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

De c id e d: Ju n e 2 9 , 2 0 1 5

S 1 5 A0 34 4 . O’CONNELL v . THE S TATE.

HUNS T EIN, Ju stic e

.

A p p e l l a n t B r e n d a O ’ C o n n e l l a

n d h e r a d o ptiv e siste r, Ca th e r i n e O ’ C o n n e l l

,

w e r e j o in tly trie d fo r m a lic e m u rd e r, fe lo n y m

u rd e r, a n d a g g ra v a te d a ssa u lt

ste m m in g fro m th e stra ng ula tio n d e a t h o f th e ir a d op tiv e m o th e r, Mu rie l

O’Co n n e ll. A ju ry fo u n d th e two siste rs g u i l ty o n a ll c o u n ts, a n d we h a v e

a lre a d y a ffirm e d Ca th e rin e ’s c o n v ic tio n s. S e e O’Co n ne ll v

. S ta te

, 2 9 4 Ga

. 3 7 9

(7 5 4 S E2 d 29 ) (2 0 1 4 ). F or t h e re a so n s th a t fo llo w, we a ffirm a pp e lla n t’s

c o n v ic tio n s a s we ll. 1

1 T h e cri m es o c c u r r e d o n Au g u s t 6

, 20 0 6

. On Oct o b er 18

, 2 0 0 6

, a Gwi n n et t

Co u n t y g ran d ju ry i n di ct ed ap p el l an t an d h er s i s t er fo r m al i ce m u rd er, fel on y m

u rd er,

an d ag g rav at ed as s au l t

. On O ct o b er 2 4

, 2 0 0 8

, a j u ry fo u n d ap p el lan t g u il t y o n al l

co u nt s

. Th at s am e d ay

, t he t ri al co u rt s en t en ced ap p el l an t t o l i fe i n p ri s o n o n t h e

m al i ce m u rd er v erd i ct

. Th e fel o n y m u rd er v erd i ct was v acat ed b y op erat i o n o f l aw,

an d t h e t ri al co u rt m erg ed t he ag g rav at ed as s au lt v erd i ct wi t h t h e v erd i ct o n m al i ce

m u rd er. Ap p el l an t fi l ed a t i m el y m o t i o n fo r new t ri al

, wh i ch s h e am en d ed o n J u n e 7,

2 0 1 3

. Th e t ri al co u rt d en i ed t h e m ot i o n fo r n ew t ri al

, as am en d ed

, o n J u l y 2 1

, 2 0 1 4.

Ap p el l an t t h en fi l ed a ti m el y n o t i ce o f a p p e a l

. Th e ap p eal was d o ck et ed t o t h e

J an u ary 2 0 1 5 t erm

o f t h is Co u rt an d s u b m i t t ed fo r d eci s i o n o n t h e b ri efs

.1 . Vie we d in th e lig h t m o st fa v ora ble to th e ju ry ’s v e rd ic t, th e e v id e n c e

p re se nte d a t tria l sh o we d th e fo llo win g

.

T h e v i c t i m a d o p t e d [ C ath e rin e ] fro m a Gu a te m a la n o r p h a n a g e

wh e n [Ca th e rin e ] wa s e le v e n y e a rs o ld

. A fe w y e a rs la te r, th e

v ic tim a do p te d a se c o n d d a u g h te r, [a

p p e l l a n t ], fro m th e sa m e

o rp h a n a g e

. [Ap p e lla n t] a n d [Ca th e rin e ] q u ic k l y fo rm e d a stro n g

b o n d with o ne a n o th e r, b u t th e ir re sp e c tiv e re la tio n sh ip s w ith th e

v i c tim b e g a n to d e te rio ra te

. Ov e r tim e

, th e two g irls d e v e lo p e d

su b sta n tia l b e h a v i o ra l issu e s. Afte r a n u m b e r o f c o nfro n ta tio n s

with b o th [a

pp e lla n t] a nd [Ca th e rin e ]

, th e v ic tim b e g a n to fe a r fo r

h e r life

.

