THI RD DI VI SI ON

ELLI NGTON, P. J.

, BETHEL, J.

, and SENI OR A PPELLA T E JUDGE PHI PPS

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

M ay 1, 2018



# I n th e Co u r t o f

A p p eals o f

G eo r g ia

A1 8 A0 33 4 . FRANCIS v . THE STATE.

P H I P P S , Sen i o r Ap p el l at e Co u rt J ud g e.

Aft er a ju ry t ri al

, Ad ri an Fran ci s was co n v i ct ed o f p o s s es s i o n o f co cai n e an d

m ari ju an a. On ap peal

, F r a n c i s a r g u es th at t he t ri al co urt erred wh en it d en i ed h i s

m o ti o n t o s u p pres s t h e d ru g s fo u nd d u r i n g h i s arres t an d t h at t h e ev i d en ce was

i n s u ffi ci en t ev en i f t h e m o t i o n was p ro p erl y d en i ed . W e d i sag ree an d affi rm

.

“ On ap p eal fro m a cri m i n al co n v i ct i o n

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

fav o rab l e to t h e v erd i ct

, wi t h t h e d efen dan t n o l o n ger en jo y i n g a p res u m

p t i o n o f

i n n o cen ce.” Rees e v. S t a t e , 2 7 0 Ga. Ap p . 5 2 2 , 5 2 3 (6 0 7 SE2 d 1 6 5 ) (2 0 0 4) (ci t at i o n

o m it t ed ). W e n ei t h er wei g h t h e ev id e n c e n o r ju d g e t h e cred i b i l i t y o f wi t n es s es

, b ut

d et erm i n e o n l y wh et h er, aft er v i ewi n g th e ev i d en ce i n t h e l ig h t m o s t fav o rab l e t o t h e

p ro s ecu ti o n

, “ an y rat io n al t ri er o f fact co u l d h av e fo u n d t h e es s en t i al el em en t s o f t h ecri m e bey o n d a reas o n ab l e d ou b t .” Ja cks o n v. Vi r g i n i a

, 4 4 3 U. S. 3 07

, 3 1 9 (III) (B)

(9 9 SCt 2 7 81 , 6 1 LE2 d 5 6 0 ) (1 9 7 9 ).

Th u s v iewed in fav o r o f t h e v erd i ct an d t he ju d g m en t

, th e reco rd o f t h e h eari n g

o n t h e m o t i o n an d t he s u b s eq u en t t ri al sh o ws t h at at ap p ro x i m at el y 8 :4 5 p.m

. o n t h e

ev en in g o f Ap ri l 2 9

, 2 0 1 3

, a dep u t y wi t h t h e Gwi n net t Co u nt y Sh eri ff’ s Dep art m en t

an d h er p art n er w en t t o a ho u s e o n Bu t t ercu p Trai l t o ex ecu t e an arres t warran t fo r a

p ers o n t ho u g ht to b e at t h at ad d res s

. Th e d ep ut y h ad b ee n t o t he h o u s e th ree t i m es

b efo re t o ex ecu t e arres t warran t s fo r “ o t h er p eo p l e,” an d h er d i vi s i o n t y p i cal l y

h an dl ed o n l y fel o n i es an d v i o l en t m i s dem ean o rs s u ch as b at t ery

. Th e h o m eo wn er

ad m i t t ed t h e t wo o ffi cers t h ro u g h t h e fro n t d o o r an d i n to h i s l i v i n g ro om an d t o ld

t h em t h a t t h e p ers o n i d en t i fi ed i n t h e warran t was “ n o l o n ger t h ere.” W h i l e h er

p art n er s earch ed t h e h ou s e t o co n f i r m t h i s fact

, t h e d ep u t y rem ai n ed i n t h e l i v i n g

r o o m

, wh ere Fran ci s al s o was

. 1 W h i l e t h e p art n er’ s s earch co n ti n ued

, t he d ep u t y

o b t ai n ed Fran ci s ’ s i d en t i fi cat io n i n fo rm at i o n an d ch eck ed fo r an y “ op en warran t s o n

h i m .” W h en t h e d ep u t y was t o l d t h at a b en ch warran t w as o ut fo r Fran ci s ’ s arres t (fo r

1 Al t h ou gh Fran ci s ’ s b ri ef cl ai m s t h at t h e dep u t y b l o ck ed h i m fro m l eav i n g t h e

h o u s e

, h i s t es t i m o n y t o t h i s effect was g i v en at t h e h eari n g on h i s m o t io n f o r n e w

t ri al

, n o t at o r befo re t ri al

. N ei t h er Fran ci s n o r an y o t h er p ers on t es t i fi ed o n h i s b eh al f

at t he h eari n g on h i s m o t i o n to s u p p res s o r at t ri al

.

