SECOND DI VI SI ON

M I LLER, P. J.

, RI C K M A N and REESE, 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

Januar y 17, 2020



# I n th e Co u r t o f

A p p eals o f

G eo r g ia

A1 9 A2 30 7 . DENSON v . THE STATE.

M I LLE R , Pres i d i n g J u d g e.

St ev en M arcu s D en s o n seek s rev i ew of h is cri m i n al co nv i ct i o n an d s en t en ce

aft er a ju ry fo u n d h i m g u i l t y o f t raffi ck i ng in m et h am p h et am i n e i n 2 0 0 7

. 1 Hi s s o l e

arg u m en t o n ap p eal i s t hat th e ev i d en ce was i n s u ffi ci en t to s u p p ort h i s co n v i ct i o n.

Becau s e t h e St at e d i d n o t p res en t an y ev i d en ce fro m

wh i ch a reas on ab le ju ry co u ld

i n fer t h at Den s o n was m o re t han a m ere b y s t an der at t h e s cen e, we rev ers e Den s o n ’ s

co n vi ct i o n

.

1 Fo r reas o n s u n k n own to t h i s Co u rt

, t he t ri al co u rt d i d n o t res o l ve Den s o n ’ s

m o ti o n fo r n ew t ri al (t i m el y fi l ed i n 2 0 0 7 ) i n t hi s ru n o f t h e m i l l d ru g cas e u n t i l n i n e

y ears aft er i t was fi l ed

. Al th o u g h t h e reco rd in d i cat es t hat Den s o n h as s i n ce fi n i s h ed

s erv i ng h i s s en ten ce, we n ev ert h el es s ex erci s e o u r d i s cret i on t o h ear t h is ap p eal

. See

Cl a rk v. S t a t e

, 3 0 1 Ga. Ap p

. 3 54

, 3 5 5 (6 8 7 SE2 d 5 9 3 ) (2 0 09 ) ( n o ti n g th at we h av e

t h e d i s cret i o n to h ear a cri m i n al ap p eal ev en aft er t he defen d an t h as fi n i s h ed s erv i n g

h i s s en t en ce).Vi ewed in t he li g h t m o st fav o rab le t o t h e v erd ict

, 2 t he ev i d en ce ad du ced at t ri al

s h o wed t h at a p o l ice o ffi cer was p at ro l l in g a n ei g h b orh o o d i n W al k er Co u n t y

,

Geo rg i a, wh en h e n o t i ced a b l ack p i ck u p t ru ck wi t h a t rai l er t h at was st ick i n g o ut o f

a d ri v eway an d b l o ck in g a l an e o f t raffi c. Th e o ffi cer ap p ro ach ed t h e ho u s e t o ad d res s

t h e s i t u at i o n an d s aw t wo m en o u t s i d e. On ce t h e o ffi cer m ad e h i s p r e s e n c e k n o wn

,

o n e o f t h e m en ran t o t h e b ack o f t h e h o u s e an d t h e ot h er p ers o n i d en t i fi ed h i m s e l f

as Bo b b y Hen ry

. 3 Hen ry t o l d th e o ffi cer t h at h e h ad co m e to t h e h ou s e t o s el l a m o t o r

an d t h at th e t ru ck b el o ng ed t o h i s g i rl fri en d

. Fi nd i ng t h e s i t u at io n “ o d d ,” t h e o ffi cer

cal l ed fo r b ack -u p an d k no ck ed o n t h e fro n t d o o r. Ten m i nu t es l at er, Ro bert Cl i ft o n,

t h e own er o f t he ho u s e, an s w ered t h e d o o r an d co n s en t ed t o a s earch o f t h e h o u s e.