On th e n ig ht o f th e m

u rd e r, th e v ic tim ’s d a

ug h te rs we n t to a

n e ig h b o r’s h o u se a n d k n o c k e d o n th e do o r. Th e n e ig h b or te stifie d

th a t [ a p p e l l a n t] h a d a c lo th tie d a ro u n d h e r n e c k a n d wa s g a sp in g

fo r a ir, b ut n o te d th a t th e se a c tio n s a p p e a re d to b e sta g e d

. Afte r

[Ca th e rin e ] c o n te n d e d h e r m o th e r trie d t o c h o k e [a p p e lla n t]

, th e

n e ig h b o r we n t to th e v ic tim ’s h o u se a n d fo u n d th e v ic tim d e a d o n

th e b a th ro o m flo o r with a b u tc h e r k n ife in h e r h a n d . Wh e n p o lic e

a rriv e d

, b o th [Ca th e rin e ] a n d [a p pe lla n t] g a v e sta te m e nts a lle g in g

th e v ic tim a tta c k e d [a

p p e lla n t] with a k n ife

. Ac c o rd in g to th e g irls,

Ca th e rin e c a m e to [a

p p e lla n t’s] re sc u e b y g ra b b in g th e vic t i m

a ro u n d th e n e c k

a n d c a u sin g h e r to fa in t.

Alth o u g h [a

pp e lla n t] in itia lly d e n ie d sta gin g th e c rim e sc e n e

, sh e e v e ntu a lly a dm itte d to p o lic e th a t sh e p l a c e d t h e k n ife in th e

v ic tim ’s h a n d a fte r sh e wa s d e a d

. In a d d itio n

, a m e d ic a l e x a m in e r

e v a lu a te d b o th g irls a n d wa s u n a b le to fin d in

ju rie s to su b sta n tia te

th e ir c la im s o f se lf-d e fe n se

. [Ap p e lla n t] d i d n ot h a v e in ju rie s

c o n siste n t with stra n g u la tio n a n d [Ca t h e r in e ] h a d o n ly su p e rfic ia l

sc ra p e s th a t w e re p o ssib ly se lf-in flic te d

. A n a u to p sy o f th e v ic tim

re v e a le d sh e su sta in e d m u ltip le he a d i n

j u rie s wh ile sh e wa s still

a liv e

, b u t th e m e d ic a l e x a m in e r de te rm in e d th e c a u se o f de a th to b e

2stra n g u la tio n

.

O’Co n n e ll, 2 9 4 Ga . a t 3 7 9 -3 80

.

Vie we d in th e lig h t m o st fa v o ra b le to th e v e rd ic t, th e e v id e n c e p re se n te d

a t tria l a nd su m m a riz e d a

b o v e wa s su ffic ie n t to a

u th o riz e a ra tio n a l ju ry to fin d

a p p e lla n t g u ilty b e y o n d a re a so n a b le d o u b t o f th e c rim e s o f wh ic h sh e wa s

c o n v ic te d . S e e Ja c k so n v . Virg in ia , 4 4 3 U.S . 3 0 7 , 3 1 9 (9 9 S C 2 7 8 1 , 6 1 LE2 d

5 6 0 ) (1 97 9 ).

2

. Ap p e lla n t’s first two e n u m e ra tio n s o f e rro r

– th a t th e tria l c o u rt e rre d

in d e n y in g h e r Ba tso n 2 c h a lle n g e to th e S ta te ’s strik e of p ro sp e c tiv e j u ro r

S h e a lise We a v e r a n d th a t th e tria l c o u rt e rre d in e x c lu d in g fro m e v id e n c e d e ta ils

o f h e r tra u m a tic c h ild h o o d in Gu a te m a la

– a re id e ntic a l to e n u m e ra tio n s o f e rro r

ra ise d b y Ca th e rin e in h e r a p p e a l. F o r th e sa m e re a so n s th a t we c o n c lu d e d th a t

Ca th e rin e ’s e n u m e ra tio n s o f e rro r we re with o ut m e rit, we c o n c l u d e th a t th e se

two e n u m e ra tio n s o f a

pp e lla n t a re with o u t me rit. S e e O’Co n n e ll, 2 9 4 Ga

. a t

3 8 0 -3 8 3

.

