In th e S u p re m e Co u rt o f Ge o rg ia

De c id e d: S e p te m b e r 1 4

, 2 0 1 5

S 1 5 A1 1 7 0 . NOEL v

. THE S TATE.

THOMP S O N, Ch ie f Ju stic e

.

Ap p e lla n t Ro dn e y No e l a

p p e a ls fro m th e de n ia l o f h is m o tio n fo r n e w tria l

wh ic h wa s file d a fte r a ju ry fo u n d h im g u ilty o f c h a rg e s o f fe lo n y m u rd e r,

a g g ra v a te d a ssa u lt, a gg ra v a te d b a tte ry a n d c ru e lty to a c h ild in c o n n e c tio n with

th e d e a th o f T e rre ll W illia m s, h is g irlfrie n d ’s n in e -m on th -o ld c h ild

. O n a p p e a l,

a p p e lla n t c h a lle n g e s th e su ffic ie nc y o f th e e v id e n c e o n n u m e ro u s g ro un d s a n d

c la im s th a t th e tria l c o u rt e rre d b y re fu sin g to c ha rg e th e ju ry o n th e a ffirm a tiv e

d e fe n se s o f a c c id e n t a n d ju stific a tio n

. 1 F o r th e re a so n s se t fo rth b e lo w, we

1 The crim es occurred o n March 26, 2007 and April 1, 2007. Appellant w as indicted

on April 6, 2007, by a F ulton County g rand jury on charges of

m a lice m urder, three counts

of f elony m urder, a ggravated assault, aggravated battery

, and c r u e l t y to children. A jury

f ound h i m g uilty of all c ounts except m alice m u rder o n S eptem

ber 15, 2009. W ith the

agreem ent of the parties, the trial court that sam e d ay sentenced a p pellant t o concurrent term s

of lif e i n prison on each of the f e lony mu rder counts a nd determ ined that the underly ing

of f enses of a ggravated assault, aggravated battery

, a nd c r u e lty to children m erged into the

respective f

elony m urder verdicts. Appellant f iled a m otion f

o r new trial on Septem

ber 22,

2009, and am ended m otions f or n ew trial on January 25, 2013, a n d April 19, 2013. These

m otions were d e nied by the trial court o n July 30, 2013, f ollowing a hearing. Appellant’s

notice of appeal was f

iled o n August 30, 2013. The c ase was docketed in this Court f or thea ffirm th e ju d g m e n ts o f c on v ic tio n b u t re m a n d th e c a se fo r re se n te n c in g

.

Th e e v id e n c e pre se n te d a t tria l a u th o riz e d th e ju ry to fin d th a t a fe w d a y s

b e fo re th e c rim e s, a

p p e lla n t, Te rr e l l

, a nd Te rre ll’s m o th e r, Cry sta l Willia m s,

d ro v e to Atla n ta fro m Ch ic a go so th a t a p pe lla n t c ou ld re n e w h is p re sc rip tio n s

fo r pa in m e d ic a tio n s p re sc rib e d fo r a b a c k in ju ry

. Be c a

u se th e y a rriv e d la te in

Atla n ta

, a p p e lla n t m isse d his F rid a y d o c to r’s a pp o in tm e n t a n d th e y c h e c k e d in to

a h o te l fo r th e we e k e nd

. Te rre ll a p p e a re d h e a lth y a nd a le r t an d b e h a v e d

n o rm a lly du rin g th e trip to Atla n taa n d th ro u gh ou t th e we e k e n d

.

On Mo n d a y m o rn in g

, Willia m s p l a y e d with Te rre ll in th e h o te l ro o m

wh ile a p pe lla nt we n t to h is re -sc h e d u le d d o c t o r’s a p p o in tm e n t. La v e rn e P ic k e tt,

a h o te l m a id wh o sa w Willia m s a n d Te rre ll th a t m o rn in g

, te stifie d th a t Te rre ll

wa s a le rt a n d h a

p p y

. Wh e n a

p p e lla n t re tu rn e d fro m h is a pp o in tm e n t, W illia m s

fe d Te rre ll a

p p ro x im a te ly six o u n c e s o f fo rm u la fro m a b o ttle a n d g a ve h im ic e

c re a m

, a ll o f wh ic h he a te in a n o rm a l m a n n e r. Willia m s th e n le ft Te rre ll with

a p p e lla n t so th a t sh e c o u ld d o la u n d ry fo r th e trip h o m e

. S h o rtly th e re a fte r,

Bre n d a S a n d e rs, a h o te l m a id

, h e a rd Te rre ll c ry in g o u t lo u d ly

. P ic k e tt, wh o wa s

c le a n in g th e ro o m n e x t to a p p e lla n t’s, h e a rd a

p p e lla n t sc re a m a t Te rre ll to “ sh u t

April 2015 term

and subm itted f

or decision on the brief

s.

