim e s in c o n n e c tio n with th e sh o o tin g d e a th o f Ge n a i C o le m a n

.

Ap p e lla n t’s so le c o n te ntio n is th a t th e tria l c ou rt im p ro pe rly c om m e nte d o n th e

c re d ib ility o f a w i t n e s s

. We fin d n o m e rit to th is c on te n tio n a nd a ffirm

a p p e lla n t’s c o n v ic tio n s a

n d s e n t e n c e s , e x c e pt fo r th e c on vic tio n a n d se n te n c e fo r

p o sse ssio n o f a fire a rm d u rin g th e c o m m iss io n of th e a g g ra v a te d a ssa u lt o f

Co le m an , wh ic h m

u st b e v a c a te d

. 1

1 Th e c rim e s o c c u rre d on Ju ly 1 8

, 2 0 0 8

. On A p ril 2 8, 2 0 1 0

, a p pe lla n t wa s i n d ic te d b y a Gwin n e tt Co u n ty g ra n d ju ry fo r m a lic e m u rd e r, fe lo ny m

u rd e r ,

a g g ra v a te d a ssa u lt, hija c k in g a m o to r v e h ic le

, a nd th re e c o u n ts of p o sse ssio n o f

a fire a rm d u rin g th e c o m m issio n o f a fe lo n y

. On Oc to b e r 3 0

, 2 0 1 2

, th e tria l ju ry fo u n d h im g uilty o n a ll c o u n ts. Th a t sa m e d a y , th e tria l c o u rt s e n t e n c e d

a p p e lla n t to life in p riso n fo r m a lic e m u rd e r, 2 0 c o nse c u tiv e y e a rs fo r h ija c k in g , fiv e c o n se c u tiv e y e a rs o n on e fire a rm v e rd ic t, a n d fiv e c o nc u rre n t y e a rs o n th e

re m a in in g two fire a

rm ve rd ic ts. Th e fe lo ny m u rd e r v e rd ic t wa s v a c a t e d b y

o p e ra tio n o f la w, a n d th e a g g ra v a te d a ssa u lt v e rd ic t wa s m e rg e d fo r se n te n c in g

p u rp o se s. On Oc to b e r 3 0

, 2 01 2

, a p p e lla n t file d a m o ti o n fo r n e w tria l, wh ic h

h e a m e n d e d o n De c e m

be r 9

, 2 0 1 3

. Th e tri a l c o u r t d e n ie d th e m o tio n , a s

a m e n d e d

, o n Ju ly 1 5

, 2 0 1 4

. Ap p e lla nt th e n file d a tim e ly n o tic e o f a p p e a l. Th e

a p p e a l wa s d o c k e te d to th e Ja n u a ry 2 0 1 5 te rm o f th is Co u rt an d su b m itte d fo r d e c isio n o n th e b rie fs.1

. Vie we d in th e lig h t m o st fa vo ra b le to th e v e r d i c t

, th e e v id e n c e

p re se nte d a t tria l sh o we d th a t, o n th e e v e n in g o f Ju ly 1 8

, 2 00 8, Co le m an p a rk e d

h e r c a r in a p a rk in g lo t ne a r Gwin n e tt P la c e Ma ll wh ile w a itin g fo r h e r d a u g h te r

to fin ish h e r sh ift a t wo rk

. Ap p e lla n t, wh o h a d ju st pu rc h a se d so m e b e e r a n d

c ig a re tte s a t a g a s sta tio n lo c a te d a c ro ss th e s t r e e t fro m wh e re th e v ic tim wa s

p a rk e d

, a p p ro a c h e d h e r c a r. A p p e lla n t a tte m p te d to ta ke Co le m a n ’s c a r, a n d a

b rie f stru g g le e n su e d

, d u rin g wh ic h Ap p e lla n t sh o t th e v ic tim on c e in th e c h e st,

k illin g h e r. He th e n d ro v e o ff in h e r c a r. Th e v ic tim ’s c ar w a s la te r re c o v e re d

in F o re st P a rk

, Ge o rg ia

, a n d DNA m a te ria l re c o v e re d fro m a c ig a re tte b utt fo u n d

in th e c a r m a tc h e d a

p pe lla n t’s DNA. Ap p e lla n t’s fin g e rp rin ts w e re a lso fo u n d

o n th e c a r.

