SECOND DI VI SI ON

M I LLER, P. J.

, M ERCI ER and C OOM ER, 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.

P le a s e r e fe r to the S upr e m e C our t of G e or gia Judic ia l

E m e r ge nc y Or de r o f M a r c h 1 4

, 2 0 2 0 for fur the r

infor m a tion a t (https ://w w w

. ga a ppe a ls .us /r ule s ).

M ay 28, 2020



# I n th e Co u r t o f

A p p eals o f

G eo r g ia

A2 0 A0 45 8 . M U LE v . THE STATE.

M E R C I E R , J u dg e.

A j u ry fo un d G i na M u l e g u i l t y o f reck l es s dri v i n g

. Fo l lo wi n g t h e d en ial o f h er

m o ti o n fo r new tri al

, M u le ap peal s

, as s ert i n g s ev eral cl ai m s o f erro r. H a ving rev i ewed

t h es e cl ai m s , we fi n d n o rev ers i b l e erro r an d t h erefo re affi rm

.

On ap p eal fro m a cri m i n al co n v i c t i o n

, we v i ew t h e ev i d en ce i n a l i g h t m o s t

fav o rab l e t o t h e ju ry ’ s v erd i ct t o d et erm i n e wh et h er an y rat io n al t ri er o f fact co u ld

h av e fo un d t h e el em en t s o f t h e cri m e b ey o n d a reas o n ab l e d o ub t

. Ja cks on v. Vi r g i n i a

,

4 4 3 U. S. 3 0 7

, 3 1 8 -3 1 9 (III) (B) (9 9 SCt 2 7 8 1

, 6 1 LE2 d 5 60 ) (1 97 9 ). So co n s t ru ed

,

t h e ev i d en ce s ho wed t h at M u l e d ro v e t o t h e b ack p ark i n g l o t o f h er s o n ’ s h i gh s ch o ol

t o p i ck h i m u p aft er sch oo l

, al t h o u g h carp o o l t o o k p l ace i n th e fro n t o f t h e s ch o o l

.

Sch oo l b u s es p i ck ed u p s t u d en t s fro m t h e b ack o f t h e s ch o o l , an d as M u l e d ro v e tot h e b ack park i n g l o t

, sh e d ro v e aro u n d an d p as t t h ree o r fo u r m ov i n g b u s es t h at were

i n l i ne t o t u rn i n to a d es i gn at ed “ b us l oo p .” As o n e o f t h e b u s es wi t h ch i l d ren ab o ard

was t u rn i n g l eft i n t o t h e b u s l o o p

, i t s t o pp ed s u d den l y t o av o i d h i t t i n g Mu l e’ s v eh i cl e.

Th e b u s d ri v er, D eb o rah Harm o n

, t es t i fi ed th at sh e was d ri v i n g fi ve m i les p er h o u r

w h e n M u l e, wh o ap peared to n o t b e p ay i ng at t en t i o n, p as sed h er o n t h e l eft s i d e as

s h e w as m ak in g a l eft t u rn

, an d t h at Harm o n was i n ch es aw a y f r o m h i t t i ng M u l e’ s

v eh icl e wh en s h e s lam m ed o n t h e b u s ’ b rak es

.

A s eco n d b u s dri ver t es t i fi ed t h at sh e was d ri vi n g o n e o f t h e bu s es “ ro l l i n g ”

b eh in d Harm o n an d t h at sh e at t em p t ed t o rad io Harm on t o t e l l h e r t h a t M u l e was

ab o ut t o p as s h er. Sh e s t at ed fu rt h er t h at s t u d en t s were wal k i n g in t h e area, t h at M u l e

“ al m o s t h i t t he bu s ,” an d t h at Harm on had to “ sl am [o n] h er brak es .” Th e as s i s t an t

p ri n ci p al

, M ag g i e St ul t z, was h el p i n g l o ad t h e s ch o o l b u s es

, an d fro m ab o u t 1 5 0

y ard s away

, s h e ob s erv ed Mu l e’ s v eh i cl e p as s t h e b u ses m o v in g i n t he s am e d i rect i o n

an d th at Harm o n ’ s b u s s u dd en l y cam e t o a s t o p

. St u l t z t h en rad i o ed t h e s ch o ol

res o u rce o ffi cer. Th e res o u rce o ffi cer ap p ro ach ed M u l e, as k ed fo r h er li cen s e an d

i n s u ran ce, an d t h en as k ed h er t o co m e i n s i d e t h e s ch o ol wh ere h e i s s ued h er a t raffi c

ci t at i o n fo r reck les s d ri v i n g

.

