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

De c id e d : Ma

rc h 7 , 2 0 1 6

S 1 5 A1 8 6 9 . EDVALS ON v . THE S TATE.

HINES , P re sid in g Ju stic e

.

Th i s is a n a

pp e a l b y c rim in a l d e fe n d a nt Th o m a s S c o t E d va lso n o f th e

d e n ia l o f h is p re tria l p e titio n fo r a writ of h a b e a s c o rp us. Th e g ra v a m e n o f th e

a p p e a l is a c h a lle n g e to th e im p o sitio n o f a d d itio na l c on ditio n s o f b o n d fo r

Ed v a lso n

. 1 F o r th e re a so ns wh ic h fo llo w, w e a ffirm th e de n ia l o f h a b e a s c o rp u s

re lie f.

On S e p t e mb e r 2 0

, 2 0 1 2

, a n a rre st wa rra n t fo r p o sse ssio n o f c h ild

p o rn o g ra p h y , se e fo rm e r OCGA § 1 6 -1 2 -1 0 0 (b ) (8 ), 2 wa s o b ta in e d a g a in st

Ed v a lso n

. Co u n se l fo r Ed v a lso n file d a m o tio n fo r b o n d in su p e rio r c o u rt o n

1 As of the time of the filing of the present appeal, E d v a l s o n had not been tried on the underly ing criminal case and was free on bond.

2 F ormer OCGA §16-12-100 (b) (8) in effect at the time of the warrant provided:

I t is u n lawful f

or any person knowing ly to possess or control any material which depicts a minor or a portion of a minor' s body eng ag ed in a ny sex ually ex plicit
conduct.No v e m

be r 19

, 2 0 1 2

. On No v e m

b e r 2 6

, 2 0 1 2

, th e S ta te c o n se nte d t o a p r e tria l

a g g r e g a te b o n d in th e a m o u n t o f $ 1 2 ,0 0 0

. Th e b o n d o rd e r c on ta in e d two

e x p re ss sp e c ia l c on d itio n s:

1

. No c o m

p u te rs / sm a rt p h o n e s/ in te rn e t e n a ble d a p p lia nc e s (S m a rt TV’s, e tc .) in [Ed v a lso n ’s] h o u se

.

2

. No u n su p e rv ise d c o n ta c t with c h ild re n u n d e r 1 6 y e a rs o f

a g e

.

On Ap ril 2 4

, 20 1 3

, Ed v a lso n w a s in d ic te d o n fo u r c o u n ts o f se x u a l

e x p lo ita tio n o f c h i l d r e n fo r, o n S e p te m b e r 1 8

, 2 0 1 2

, k n o win gly p o sse ssin g

d ig ita l im a g e s d e p ic tin g a m in o r e n ga g e d in s e x u a l l y e x p lic it c o n d u c t. S e e

fo rm e r OCGA § 1 6 -1 2-1 0 0 (b ) (8 ), su p ra

. O n No ve m b e r 5

, 2 0 1 4

, th e S ta te file d

in su p e rio r c o u rt a n e m e rg e n c y m o tio n to re vo ke b o n d

, c o n te n d in g th a t

Ed v a lso n h a d v io la te d th e c o n d itio n s o f h is b o n d

. Du rin g th e h e a rin g i n th e

m a tte r o n No v e m

b e r 7

, 2 0 1 4

, a t wh ic h b o th Ed v a lso n a n d h is c ou nse l we re

p re se nt, a p o lic e de te c tiv e , wh o wa s a c e rtifie d fo re n sic c o m p u te r e x a m in e r,

te stifie d th a t 1 6 1 im a g e s o f c o n firm e d c h ild p o rn o g ra p h y we re fo u n d o n

Ed v a lso n ’s c o m

pu te r; th a t th e r e wa s e v id e nc e th a t h e h a d b e e n o n lin e sin c e

No v e m be r 2 6

, 2 0 1 2

, th e d a te o f th e b o n d ; th a t two y e ars p rio r to th e da te o f th e

h e a rin g , Ed v a lso n h oste d a d isc u ssio n th re a d o n wh ic h he se t up c h ild m o d e lin g