(a ) Alth o u g h Ap p e lla n t d o e s n o t c o n te st th e su ffic ie n c y o f th e e vid e n c e ,

we c on c lu de th a t, v ie we d in th e lig h t m o st fa v o ra ble to th e v e rd ic t, th e e v id e n c e

p re se nte d a t tria l a n d su m m a riz e d a b o v e wa s su ffic ie n t to a

u th o riz e a r a t i o n a l

ju ry to fin d Ap p e lla nt gu ilty b e y o n d a re a so n a b le d o u b t o f th e c rim e s o f wh ic h

h e wa s c o n v ic te d

. S e e Ja c k s o n v

. V i r g in ia

, 4 43 U. S

. 3 0 7

, 3 19 (9 9 S Ct 2 7 8 1

,

6 1 LE2 d 5 6 0 ) (1 97 9).

(b ) We c on c lu d e , h o we v e r, th a t th e tria l c ou rt e rre d in e n te rin g a ju d g m e n t

2o f c o n v ic tio n a n d se n te n c e o n th e po sse ssio n o f a fire a rm v e rd ic t pre d ic a te d o n

a g g ra v a te d a ssa u lt.

[W] h e re m

u ltip le c rim e s a re c o m m itte d to g e th e r d u rin g th e c o urse

o f o ne c o n tin uo u s c rim e sp re e , a d e fe n da n t m a y b e c o n vic te d o n c e fo r p o sse ssio n o f a fire a rm d u rin g th e c om m issio n o f a c rim e a s to

e v e ry in div id u a l vic tim o f t h e c rim e sp re e , a s p ro vid e d u nd e r OCGA § 16 -1 1 -1 0 6 (b ) (1 ), a n d a d d itio n a lly o n c e fo r fire a rm

p o s s e s sio n fo r e v e ry c rim e e n u m e ra te d in su b se c tio n s (b ) (2 )

th ro ug h (5 ).

S ta te v

. Ma rlo we , 2 7 7 Ga

. 3 8 3

, 3 8 6 (2 ) (c ) (5 8 9 S E2 d 6 9 ) (2 0 0 3 ). In th is c a se ,

b e c a u se th e u n d e rly in g c rim e s o f m u rd e r an d a g g ra v a te d a ssa u lt w e r e c o m m i t t e d

a g a in st o n e v ic tim

, th e p o sse ssio n c h a rg e p r e d ic a te d o n a g g ra v a te d a ssa u lt

m e rg e d with th e p o sse ssio n c h a rg e p re dic a te d o n m urd e r. S e e Gib b s v. S ta te

,

2 9 5 Ga

. 9 2 (2 ) (7 5 7 S E2 d 8 4 2 ) (2 0 1 4 ); Ma rlo we , 2 7 7 G a

. a t 3 86 -3 8 7

. T h e tria l

c o u rt p ro p e rly e n te re d a ju d g m e n t o f c on v ic tio n a n d se nte n c e o n th e p o sse ssio n

c h a rg e p re d ic a te d o n h ija c kin g a m o to r v e h ic le , a s th a t c rim e is e n u m e ra te d in

su b se c tio n (b ) (3 ) of OCGA § 1 6 -1 1 -1 0 6

. S e e Ma rlo we , 2 7 7 G a

. a t 3 8 7

(h o ld in g th a t a p ro p e r a n a ly sis o f O C G A § 1 6 -1 1 -1 0 6 (b ) “ p e rm itt[e d ] th re e

p o sse ssio n c ha rg e s b a se d o n th e c rim e s c o m m itte d a g a i n st th re e se p a ra te

v ic tim s, a n d two p o sse ssio n c h a rg e s b a se d o n th e c rim e s o f b u rg la ry a n d m o to r

v e h ic le h ija c k in g ” ).

32

. Ap p e lla n t’s so le c o n te n tio n c o n c e rn s th e te stim o n y o f a witn e ss wh o

sa w th e e n c ou n te r b e twe e n a p p e lla n t a nd th e v ic tim

. Du rin g c ro ss-e xa m in a tio n ,

th e witn e ss be c a m e v isib ly u p se t. Th e tria l c o u rt to o k a b re a k in th e tria l fo r th e

b e n e f i t o f th e w itn e ss a n d q u e stio n e d th e witn e ss ou t o f th e ju ry ’s p re s e n c e

a b o u t th e re a so n fo r h e r d istre ss.

THE WITNES S: I ju st g o t so mu c h o n my m in d

. Th e y ’re ta lk in g

to m e a n d I’m th in k in g a b o u t e v e ry th in g th a t’s g o in g on with m e th is m o rn in g

. I’m ju st try in g to a n swe r th e q u e stio n s a s m u c h a s I

c a n

. Bu t wh e n y ou g o to ge t a [sic ] o pe n h e a d su rg e ry a n d a ll th a t

stu ff, I re a lly ju st c a n ’t th in k

. THE COURT: Ok a y , so y o u h a v e so m e th in g p e rs o n a l g o in g w ith

y o u rse lf, a m e d ic a l p ro b le m th a t y ou ’re h a v in g ?