2M u l e l eft t h e s c h o o l a n d w e n t to t h e o ffi ce o f t h e ch i ef o f p o li ce t o fi l e a

co m p l ai n t ag ai n st t h e res o urce o ffi cer b ecau s e, i n h er o p in i o n, s he fel t t h at t he o ffi cer

h ad h aras s ed h er an d d i d no t fo l l o w p ro p er p ro to co l

. At t ri al M ul e ad m it t ed t h at s h e

“ p as s ed al o n g s i d e t h ree o r fo u r b u s es .” Sh e as s ert ed

, h o wev er, t h at th e b us es were

s t at i o n ary an d park ed at t h e t i m e, d i d n o t h av e fl as h i ng l i g h t s

, an d d i d n o t h av e t h ei r

s t op s i g n s o u t , an d t h at s h e fo l l o wed t h e s p eed l i m i t

.

1

. (a) M u l e arg u es t hat t h e St at e fai l ed t o s uffi ci en t l y p ro v e t h at s h e d i s reg ard ed

t h e safet y o f o t hers

. Sh e co nt en d s t h at t h ere w a s n o p ro o f t hat s h e was sp eed i n g,

weav i n g, o r b l ari n g m

u s i c, n o a l l eg at i o n t h at s h e was i n t o x icat ed

, an d n o ev i d en ce

o f s i g n s p ro h i b i t i n g dri vers fro m t h e area at cert ai n t i m es o f t h e d ay

. M ul e arg u es

fu rt her t h at t h ere was n o ev id en ce s h e d ro v e o n t h e wro n g s i d e o f t h e ro ad o r fai l ed

t o m ai n t ai n h er l an e, an d an y as s ert i o n t h at Harm o n h ad t o s l am o n h er b rak es to

av o id a co l l i s io n was “ h yp e r b o l i c an d an ex ag g erat i o n .” OCGA § 4 0 -6 -3 9 0 (a)

p ro v id es “ [a] n y p ers o n wh o dri v es an y v eh i cl e i n reck les s d i s reg ard fo r t h e s afet y o f

p ers o n s o r p ro p ert y co m m i t s t h e o ffen s e o f reck l es s d ri v i n g .” A n d “ w h et h er a

d efen d an t ’ s m an n er o f d ri vi n g u n d er t h e ci rcu m s tan ces dem o ns t rat ed a reck l es s

d i s reg ard fo r t h e safet y o f o t h ers i s a q u es t i o n t hat is res erv ed fo r t h e ju ry. ” T u r n er

v. S ta t e

, 3 4 2 Ga. Ap p

. 8 82

, 8 8 4 (1 ) ( 8 0 5 S E 2 d 6 2 4 ) (2 01 7 ) (ci t at i o n o m i t t ed ). Th i s

3Co u rt d oes n ot wei g h t h e ev i d en ce o r d et erm in e wi t n es s cred i b i l i t y

. Ma r t i n ez v. S t a t e

,

3 1 5 Ga. Ap p . 7 2 7 (7 28 SE2 d 2 5 5 ) (2 0 1 2 ).

Here, t h ere was ev i d en ce fro m wh i ch t h e j u r y c o u l d co ncl u d e t h at M u l e was

d ri v i ng i n ex ces s of t h e po s ted s p eed l i m i t d u ri n g s ch o ol d is m i ss al i n an area wh ere

s t ud en t s were p res en t

, an d ev i den ce t h at sh e dro v e p as t a m o vi n g s c h o ol bu s wi th

s t ud en t s ab o ard

, cau si n g t h e b u s d ri v er t o s u d d en l y b rak e t o av o i d h i t t i n g M u l e’ s

v eh icl e. Th i s wa s s u ffi ci en t t o es t ab l i sh t h at M u l e dro v e h er v eh i cl e i n a m an n er

ex h ib i t i n g a reck l es s d i s reg ard fo r t h e s afet y o f p ers o ns o r p ro p ert y . See W i n s t o n v.