2p o sts, c o n sid e re d in th e c o n te x t o f fo re n sic s to b e c h ild e ro tic a ; th a t h e wa s

su b se q u e n tly b a nn e d fro m th e we b site fo r po stin g c h ild p o rn o g ra p h y ; a n d th a t

Ed v a lso n a lte re d h is o n lin e u se rn a m e a n d b e g a n to p o st c o m m e n ts a b o u t c h ild

p o rn o g ra p h y , in c lu d in g sa rc a stic c o m m e n ts a bo ut c e rta in c h ild p o rn og ra p h y

la ws p o ste d 2 9 d a y s b e fo re th e re v oc a tio n h e ar i n g

. Ho we v e r, on c ro sse x a m in a tio n , th e d e te c tiv e a c k n owle d g e d th a t h e h a d n ot b e e n in sid e Ed v a lso n ’s

h o u se or a

p p lie d fo r a se a rc h wa rra n t fo r it; th a t h e ha d n o e v id e n c e th a t

Ed v a lso n h a d a c o mp u t e r, sm a rtp ho n e , o r in te rn e t-e n a b le d a p p lia n c e in h is

h o u se ; a n d th a t h e wa s no t a lle g in g th a t Ed v a lso n h a d un su p e rv ise d c o nta c t with

a n y o n e u n d e r th e a g e o f 1 6 sin c e h e p o ste d b o n d

.

Th e su p e rio r c o u rt sta te d th a t it a c c e p te d th a t Ed v a lso n wa s th e a u th o r o f

th e in te r n e t p o sts in q u e stio n b u t d e sp ite th e distu rb in g na tu re o f th e

c irc u m sta n c e s a n d th e c ou rt’ s c o n c e r n , it wa s g o in g to d e n y th e m o tio n to

re v o ke b o n d b e c a

u se th e re wa s n o e vid e n c e th a t E d v a lso n u se d

, o r p o sse sse d in

h is h o m e , a n y o f th e d e v ic e s p ro h ib ite d in th e bo n d o r th a t h e vio la te d th e te rm s

a n d c o n ditio n s a s se t fo rth i n t h e b o n d o rd e r. H o we v e r, th e su p e rio r c o urt

d e ta ile d a d d itio n a l c o n d itio n s o f th e b o n d wh ic h wo u ld th e n be in fo rc e , a n d

sta te d th a t th e sp e c ia l c o n d itio n s o f th e o rig in a l b o n d o rd e r wo u ld a lso re m a in

3in e ffe c t. Th e c o u rt wa rn e d E d v a lso n th a t a lth o u g h it wa s n ot re v o k in g h is

b o n d, it w a n te d to “ be ve ry c le a r” th a t th e c o u rt d id n o t “ in te n d fo r [h im ] to b e

o n th e in te rn e t a t a ll o r u sin g a n y c om p u te r or e le c tro n ic d e v ic e s a s [th e c o urt

h a d ] ju st d e sc rib e d .” Th e c o u rt th e n a sk e d Ed v a lso n i f h e u n d e rsto o d

, a n d

Ed v a lso n sta t e d th a t h e d id

. Ne ith e r Ed v a lso n n o r h is c ou nse l lo dg e d a n y

o b je c tio n to th e b o n d c o n d itio n s a s th e n d e ta ile d b y th e c o u rt.

On No v e m

b e r 1 3

, 2 0 14

, th e su p e rio r c o u rt e n te re d its o rd e r d e n y in g th e

S ta te ’s m o tio n to re v o k e b o n d a n d im po se d th e sp e c ia l c o n d itio n s to th e e x istin g

b o n d, a s it h a d in d ic a te d a t th e h e a rin g :

1

. Th e D e fe nd a n t sh a ll n o t use o r oth e rw i s e a c c e ss th e in te rn e t b y

a n y m e a n s n o r sh a ll h e a c c e ss a ny o n lin e se rv ic e o f a n y n a tu re

.