3

. Ap pe lla n t a

rg u e s th a t th e tria l c o u rt e rre d in fa ilin g t o g i v e h e r

2 Bat s o n v

. Ken t uck y , 4 7 6 U. S. 7 9 (1 0 6 SCt 1 7 1 2 , 9 0 LE2 d 6 9 ) (1 9 8 6 ).

3re q u e ste d c h a rg e o n fe lo ny in v o lu n ta ry m a n slau g h te r. Se e OCGA § 1 6 -5 -3 (a ).

We d isa g re e

.

OCGA § 1 6 -5 -3 (a ) p ro v id e s th a t “ [a ] p e rso n c o m m its th e o f f e n s e o f

in v o lu n ta ry m a n sla u g h te r in th e c om m issio n of a n u n la wfu l a c t w h e n h e c a u se s

th e d e a th o f a n o th e r hu m a n b e in g with o u t a n y i n t e n t i o n to do so b y th e

c o m m issio n o f a n u n la w fu l a c t o th e r th a n a fe lo n y .” Ap p e lla n t re q u e ste d th a t

th e tria l c o u rt c h a rg e th e ju ry o n u n la wfu l a c t in v olu n ta ry m a n sla u g h te r b a se d

o n th e u n d e rly in g m isd e m e a n o r o f b a tte r y

. S e e OCGA § 1 6 -5 -2 3 .1 (a ) (“ A

p e rso n c o m

m its th e o f

fe n se o f b a tte ry wh e n he o r sh e in te n tio n a lly c a u se s

su b sta n tia l p h y sic a l h a rm o r v isib le b o d ily h arm to a n o th e r.” ). Th e tria l c o urt

d e c lin e d t o g i v e th e c ha rg e

, a n d a p pe lla n t n o w c on te n d s th a t Ca th e rin e ’s

te stim o n y th a t sh e stra n g le d h e r m o th e r in a n a tte m pt to p u ll h e r o ff a

p p e lla n t,

with ou t a n y in te n t to k ill h e r, wa s e vid e n c e o f th e m isd e m e a n o rs of re c k le ss

c o n d u c t a n d sim

ple b a tte ry

, re q u irin g th e tria l c o u rt to g iv e th e re q u e ste d c h arg e

o n u n la w fu l a c t in v o lu n ta ry m a nsla u g h te r. 3 S e e Ro ge rs v . S ta te

, 28 9 Ga

. 6 7 5

,

3 Ap p el l an t d i d n o t fi l e a wri t t en req u es t t o ch arg e o n i n v o l u n t ary m an s l au g h t er

b as ed o n t h e m i s d em ean o r o f reck l es s co nd u ct

, s ee OCGA § 1 6 -5 -6 0

, d i d n o t o ral l y

r e q u es t s u ch a ch arg e d u ri n g t h e ch arg e co n feren ce, an d d id no t o b ject t o t h e t r i a l

co u rt ’ s fai l u re t o gi v e t h e ch arg e. W e w i l l as s u m e, h o wev er, fo r p u rp o s es o f t h i s

ap p eal t h at s h e p ro p erl y

req u es t ed t he ch arg e.

46 7 7 (2 ) (7 1 5 S E2 d 68 ) (2 0 1 1 ) (sa y in g th a t a “ ‘writte n re q u e st to c ha rg e a le sse r

in c lu de d o ffe n se m

u st a lwa y s b e g iv e n if th e re is a n y e v id e nc e th a t th e

d e fe n d a n t is g u ilty o f th e le sse r in c lu d e d o ffe n se ’” (c ita tio n o m itte d )).