S t a t e

, 2 7 0 Ga. Ap p

. 6 6 4

, 6 6 5 (1 ) (a) (6 07 SE2 d 1 4 7 ) (2 0 04 ) (ev i den ce t h at d efen d an t

d ro v e ab o v e t h e s p eed li m it wi th o u t h ead l i g h t s o n a rai n y n i g h t, an d was n o t wat ch i n g

t h e ro ad

, an d d id n o t s o u n d h er h o rn o r ap p l y b rak es befo re s t ri ki n g p ed es tri an s

, was

s u ff i ci en t t o s u p p ort co n v i ct i o n fo r reck l es s d ri v i n g); Y o un g v. S t a t e

, 2 9 4 Ga. Ap p.

2 2 7

, 2 31 (6 6 9 SE2 d 4 0 7 ) (2 0 0 8 ) (d efen d an t ’ s co n d u ct i n d ri v i n g o ff su d den l y wh i l e

an o ffi cer was s t an d i ng cl o s e to d efen d an t ’ s v eh i cl e s u p p o rt ed co n v i ct i on fo r reck l es s

d ri v i ng ).

( b ) M u l e al s o arg u es t h at t h e t ri al co u rt erred i n d en y i ng h er m ot i o n f o r a

d i rect ed v erd i ct o f acq u i t t al

. Sh e arg u es t hat t h e ev id en ce was in s u ffi ci en t to s u s t ai n

4h er co n vi ct i o n b ecau s e t he traffi c ci t at i o n an d h er “ n o n -cu st od i al arres t ” w ere b as ed

u p o n wh at t he res o u rce o ffi cer was t o l d b y o t h ers an d n o t h i s p ers o n al o b s erv at i o n

o f t h e i nci d en t. See OCGA § 1 7 -4 -2 3 (a) (“ A l aw en fo rcem en t o ffi cer m ay arres t a

p e r s o n a c cu s ed o f v io l at i n g an y l aw

. . . g o v ern i ng t h e o p erat i o n,

. . . of m o t o r

v eh icl es

. . . b y th e is s u an ce o f a ci t at i o n

, p ro v i d ed t h at s u ch o ffen s e i s co m m i t t ed in

h i s o r her p res en ce

. . . .”). Al t h o u g h M u l e was i n it i al l y i s s u ed a t raffi c c i t a t i o n fo r

reck l es s d ri v i n g

, t wo m o nt h s l at er t h e St at e ch arg ed h er wi t h t h e cri m e b y accu s at i o n.

Sh e was n o t p ro s ecu t ed u n d er t he ci t at i o n

, b u t u n der t h e su p erced i n g accu s at i o n

. See

W a l ker v. S t a te

, 28 0 Ga. Ap p

. 3 9 3

, 3 9 5 (2 ) (6 3 4 SE2 d 1 7 7 ) (2 0 0 6 ) (p ro s ecu t i n g

at t o rn ey i s n ot bo u n d b y t raffi c ci t at i o n i ni t i al l y is s u ed an d m ay fi l e an accu s at i o n ; t h e

accu s at i on s u p ers ed es an y u n i fo rm t raffi c ci t at i on as t h e ch arg i n g i n s t ru m en t ); S mi th

v. S t a t e

, 2 3 9 Ga. Ap p

. 5 1 5

, 5 17 (2 ) (5 21 SE2 d 45 0 ) (1 9 99 ) (“ accu s at i o n su p ers ed ed

an y un i fo rm t raffi c ci t at i o n as t h e ch arg i ng i n st ru m en t ”). No t ab l y

, th e ev i den ce was

s u ffi ci en t fo r a rat i o n al tri er o f fact t o fi n d M u l e gu i l t y b ey on d a reas o nab l e d o u bt o f

t h e cri m e o f reck l es s dri vi ng as c h a r g e d i n t h e accu s at i o n. Th i s cl ai m o f erro r i s

t h erefo re wi t ho u t m eri t

.