2

. Th e D e fe n d a

n t sh a l l n o t p o sse ss, e ith e r dire c tly o r in d ire c tly

, im a g e s in a n y fo rm

d e p ic tin g a

c h ild u n d e r 1 8 y e a rs o f a g e

.

3

. Th e De fe nd a nt sh a ll n o t u se o r p o sse ss a c o m p u te r, ta ble t, sm a rt

p h o n e , o r a n y o th e r d e v ic e c a p a b le o f a c c e ssin g th e in te rn e t.

On No v e m

b e r 2 0

, 2 0 1 4

, Ed va lso n m ov e d fo r re c o n sid e ra tio n o f th e o rd e r

im p o sin g th e a d d itio n a l c o n d it i o n s o f b o n d

, a sse rtin g th a t th e su pe rio r c o urt

fa ile d to p ro v id e h im w ith a d e q u a te d u e p ro c e ss re g a rd in g su c h b on d c o n d itio n s,

t h a t t h e c o u rt la c k e d th e p o we r to su a sp o n te im p o se th e m , a nd th a t t h e

4c o n d itio n s we re o v e rly b ro a d. Th e m o tio n fo r re c o nsid e ra tio n wa s d e n ie d o n

No v e m be r 2 5

, 2 0 1 4

. Th e re a ft e r , on F e bru a ry 2 0, 2 0 1 5

, Ed v a lso n file d h is

p re se nt p e t i t i o n fo r a writ o f h a b e a s c o rp us, a lle g in g th a t th e a d d itio n a l b o n d

c o n d itio n s we re o v e rb ro a d

, u n d u ly re stric tiv e , a n d im p o se d in v io la tio n o f d u e

p ro c e ss. F o llo win g a h e a rin g o n Ap ril 2 2

, 2 0 1 5

, th e h a b e a s c o u rt, 3 o n Ma y 2 6

,

2 0 1 5, d e n ie d th e p e titio n fo r a writ o f ha b e a s c o rp us a fte r fin din g th a t th e b o n d

c o n d itio n s a t issu e w e re c on siste n t w ith th e in te n t o f th e orig in a l c on se n t b o n d

o rd e r, th a t th e y we re a n a

p p ro p ria te re sp o n se to Ed v a lso n’s “c o n d uc t wh ic h le d

to th e filin g o f th e b o n d re v o c a tio n m o tio n,” a n d th a t th e y we re n o t re ta lia to ry

in a n y m a n n e r o r m o tiv a te d b y a n y a n im u s to wa rd Ed v a lso n.

Ed v a lso n n o w c o n te n d s th a t th e ha b e a s c o u rt e rre d in d e ny in g h is p e titio n

b e c a u se h e wa s n o t p ro v id e d with th e ba sic d u e pro c e ss of n o tic e a n d th e

o p p ortu n ity to b e h e a rd ; b e c a u se th e su p e rio r c o u r t la c k e d th e p o we r to su a

sp o n te im po se a d d itio n a l c o n d itio n s o f b o n d in th e a b se n c e o f a v io la tio n o f th e

e x istin g b o n d c o n d itio n s or th e a lle g a t i o n a n d pro o f th a t h e c om m itte d a n e w

c rim e ; an d b e c a

u se th e a d d itio na l b o n d c o n ditio n s we re o v e rb ro a d

, u n d u ly

3 A judg e different f

rom the one who denied the State’s motion to revoke E dvalson’s bond and imposed the bond conditions at issue heard and ruled on Edvalson’s habeas petition.

5re str i c tiv e o f h is lib e rty

, p un itiv e in n a tu re , an d with o u t a n y a rtic u la te d

le g itim a te g o v e rn m e n t o b je c tiv e o r p u blic sa fe ty in te re st wh ic h th e y a dv a n c e d

.

Bu t, su c h c on te n tio ns a re u n a v a ilin g

.