2fai l u re t o ap p ear o n a t raffi c ch arg e), s h e wai t ed fo r h er p art n er t o ret u rn t o t h e l i v i n g

ro o m b efo re h an d cu ffi n g o r arres t i ng Fran ci s b ecau s e s h e n eed ed her p a r t n er fo r

“ b ack u p

. . . i n cas e t h ere were an y i s s u es ” wi t h g et t i n g Fran ci s i n t o cu s t o d y

. Bet ween

t h e d ep u ty ’ s en t ran ce i n t o t h e h o u se an d h er l earn i ng o f t h e ex i s t en ce o f a b en ch

warran t fo r Fran ci s ’ s arres t, l es s t h an 1 5 m i n u t es p as s ed

.

W h en t h e d ep u t y ’ s part n er re t u rn ed t o t he l i v i n g ro o m

, an d aft er a b ri ef

s t ru g g l e d u ri n g wh i ch Fran ci s at t em p t ed t o reach in t o h i s p an t s an d t o ld an o t h er

p ers o n si t t in g o n th e l i v in g ro o m co u ch t o “ co m e g et t hi s ,” t h e o ffi cers h an d cu ffed

Fran ci s

. A pat d o wn i n t h e l i v in g ro om fo r t h e p u rp o s e o f d et ect i n g weap o n s i n cl u d ed

a s earch o f Fran ci s’ s p ock et s an d p ro du ced two p i ll s l at er i d en ti fi ed as T razo d o n e, fo r

wh i ch Fran ci s h ad a p res cri pt i o n

. A m o re t h o ro u g h s earch o u t s i d e n ear t h e o ffi cers ’

p at ro l car y i el d ed a s m al l b ag gy co n t ai n i n g wh at was l at er d et erm i n ed t o be l es s t h an

o n e gram crack co cai n e a n d l es s t h an on e g ram o f m ari ju an a. Th e co cai n e an d

m ari ju an a were fo u n d wi t h i n 4 0 m i nu t es o f t h e o ffi cers ’ en t ry i n t o t h e h o u s e.

Fran ci s was accu s ed o f p o s s es si o n o f co cai n e a n d p o s s es s i o n o f l es s t h an an

o u n ce o f m ari

ju an a. Aft er a p ret ri al h eari n g at wh i ch t h e d ep u ty was t h e o n l y wi t n es s

,

t h e t ri al co u rt fo u n d t h at t he d ru g s w ere l eg al l y s ei zed i n ci d en t t o Fran ci s ’ s arres t an d

d en ied h i s m o t i o n to s u p p res s. Aft er a ju ry fo u n d Fran ci s g u i lt y on b o th ch arg es

, h e

3was co nv i ct ed an d s en t en ced t o 1 5 y ears wi t h t wo t o s erv e. Hi s m o t i on fo r n ew t ri al

was d en i ed

.

1

. F r a n c i s fi rs t as s ert s t h at t h e t ri al co u rt erred wh en i t d en i ed h is m o t i o n t o

s u p p res s t h e co cai n e an d m ari ju an a fo u n d d uri n g h i s arres t . W e d is ag ree.

Th e Fo u rt h Am en d m en t t o t h e U ni t ed St at es Co n st it u t i o n g u aran t ees “ [t ] h e

ri gh t of t h e p eo p l e t o b e s ecu re i n t h ei r p ers o n s

, h o u s es

, p ap ers

, an d effect s

, ag ai n s t

u n reas o nab l e s earch es an d s ei zu res .” U.S. Co n s t

. Am en d

. IV. “ As i ts t ex t in d i cat es

,

t h e u l t i m at e to uch s t o n e o f t h e Fo u rt h Am en d m en t is reas on ab len es s .” Br o wn v. S t a t e

,

2 9 3 Ga. 7 8 7

, 7 9 1 (2 ) (a) (7 50 SE2 d 1 4 8) (2 0 1 3 ) (ci t at i o n an d pu n ct u at i o n o m i t t ed ).