We c o n c lu d e

, h o we v e r, th a t e v e n if th e tria l c o u rt e rre d in fa ilin g to c h arg e

o n fe lo n y in v o lu nta ry m a n sla u g h te r, with b a tte ry a n d re c k le ss c o nd uc t a s th e

u n d e rly in g m isd e me a n ors, th e e rro r wa s h arm le ss, b e c a u se th e re wa s

o v e rwh e l mi ng e vid e n c e th a t wa s in c o n siste n t w ith th e c o -d e fe nd an ts’ v e rsio n

o f e v e n ts th a t th e y c a

u se d th e ir m o th e r’s d e a th u n in te n tio n a lly

. Th is in c lu d e d

e v id e n c e th a t th e c o -d e fe n d a n ts d id n ot h a v e a n y in ju rie s c o n siste n t with th e ir

v e rsio n a b o u t th e v ic tim ’s d e a th ; a p p e lla n t in itia lly d e n ie d sta g in g th e c rim e

sc e n e

, b u t la te r a dm itte d th a t sh e p la c e d th e k nife in th e v ic tim ’s h a n d a fte r sh e

d ie d ; th e v ic tim h a d m

u ltip le b ru ise s o n h e r h e a d th a t we re in flic te d wh ile sh e

wa s a liv e ; th e v ic tim h a d a b ra sio n s o n h e r a rm s a n d h an d s th a t w e re c o n siste n t

with d e f e n s i v e in ju rie s; th e vic tim d id n o t h a v e a n y in ju rie s c o n siste nt with a

stru gg le o v e r a k n ife ; th e v ic tim d ie d fro m a su sta in e d stra n g u la tio n o f a t le a st

two m in u te s; a nd th e vic tim wo u ld h a v e l o s t c on sc io u sn e ss with in 15 to 3 0

se c o n d s o f th e b e g in n in g of th e stra n gu la tio n

. Giv e n th e o v e rwh e lm in g

e v id e n c e th a t is in c o n siste n t w ith a p p e lla n t’s ve rsio n o f e ve n ts a n d su p p o rts th e

5S ta te ’s c a se th a t th e c o-d e fe n d a n ts a c te d with m a lic e in k illin g th e ir m o th e r, a n y

e rro r i n f a i l i n g to c h a rg e o n in v o lu n ta ry m a n sla u gh te r wa s h a rm le ss. S e e

Ro g e rs, 2 8 9 Ga

. a t 6 7 7 (h o ld in g th a t th e tria l c o u rt e rre d in fa ilin g to c h a rg e o n

in v o lu n ta ry m a n sla u g h te r b u t t h a t th e e rro r wa s ha rm le ss b e c a u se “ th e re wa s

o v e rwh e lm in g e v id e n c e in c o nsiste n t w i t h [ th e a p p e lla n t' s] v e rsio n o f e v e n ts, bu t

su p p o rtiv e o f th e ju ry ’s fin din g h im g u ilty o f m a lic e m

u rd e r” ). 4

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

4 Mo reo v er, fo r t hes e s am e reas o n s, ev en i f ap p el l an t d id n ot p res erv e t h e i s s u e

o f t h e t ri a l co u rt 's fai l ure t o ch arg e o n i n v ol u n t ary m an s lau g h t er b as ed o n t h e

m i s d em ean o r o f reck l es s co n d u ct

, s ee fo o t n o t e 3

, s u p ra, u nd er t h e p lai n -erro r

d o ct ri n e, we co n cl ud e th at s uch an i n s t ru ct i o n wo u ld n o t l i k el y hav e affect ed t h e

o u t co m e o f th e p ro ceed i n g s

. S e e A l l en v

. St at e, 2 9 0 Ga. 7 4 3 (3 ) (7 2 3 SE2 d 6 8 4 )

(2 0 1 2); St at e v . Kel l y , 2 90 Ga. 2 9 (2 ) (7 1 8 SE2 d 2 3 2 ) (2 0 1 1 ).

6