Th e o ffi cers fo u n d Haro ld Gree n i n a l a u n d ry ro o m an d Den s o n i n t h e m ai n

b at h ro o m

. W h en t h e o ffi cer fo u n d Den so n

, Den so n t o l d t h e o ffi cer t h at h e h ad s p en t

t h e n i gh t an d th at h e “ d i d n o t k n o w wh at w as g o in g o n

. ” Du ri n g t h e s earch o f t h e

h o u s e, t he o ffi cers fo un d m u lt i p l e i n g red i en t s an d p arap h ern al i a co m m o n l y u s ed t o

m an u fact u re m et h am

p h et am i n e. Th e h o u s e s m el l ed s t ro n g l y o f t h e s a m e s m el l t h at

i s u su al l y fo u n d i n m e t ham ph et am i ne l ab s

, an d m et h am p h et am i n e l ab co m

p o n en t s

2 Ja cks o n v. Vi r

gi n i a , 4 4 3 U. S. 3 07 (9 9 SCt 2 7 8 1 , 6 1 LE2 d 5 6 0 ) (1 9 7 9 ).

3 Th e m an wh o ran away

was n ev er i d en t i fi ed

.

2were fo un d i n ev ery ro om o f t h e h o u s e ex cep t t h e b at hro o m w h e r e D e n s o n was

fo u n d. M et h am

p h et am i n e was n o t b ei n g “ act iv el y co o k ed ” at t h e t i m e of t h e s earch

,

an d t h e p o l i ce offi cer wh o co n du ct ed t h e s earch t es t i fi ed t h at h e was n ot cert ai n as to

h o w l on g ag o an y t h i n g h ad b een m ad e i n t h e h o us e. .

A g ran d ju ry i n d i ct ed Den s o n o n on e co u n t of t raffi ck i n g i n m et h am p h et am i n e

b y m an u fact u re (OCGA § 1 6 -1 3 -3 1 (f)), o n e co u n t o f t h e di s t ri b u ti o n o f a co n t ro l l ed

s u b s t an ce (OCGA § 1 6-1 3 -3 0 (b )), t wo co u n t s o f t h e p u rch a s e o r p o s s es s i o n o f a

co n tro l l ed s u b s t an ce (OCGA § 1 6 -1 3 -3 0 (a)), an d o n e co u nt o f po s s es s i o n o f al t ered

ep h ed ri n e (OCGA § 1 6 -1 3-3 0.3 (d )). At t ri al

, a j u ry co n v i ct ed Den s o n o f t raffi ck i n g

i n m et h am

ph et am in e b u t acq ui t t ed h i m o f al l o t h er ch arg es

, an d t h e t ri al co u rt t h en

s en t en ced Den so n t o t en y ears ’ i m p ri so n m en t

. Den s o n t i m el y fi l ed a m o t i o n fo r n ew

t ri al i n J u n e 2 0 0 7

. Aft er a h eari n g o n th e m o t i o n in Ap ri l 2 01 6

, t h e tri al co u rt d en i ed

t h e m o t i o n . Th i s ap p eal fo l l o wed

.

Den s o n ’ s s o l e arg u m en t o n ap p eal i s t h at t h e ev i d en ce was i n s u f f i c i e n t to

s u p p ort h i s co n v i ct i o n fo r t h e t raffi ck i n g o f m et h am ph et am i n e b ecau s e t h e ev i d en ce

at m o s t s h o wed t h at h e was m erel y p res en t at t h e s cen e. W e ag ree.

On ap peal fro m a cri m i n al co n v i ct io n

, we vi ew t h e ev i den ce i n t h e l i g h t

m o s t fav o rab l e t o t h e v erd ict an d an ap p el l an t n o l o n ger en jo y s th e

3p res um p t i o n o f i n no cen ce. Th i s Co u rt d et erm i n es wh et h er th e ev i d en ce

i s s u ffi ci en t u nd er t h e s t an d ard o f Ja cks on v. V i r g i n ia an d d o es n o t

wei g h t h e ev i d en ce o r d et erm i n e wi t n es s cred ib i l i t y

. An y c o n fl i ct s o r

i n co ns is t en ci es i n t h e ev i d en c e are fo r t h e ju ry t o res o l ve. As l o n g as

t h ere i s s o m e co m

pet en t ev i den ce, ev en t h o u g h co n t rad ict ed

, t o s up p o rt

each fact n e c e s s a r y t o m ak e o u t t h e St at e’ s cas e, we m u s t u ph o ld th e

ju ry ’ s v erd ict

.