Ed v a lso n ra ise d his c o m p la in ts a b o u t th e a dd itio n a l b o n d c o nd itio n s in

th e m o tio n fo r re c on sid e ra tio n , a n d p re te rm ittin g th e q u e stio n o f w h et h e r th e

c o n d itio n s in th e p re tria l b o n d m ay b e c h a lle n g e d in a se p a ra te p ro c e e d in g a fte r

th e t i m e f

o r in te rlo c uto ry a

p p e a l h a s e x pire d

, se e Ca mp h or v

. S ta te

, 2 7 2 Ga

.

4 0 8

, 4 1 0 (2 ) (5 2 9 S E2 d 12 1 ) (2 0 0 0 ), 4 E d v al so n is n o t a id e d in h is q u e st fo r

h a b e a s c o rp u s re lie f. Ce rta in ly

,

[b ] o th th e Ge o rg ia a n d Un ite d S ta te s Co n stitu tio n s p ro h ib it th e sta te fro m de p riv in g a n y p e rso n o f life

, lib e rty

, or p ro pe rty

, with ou t d u e
p ro c e ss of la w. Th e fu n d a m e nta l id e a o f d u e pro c e ss is n o tic e a n d

a n o p p o rtu n ity to be h e a rd

. [Ho we v e r]

, d u e p ro c e s s [d o e s n o t

g u a ra nte e ] a pa rtic u la r fo rm o r m e th od of sta te p ro c e d u re

. Ra th e r,

. . .[d ] u e p ro c e ss, u n lik e so m e le g a l ru le s, is n o t a te c h n ic a l

c o n c e p tio n w ith a fix e d c o n te n t u nre la te d to tim e , pla c e a n d

c irc u m sta n c e s. [D] u e p ro c e ss is fle xib le a n d c a lls fo r su c h

p ro c e du ra l p ro te c tio n s a s th e p a rtic u la r situ a tio n d e m an d s.

Ho o d v

. Ca rste n , 2 6 7 Ga

. 5 7 9, 5 8 0 (4 8 1 S E2 d 5 2 5 ) (1 9 97 ). (In te rn a l c ita tio n s

o m itte d .) He re , Ed v a lso n h a d c le a r n o tic e th a t th e o rig in a lly

- i mp o s e d b o n d

4 Compare Banks v. W

aldrop

, 272 Ga. 475 (531 SE2d 7 08) (2000) (habeas court had authority to review the denial of bond).

6c o n d itio n s, a n d his a lle g e d v io la tio n o f th o se c o n d itio n s, we re a t issu e with th e

p o ssib le sa n c tio n o f th e c o m ple te re v oc a tio n o f h is b o n d. Ev e n in th e situ a tio n

o f a c o m p le te re v o c a tio n o f b o n d

, o n ly m in im a l d u e pro c e ss is re q u ire d p rio r to

th e re v o c a tio n

. Ca m

p h o r v . S ta te

, su pra a t 4 10 (2 ) (b ). Ed v a lso n ’s b o n d wa s

n o t re vo k e d a n d h e wa s n o t d e p riv e d o f his fre e d o m b y in c a rc e ra tio n; in d e e d

,

h e p re v a ile d in th e S t a t e ’ s a tte m p t to re v o k e h is b on d. F u rth e rm o re , he h a d a

fu ll a n d fa ir o p p o rtu n ity to be h e a rd b e fo re h i s b o n d wa s m o d ifie d

. In th e

re v o c a tio n p ro c e e d in g, th e su p e rio r c o u rt h a d th e a u th o rity to im

p o se a d d itio n a l

re a so na b le re stric tio n s o n Ed v a lso n ’s b e h a v io r a s c o n d itio n s o f h is p re tria l

re le a se o n b o n d . Id

.