Th e Su prem e Co u rt o f Geo rg i a h as i d en t i fi ed “ t h r e e f u n dam en t al p ri n ci pl es wh i ch

m u st b e fo l l owed wh en co n du ct i ng ap p el l a t e r e v i e w” o f a ru l i n g o n a m o t i o n to

s u p p res s ev i d en ce al l eg ed t o h av e b een s ei zed i n v i ol at i o n of t he Fo u rt h Am en d m en t :

Fi r s t

, w h e n a m o t io n t o s u p p res s i s h eard b y t h e t ri al ju dg e, t h at j u d ge

s i ts as t h e t ri er o f fact s. Th e t ri al ju d g e h ears t h e ev i d en ce, an d h i s

fi nd in g s b as ed u p o n co n fl i ct i n g ev i d en ce are an al o g o u s to t h e verd i ct o f

a ju ry an d sh o u l d n o t b e d i s t urb ed by a rev i ewi n g co u r t i f t h ere i s an y

ev i d en ce t o s u p p o rt [t hem ]

. Seco n d

, t he t ri al co u rt ’ s d eci s io n w i t h

reg ard t o qu es t io n s o f fact an d cred ib i l i t y m u st b e accep t ed un l es s

cl earl y erro n eo u s

. Th ird

, t h e rev i ewi ng co u rt m u s t co n s t ru e t he ev i d en ce

m o s t fav o r a b l y t o t h e u p h o l d i n g o f t he t ri al co u rt ’ s fi n d i n g s an d

ju d g m en t

.

4M

i l l er v. S t a t e

, 2 8 8 Ga. 2 8 6, 2 8 6 (7 0 2 SE2 d 88 8 ) (2 0 1 0) (ci t at i o n an d p u n c t u a t i o n

o m it t ed ). In rev iewi n g a t ri al co u rt ’ s d eci s io n o n a m ot i o n t o s u p p res s, we co n s i d er

“ al l rel ev an t ev i d en ce o f reco rd

, i n cl u d in g ev i d en ce i n t ro d u c e d at t ri al

, as wel l as

ev i d e n ce i n t ro d u ced at t h e m o t i o n t o s u p p res s h eari n g .” Pi tt ma n v. S t a t e

, 2 8 6 Ga.

Ap p . 4 1 5 , 4 1 6 (6 5 0 SE2 d 3 0 2 ) (2 0 0 7 ) (fo o tn ot e an d p u n ct uat i o n o m i t t ed ).

Th e t ran s cri p t o f t h e h eari n g o n Fran ci s ’ s m o t i o n t o s u p p r e s s s h o w s t h at h e

co n ced ed t h e l eg al i t y o f t h e s earch o f h i s p ers o n o nce h e h a d b e e n arres t ed i n t h e

l i vi n g ro o m

p u rs u an t t o t h e o u ts t an d i n g ben ch warran t

. Th e o nl y i s s u e rai sed at t h e

h eari n g

, an d o n ap p eal

, was wh et h er Fran ci s was i l l eg al l y d et ai n ed b et ween t h e t i m e

t h at t he o ffi cers fi rs t en t ered t h e h o u s e an d th e t im e o f h i s arres t s u ch t h at t h e

ev i d en ce fo u n d i n ci d en t t o t h at arres t s h o u l d h av e b een s u p p res s ed

.

As a p rel i m in ary m at t er, we n o t e t h at th es e o ffi cers en co u nt ered Fran ci s i n t h e

l i vi n g ro o m o f t h e h ou s e an d ad d res s as t o wh ich t h ey h ad s ecu red a warran t t o arres t

an o th er pers o n

, an d Fran ci s h as rai s ed n o o b j ect i o n o n ap p eal as t o t h e l eg al i t y o f t h at

arres t warran t

. 2 “ ‘ Fo r Fo u rt h Am en d m en t p urp o s es

, an arres t warr a n t fo un d ed o n

2 W e n o t e in p as s i n g t h at “ t h e Fo urt h Am en dm en t do es n o t b y it s t erm s req u i re

t h at p ro b ab l e cau s e b e s ho wn b y t h e affi d av i t [fi l ed i n s u pp o rt o f ob t ai n i n g an arres t

warran t ]

, b u t [o nl y ] t h at t h e j u d i ci al o ff i c er b e s u p p l i ed wi t h s uffi ci en t i n fo rm at i o n

t o s u p po rt h i s i n d ep en d en t ju d g m en t t h a t p r o b a b l e cau s e ex i s ts fo r t h e warran t .”

