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

De c id e d: Ma y 2 3 , 2 0 1 6

S 1 6 A0 2 7 0 . BLACKWELL v . THE S TATE.

MELTON, Ju stic e

.

F o llo win g th e tria l c o urt’s d e n ia l o f h is m o tio n to with d ra w h is g uilty p le a

p rio r to se n te n c i n g

, P r i n s o n B l a c k w e l l a p p e a l s

. S p e c ific a lly

, B la c k we ll c o n te n d s

t h a t t h e tria l c o u rt e rre d in its d e te rm in a tio n th a t th e rig h t u n d e r O C G A §

1 7 -7 -9 3 (b ) o f a c rim in a l d e fe n d an t to with d ra w a g u ilty p le a p rio r to se n te n c in g

m a y b e wa iv e d a nd th a t Bla c kwe ll m a d e su c h a wa iv e r. F o r th e re a so n s se t fo rth

b e lo w , we a ffirm

.

Th e re c ord re v e a ls t h a t

, o n Au g u st 14

, 2 01 2

, Bla c k we ll e n te re d a g u ilty

p le a to m a lic e m

u rd e r a n d se v e ra l o th e r o ffe n se s in c o n n e c tio n with h is ro le in

th e sh o o tin g d e a th o f Ke n ie sh a Ca rr a n d th e a g g ra v a te d a ssa u lt o f D e rric k Ca rr.

As p a rt o f his p le a

, Bla c k we ll a g re e d to p ro v id e tru th fu l te stim o n y a t th e tria l o f

h is c o-in d ic te e s, Ke rwin Ta te a n d Xa v ie r Bra dfo rd

. Ho we v e r, o n th e e v e o f h is

c o -in d ic te e s’ tria l, Bla c k we ll file d a m o tio n to with d ra w h is g uilty p le a p u rsu a n tto O CGA § 1 7 -7 -9 3 (b ), be c a u se he h a d n o t y e t b e e n se n te n c e d. S e e id

. (“ At a n y

tim e b e fo re ju d g m e n t is p ro no u n c e d

, th e a c c use d pe rso n m a y with d ra w th e p le a

o f ‘g u ilty ’ a n d p le a d ‘n o t g u ilty ’” ). Th e tria l c o u rt d e n ie d th e m o tio n

.

Wh ile th is Co urt h a s re c o g n iz e d c e rta in e x c e p tio ns to th e ru le u n d e r

OCGA § 1 7 -7 -9 3 (b ) th a t a c rim in a l d e fe n d a nt m ay with d ra w h is o r h e r g u ilty

p le a a s a m a tte r o f rig h t a t a ny tim e b e fo re se n te n c e is p ro n o u n c e d

, 1 we ha v e n o t

y e t de c id e d wh e th e r th e rig ht to with dra w a g u ilty p le a a t a n y tim e p rio r to

se n te nc in g m a y b e w a iv e d

. In th is c on n e c tio n

, “ [i] f th e re i s n o c o n stitu tio n a l,

sta t u t o r y

, o r p u b lic p o lic y p ro h ib itio n a g a in st wa iv e r, a n a c c use d m a y v a lid ly

wa iv e an y rig h t.” Th o m a s v

. S ta te

, 2 6 0 Ga

. 2 6 2

, 2 6 3 (3 9 2 S E2 d 52 0 ) (1 9 9 0 ).

1 In th is re g a rd

, se e F a ir v

. S ta te

, 2 45 Ga

. 86 8, 8 7 8 (8 ) (2 6 8 S E2 d 3 1 6 )

(1 9 8 0 ) (“ [I] n c a

pita l c a se s, th e ju d g m e n t d oe s no t re st u p o n th e ple a bu t ra th e r

u p o n th e p le a a nd th e p ro o f o f a n a g g ra v a tin g c irc u m sta n c e e x c e p t in ra re c a se s

o f tre a so n o r a irc ra ft h ija c k in g

. . . .Th e d e c i s i o n o f th e tria l c ou rt a fte r a

se n te nc in g tria l is ta n ta m o u n t to a ju ry v e rd ic t. F o r th is re a so n a n d [o th e rs]