As th e h a b e a s c o urt no te d

, th e c o n d itio n s o f b o n d d e ta ile d b y th e su p e rio r

c o u rt a t th e re vo c a tio n h e a rin g m e re ly re fle c te d an d c la rifie d th e p re v e n tiv e

n a tu re o f th e sp e c ia l c o n d itio n s o f th e o rig in a l b o n d o rd e r in lig h t o f t h e n e w

e v id e n c e re g a rd in g Ed va lso n ’s c o n d u c t. In d e e d , th e a d d itio na l c o n d itio n s d id

n o t c o n stitu te u n a n tic ip a te d re stric tio n s a t a ll; th e y m e re ly h e lp e d to e ffe c tu a te

th e g o a l o f th e sp e c ia l c o n d itio n s a s sta te d in th e o rig in a l b o n d o rd e r. Th e p la in

p u rp o se o f th e sp e c ia l c o nd itio n s, fro m in c e ptio n , w a s to p re v e n t Ed v a lso n fro m

h a v in g a c c e ss to c h ild re n , im a g e s o f c h ild re n , a n d th e in te rn e t fo r th e p u rp ose

7o f c re a tin g, o b ta in in g , p ro m otin g , o r d isse m in a tin g c h ild p o rn og r a ph y

. Th is

re fle c ts th e S ta te ’s c o m

p e llin g in te re st ,

in sa fe g ua rd in g th e p h y sic a l a nd p sy c ho lo gic a l we ll-b e in g o f m in o r

c h ild re n b y p ro te c tin g th e m fro m b e in g su b je c ts o f p o rn o g ra

ph y , wh ic h is ob v io u sly h a rm fu l to [th e ir] p sy c h o lo g ic a l, e m o tio n a l, a n d

m e n ta l h e a lth

.

(Qu ota tio n m a rk s o m itte d .) Be n n e tt v

. S ta te

, 2 9 2 G a. Ap p

. 38 2, 3 8 4 (1 ) (6 6 5

S E2 d 3 6 5 ) (2 0 0 8 ), q u o tin g Ama n v

. S ta te

, 2 6 1 G a

. 6 6 9

, 6 7 0 (1 ) (b ) (4 0 9 S E2 d

6 4 5 ) (1 9 9 1 ). Th e sp e c ia l c o n d itio n s o f b o n d a s su m m arily se t fo rth in th e in itia l

b o n d o rd e r wo u ld ill-se rv e th is c o m p e llin g p u b lic sa fe ty in te re st if Ed v a lso n

c o u ld e n g a g e in th e c rim in a l c o n d u c t so u g h t to b e p ro h ib ite d b y m e re ly d o in g

so o u tsid e o f th e c o n fin e s o f h is h o m e

. Th u s, th e sp e c ia l c o n d itio n s im p o se d in

th is c a se we re a

p p ro p ria te a n d re a so n a

b le u n d e r th e fa c ts, a n d th e re fo re , d o n o t

c o n stitu te a n a

b u se o f th e su p e rio r c o u rt' s d isc re tio n

. 5 Ca mp h o r v

. S ta te , su p ra

5 Of course, all of the special conditions of Edvalson’s bond must be construed by Edvalson
and the State in a manner consistent with the sup e r i o r co u r t ’ s r easons for imposing them, i.e., to prevent the troubling c onduct by Edvalson which was in evidence at the bond revocation hearing

. As noted, bond conditions must b e appropriate and reasonable under the circumstances. Camphor

v. State

, supra at 410-411(2)(b); Morgan v. State

, 285 Ga. App. 2 54, 261 ( 3) (645 SE2d 745) (2007).

F urthermore, such c o nditions may be modified to deal with particular situations (e.g

., seeking the
court’s a pproval, notwithstanding a bond condition prohibiting travel outside the c ircuit o r state, to travel to a particular place f or a particular e vent, like a relative’s funeral). The reasonable reading
of the a dditional bond conditions is that they restrict Edvalson f rom using any device which would
allow him some measure of control or direction o f the device’s connection to the internet. And, if
Edvalson feels the need to p ossess particular imag e s of minor s t h a t d o n o t pose the risks that

8a t 4 1 0 -4 1 1 (2 ) (b ).

Th e re wa s n o e rro r in de n y in g E d v a lso n ’s p re tria l p e titio n fo r a w r i t o f

h a b e a s c o rp u s.

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

concerned the trial c o u rt, he may seek permission from the court, which we presume would be g iven
where reasonable.

9