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 1

, 2 0 15

S 1 5 A0 3 5 5. THE S TATE v . S UTTON.

THOMP S O N, Ch ie f Ju stic e

.

Th e S ta te in dic te d a

p p e lle e Je rry S u tto n fo r m a lic e m u rd e r in c on n e c tio n

with th e s h o o tin g o f h is b ro th e r-in -la w, Willia m An d e rso n

. T h e tria l c o urt

su b se q u e n tly g ra n te d a

p p e lle e ’s m o tio n to d ism iss th e in d ic tm e n t, fin d in g th a t

a p p e lle e a c te d in se lf-d e fe n se in sh o o tin g An d e rso n

, se e OCGA § 1 6 -3 -2 1

, 1 a n d

wa s th us im m

u n e fro m p ro se c u tio n u n de r O CGA § 1 6 -3 -2 4 .2

. 2 On a p pe a l, th e

S ta te a sse rts th a t, fo r se v e ra l re a so n s, th e tria l c o u rt e rre d in g ra n tin g a p p e lle e ’s

m o tio n to d ism iss. We a ffirm

.

1 O C G A § 1 6

- 3

- 2 1 s a y s t h a t “ a p e r s o n i s j u s t i f i e d i n u s i n g f

o r c e w h i c h i s

i n t e n d e d o r l i k e ly t o c a u s e d e a t h o r g r e a t b o d i l y h a r m o n ly i f h e o r s h e r e a s o n a b l y

b e li e v e s t h a t s u c h f

o r c e i s n e c e s s a r y t o p r e v e n t d e a t h o r g r e a t b o d i ly i n j u r y t o

h i m s e l f o r h e r s e l f o r a t h i r d p e r s o n o r t o p r e v e n t t h e c o m m i s s i o n o f a f o r c i b l e

f e l o n y

. ”

2 OCGA § 1 6 -3 -2 4 .2 sa y s th a t “ [a ] p e rso n wh o u se s th re a ts o r fo rc e in

a c c o rd a n c e with Co de Se c tio n 1 6 -3 -2 1

, 1 6 -3 -2 3

, 1 6 -3 -2 3 .1

, o r 1 6 -3 -2 4 sh a ll b e

im m u n e fro m c rim in a l p ro se c u tio n th e re fo r u n le ss i n t h e u se of d e a d ly fo rc e

,

su c h p e rso n u tiliz e s a

we a p o n th e c arry in g o r p o sse ssio n o f wh ic h is u n la wfu l

b y su c h pe rso n u n d e r P a rt 2 o f Artic le 4 o f Ch a p te r 1 1 o f th is title

. ” In th is c a se

,

a p p e lle e wa s n o t c a rry in g h is we a p o n u n la wfu lly

.1

. To p re v a il o n h is i mmu n ity c la im

, a p p e lle e w a s re qu ire d to e sta b lish

h i s j u stific a tio n d e fe n se u n d e r § 1 6 -3 -2 1 b y a p re p o n d e ra n c e o f th e e v id e n c e

.

S e e S ifu e n te s v

. S ta te

, 29 3 Ga

. 4 4 1

, 44 4 (7 4 6 S E2 d 1 2 7) (2 0 1 3 ). Th e tria l c o urt

h e ld a p re -tria l he a rin g o n a pp e lle e ’s im m

u nity m o tio n a n d la te r e n te re d d e ta ile d

fin d in g s o f fa c t in g r a n t i n g it. On a p p e a l o f a n o rd e r g ra n tin g or d e n y in g

im m u n ity u n d e r O CGA § 1 6 -3 -2 4 .2

, “ w e re v ie w th e e vid e n c e in th e lig h t m o st

fa v o ra ble to th e tria l c o u rt’s ru lin g

, a n d we a c c e p t th e tria l c o u rt’s fin din g s with

re g a rd to qu e stio n s o f fa c t a n d c re d ib ility if th e re is a n y e v id e n c e to su p p ort

th e m .” Hip p v. Sta te

, 2 9 3 G a

. 4 1 5

, 4 18 (7 4 6 S E 2 d 9 5 ) (2 01 3) (c ita tio n a n d

q u o ta tio n m a rk s o m itte d ).