(Ci t at i o n an d p un ct u at i o n o m i tt ed .) Ra t a n a v. S t a t e

, 29 7 Ga. A p p

. 74 7

, 7 47 -7 4 8 (6 7 8

SE2 d 1 9 3 ) (2 0 0 9 ). “ To warran t a co n v i ct i o n o n ci rcu m s t an t i al ev id en ce, t h e p ro v ed

fact s s h al l n o t o n l y b e co n s i s t en t wi t h t h e h y p o th es i s o f gu i l t

, b u t s h al l ex cl u d e ev ery

o t h er reas o n ab l e hy

p o t h es i s s av e t h at o f th e g u i l t o f t h e accu sed .” OCGA § 2 4 -4 -6

(2 0 0 3).

“ An y p art y t o a cri m e wh o d i d n ot d i rect l y co m m i t t he cri m e m ay b e i n d i ct ed

,

t ri ed

, co n v ict ed

, an d p un i s h ed fo r co m m i s s io n o f t h e cri m e u p o n p ro o f t h at t h e cri m e

was co m m i t t ed an d t h at he was a p art y t h eret o

. . . .” OCGA § 1 6 -2 -2 1

. A p ers o n i s a

p art y t o a cri m e wh en t h at p ers o n

, am o n g o th er t hi n g s

, “ [i ] n t en ti o n al l y ai d s o r ab et s

i n t he co m

m i s s i o n o f t h e cri m e.” OCGA § 1 6 -2 -2 0 (b ) (3 ).

W h i l e m ere pres en ce at t h e s cen e o f t h e co m m is si o n o f a cri m e i s n o t

s u ffi ci en t ev id en ce t o co n v i ct on e o f b ei ng a p art y t h eret o

, p res en ce,

c o m pan i o ns h i p

, an d co n d u ct b efo re an d aft er t h e o ffen s e ar e

ci rcu m s t an ces fro m wh i ch o n e’ s p art i ci p at io n i n t h e cri m i n al i n t en t m ay

4b e i n ferred

. If t h e d efen d an t h ad k n owl ed g e o f t h e i n ten d ed cri m e an d

s h a r e d i n t h e cri m i n al i n t en t o f t h e p ri n ci p al act o r, he i s an ai d er an d

ab et to r. Hen ce, i f t h e d efen d an t was at th e s cen e an d d i d n ot d is ap p ro ve

o r o p p o se th e co m

m i s s i on o f t h e o ffen s e, a t ri er o f fact m ay co n s i d er

s u ch co nd u ct in co n n ect i o n wi th p ri or k n o wl e d g e an d wo u l d be

au t h ori zed t o co ncl u d e t h e d efen d an t as s en t ed t o t h e co m m i s si on o f th e

o ffen s e, t hat h e l en t hi s ap p ro v al t o i t

, t h ereb y ai d i n g a n d a b e t t i n g th e

co m m i s s i o n of t h e cri m e.

(Ci t at i o n o m i t ted .) Hea d v. St a t e

, 2 6 1 Ga. Ap p

. 1 85

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

“ [E] v id en ce o f a defen dan t ’ s co n d uct p ri o r t o

, du ri n g

, an d aft er t h e co m m i ss i o n o f a

cri m i n al act wi l l au th ori ze t h e d efen d an t ’ s co n v i ct io n fo r co m m i s s i o n o f t h e cri m i n al

act i f a ju ry co u l d in fer fro m t h e co n d uct t hat t h e defen d an t in t en t i o n al l y en co u rag ed

t h e co m m i s s i o n of t h e cri m in al act .” (Ci t at i on o m i t t ed .) Ra t a na

, s u pra, 2 9 7 Ga. Ap p.

at 7 4 9

.

“ [A] n y p ers o n wh o m an u fact u res m et ham p h et am i n e

. . . i n v i ol at i o n o f t h i s

art i cl e co m

m i t s t h e fel o n y o ffen s e o f t raffi ck i n g m et h am p h et am i n e.” OCGA § 1 6 -1 3

-

3 1 (f) (2 0 0 3 ). G eo rg i a l aw d efi n es th e wo rd “ m an u fact u re” as “ t h e p ro d u ct i o n,

p r ep arat i on

, pro p ag at io n, co m p o u n di n g

, co n v ers i on

, o r p ro ces s i n g o f a co n t ro l l e d

s u b s t an ce.” OCGA § 1 6 -1 3 -2 1 (1 5 ) (2 0 0 3 ).