, th is

c o urt c o n c lu d e s th a t th e p ro v isio ns o f Co de An n

. § 2 7 -1 40 4 [n o w O C G A §

1 7 -7 -9 3 (b )] re la tin g to with d r a w a l o f gu ilty p le a s a s a m a tte r o f rig h t d o n o t

a p p ly to g u i l t y p le a s te nd e re d in c a p ita l c a se s o th e r th a n tre a so n o r a irc ra ft

h ija c k in g in wh ic h th e Sta te se e k s th e d e a th p e n a lty ” ) (fo o tn o te s o m itte d ); S ta te

v

. S tin so n

, 2 7 8 Ga

. 3 7 7

, 3 8 1 (6 0 2 S E2 d 6 5 4) (2 0 0 4 ) (“ A de fe n d a n t

. . . wh o ha s

p le d g u ilty a n d u tiliz e d th e b e n e fits o f a re h a b ilita tiv e o ptio n [su c h a s a lte rn a tiv e

tre a tm e nt t h ro u g h Dru g Co u rt p u rsu a n t to OCGA § 16 -1 3 -2 (a )] in o rd e r to

a v o id a n a d

ju d ic a tio n of g u ilt, m a y n o t with d r aw t h e p l e a a s a m a tte r o f rig h t

u n d e r OCGA § 1 7 -7 -9 3 (b )” ).

2S e e a lso OCGA § 1 -3 -7 (“ La ws m a d e fo r th e p re se rv a tio n o f pu blic ord e r o r

g o o d m o ra ls m a y n o t b e d isp e n se d with o r a b ro g a t e d b y a n y a gre e m e n t.

Ho we ve r, a

p e rso n m a y wa iv e o r re n o un c e wh a t th e la w h a s e sta blish e d in h is

fa v o r wh e n h e d o e s n ot th e re b y in ju re o th e rs o r a f

f e c t th e p u b lic in te re st” ).

W h e r e n o su c h pro h ib itio n a g a in st wa iv e r e x ists, a c rim in a l d e fe nd an t m a y m a k e

“ a v o lu n ta ry

, k n o win g, a nd in te llig e n t wa iv e r” o f th e rig h t in qu e stio n

. Th o m a s,

su p ra

, 2 6 0 Ga

. a t 2 6 4 (c rim in a l d e fe n d a nts m a y v o lu n ta rily w a iv e rig h t to

a p pe a l). S e e a lso Alle n v

. Th o m a s, 2 6 5 G a

. 5 1 8 (2 ) (4 58 S E2 d 1 0 7 ) ( 1 9 9 5 )

(d e fe nd a n t v o lu n ta rily wa iv e d th e rig ht to se e k p o st-c o n vic tio n re lie f fro m life

im p riso n m e n t a s p a rt o f h is g u ilty p le a d e a l with th e S ta te ).

Th e re is n o F e de ra l or S ta te c o n stitu tio na l p ro visio n sta tin g th a t a c rim in a l

d e fe n d a n t m a y with d ra w h is o r h e r g u ilty p le a a s a m a tte r o f rig h t a t an y tim e

p rio r to se n te n c e b e in g p ro n o u n c e d

. No r is th e re an y e x p re ss la n g u a g e in OCGA

§ 1 7-7 -9 3 (b ) itse lf in d ic a tin g th a t, a lth o u g h th e rig h t to with d ra w a g u ilty p le a

b e fo re se n te n c e is p ro n o u nc e d e x ists, th e rig h t c a n n o t b e wa iv e d

. We a lso fin d

n o p u b lic p o lic y p ro h ib itio n a g a in st th e wa iv e r o f th is rig h t, a s th e w a iv e r o f th e

rig h t to with d ra w a g u ilty p le a a fte r e n te rin g it “ fo ste r[s] th e in te re sts o f th e sta te

a n d th e d e fe n d a n t” (Alle n

, su p ra

, 2 6 5 Ga

. a t 5 2 0 (2 )) by a llo win g th e p a rtie s to

3a v o id th e u n c e rta in ty o f a ju ry tria l. F u rth e rm o re

, in situ a tio n s lik e th e in sta n t

c a se wh e re th e d e fe n d a n t h a s a g re e d to p ro v id e tru th fu l te stim o n y a t th e tria l o f

h is c o -in d ic te e s a n d will n o t b e se n te n c e d u n d e r h is p le a a g re e m e nt u n til a fte r

h e fu lfills h is e nd o f th e b a rg a in with th e S ta te

, th e a b ility to wa iv e th e rig h t to

with dra w th e g u ilty p le a p rio r to se n te n c in g c re a te s th e m e a n s to in c e n tiv iz e th e

c rim in a l d e fe n d a n t to fo llo w th ro u g h o n h is o r h e r p le a a g re e m e nt. If th e rig h t

to w ith d ra w a gu ilty p le a u n d e r c irc u m sta n c e s su c h a s th o se p re se n te d he re

c o u ld n e v e r b e wa iv e d

, a n in c e n tiv e c ou ld b e c re a te d fo r a c rim in a l d e fe n d a n t

to m an ip u la te th e c rim in a l ju stic e sy ste m b y sim p ly with d ra win g h is g u ilty p le a

o n th e e v e o f h is c o -in d ic te e s’ tria l in o rd e r t o a v o i d te stify in g