Vie w e d in th e lig h t m o st fa v o ra b le to th e tria l c o u rt’s ru lin g

, th e e v id e n c e

p re se nte d a t th e h e a rin g sh o we d th a t, in Ju ly 2 0 1 3

, a p p e lle e a n d his s i s te r,

S h e rry Ha rd e m a n

, we re u p se t with th e ir siste r, S usa n An d e rso n

, a n d h e r

h u sb a n d

, th e d e c e a se d

, fo r ta k in g m o n e y fro m Virg in ia S u tto n

, th e m o th e r o f th e

th re e sib lin g s. Th is h a d b e e n g o in g on fo r so m e tim e

, a n d th e m o th e r wa s in illh e a lth a n d su ffe rin g fro m so m e d e me n t i a. On Ju ly 2 6

, a p pe lle e sp o k e with

S u sa n An de rso n a n d to ld he r th a t h e r p ra c tic e o f ta k in g m o n e y fro m th e ir

m o th e r h a d to sto p. La te r th a t d a y

, a p p e lle e re c e iv e d two th re a te n in g v o ic e m a ils

2fro m c a l l s th a t we re m a de o n S u sa n An d e rso n ’s p ho n e

. On e o f th e m e ssa ge s

wa s fro m th e d e c e a s ed

. I n it, th e d e c e a se d c o m pla in e d a bo u t sta te m e n ts th a t

S u tto n h a d m a d e a

b o u t him a n d th e n sc re a m e d in to th e p h o n e “ y o u k n o w m e

m .....f....., I w ill c o m e u p th e re a n d g

.. d

. .. te a r y o u a n e w a ss.....” In th e se c o n d

v o ic e m a il, th e d e c e a se d ’s ste p so n

, in a p ro fa n ity -la c e d c a l l

, t o ld a p p e lle e th a t th e

n e x t tim e h e sa w a

p p e lle e , h e “ b e tte r g .. d ... b e re a d y

. ”

On Ju ly 2 7

, a

p p e lle e a n d S h e rry H a rd e m a n we n t to th e ir m o t h er ’ s

a p a rtm e nt to se e h o w sh e wa s d o in g

. Su s a n A n d e r s o n a lso sto p p e d b y h e r

m o th e r’s a

p a rtm e n t, a

n d a c o n tro v e rsy e ru p te d o v e r wh e th e r sh e wa s g o in g to

g e t m o n e y fro m h e r m o th e r. Ha rd e m a n a n d a pp e lle e to ld h e r sh e c ou ld n o t g e t

a n y m o re

, a n d S u sa n b e g a n sc re a m in g a n d c u ssin g

. Ap p e lle e c a lle d Offic e r

Ra n d y Rig d o n a nd a sk e d h im to c o m e to th e m o th e r’s h o m e

. Offic e r Rig d o n

d id so

, a n d S u sa n le ft. Th e o ffic e r liste n e d to th e two v o ic e m a il m e ssa g e s th a t

a p p e lle e re c e iv e d th e p re v io u s d a y

. Rig d on te stifie d th a t it wa s a p p a re n t to h im

th a t a p p e lle e wa s ve ry c o n c e rn e d fo r h is sa fe ty

. Offic e r R ig d o n a d d e d th a t th e

m o th e r to ld h im th a t sh e d id n o t wa n t th e d e c e a se d to c o m e to h e r h o m e

. La te r

th a t d a y

, Rig d on a nd a n o th e r offic e r we n t b y th e d e c e a se d ’s h o m e a n d c o n v e y e d

th a t m e ssa g e to h im

.

3D e s p i te th is m e ssa ge

, th e d e c e a se d

, S u sa n A n d e rso n

, a n d Ra y Ro g e r s

we n t to Ms. S u tto n’s h o m e a b o u t 8 :5 0 a .m . o n S u n d a y , Ju ly 2 8 . Ac c ord in g to

Ro g e rs, h e a n d th e d e c e a se d ha d b e e n d rin k in g b e e r sin c e a b o u t 12 :3 0 a .m