2u p ,” t h e n sh e h e a rd a th u m p a n d T e rre ll q u ie te d d o wn

. Pic ke tt k n o c k e d o n

a p p e lla n t’s d o o r to se e if e v e ry th in g wa s a lrig ht, a n d a p p e lla n t, w h o c r a c k e d

o p e n th e d o o r, to ld h e r e v e ry th in g wa s fin e

. P ic k e tt lo o k e d a ro u nd th e d o o r a n d

sa w Te rre ll in a c a r se a t. A sh o rt tim e la t e r

, a n o t h e r witn e ss sa w a p p e lla n t

c ro u c h in g o v e r Te rre ll a n d sc re a m in g fo r h e lp

. Th a t in d iv id u a l c a lle d 9 1 1 a n d

re la y e d in stru c tio n s to a

p p e lla n t so th a t h e c o u ld p e rfo rm CP R. W h e n m e d ic a l

p e rso n n e l a

rriv e d

, T e rre ll wa s u n re sp o n siv e a n d h is e y e s we re fix e d a nd d ila te d

.

Te rre ll d ie d se v e ra l d a y s la te r a fte r b e in g re m o v e d fro m life su p p o rt. An

a u to psy re v e a le d th e c a u s e o f d e a th w a s a c o m b in a tio n of b ra in in

ju rie s th a t

re su lte d in swe llin g o f th e b ra in a n d h e m o rrh a g e s o f th e lin in g a n d su rfa c e o f th e

b ra in

. T h e a

uto p sy fu r t h e r r e v e a le d th a t T e rre ll h a d b ru ise s c o n siste n t with

b e in g g ra b b e d

, he ld

, o r swu n g a ro u n d b y th e th ig h a n d h e h a d h e m o rrh a g in g o f

th e o p tic n e rv e a

n d re tin a l h e m o rrh a g e s, to o m a n y in nu m b e r to c o u n t. Ex p e rts

fo r b o th th e S ta te a n d th e d e fe n se a g re e d th a t th e b lu n t i mp a c t h e a d in ju rie s

Te rre ll su ffe re d we re u n lik e ly to h a ve b e e n c a u se d b y a c c id e n t a s th e re we re

m u ltip le im p a c ts c a u se d b y a su b sta n tia l a m o u n t o f fo rc e . Th e S ta te ’s e x p e rts

te stifie d th a t th e o nly ty p e o f fo rc e th a t c o uld h a v e c a u se d th e v ic tim ’s in

ju rie s

wa s a ra p id , re p e titiv e

, a n d v io le n t sh a kin g c o u p le d w ith im p a c t a n d th a t su c h

3in

ju rie s c o u ld n o t h a v e b e e n c a u se d b y jo stlin g

, c h o k in g

, th e a d m in istra tio n o f

CP R, o r dise a se

. Th e y a lso te stifie d th a t th e in ju rie s Te rre ll re c e iv e d w o u ld h a v e

re n d e re d h im

u n c o n sc io us a n d u n a

b le to e a t a lm o st im m e d ia te ly

.

Ap p e lla n t in itia lly to ld p o lic e th a t h e h e a rd Te rre ll c h o k in g a n d fo u n d h im

u n re sp o n siv e

, so h e sh o o k him , ra n c o ld wa te r o v e r h im

in th e sh o we r, p la c e d

h im o v e r th e ai r c o n d itio n e r, a n d trie d to p e rfo rm CP R. At th e h o sp ita l,

h o we v e r, a

p p e lla n t d e nie d sh a k in g Te rre ll an d e x p l a in e d th a t h e h a d m e re ly

“ jo stle d ” th e ca r se a t with Te rre ll in it. Ap pe lla n t te stifie d a t tria l, w h e re h e

c o n siste n tly d e n ie d th a t he h a d sh a k e n T e rre ll o r e n ga g e d in an y c o n d u c t

c a u sin g h is d e a th

.