THE WITNES S : Ye s. THE C OURT: I’m so rry a b o u t th a t. We ’re n o t try in g to up se t y o u in a ny wa y , n e ith e r o f th e la wy e rs a re

. THE WITNES S: I’m try in g to th in k a bo ut wh a t th e y te ll m e , bu t I ju st h a v e so m

u c h o n m y m in d . I ju st c a m e fro m th e d o c to r.

Wh e n th e c o u rt a sk e d th e witn e ss if sh e wa nte d to ta k e a b re a k, sh e re sp o n d e d

th a t sh e wa n te d to “ ge t it o v e r” a n d “ g o h o m e .” Wh e n th e ju ry re tu rn e d to th e

c o u rtro o m , th e tria l c o u rt, with th e witn e ss’s p e rm issio n , in fo rm e d th e ju ry th a t:

[Th e witn e ss] d o e sn ’t fe e l we ll th i s m orn in g. S h e ’s h a v in g

so m e p e rso n a l m e dic a l issu e s. An d sh e ’s no t up se t with a n y o f th e la wy e rs, b u t sh e do e sn ’t fe e l we ll. Bu t we ’re g o in g to try to fin ish

a sk in g he r q u e stio n s. Bu t I ju st wa n te d y ’a ll to k no w th a t th e stre ss is n o t re a lly re la te d to th is c a se

. S o we ’re go in g to try to g e t he r o u t

o f h e re a s so o n a s we c a n

.

4Ap p e lla n t c o n te n d s th a t th e tria l c o u rt’s sta te m e n t th a t th e witn e ss’s stre ss

wa s n ot re la te d to th e tria l wa s a n im p ro p e r c o m m e n t o n h e r c re d ib ility a n d

v io la te d OCGA § 1 7-8 -5 7 . We d isa g re e

.

OCGA § 17 -8 -5 7 sa y s th a t “ [i] t is e rro r fo r a n y ju d g e in a n y c rim in a l c a se ,

d u rin g its p ro g re ss or in h is c h a rg e to th e ju ry , to e x pre ss o r in tim a te h is o p in io n

a s to wh a t h a s or h a s no t b e e n p ro v e d or a s to th e g u ilt o f th e a c c u se d

. . . .” On e

o f th e p u rp o se s o f OCGA § 1 7 -8 -5 7 “ i s to p re v e n t th e ju ry fro m b e in g

in flu e n c e d b y a n y d isc lo su re of th e tria l c ou rt’s o p in io n re g a rd in g th e c re d ib ility

o f a witn e ss.” Mu rp h y v

. S ta te

, 2 9 0 Ga

. 4 59

, 4 6 0 (2 ) (7 2 2 S E 2 d 51 ) (2 0 1 2 ).

Ho we ve r, a tria l c o u rt ha s c o n sid e ra b le d isc re tio n to c o n tro l th e tria l o f th e c a se

to e n su re a fa ir tria l a n d th e o rd e rly a d m in istra tio n o f ju stic e

. S e e Bo n n e r v

.

S ta te

, 2 9 5 Ga

. 1 0 (3 ) (7 57 S E2 d 1 1 8 ) (2 0 1 4 ); S m ith v

. Sta te

, 2 9 2 G a

. 5 8 8 (2 )

(7 4 0 S E2 d 1 29 ) (2 0 1 3 ). A tria l c o u rt a lso h a s d isc re tio n to “ p ro p ou nd q u e stio n s

to a witn e ss to d e v e lo p th e tru th o f th e c a se o r to c la rify te stim o n y .” F in le y v

.

S ta te , 2 8 6 Ga . 4 7, 5 1-5 2 (9 ) (a ) (6 8 5 S E2 d 2 58 ) (2 0 0 9 ).

In e x e rc isin g th e se po we rs, a tria l c o u rt m ay n o t v io la te OCGA § 1 7 -8 -5 7

,

a n d wh e th e r th e tria l c o u rt in th is c a se d id so d e p e n d s o n w h e th e r o r n o t it