., a n d

th e g ro u p w e n t to th e m o th e r’s a p a rtm e n t b e c a

u se S u sa n wa s “h e ll b e n t” o n

g e ttin g m o n e y fro m h e r m o th e r th a t m o rn in g

. A p p e l l ee w a s a lre a d y a t h is

m o th e r’s a

p a rtm e nt wh e n th e g ro u p a rriv e d

. He wa s ar m e d with a h a n d g u n

,

wh ic h h e h a d p la c e d o n th e so f a

. A l t h o u g h th e la te r a rriv in g g ro u p sa w

a p p e lle e ’s tru c k in fro n t o f th e m o th e r’s a p artm e n t, S u sa n An d e rso n we n t in to

th e a p a rtm e n t, le a v in g th e do o r o p e n

. S h e sa w a p p e lle e ’s g u n o n th e so fa a n d

sa id

, “ we ’v e g o t o n e to o .” A p p e lle e a n d S usa n b e ga n a rg u in g. R o g e rs a n d th e

d e c e a se d h e a rd th e a rg u m e n t, a n d th e de c e a se d ju m p e d o u t o f h is tru c k a n d ra n

to wa rd s th e a

pa rtm e n t. Ro ge rs trie d to

, b u t c o u ld n o t, c a tc h h im be fo re h e g o t

to th e a p a rtm e n t d o o r. Wh e n a

p p e lle e sa w th e d e c e a se d, h e c h a m b e re d a ro u n d

in to h is fire a rm a n d re p e a te d ly to ld th e d e c e a se d n o t to c o m e a n y c lo se r, b u t th e

d e c e a se d n e v e rth e le ss “ c o n tin u [e d ] to p ro c e e d th ro u g h t h e d o o r w a y

. ” 3 A p p e lle e

3 Th e tria l c o u rt m a d e a fin d in g o f fa c t to th is e ffe c t b a se d o n a re c o rd e d

sta te m e n t th a t a

p p e lle e m a d e to a GBI a g e n t. Th a t sta te m e n t wa s p la y e d a t th e

h e a rin g b u t it wa s n o t tra n sc rib e d a s it wa s p la y e d a n d a c o p y o f th e re c o rd in g

is n o t i n t h e a p p e lla te re c o rd

. We th e re fo re m u st a ssu m e th a t th e tria l c o u rt’s

4th e n f

ire d h is we a

p o n on c e

, a n d th e d e c e a se d fe ll in to so m e sh ru bs b y th e

e n tra n c e to th e a

p a rtm e n t. H e d ie d fro m a g un sh ot wo u n d to th e a b d o m e n

. No

we a p on wa s fo u n d o n o r n e a r th e d e c e a se d

. A to x ic o lo g y re p o rt sh o we d th a t th e

d e c e a se d h a d c o c a in e in h is b lo o d a t th e tim e o f his d e a th

. Me a n wh ile

, fo re n sic

te stin g sh o we d th a t a

p p e lle e h a d n o a lc o h o l o r d ru g s in h is sy ste m wh e n h e sh o t

th e d e c e a se d.

At th e tim e o f th e sh o o tin g, a p p e lle e k n e w o f th re e p rio r a c ts o f v io le n c e

c o m m itte d b y th e d e c e a se d

. On e o f th e vio le n t in c id e n ts o c c u rre d in 1 9 9 2 a n d

in v o lv e d a C ity o f Gle n wo od p o lic e offic e r (a p p e lle e w a s a po lic e o ffic e r fo r

Gle n wo o d a t t h a t tim e ). T h e o ffic e r wa s in v o lv e d in a h ig h sp e e d a u to m o b ile

c h a se with th e d e c e a se d a n d h is b ro th e r. T h e d e c e a se d ’s c ar e v e n tu a lly b e c a m e

stu c k

, a n d th e de c e a se d a n d his b ro th e r a tta c k e d th e offic e r, strik in g h im in th e

h e a d with h is ra dio

. Th e o ffic e r th e n sh o t th e d e c e a se d

. A se c o nd in c id e n t

fin d in g re g a rd in g th e re c o rd in g is c o rre c t. S e e Je n k in s v