52 . M u l e as s ert s t h at St u l t z an d Harm o n v i o l at ed t h e ru le o f s eq u es t rat i o n an d

t h at t h e co u rt erred in d en y i ng h er req u es t t o s t ri k e t hei r t es t i m o n y

. 1 “ Th e d eci s i o n o f

wh et h er to al lo w a wi t n es s t o t es t i fy i n v i o l at i o n o f t h e ru l e o f s eq u es t rat i o n i s wi t h in

t h e d i s c r e t i o n o f t h e t ri al co u rt an d wi l l n o t b e d i s t u rb ed o n ap peal u nl es s s u ch

d i s cret i o n is ab u s ed .” Ra kes t r a u v. S t a te

, 2 7 8 Ga. 87 2

, 87 6 (4 ) (6 08 SE2 d 2 1 6 ) (2 0 0 5 )

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

Aft er t he m at t e r w a s b ro u g h t t o t he co u rt ’ s at t en t i o n

, a s p ect at or at t h e t ri al

t es t i fi ed t h at s h e had o b s erv ed St u l t z an d Ha r m o n co n v ers i n g i n t h e h al l way aft er

St u l t z tes t i fi ed an d b efo re Harm o n t es t i fi ed

. A s eco n d s p ect at o r t es ti fi ed t h at s h e h ad

al s o o bs erv ed t he t w o hav i n g a co n v ers at io n an d t h at s h e o v erh eard St u l t z t el l

Harm on

, “ y o u n eed t o t el l t h em h o w y o u s l am m ed o n th e b rak es o n th e s ch oo l b u s .”

St u l t z was cal l ed b ack t o th e s t an d an d ad m i t t ed t o h av i ng a co n vers at i o n wi th

Harm on an d o t h er b u s d ri v ers in t h e h al l way o u t s i d e o f th e co urt ro o m

. Sh e ex p l ai n ed

t h at s h e an d t h e b u s d ri v ers d i s cu ss ed wh at t hey h ad wi t n es s ed at t h e s ch o o l o n t h e

d ay o f t h e in ci d en t

, a n d t hat s h e t ol d t h em s h e w i sh ed s h e h ad rem em bered cert ai n

1 In h er b ri ef, M u l e co m

p l ai n s t h at t h e s eco n d b u s d ri v er al s o v io l at ed t h e ru l e

o f s eq u es t rat i on

, b ut at t ri al sh e m o v ed t o s tri k e t h e te s t i m o n y o f o nl y St u l t z an d

Harm on

.

6d et ai ls wh i l e on t h e s t an d

. H owev er, St u l t z d en i ed o t h erwi s e d i s cu s s i n g wi t h t h e m h er

earl ier t es t i m on y

.

M u l e as k ed t h e t ri al co u rt t o s t ri k e t h e t es t i m o n y o f St ul t z an d Harm o n an d to

g i v e a cu rat i v e i n s t ru ct i o n

. Th e co u rt d ecl i n ed t o s t ri k e t hei r t es t i m o n y

, b u t ag reed to

g i v e t h e ju ry

a cu rat i v e i n s t ru ct i o n

. 2

OCGA § 2 4 -6 -6 1 5 p ro v i d es t h at at th e req u es t o f a p art y o r o n t h e co u rt ’ s o wn

m o ti o n

, t he co u rt “ s h al l o rd er wi t n es s es ex cl u d ed s o t h at each wi t n es s can n o t h ear t h e

t es t i m o ny o f o t h er wi t n es s es .” “ [T] h e p u rp o s e o f t h e s eq u es t rat i o n ru l e i s t o p rev en t

t h e s h ap i n g o f t es t i m o n y by o n e wi t n es s to m at ch t h at o f an o t h er, an d t o d i s co u rag e