Devi er v. S t a t e

, 2 5 3 G a. 6 0 4

, 6 1 0 (5 ) (3 2 3 SE2 d 15 0 ) (1 9 8 4 ) ( ci t at i o n an d

5p ro b ab l e cau s e i m p l i ci tl y carri es wi t h i t t h e l i m i t ed au t h o ri t y t o e n t e r a d wel l i n g in

wh i ch t h e s u s p ect l iv es wh en t h ere i s reas on t o bel i ev e t he s u s p ect i s wi t h i n .’ ” S t a t e

v. W r i g ht

, 20 4 Ga. Ap p

. 3 8 2

, 3 8 3 (2 ) (4 1 9 SE2 d 3 3 4 ) (1 9 9 2 ), q u ot i n g P a yt o n v. New

Y or k

, 4 4 5 U.S. 5 7 3

, 60 3 (1 0 0 SCt 1 37 1

, 6 3 LE2 d 6 39 ) (1 9 8 0 )

. H a v i n g s h o wn

p ro b ab l e cau s e fo r t he i s s u an ce of an arres t warran t at t h i s sp eci fi c l ocat i o n

, “ t h e

o ffi cers were en t i t l ed t o en ter an d t o s earch an y wh ere i n t h e [h o u s e] ” i n w h i c h t h e

s u b ject o f t h at w a r r an t “ m i g h t b e fo u n d .” W r i g ht

, 20 4 Ga. Ap p

. at 3 8 4 (4 ) (ci t at i o n

an d p u n ct u at i o n o m i t t ed ). Th is i s s o n o t withsta n d i n g t h e ho m eo wn er’ s rep res en t at i o n

t h at t h e su b

ject o f t he arres t warran t was n ot p res en t

. See Ro d r i g u ez v. S ta t e

, 2 9 5 Ga.

3 6 2

, 3 7 0 (2 ) (b ) (7 6 1 SE2 d 1 9 ) ( 2 0 1 4 ) (an o ffi cer “ was n ot ab s o lu t el y req u i red to

i n s t an t l y an d u nco n d i t io n al l y accep t t h e t ru t h ” o f i n fo rm at i o n o b t ai n ed fro m p ers on s

d et ai ned “ wi t h o ut v eri fi cat io n an d t o as k n o t h i n g m o re”).

Fu r t h e r

, t h e offi cers h av i n g en co u nt ered Fran ci s “ al m o s t i m m ed i at el y ” o n

en t eri n g th e h o u s e, h i s s ei zu re “ was au th o ri zed p en d i n g h i s id en t i fi cat i o n an d , i f h e

p ro v ed n o t t o b e t he wan t ed fu g i t i v e, p en d i n g a fu rt h er s earch o f t h e h o u s e” fo r t h e

s u b ject of t h e arres t warran t

. W r i g h t

, 2 04 Ga. Ap p

. at 3 8 3 (3 ) ( c i t a t i o n o m i t t ed ).

“ ‘ Un t il [t h at p ers o n ] was fo u n d

, t h e s earch fo r h i m was n o t y et o v er, an d t h ere was

p u n ct u at i o n o m it t ed ).

6s t il l t h at p a r t i c u l ar ju s ti fi cat i o n fo r en t eri n g an y p l ace t h at h ad n o t y et b een

s earch ed .’ ” Id

. at 3 8 3 (4 ), q u o t i ng Ma r yl a n d v. Bu i e

, 4 9 4 U.S. 3 2 5

, 3 3 2 -3 3 3 (III) (1 1 0

SCt 1 0 9 3

, 1 0 8 LE2 d 2 7 6 ) (1 9 9 0 ). Fi n al l y

, t he d ep u t y ’ s d eci s i o n

, m ad e fo r h er o w n

s afet y , t o wai t fo r s o m e m i n ut es fo r h er p art n er t o co m p l et e h i s s earch o f th e h o u s e

b efo re at t em

p t in g t o arres t Fran ci s d i d n o t un reas o n ab l y d el ay Fran ci s ’ s d et en t i o n.