. Ed e lh e rtz

, 2 7 2 Ga

. 4 8 0

, 4 8 1 (5 3 2 S E2 d 9 4 ) (2 00 0 ) (e x p la in in g th a t, wh e n th e re is n o tra n sc rip t o f

a h e a rin g p re se n te d fo r a

p p e lla te re v ie w , we m

u st a ssu m e th a t th e tria l c o u rt’s

fin d in g s o f fa c t re g a rd in g th a t h e a rin g a re c orre c t); Ro d rig u e z v

. S ta te

, 2 9 5 Ga

. 3 6 2

, 3 6 9 n .1 1 (7 6 1 S E2 d 1 9 ) (2 0 1 4 ) (e x p la in in g th a t, b e c a use a vid e o re c o rd in g

wa s te n d e re d in e vid e n c e b e f o r e t h e t r ia l c o u rt b ut wa s n ot in th e re c o rd o n

a p p e a l, we “ m

u st a ssu m e

. . . th a t th e re c o rd in g su p p o rts th e d e c isio n o f th e tria l

c o u rt.” ).

5o c c u rre d wh e n th e d e c e a se d b ro k e in to th e h o m e o f h is e stra n g e d w ife a n d

a tta c k e d h e r. Sh e

, h o we v e r, w a s a rm e d with a k n ife a n d sta b b e d h im

. Th e th ird

v io le nt a c t o c c urre d wh e n th e d e c e a se d, wh o wa s a rm e d with a b a se b a ll b a t, g o t

in to a fig h t with a n o th e r m a

n wh o wa s a rm e d with a

m a c h e te

. 4

Co n stru in g th e e v id e n c e in th e lig h t m o st fa v o r a b le to th e tria l c o u rt’s

ru lin g

, we c o n c lu de th a t th e tria l c o u rt d id n ot e rr in fin d in g th a t a p p e lle e h a d

4 Ap p e lla n t sa y s in its b rie f th a t a pp e lle e did n o t p ro p e rly e sta blish th a t h e

h a d k n owle d g e o f th e se p rio r a c ts o f v io le n c e

. S e e P a u l S

. Milic h

, Ga

. Ru le s o f

Ev id e nc e § 1 1 :5 (sa y in g th a t, w h e n a d e fe n d a n t c la ims se lf-d e fe n se

, h is

k n o w le d g e o f th e “v ic tim ’s p rio r v io le n t a c ts

. . . is a d m issib le a s re le v a n t to th e

d e fe n d a n t ’ s sta te o f m in d

, a pp re h e n sio n o f im m in e n t d a n ge r, a n d th e

re a s o n a b le n e ss o f h is d e fe n siv e m e a su re s” ). T h e tria l c ou rt, h o we v e r, fo u n d th a t

a p p e lle e k n e w o f th e p rio r a c ts

, a n d th a t fin d in g wa s b a se d o n a p p e lle e ’s

sta te m e n t to th e GBI a g e n t, wh ic h

, a s n ote d a b o v e

, is n o t in th e a

p p e lla te re c o rd

. We th e re fo re m

u st a ssu m e th a t th e tria l c o u r t ’ s r el ia n c e o n th e re c o rd in g wa s

p ro p e r

. S e e Je n k in s, 2 72 Ga

. a t 4 8 1 ; Ro d rig u e z

, 29 5 G a

. a t 3 6 9 n .1 1

. Mo re o v e r, a lth o u g h a

p p e lla n t file d a m o tio n in lim in e to ke e p th e se p rio r v io le n t

a c ts fro m b e in g a d m itte d, th e tria l c ou rt to ld a pp e lla n t th a t it wo uld ru le o n th e

a d m issib ility o f th e p rio r a c ts a t th e tim e th e y we re o ffe re d in to e v id e nc e a t th e

h e a rin g

. Ap p e lla nt, h o w e ve r, m a d e n o o b j e c t i o n to any p a rt o f a

p p e lle e ’s

sta te m e n t to th e GBI a ge n t wh e n it wa s pla y e d fo r th e tria l c ou rt a t th e he a rin g

. F o r th is a d d itio n a l re a so n, th e tria l c o u rt p ro p e rly c o n sid e re d th e e v id e n c e

, e v e n

to th e e xte n t a n y p a rt o f a p p e lle e ’s sta te m e n t a

b o u t th e d e c e a se d ’s v io le n t a c ts

wa s b a se d o n h e a

rsa y

. (Th e h e a rin g on ap p e l l e e ’s im m u n ity m o tio n o c c u rre d

o n Ma y 1

, 2 01 4 , a fte r th e e ffe c tiv e o f o u r n e w Ev id e n c e Co d e , and u n d e r it, if

“ a p a rty d o e s n o t p ro p e rly o b j e c t t o h e a rsa y

, th e o b

je c tio n sh a ll b e d e e m e d

wa iv e d, a n d th e h e a rsa y e v id e n c e sh a ll be le g a l e v id e n c e a n d a d m issib le .”