5im

p ro p e rly b o lste re d th e w itn e ss’s c re d ib ility

. S e e S m ith , 2 9 2 Ga

. a t 58 9 -5 9 0

(h o ld in g th a t, wh e n th e tria l c o u rt cu r ta ile d w h a t it th o u g h t we re to o m a n y

q u e stio n s re g a rd in g th e la y o u t o f th e c rim e sc e n e , sa y in g th a t th e GBI a g e n t wh o

wa s b e in g q u e stio n e d wa s a “ v e ry th o ro ug h in v e stig a to r” an d th a t it wa s n o t

n e c e ssa ry fo r h im to te stify a b o u t e v e ry th in g le a rn e d in in v e stig a tin g th e c rim e ,

th e c o u rt d id n o t v io la te OCGA § 1 7 -8 -5 7

, be c a u se it p ro p e rly e x e rc ise d its

d isc re tio n to c o n tro l th e c o u rse o f th e tria l a n d d id n o t e x p re ss a n o p in io n th a t

b o lste re d th e w itn e ss’s c re d ib ility ); Mu rp h y , 2 9 0 Ga

. a t 4 6 1 (h o ld in g th a t a tria l

ju d g e wh o c a lle d a witn e ss a “ g o o d d e te c tiv e ” a n d sa id th a t th ro u g h “ h is g o o d

e ffo rts we ’re g o in g to fin d th e tru th of th e m a tte r” im p ro p e rly “ e x p re ss[e d ] a

fa v o ra ble o p in io n on h is a

b ilitie s a n d th u s bo lste r[e d ] th a t witn e ss’s

c r e dib ility ” ); Jo h n v. S ta te

, 2 8 2 Ga

. 79 2 (3 ) (6 5 3 SE2 d 4 35 ) (2 0 0 7 ) ( h o l d i n g

th a t, wh e n a sta te ’s w itn e ss b e c a m e c o n fu se d a b o u t a p re v io u s first o ffe n d e r p le a

with wh ic h d e fe n se c o u n se l wa s a tte m p tin g to im

p e a c h h im

a n d th e tria l c o urt

in te rru p te d a n d e x p la in e d th a t th e s o u r ce o f th e witn e ss’s c o n fu sio n wa s

p ro c e d u re s th a t th e tria l c o u rt h a d im p le m e n te d a t th e tim e o f th e witn e ss’s p le a ,

th e tria l c o u rt d id n o t im

p ro p e rly b o lste r th e witn e ss’s c re d ib ility ); Hu b b a rd v

.

Hu b ba rd

, 2 7 7 Ga

. 72 9, 7 30 (1 ) (5 9 4 SE2 d 6 53 ) (2 0 04 ) (sa y in g th a t a tria l ju d g e

6“ ‘sh o u ld n o t in th e h e a rin g o f th e ju ry m a k e a n y re m a rk te n d in g to c o m p lim e n t

o r d isp a ra g e a w i t n e s s ’” a n d h o ld in g th a t, wh e n th e tria l c o u rt sta te d its “ h ig h

o p in io n ” o f a witn e ss, it im pro p e rly “ b o lste re d h e r c re d ib ility ” (c ita tio n

o m itte d )); Ca lla h a m v

. S ta te

, 3 0 5 Ga

. Ap p

. 62 6, 6 2 7 (1 ) (7 0 0 S E2 d 6 2 4 ) (2 0 1 0 )

(h o ld in g th a t th e tria l c o u rt’s q ue stio n to th e d e fe n d a n t o f w h e t h e r h e k n e w

“ ‘wh y th e n e ig h bo r th a t liv e s a c ro ss th e stre e t wo u l d c o me in h e re a n d sa y

y o u ’re th e o n e th a t sh o t? He ’s n o t re la te d to a nyb o d y ’” v io la te d OCGA § 1 7 -8

-

5 7

, in th a t it “ c le a rly in tim a te d t h e c o u rt’s o p in io n th a t th e te stim o n y wa s

b e lie v a b le b e c a u se th e n e ig h b o r wa s a n in d e p e n d e n t witn e ss, u nre la te d to a n y

o f th e p a rtie s in v o lv e d in th e c a se ” ).

He re , d urin g th e witn e ss’s c ro ss-e x a m in a ti o n , th e tria l c ou rt b e c a m e

c o n c e rn e d a

b o u t h o w u p se t th e w itn e ss wa s a nd sto p p e d th e p ro c e e d in g s to

b rie fly qu e stio n h e r a

b o u t h e r w e l l

- b e in g. In in fo rm in g th e ju ry o f th e so urc e

o f h e r disc o m fo rt, th e c o u rt d id n o t “ e x p re ss[ ] a fa v ora b l e o p i n i o n o n [h e r]

a b ilitie s,” Mu rp h y , 2 9 0 G a

. a t 4 6 1 ; d id n o t c o m p lim e n t h e r o r e x p re ss a “ h ig h

o p in io n ” o f h e r, Hu b ba rd

, 2 7 7 Ga

. a t 7 3 0 ; a nd d id n ot “ c le a rly in tim a te [ ] th e

c o u rt’s o p in io n th a t [ h e r ] te stim on y wa s b e lie v a b le

, ” Ca lla h a m , 3 0 5 Ga

. Ap p

.

a t 6 2 8

. In ste a d

, in a n a tte m pt to se c u re a fa ir tria l a n d th e ord e rly a dm in istra tio n

7o f j u s t i c e by d isc ov e rin g th e so u rc e o f th e w itn e ss’s d istre ss, th e c o urt

o b je c tiv e ly a n d m a tte r-o f-fa c tly to ld th e ju ry o f th e re a so n fo r th e d istre ss. Th e

tria l c o u rt d id n o t v io la te OCGA § 1 7 -8 -5 7 in d oin g so

.