See Ca rt er v. S ta t e

, 2 9 7 G a. Ap p

. 6 08

, 6 1 0 (1 ) (6 7 7 SE2 d 7 9 2 ) (2 0 09 ) (o ffi cer h av i n g

reas on ab l e s u s p i c i o n as t o t h e s u b ject o f a t raffi c s t o p was ju s t i fi ed i n d et ai n i n g

d efen d an t “ wi t h h i s han d s o n t h e h o o d o f t h e p a t ro l car u n t i l b ack u p arri v ed ,” at

wh i ch t i m e d efen d an t was arres t ed an d a s earch o f m at eri al d i s card ed b y d efen d an t

was co m p l et ed ).

Co n st ru ed i n fav o r o f t h e t ri al co u rt ’ s ju d g m en t

, th e ev i den ce th u s s h o ws t h at

b ei n g i n p o s s es s i o n o f a v al i d arres t warran t fo r t h e h o u s e i n qu es t io n

, t hes e o ffi cers

l eg al ly en t ered t he ho u s e, fo u n d Fran ci s i n t h e l iv i n g ro o m

, d et ai n ed h i m fo r a s h o rt

t i m e d u ri n g t h e peri o d o f a fu rt h er s earch o f t h e h o u s e fo r th e s u b ject o f t h e arres t

warran t

, an d arres t ed h i m aft er det erm i n i n g th at h e w as t h e s u bject o f an o u t s t an d i n g

b en ch warran t

. Becau s e n o p ort i o n o f Fran ci s ’ s det en t i o n u n d er t h es e ci rcu m s t an ces

was u n reas o n ab le, t h e tri al co u rt d i d n o t err wh en i t d en i ed h is m o t i on t o su p pres s t h e

ev i d en ce fo u n d i n t h e wak e o f h i s arres t.

72 . Fran ci s al so as sert s t h at t h e ev i den ce s ei zed i n t h e co u rs e o f h i s arres t was

i n s u ffi ci en t t o s u p p o rt h i s co nv i ct i o n b ecau se o n l y o n e o ffi cer t es t i fi ed t h at s h e s aw

a b ag g y fal l fro m th e l eg o f h i s p an t s an d b ecau s e t h e res p ect i v e am o u n t s o f t h e t wo

d ru g s reco v ered were s m al l.

W i t h ex cep t i o n s n o t ap p l i cab l e here, h o wev e r

, “ [ t [h e t es t i m o n y o f a s i n g l e

wi t n es s i s g en eral ly s u ffi ci en t to es t ab l i s h a fact .” O CGA § 2 4 -1 4 -8

. T h e reco rd al s o

s h o ws t hat t race am ou n t s of b o t h m ari ju an a an d co cai n e w e r e f o u n d in Fran ci s ’ s

p o s s es s i o n

, an d n ei th er s t at ut e cri m i n al i zi n g p os s es si on o f th es e s u b s t an ces req u i res

m o re. See O C G A § 1 6

- 1 3-3 0 (c) (1 ) (d efi n in g t h e fel on y o ffen s e o f p o ss es s i o n o f

“ l es s t h an o n e g ram o f a s o l i d s u b s t an ce” of a co n t ro l l ed su b st an ce, i n cl u d i n g

co cai n e), 1 6 -1 3 -3 0 (j) (1 ) (d efi n i n g t h e o ffen se of po s ses s i o n o f m ari ju an a, wi t h o ut

s p eci fy in g an y

l o wer l i m i t as t o am o u n t ), 1 6 -1 3 -2 (b ) (p ro v i d in g t h at p o s s es s i o n o f

“ o n e o un ce o r l es s ” o f m ari ju an a i s a m i sd em ean or). Th e ev i d en ce was t h u s su ffi ci en t

t o su s t ai n Fran ci s ’ s co nv i ct i o n

. See Jo h n s o n v. S t a t e

, 2 96 Ga. Ap p. 6 9 7

, 6 9 8 (1 ) (6 7 5

SE2 d 5 8 8 ) (2 0 0 9 ) (a f

f i r m i n g s u ffi ci en cy o f ev i d en ce fo r p o ss es s i o n o f m ari ju an a);

Ja cks o n

, s u p ra.

Ju d g men t a f f i r m ed . El l i n g t o n , P. J., a n d Bet h el

, J., co n cu r

.

8