5We ag ree w i t h Den s o n t h at t h e ev i d en ce w as i ns u ffi ci en t t o s u p p o rt hi s

co n vi ct i o n b ecau s e t h ere is n o ev i d en ce t h at De n s o n s h ared t he i n ten t t o t raffi c

m et h am p h et am i ne. Th e ev i den ce o f t h e s tro n g s m el l an d t h e wi d es p read d ru g

p arap h ern al i a i n t h e h o u s e, wh i l e s u ffi ci en t t o s h o w t h at a reas o n ab l e p ers on m i g ht

b e aware o f s om e s o rt o f i l l eg al v en t ure b ei n g co n d uct ed i n Cl i ft o n ’ s h o us e, was n o t

,

i n an d of i t sel f, s u ffi ci en t t o el i m i n at e al l reas o n ab l e d o u b t as t o wh et h er Den s o n was

a p art y t o t h e cri m e o f t raffi ck i n g

. See R a t a n a

, s u pra, 2 9 7 Ga. Ap p

. at 7 4 9

. Th e

ci rcu m s t an ces o f t h e s i tu at i o n s i m p l y d o n ot p res en t an y th i n g th at we can p o i n t t o t h at

s h o wed t h at Den s o n s h ared wi t h th e co d efen d an t s t he in t en t t o m an u fact u re

m et h am p h e t a m i n e o r t h at wo u l d ex cl u d e t h e reas o n ab l e d o ub t t h at Den s o n was

s i m p l y an i n d i ffer e n t by s tan d er. Th ere i s n o ev i d en ce t h at Den s o n b en efi t t ed

fi nan ci al l y fro m t h e v en t u re, p ro cu red su p pl i es

, eq u i p m en t

, o r k n o wl ed g e fo r t h e

v en tu re, o r o t h erwi s e p art i ci p at ed i n t h e m an u fact u ri n g

, m ark et i n g

, o r d i s t ri bu t i o n o f

t h e m et h am

ph et am i n e. M oreo v er, t h e ev i d en ce i n t h i s cas e s ho w e d t h at t h e

m et h am p h et am i ne l ab was no t fu n ct io n i n g at t h e t i m e o f th e s earch

, an d t h ere was n o

ev i d en ce p res en t ed t h at Den s o n reg u larl y s p en t t i m e at Cl i ft o n ’s h o u s e su ch t h at a

ju ry co u l d p res u m e t hat he was p res en t o r p art i ci p at ed wh en m et h am p h et am i n e was

b ei n g m an u fact u red

. Becau s e t h e ev i d en ce p r e s en t ed s h o wed n o t h i n g m o re t h an

6Den so n ’ s m ere p res en ce i n Cl ift o n ’ s h o u s e, at a t i m e wh en m et h am ph et am i n e was n ot

b ei n g act i v e l y m an u fact u red

, we co n cl u d e t hat t he ev i d en ce was i n s u ffi ci en t to

suppor t D en s o n ’ s co n v i ct i on fo r t raffi ck i n g i n m et ham p h et a m ine

. S e e F

rank s v

. State

,

3 2 5 Ga. Ap p

. 4 8 8

, 4 9 2 (1 ) (7 5 8 SE2 d 6 04 ) (2 0 13 ) (“ M ere p res en ce, w i t ho u t p ro o f o f

p art i ci p at i o n , i s i n s u ffi ci en t t o s u p p o rt a co n v i ct i on .”) (ci t at i o n o m i t t ed ).