fab ri cat i o n an d co l l u s i o n .” Da vi s v. S t a t e

, 2 9 9 Ga. 1 8 0

, 1 8 5 ( 2 ) ( a ) (2 ) (7 8 7 SE2 d

2 2 1 ) (2 01 6 ). Bu t t h e “ fai l u re o f a wi t n es s t o co m pl y wi t h t h e s eq u es t rat i o n ru l e d o es

n o t o f i t s el f ren d er h is t es t i m o n y i n ad m i s s ib l e, al t h ou g h i t m ay affect th e w ei g h t o f

t h e t es t i m o n y .” Br o wn v. S t a te

, s l i p o p

. at 7 (2 ) (Cas e No

. A1 9 A2 3 59

, d eci d ed M arch

1 3 , 2 0 2 0 ) (ci t at i o n o m i t t ed ) (p hy s i cal p reced en t o n l y ). An d

,

2 T h e co urt i n s tru ct ed t h e j u r y: “ I t was b ro u g h t t o t h e [c] o u rt ’ s at t en t i o n t h at

wi t n es s M ag g i e St u lt z an d Deb o rah Harm o n v i o la t e d th e [c] o u rt ’ s o rd er t o no t d i s cu ss

t h e cas e wi t h each o th er. Yo u s h o u l d co ns i d er o r i n fer th at t h e s e c o m m u n i cat i on s

were im p ro p er t o t h e ex t en t th at t h ey v i o l a t e d t h e ru le o f s eq u es t rat i o n

. Yo u m ay

co n si d er wh at wei g h t an d cred i b i l i t y t o g i v e t h ei r t es t i m o ny

. ”

7[w] h ere t h e i m pro per co m

m u n i cat i o n o ccu rs o u ts i de t h e co urt ro o m an d

t h e t ri al co u rt i s a s s u red t h at t h e co m m u n icat i o n wi l l n o t affect th e

wi t n es s es ’ t es t i m o n y

, t h e a p p r o p r i at e rem ed y i s fo r t h e t ri al co u rt t o

ad m i t t h e t es t i m o n y an d

, i f req u es t ed by o p p o s i n g co u n s el

, t o ch arg e th e

ju ry t hat i t can co n s i d er t h e v io l at i o n i n as s es si n g t h e wi t n es ses ’

cred ib i l i t y

.

Br o wn v. S t a t e

, 3 0 1 G a. 7 2 8

, 7 3 3 (3 ) n .7 (8 0 4 SE2 d 1 6 ) (2 0 1 7 ) (ci t at i o n an d

p u n ct u at i o n o m i t ted ). As t h e t ri al co u rt g av e s u ch a ch arg e h ere, we can no t s ay i t

ab u sed i t s d i s cret i o n i n ho w i t h an d led t h e co m m u n i cat i on b e t we e n St u l t z an d

Harm on

. M u l e h as p o i nt ed t o n o au t h o ri t y

, an d we h av e fo u n d n o n e, req u i ri n g a m o re

s ev ere s an ct io n u n d er t h es e ci rcu m st an ces

.

3

. M u l e as s ert s t h at t h e t ri al co u rt erred i n fai l i n g t o ex cl u d e a s i r r e l ev an t a

p o rt i on o f t h e t es t i m o n y g i v en b y t h e res o u rc e o f f i c er an d th e po l i ce ch i ef. Bo th

wi t n es s es t es ti fi ed t h at du ri n g t h ei r i n t eract io n wi t h Mu l e, s h e w as ho s ti l e, an g ry

, an d

cu rs i ng

. M u le arg ues t h i s t es t i m o n y was n o t rel ev an t as t o wh et h er s h e co m m i t t ed t h e

o ffen s e o f reck l es s d ri v i n g an d was el i ci t ed t o i m p u gn h er ch aract er. See OCGA § §

2 4 -4 -4 0 2 (i rrel ev an t ev i d en ce n o t ad m i s s i b l e) an d 2 4 -4 -4 0 4 ( ch aract er ev i d en ce

g en eral l y n o t ad m i ss ib l e). Sh e arg u es fu rt h er t hat ev en i f t h e t es t i m o n y was rel ev an t