Ju d g m e n t a ffirm e d in p a rt a n d v a c a te d in p ar t

. All th e Ju stic e s c o n c u r,

e x c e p t Me lto n , J., wh o d isse nts.

M EL TON , Ju stic e , d isse n tin g

.

Be c a u se I c a n n o t a g re e th a t th e tria l c o urt' s c o m m e n ts in th is c a se d id n o t

im p ro p e rly b ol s t e r th e e y e w itn e ss' s te stim o n y in th is c a se , I m u st re sp e c tfu lly

d isse nt. In its a tte m

p t to e x p la in to th e ju ry th a t th e witn e ss wa s n o t fe e lin g we ll,

th e tria l c o u rt to o k a ste p to o fa r wh e n it sta te d

, " I wa nt y o u to k no w t h a t th e

[witn e ss' s] stre ss is n o t re a lly re la te d to th is c a se ." It is a x io m a tic th a t a ju ry , a s

th e a rb ite r o f c re d ib ility

, is e n title d to c on sid e r th e d e m e a n or o f a witn e ss in

d e te rm in in g th e tru th fu ln e ss of h is o r h e r te stim o n y

. “ F a c to rs su c h a s de m e a n o r,

c o n tra d ic to ry o r in c o n siste nt sta te m e n ts a n d e v id e n c e th a t a witn e ss ha d u lte rio r

m o tiv e s c a n a ll le a d a t r i e r o f fa c t to d isre g a rd te stim on y

. ” (Cita tio n a n d

p u n c tu a tio n o m itte d.) Wh ite v

. S ta te

, 2 8 7 Ga

. 7 13

, 7 1 6 (1 ) (b ) (6 9 9 S E2 d 2 9 1 )(2 0 1 0 ). Wh ile it is c le a r th a t th e witn e ss’s m e d ic a l c o n d itio n lik e ly c o n trib u te d

t o h e r d i s t r e ss o n th e sta n d

, it c o uld b e e q u a lly lik e ly th a t th e c ou rse o f

e x a m in a tio n a d d e d to h e r le v e l o f d istre ss. He re , th e tria l c o u rt re m o v e d th e

ju ry ' s a b ility to m e a su re th e tru th fu ln e ss o f th is te stim on y b y in stru c tin g t h e m

th a t th e witn e ss' s d e m e a n o r wa s n o t re la te d to th e c a se , o n ly h e r illn e ss. Th is

u su rp a tio n o f th e ju ry ' s fa c t-fin d in g fu n c tio n wa s, th e re fo re , a v io la tio n o f

OCGA § 1 7 -8 -5 7

. S e e , e .g

. , Mu rp h y v

. Sta te

, 2 9 0 Ga

. 4 5 9 (7 2 2 S E2 d 5 1 )

(2 0 1 2 ). It is im

po rta n t to n o te th a t th is p ro b le m c o u ld h a v e b e e n a v o id e d if th e

tria l c ou rt h a d sim

p ly a llo we d th e la wy e rs to q u e stio n th e w i t n e s s a b o u t h e r

m e d ic a l c o n d itio n o n th e ir o wn

.

De c id e d Ju n e 1

, 2 0 1 5

.

Mu rd e r. Gwin n e tt S u p e rio r Co u rt. Be fo re Ju d ge Co n n e r.

Ly n n M. Kle in ro c k

, fo r a p p e lla n t.

Da n ie l J. P o rte r, Distric t Atto rn e y , Ch risto p h e r M. Q u in n , Lisa A

. Jo n e s,

Assista n t Distric t Atto rn e y s; S a m u e l S

. Ole n s, Atto rn e y Ge n e ra l, P a tric ia B

.

Atta wa y Bu rto n, De p u ty Atto rn e y Ge n e ra l, P a u la K. Sm ith

, S e n io r Assista n t

Atto rn e y Ge n e ra l, Me g h a n H. Hill, Assista n t Atto rn e y Ge n e ra l, fo r a p p e lle e

.

23