. Th is ty p e o f

m a n ip u la tio n o f th e sy ste m a n d d isru p tio n to th e o rd e rly a d m in istra tio n o f

ju stic e is m a d e le ss lik e ly b y a llo win g fo r th e w a iv e r o f a c rim in a l d e fe n d a n t’s

rig h t to with d ra w h is o r h e r g u ilty p l e a p rio r to se nte n c in g

. We th e re fo re

c o n c lu d e th a t a c rim in a l d e fe n d a n t’s rig h t u n d e r OCGA § 1 7 -7 -9 3 (b ) to

with dra w h is o r h e r g u ilty p le a a t an y tim e p rio r to se n te n c in g is a rig ht th a t c a n

b e wa iv e d . S e e Th o m a s, su p ra ; Alle n

, su p ra

.

Wh ile th e Co urt o f Ap pe a ls h a s h e ld th a t on e ’s rig h t to with d ra w a g u ilty

p le a be fo re se n te n c in g u n d e r th e te rm s o f OCGA § 1 7 -7 -9 3 (b ) c a n n e v e r b e

4wa iv e d, th is Co u rt is n o t bo u n d b y th o se de c i s i o n s

, a nd we h e re b y e x p re ssly

o v e rru le th e m

. S e e Th o m p so n v. S ta te

, 2 1 8 Ga

. A p p

. 4 4 4 (4 6 2 S E2 d 4 0 4 )

(1 9 9 5 ) (“ [A] n a c c u se d c a n n o t wa iv e th e rig h t to with d ra w a p le a of g uilty b e fo re

ju d g m e n t i s p r o n o u n c e d ” ); Wa re v

. Sta te

, 12 8 Ga

. Ap p

. 4 07 (1 9 6 S E2 d 8 9 6 )

(1 9 7 3 ). S e e a lso Ga

. Co n st. o f 1 9 8 3 Art. V I, § V, P ara

. III (“ Th e d e c isio n s o f th e

Co u rt o f Ap p e a ls in so fa r a s n ot in c o n flic t with th o se o f th e S u p re m e Co u rt sh a ll

b in d a ll c o u rts e x c e p t th e Su p re m e Co u rt a s p re c e d e n ts” ).

No w, tu rn in g to th e q u e stio n wh e th e r Bla c k we ll wa iv e d h is rig h t u n d e r

OCGA § 1 7 -7 -9 3 (b ) to with d ra w h i s g u ilty p le a p rio r to se n te n c e b e in g

p ro n o u n c e d in th is c a se

, a re v ie w o f th e re c o rd re ve a ls th a t B la c k we ll d id in fa c t

k n o w in g ly

, v o lu n ta rily

, a nd in te llig e n tly wa iv e th is rig h t. As a n in itia l m a tte r,

th e fo llo win g e xc h a n g e b e twe e n Bla c k we l l a n d th e p ro se c u to r a t Bla c k we ll’s

g u ilty p le a he a rin g sh o w s t h a t Bla c k we ll u nd e rsto o d th a t he wo u ld n o t b e

a llo w e d to with d ra w h is g u ilty p le a o n c e h e h a d e n te re d it:

[P ro se c uto r] : Do y o u u n d e rsta n d th a t i f th e ju d g e d o e s n o t

f o l l o w e i t h e r y o u r c o u n s e l ’ s r e c o m m e n d a t i o n o r m y

re c o m m e n d a tio n th a t y o u will n o t h a v e a n o p p o rtu n ity

- g iv e n th e

fa c t th a t t h i s c a se is o n th e tria l c a le n da r, y o u will n o t h a v e th e

o p p o rtu n ity to w ith d ra w y o u r g u ilty ple a

. Do y o u un de rsta n d th a t?

[Bla c k we ll] : Ye s sir.