OCGA § 2 4 -8 -8 02

. )

6sh o wn b y a p re p o n d e ra n c e o f th e e v id e n c e th a t he sh o t th e d e c e a se d b e c a u se h e

re a so na b ly b e lie v e d su c h fo rc e wa s n e c e ssa ry to p re v e n t d e a th o r g re a t b o d ily

in ju ry t o h im se lf o r h is m o th e r fro m th e d e c e a se d ’s im m in e nt use o f u n la wfu l

fo rc e

. Th e t ria l c o u rt th u s p ro p e rly ru le d th a t a p p e lle e wa s im m

u n e fro m

p ro se c u tio n

.

2 . Ap p e lla n t c o n te nd s th a t wh e th e r a p p e lle e a c te d in se lf-d e fe n se u n d e r

th e sta nd a rd o f OCGA § 1 6 -3 -2 1 is a qu e stio n fo r a ju ry a n d th a t th e tria l c o urt

th e re fo re e rre d in ru lin g o n a p p e lle e ’s se lf-d e fe n se c la im b e fo re tria l. Ho we ve r,

th is Co u rt h a s c le a rly h e ld th a t, u p o n th e filin g o f a m o tio n fo r imm u nity

, a tria l

c o u rt m u st d e te rm in e b e fo re tria l wh e th e r a p e rso n is im m un e fro m p ro se c u tio n

u n d e r O CGA § 1 6 -3 -2 4.2

. In th is c a se

, th e re fo re

, th e tria l c o urt h a d to

d e te rm in e b e fo re tria l wh e th e r a p p e l le e a c te d in se lf-d e fe n se a c c o rd in g to th e

sta n d a rd s se t fo rth in OCGA § 1 6 -3 -2 1

. S e e B u n n v

. S ta te , 2 8 4 Ga . 4 1 0 , 4 1 2

-

4 1 3 (6 6 7 S E2 d 6 0 5 ) (2 0 0 8 ); F a i r v

. S ta te

, 2 8 4 Ga

. 1 6 5

, 16 6 (6 6 4 S E2 d 2 2 7 )

(2 0 0 8 ). Alth o u g h a

p p e lla n t a sk s us to o v e rru le Bu n n a nd F a ir, we c o n tin u e to

fin d th e ir re a so n in g so un d a n d d e c lin e to d o so

.

3

. Th e a u to psy re p o rt o f th e GBI m e d ic a l e x a mi n e r sa id th a t th e b u lle t,

fro m its in itia l e n try in to th e d e c e a se d ’s a b d o m e n

, d ro p p e d o ve r e ig h t in c h e s a n d

7m o v e d a

b o u t fiv e in c h e s fro m

rig h t to le ft b e fo re e x itin g th e d e c e a se d ’s b o d y

.

Th e tria l c o u rt fo u n d th a t “ th is tra je c to ry is c on siste n t w ith [th e d e c e a se d ]

h a v in g lu n g e d fo rwa rd with h is rig h t sid e to wa rd th e De fe n da n t.” Ap p e lla n t

c o n te n d s th a t th is fin d in g is n o t su p p o rte d b y th e e vid e n c e

. We d isa g re e

, a s th e

a u to psy re p o rt is so m e e v id e n c e su p po rtin g th e fin d in g

. Se e Hip p, 29 3 Ga

. a t

4 1 8 (“ we a c c e p t th e tria l c o u rt’s fin d in g s with re g ard to qu e stio n s o f fa c t

. . . if

th e re is a n y e v id e n c e to su p p o rt th e m ” (c ita tio n an d q u o ta tio n m a rk s o m itte d )).

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

8