1

. In se v e ra l e n u m e ra tio n s o f e rro r, a pp e lla n t c la im s th e e v id e n c e wa s

in su ffic ie n t to c o n vic t h im o f th e c h a rg e d c rim e s, c itin g to c o n flic tin g witn e ss

te stim o n y a

n d e x p e rt e vid e n c e q u e stio n in g th e v a lid ity of “ sh a k e n b a b y

sy n d ro m e .” It is, ho we v e r, th e ro le o f th e ju ry “ to re so l v e c o nflic ts in th e

e v id e n c e a n d to d e te rm in e th e c re d ib ility o f th e witn e sse s, a n d th e re so lu tio n o f

su c h c o n flic ts a d v e rse ly to th e de fe n d a n t d o e s n o t re n d e r t h e ev id e n c e

in su ffic ie n t.” Alle n v

. S ta te

, 2 88 Ga

. 2 6 3

, 2 64 (1 ) (7 0 2 S E 2 d 8 6 9 ) (2 0 1 0 )

( c i t a t io n a n d p u n c tu a tio n o m itte d ). Vie w e d in th e lig h t m o st fa vo ra b le to t h e

4v e rd ic t, we fin d th e e v id e n c e wa s su ffic ie n t to e n a ble a ra tio n a l ju ry t o f

i n d

a p p e lla n t gu ilty b e y on d a re a so na b le d o ub t of a ll th e o ffe n se s fo r w h ic h h e wa s

c o n v ic te d

. J a c kso n v

. V irg in ia

, 4 4 3 U. S

. 3 0 7 (9 9 S Ct 2 7 81

, 6 1 LE2 d 5 6 0 )

(1 9 7 9 ); Wa lk e r v . S ta te , 2 1 6 Ga . 4 7 4 (1 1 7 S E2 d 1 5 6 ) (1 9 60 ).

2

. Alth ou g h we c o n c lu d e th e e v id e n c e wa s su ffic ie n t to su p p o rt th e ju ry ’s

v e rd ic ts, in re v ie w in g th e re c o rd we n o te a n e rro r in th e tria l c o u rt’s se n te n c e

.

Th e ju ry fo u nd a

pp e lla n t g u ilty of th e th re e c h a rg e s o f fe lo n y m u rd e r a s we ll a s

o f th e th re e u n d e rly in g fe lo n ie s o f a g g ra v a te d a ssa u lt, a g g ra va te d b a tte ry

, a n d

c ru e lty to c h ild re n

. In im

p o sin g its se n te n c e

, th e tria l c o u rt m e rg e d th e v e rd ic ts

o n th e u n d e rly in g o ffe n se s in to th e ir re sp e c tiv e fe lo n y m u rd e r v e r d i c t s a n d

se n te nc e d a

pp e lla nt to a c o n c u rre n t te rm o f life in p riso n fo r e a c h o f th e ju ry ’s

fe lo ny m u rd e r ve rd ic ts. Wh a t th e tria l c o u rt a n d th e p a rtie s fa ile d to re c o g n iz e

,

h o we v e r, is th a t a d e fe n d a n t fo u n d g u i l t y o f th e fe lo n y m u rd e r o f th e sa m e

v ic tim th ro u g h th e c o m m issio n o f m o re th a n o n e fe lo n y m a y o nly b e se n te n c e d

o n o n e fe lo n y m

u rd e r c h a rg e a n d t h e re m a in in g fe lo n y m u rd e r c h a rg e s sta n d

v a c a te d by op e ra tio n o f la w. S ee Le e k s v

. S ta te

, 2 9 6 G a

. 5 1 5

, 52 4 (7 ) (7 6 9

S E2 d 2 9 6 ) (2 0 15 ) (se c o n d fe lo n y m u rd e r c ou nt v a ca t e d b y o p e ra tio n o f la w

b e c a u se fe lo n y m

u rd e r c o n v ic tio n s in v o lv e d th e sa m e vic tim ); Ma lc o lm v

. S ta t e

,

52 6 3 Ga

. 3 6 9

, 3 7 2 (4 ) (4 3 4 S E2 d 4 7 9) (1 9 9 3 ). In a d d itio n

, b e c a use in th is c a se

two o f th e ju ry ’s fe lo n y m u rd e r v e rd ic ts sto o d v a c a te d b y o p e ra tio n o f la w, th e re

wa s n o th in g in to wh ic h two o f th e se p a ra te ly c h a rg e d n o n-m urd e r c o u n ts c o u ld