5[P ro se c uto r] : Ok a y

. S o a t so m e p o in t w h e n y o u te n d e r a p le a

, th e ju d g e is g o in g to h a v e th e ultim a te sa y so a bo u t wh a t y o u 're

g o in g to be se n te n c e d to

, a n d y o u will n ot h a v e an o p p o rtu n ity to

with d ra w th a t. Do y o u u n d e rsta n d th a t?

[Bla c k we ll] : Ye s sir.

Th is e xc h a n g e re v e a ls t h a t Bla c k we ll kn e w n o t o n ly th a t th e tria l c o u rt wa s

u n d e r n o o bli g a tio n to fo llo w th e se n te n c in g re c o m m e n d a tio n o f e ith e r th e

p ro se c u to r o r h i s d e fe n se c o u n se l o n c e he e n te re d th e p le a

, b u t a lso th a t, o n c e

h e e n te re d th e p le a

, h e wo u ld b e su b je c t to an y fu tu re se n te n c e im p o se d b y th e

tria l c o u rt with o u t h a v in g th e o p p o rtu n ity to with d ra w th e p le a b e fo re h a n d

.

F u rth e rm o re

, a la te r e x c h a n g e with th e tria l c o u rt itse lf a t th e g u ilty p le a

h e a r i n g u n d e r sc o re d th e fa c t th a t Bla c k we ll u n d e rsto o d a nd a ffirm a tiv e ly a g re e d

th a t h e wo u ld

n o t b e a ble to with d ra w h is g uilty p le a o nc e h e h a d e n te re d it:

[Th e Co u rt] :

. . . [A] s a re su lt o f th is p le a

, th e c o u rt is a g re e in g th a t

it will a c c e p t th e re c o m m e n d a tio n o f th e sta te p ro v id e d y ou fu lfill

y o u r o b lig a tio n to th e S ta te a n d y o u wa iv e y o u r F ifth Am e n dm e n t

p riv ile g e to a n y e xte n t th a t it e x ists a n d a n y o th e r p riv ile g e y o u

m ig h t h a v e , a

n d y ou g e t u p h e re a n d te stify tru th fu lly o n th e sta n d

wh e n c a lle d up o n b y th e S ta te to d o so . Do y o u u n d e rsta n d th a t?

[Bla c k we ll] : Ye s, sir.

[Th e C o u r t] : O k a y

. All rig ht. T h e n we will with ho ld e n te rin g th e

se n te n c e

, b u t I h a v e a c c e

p te d h is p le as o

f g u ilty

, a n d th e y c a n n o t b e

with d ra wn

. An d I will e x p e c t y o u to d o a s th e S ta te h a s in d ic a te d

6y o u will do a n d y o u r la wy e r' s in d ic a te d y o u will d o

. An d th e D.A.

h a s a lso a g re e d to write a le tte r fo r y o u sh o uld y o u c o m p le te y o u r

p a rt o f th is, o ka y ?

[Bla c k we ll] : Ok

a y

.

(Em p h a sis su p p lie d ). In th is c o llo qu y

, Bla c k we ll d ire c tly re a ffirm s to th e tria l

c o u rt th a t h e k n e w a

n d a g re e d th a t h e wo u ld n o t b e a b le to wit h d r a w h is p le a

o n c e h e ha d e n te re d it, a n d th a t th is wa s th e c a se d e sp ite th e fa c t th a t he wo u ld

n o t b e se n te n c e d u n til a la te r d a te

. S e e

, e .g

., Ha n c o c k v

. S ta te

, 2 7 7 G a

. 8 3 5 (5 )

(5 9 6 S E 2 d 1 2 7 ) (2 0 0 4 ) (p a rty c a n n o t c om pla in o f ru lin g h is o w n c o n d u c t a id e d

in c a u sin g ).

Be c a u se th e rig ht u n d e r OCGA § 1 7 -7 -9 3 (b ) to with d ra w a g u ilty p le a a t

a n y tim e b e fo re se nte n c e is p ro n o u n c e d c a n b e wa iv e d

, a n d b e c a u se Bla c k w e ll

wa iv e d th a t rig h t in c o n n e c tio n with his p le a in th is c a se

, we c o n c lu d e th a t th e

tria l c o u rt p ro pe rly d e n ie d Bla c k we ll’s m o tio n to with d ra w h is g uilty p le a

.

Ju d g m e n t a ffirm e d . All th e Ju stic e s c o n c u r.

7