W e fu rt her co n cl u d e th at t h e cas e rel i ed u p o n b y t h e St at e, Fr a n ks

, s u p ra, an d

o u r s im il ar d eci s i o n i n Hu g h es v. S t a t e

, 3 0 9 Ga. Ap p

. 1 5 0 (7 0 9 SE2 d 9 00 ) (2 0 1 1 ), are

m at eri al l y d i s t i n g u is h ab l e. In Hu gh es , t h e defen d an t w as fo u n d i n a h o u s e n ex t t o a

b ag o f m et ham

p h et am i n e, wi th a fu l l y fu n ct i o n i n g m et ham ph et am i n e lab in th e ro o m

n ex t d o or. Id

. at 1 5 1 -1 5 2 (1 ). A d d i t i o n al l y

, ev i d en ce was p res en ted t h at t h e d efen d an t

o wn ed th e prem i s es i n wh i ch t h e m et h am p h et am i ne l ab was fo u n d

. Id

. at 1 5 2 (1 ). In

t h i s cas e, t h ere was no ev i d en ce p res en t ed t h at D en s o n o wn ed t h e h o us e, n o r was

t h ere an y ev i d en ce t h at Den s o n was i n p o s s es s i o n o f il l eg al s u b s t an ces

. M o reo v er,

t h e ev i d en ce i n t h i s cas e s h o wed t h at t h e m et ham p h et am i n e l ab was no t fu n ct i o n i n g

at t he t i m e o f th e s earch

, an d t h ere was no ev i d en ce s h own t h at Den s o n reg u larl y

s p en t t i m e at Cl ift o n ’ s res id en ce o r h ad b een th ere o n an o t h er o ccas i o n wh en t h e l ab

was o p erat i o n al

. Si m i l arl y

, i n Fr a n ks

, t h e St at e p res en ted ev i d en ce th at t he d efen d an t

was l i v in g i n t h e h o u se at t h e t im e o f t h e arres t, t h at t he defen d an t ap peared n erv ou s

7aro u n d t h e p o l ice an d ru s h ed ah ead t o al ert o t h ers t o t h e o ffi cer’ s p res en ce, t h at t h e

d efen d an t h ad s u ffered a s eri ou s b u rn

, an d th at b u rn s are a co m m on i n ju ry s u s t ai n ed

i n t h e p ro d uct i o n i n m et h am ph et am i n e. Fr a n ks

, s u p ra, 32 5 Ga. Ap p

. at 49 3 -4 9 4 (1 ).

No n e o f t h es e fact o rs are p res en t i n t h i s cas e. Acco rd i n g l y

, b ecau s e t h e ev i d en ce

p res en t ed at t ri al was i n s u ffi ci en t t o s us t ai n h i s co n v i ct io n

, we rev ers e D en s o n ’ s

co n vi ct i o n fo r t raffi ck in g o f m et h am p h et am in e.

W e t ak e t h e ti m e t o ex p res s g r a v e c o n cern ab o u t t h e s ev ere d el ay s t h at h av e

re s u l t e d i n o u r res ol vi n g t h is d i rect ap p eal i n a ru n o f t he m i l l cri m i n al cas e n earl y

t h i r t een yea r

s aft er Den so n was o ri g i n al ly co n v i ct ed an d s en t en ced

, es p eci al l y n o w

t h at Den s o n h as al read y fi n i s hed s erv i n g h i s s u b s t an t i al p ri so n s en t en ce. Th e reco rd

i n th i s cas e d o es n ot rev eal t o us t h e reas o n wh y t h i s cas e l an g u i sh ed in t h e t ri al co u rt

fo r al m o st t en y ears b e tween Den s on ’ s co n v i ct i o n an d h i s d i rect ap p eal

, b u t we

l a m e n t t h at t h i s cas e u n fo rt u n at el y s erv es as y et an o t h er ex am p l e p ro vi n g t h e l eg al

m ax i m t h at “ J u s t i ce d el ay ed i s ju s t ice d en i ed .” Becau se Den s on h as al read y

co m p l et ed h i s s en t en ce, we n o t e t h a t t h e l a w pro v i d es t h e rem ed y o f res tri ct i n g o r

co rrect in g h is cri m i n al reco rd s u p o n p et i t i o n wi th t h e co u n t y cl erk

. See Do e v. S t a t e

,

3 4 7 Ga. Ap p

. 2 46

, 2 5 2-2 56 (4 ) (8 1 9 SE2 d 5 8) (2 01 8 ) (d i scu s s in g t h e o p t i o n s

av ai l ab l e u n d er cu rren t l aw t o res t ri ct o r co rrect cri m i n al reco rd s ).

8Ju d

g men t r ever sed . Ri ckma n a n d Rees e, JJ., co n cu r

.

9