m e rg e . S e e H u le tt v . S ta te

, 2 9 6 Ga

. 4 9

, 5 3 (2 ) (7 6 6 S E2 d 1 ) (2 0 1 4 ). S e e a lso

Ma lc o lm

, su p ra

, 2 6 3 G a

. 3 7 3 (5 ) (h o ld in g th a t o nc e a fe lo n y m u rd e r c o u n t is

v a c a te d

, u nd e rly in g fe lo n y c a n n o t m e rg e in to th e fe lo n y m u rd e r c o u nt). Th e se

o v e rsig h ts re su lte d in a

p p e lla n t b e in g se n te n c e d im p ro p e rly to th re e life te rm s

in p riso n fo r th e m

u rd e r o f o n e v ic tim a n d le ft u n re so lv e d se n te n c e s fo r two o f

th e n o n -m

u rd e r fe lo n ie s o f wh ic h a

p p e lla n t wa s le g a lly c o n vic te d

. S e e Hu le tt,

su p ra a t 5 3 (2 ).

Ac c o rd in g ly

, a

p p e lla n t’s se n te n c e s a re v o id a n d w e re m a n d fo r

re se n te n c in g

. S e e Co wa rt v

. Sta te

, 2 9 4 Ga

. 3 3 3

, 3 3 6 (2 ) (7 51 S E2 d 3 9 9 ) (2 0 1 3 )

(h o ld in g th a t d e c isio n re ga rd in g w h ic h fe lo n y m urd e r v e rd ic ts sh a ll b e d e e m e d

v a c a te d

, wh ic h m a y a ffe c t o th e r se n te nc in g d e c isio n s, is le ft to th e d isc re tio n o f

th e tria l c o u rt o n re m a

n d ). In d o in g so

, we re m in d th e tria l c ou rt a n d th e p a rtie s

th a t o n re se n te nc in g

, a le g a l c o n v ic tio n m ay b e e n te re d o n o n ly o n e fe lo n y

m u rd e r v e rd ic t, th e u n d e rly in g fe lo n y c h a rg e d in th a t c o u nt w ill m e rg e in to th e

fe lo ny m u rd e r c o n v ic tio n a s a m a tte r o f la w, th e re ma i n i n g fe lo n y m u rd e r

6v e rd ic ts will sta n d v a c a te d b y o p e ra tio n o f la w, a n d a d e te rm in a tio n wh e th e r th e

re m a in in g n o n -m

u rd e r fe lo nie s m e rg e a s a m a tte r o f fa c t in to th e fe lo n y m u rd e r

c o n v ic tio n will n e e d to b e m a d e

.

3

. Ap p e lla n t c o n te n d s th e tria l c o u rt er re d b y fa ilin g to giv e th e ju ry

re q u e ste d in stru c tio n s o n th e d e f e n s e s of a c c id e n t a n d ju stific a tio n wh ic h h e

c o n te n d s we re a

u th o riz e d b y e v id e n c e o f h is sta te m e nt a t th e sc e n e of th e c rim e s

th a t h e sh o o k Te rre ll a fte r h e h e a rd h im c h o k in g

. 2 Se e OCGA § 1 6 -2 -2 ; OCGA

§ 1 6 -3 -2 0 (6 ).

Assu m in g

, w ith ou t d e c id in g

, th a t a p p e lla nt’s p re -tria l sta te m e n t w a s

su ffic ie n t to su p p o rt th e g iv in g o f th e re q u e ste d c h a rg e s, se e Bo o k e r v

. S ta te

,

2 4 7 Ga

. 7 4

, 7 4 (2 7 4 S E2 d 3 3 4 ) (1 9 8 1 ), we c o n c lu de th e tria l c ou rt’s d e c isio n

n o t to gi v e t h e s e c h a rg e s d o e s n o t re qu ire re v e rsa l. S e e O’Co n n e ll v

. S ta te

,

2 0 1 5 Ga

. LEXIS 4 9 1

. T h e i n d ic tm e n t in th is c a se c h arg e d a p p e lla n t with

v a rio u s c rim e s b a se d on h is c o m m issio n o f a c ts a g a in st Te rre ll su ffic ie n tly

2 A lthough appellant argues that these charges should have been given because each

represented his sole def

ense, his argum ents on appeal a nd t he trial transcript dem onstrate that

his strategy at trial w as to def end against the charges by deny ing that he com m i tted any act

that caused Terrell’s i njuries. In f act, the transcript is replete with instances where def ense

counsel m ade it clear to the court, a nd ultim a tely t o t he j ury in clo s i ng argum ent, that

appellant’s sole def

ense at trial was one of

lack of causation.