,

s h e was u n fai rl y p reju d i ced b y i t s ad m i s si on

. See OCGA § 2 4 -4 -4 0 3 (re l e v an t

8ev i d en ce m ay be ex cl u d ed if i t s p ro bat i v e v al u e i s s u b s t a n t i al l y ou t w ei g h ed b y t h e

d an ger o f u n fai r preju d ice, co n fu s i o n o f t h e i s s u e, et c.). “ Th e ad m is s i o n o r ex cl u s i o n

o f ev i d en ce i s w i t hi n t h e s o u nd d is cret i o n o f t h e t ri al co u rt an d s uch d et erm i n at i on s

wi l l n o t b e d i s t u rb ed i n t h e ab s en ce o f s ho wi n g an ab u s e o f d i s cret i o n

. ” Cr a yt o n v.

S t a t e , 2 9 8 Ga. 7 92 , 7 9 8 (4 ) (7 8 4 SE2 d 3 4 3 ) (2 0 1 6 ) (ci t at i on o m i t ted ).

M u l e o b ject ed t o a p ort io n o f th e res ou rce o ffi cer’ s t es t i m o n y o n th e g ro u n d

t h at i t was n o t rel ev an t t o t he offen se o f reck l es s d ri v in g

, b ut m ad e n o o b ject i o n t o t h e

p o l i ce ch i ef’ s t es t i m o n y

o n t hi s g ro u n d

. W e w o u l d t herefo re o n ly rev i ew h er cl ai m

wi t h reg ard t o t he ad m is s i b i l i t y o f a p o rt io n o f th e p o l i ce ch ief’ s t es t i m o n y fo r p l ai n

erro r. See Ca s t i l l o -Vel a sq u ez v. S t a te

, 3 0 5 Ga. 64 4

, 6 5 2 (4 ) (8 2 7 SE2 d 2 5 7 ) (2 0 1 9 );

OCGA § 2 4 -1 -1 0 3 (d ) ( r u l i n g s on ev i d en ce; p l ai n erro r rev i ew). In an y ev en t

,

h o we v e r, M u l e h as n o t s h own t h at an y s u ch erro r i n al l o wi n g t h e co m p l ai n ed -o f

t es t i m o ny p ro b ab l y affect ed t h e o u t co m e b el o w. See Bo z z i e v. St at e

, 3 02 G a. 7 0 4

, 7 0 8

(2 ) (a) (8 0 8 SE2 d 6 71 ) (2 0 1 7 ) (fo r b o t h n o n co n s t i t u t i o n al h arm l es s erro r an d t h e

d et erm i n at i o n o f p reju d i ce u n d er t h e p l a i n erro r t es t, we rev i ew wh et her t h e erro r

p reju d i ced t h e ou t co m e of t h e t ri al ). Th e ev i d en ce i n t h i s cas e co n s i s t ed o f t h e

t es t i m o ny o f s ev eral wi tn es s es wh o d es cri b ed M u l e’ s d ri v i n g i n su ch a w ay t h at t h e

ju ry co u l d co n cl u d e i t was reck l es s

. F u r t h e r

, M u le co n t rad i ct ed t o s o m e ex t en t t h e

9t es t i m o ny o f t h e res ou rce o ffi cer, t es t i fy in g th at s h e w as n o t h o s t i l e t o w a r d t h e

o ffi cer. Th erefo re, ev en if t he t ri al co u rt erred i n al l owi n g t es t i m o n y co n cern i n g h er

d em ean o r an d b eh av io r, we can n ot s ay t h at i t affect ed t h e o u t co m e o f t h e t ri al . See,

e.g

., S mi t h v. S t a t e

, 3 0 2 G a. 7 1 7

, 7 2 4 (3 ) (8 0 8 SE2 d 6 6 1 ) (2 0 1 7 ) (ad m i s s i o n o f

d efen d a n t ’s o ffen s i v e l an gu ag e d i d n o t creat e ri s k of u n fai r preju d i ce t h at

s u b s t an t i al l y

o ut wei g h ed i t s p ro b at i v e v al u e u n d er OCGA § 2 4 -4 -4 0 3 ).

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

, P. J., a n d

Co o mer , J., co n cu r

.

10