7se v e re to in

ju re Te rre ll’s b ra in

, c a

u sin g his d e a th . At tria l, a p p e lla n t d e fe n d e d

a g a in st th e se c h a rg e s b y d e n y in g a n y in v olv e m e n t in Te rre ll’s d e a th a n d

te stify in g th a t h e n e ve r sh o o k Te rre ll. In ste a d

, a p p e lla n t p re se n te d e v id e n c e a n d

a rg u m e n t su g g e st i n g th a t Willia m s in flic te d th e fa ta l in ju rie s wh ile a

p p e lla n t

wa s a t h is d o c to r’s a

p p o in tm e n t. Alth o u g h a p p e lla nt to ld a n o f

f i c e r th a t h e

sh o o k Te rre ll, a p p e lla n t im m e d ia te ly d isa v o we d th is sta te m e n t wh e n a t th e

h o s p i t a l h e d e n ie d sh a kin g Te rre ll a n d e x p la in e d to p o lic e th a t h e h a d m e re ly

“ jo stle d ” h is c a r s e a t

. Ap pe lla n t th e n p e rsiste n tly d e nie d a t tria l th a t h e h a d

sh a k e n T e rre ll o r e n g a g e d in a n y c o n d u c t, c u lp a b le o r o th e rwise

, th a t c o u ld h a v e

c a u se d h is in

ju rie s. Ap p e lla nt’s o wn tria l te stim o n y

, th e re fo re

, u n d e rm in e d th e

a ffirm a tiv e d e fe n se s of h o m ic id e b y a c c id e n t o r ju stific a tio n a s th o se d e fe n se s

a re le g a lly d e fin e d b y sta tu te

. Mo re o v e r

, ev e n a ssu m in g th e ju ry b e lie v e d

a p p e lla n t’s p re -tria l sta te m e n t a n d no t h is su b se q u e n t d e n ia ls, g iv e n th e

u n d isp u te d e x p e rt e v id e n c e re g a r d in g th e n u m b e r a n d se v e rity o f Te rre ll’s

in ju rie s, th e a m o u n t o f fo rc e re q u ire d to in flic t th o se in ju ri e s

, a n d t h a t su c h

in ju rie s c o u ld n o t h a v e be e n in flic te d b y a c c id e n t

, we f in d it un lik e ly th a t th e

ju ry wo u ld h a v e fo u n d in h is fa v o r o n e ith e r a ffirm a tiv e de fe n se

. S e e Da v is v

.

S ta te

, 2 6 9 Ga

. 2 7 6

, 2 7 9 (3 ) (4 9 6 S E2 d 6 9 9 ) (1 99 8) (a c c id e n t is a n a ffirm a tiv e

8d e fe n se wh e re b y a d e fe n d a nt m u st sh o w th a t sh e a c te d w ith o u t c rim in a l in te n t,

wa s n o t e n g a g e d in a c rim in a l sc h e m e

, a n d th a t h e r a c tio n d id n o t sh o w a n u tte r

d isre g a rd fo r th e sa fe ty o f oth e rs ) ; M i l l s v

. S ta te

, 2 8 7 G a

. 8 2 8

, 83 2 (4 ) (7 0 0

S E2 d 5 4 4 ) (2 0 1 0 ) (d e a th c a u se d b y c rim in a l n e g lig e n c e is n o t a n a c c id e n t).

Co n sid e rin g th e re c o rd a s a wh o le an d w e ig h in g t h e e v id e n c e a n d d e fe n se s

ra ise d b y a

p p e lla n t a t tria l a s we b e lie v e re a so n a b le ju ro rs wo uld

, we c o n c lu d e

t h a t it is h ig h ly p ro b a

b le th e tria l c o urt’s d e c isio n n o t to c h a rg e th e ju ry o n

a c c id e n t a n d ju stific a tio n d id n o t c o n trib u te to th e ju ry ’s v e rd ic t. Ac c o rd in gly

,

a n y p o ssib le e rro r wa s h a rm le ss.

Ju d g m e n t o f c o n v ic tio n a ffirm e d an d c a se re m a n d e d fo r re se n te n c in g

. All

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

9