SECOND DI VI SI ON

A NDREWS, P. J.

, M I LLER and BRA NCH, 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.

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M ay 14, 2015



# I n th e Co u r t o f

A p p eals o f

G eo r g ia

A1 5 A0 11 3 . THE STATE v . BARROW

.

M I LLE R , J u d ge.

Pu rs uan t t o a n eg o t i at ed p l ea, J a m e s A lle n Barro w p led g u i l t y t o m an u fact u ri n g

m et h am p h et am i ne (OCGA § 16 -1 3 -3 0 (b )). 1 Ov er t h e St at e’ s o b ject i o n , th e t ri al co u rt

d eferred en t ry o f

ju d g m en t o n Barro w’ s p lea p urs u an t t o t h e co nd i t i o n al d is ch arg e fo r

d ru g p o s s es s i o n s t a t u t e (OCGA § 1 6 -1 3-2 (a)) an d p l aced Barro w o n p ro bat i o n fo r

fi ve ye ars

. Th e St at e t h en fi l ed a m o t i o n t o vacat e o r co rrect Barro w’ s sen t en ce,

wh i ch t h e t ri al co u rt d en i ed

. Th e St at e ap peal s t o t h i s Co urt

, 2 co nt en d in g t h at Barro w

1 Th e St at e n o l l e p ro s s ed o n e co u nt o f m et h am p h et am i n e t raffi ck i n g (OCGA § 1 6 -1 3 -3 1 (f) (1 )) an d o ne co u nt o f m an u fact u ri n g m et h am p h et am i n e in t h e pres en ce

o f a ch i l d (OCGA § 1 6 -5 -7 3 ).

2 T h e St at e m ay ap peal t h e i m p o s i t i o n o f a v o i d s en t en ce o r t h e d e n i a l o f i t s

m o ti o n t o am en d a v o i d s en t en ce. See S t at e v. Jo n es , 2 6 5 Ga. A p p

. 4 9 3, 4 9 3 -4 9 4 (1 ) (5 9 4 SE2 d 7 0 6 ) (2 0 04 ); O CGA § 5

- 7

- 1 ( a ) (6 ). “ A sen t en ce i s v o i d i f t h e co u rti s in el i g i b l e fo r co n d i t i o n al d i s c h a r g e b ecau s e (1 ) h e p l ed g u i l t y t o m an u fact u ri n g

m et h am p h et am i n e , a n d (2 ) h e h ad p rev i ou s l y b een co n v i ct ed o f dri v i n g u n d er t h e

i n fl u en ce o f d ru g s (OCGA § 4 0 -6 -3 9 1 (a) (2 )). Fo r t h e reas o n s t hat fo l lo w, we ag ree

an d t h erefo re rev ers e.

“ Th e i n t erp ret at i o n o f a s t at ut e i s a q ues t i o n o f l aw, wh i ch is rev i ewed d e n o v o

o n ap p eal .” (Ci t at i o n o m i t t ed

. ) Jen ki n s v. St a t e , 2 8 4 Ga. 6 4 2, 6 4 5 (2 ) (6 7 0 SE2 d 4 2 5 )

(2 0 0 8).

1

. Si n ce Barro w p led g ui l t y t o m an u fact u ri n g m et h a m p h e t a m i n e, th e St at e

co n ten d s t h at h e i s i n el i g i bl e fo r co n d i t i on al d i s ch arg e u n d er O CGA § 1 6 -1 3 -2 (a),

wh i ch i s o n l y av ai l ab l e to d efen d an t s wh o h av e p l ed g u il t y t o o r b een fo u n d g u i l t y o f

d ru g po s s es s i o n . W e ag ree.

Un d er OCGA § 1 6 -1 3 -2 (a), t h e t ri al co u rt h as t h e d i s c ret i o n t o wi th h o l d an

ad ju d i cat i o n o f g u i l t an d d efer sen t en ci n g fo r d ru g p o s s es s i o n , wi t h t he p o s s i b i l i t y o f

a co m p l et e d i s ch arg e an d di sm i s s al if t h e d efen d an t s ucces s fu l l y co m p l et es a

p ro b at i o n ary p eri o d

. Th is s t at ut e h as b een co m p ared t o t h e St at e’ s “ fi rs t o ffen d er”

i m p o s es p u n i s hm en t t hat t h e l aw d o es n o t a l l o w

. ” Cr u mb l ey v. S ta t e , 2 6 1 Ga. 6 1 0,

6 1 1 (1 ) (4 0 9 SE2 d 5 17 ) (1 9 9 1 ).

2s t at u te, OCGA § 4 2 -8 -6 0

. See An d rews v. S ta t e , 27 6 Ga. Ap p

. 4 28

, 4 30 (1 ) (6 2 3 SE2 d

2 4 7 ) (2 0 0 5 ).

In co n s t ru i n g a s t at u t e, t h e det erm i n in g fact o r i s t h e i n t en t o f th e

l eg i s l at u re an d w e l o o k fi rs t t o t h e wo rd s o f t he st at ut e t o d et erm in e

wh at t h at i n t en t w as an d if t h o s e wo rd s [are] pl ai n an d un am b i gu o us an d

t h e i n ten t m ay b e cl earl y g at h ered t h erefro m , we need l o o k n o fu rt h er[.]

(Ci t at i o n an d p u nct u at io n o m i t ted .) Ea r l y v. Ea r l y , 2 69 G a. 41 5

, 4 16 (4 99 SE2 d 3 2 9 )

(1 9 9 8); s ee al so OCGA § 1 -3 -1

.

Th u s , t o d et erm in e wh et h er Barro w i s el i g i b l e fo r co n d i t i o n al d i sch arg e, we

m u st l o o k t o t h e l an g u ag e o f OCGA § 1 6 -1 3 -2 (a), 3 wh i ch p ert in en t l y p ro v i d es :

W h en ev er an y p ers o n

. . . p l ea d s g ui l ty t o o r i s fo u n d gu i l t y o f

p o s s es si o n o

f a n ar co t ic d

r u g , ma r i j u a n a , o r s t i mu l a n t

, d ep r es s a n t, o r

h a l l uci n o gen i c d

r ug , t he co u rt m ay wi t h o u t en t eri n g a ju dg m en t o f g ui l t

an d wi t h t h e co n s en t of s u ch p ers o n d efer fu rt h er p ro ceed in g s an d p l ace

h i m o n p ro b at i o n u p o n s u ch reas o n ab l e t erm s an d co n d i t i o n s as th e

co u rt m ay req u i re[.]

3 Al t h ou g h t h e S t a t e r e l i es o n An d r ews v. S t a t e , 2 71 Ga. Ap p

. 16 2

, 1 6 3 -1 6 5 ( 6 0 9 S E 2 d 1 1 9 ) (2 0 0 4) t o s u p p o rt i t s p os i t i o n , in t h at cas e t h e Co u rt h el d t h at

s en t en ci n g u n der t he Fi rs t Offen d er Act o r th e co n d i t i on al d i s ch arg e s tat u t e was

s p eci fi cal l y pro h i bi t ed u nd er t h e fo rm er co cai n e t raffi ck i n g s t at u te (OCGA § 1 6 -1 3

- 3 1 (g ) (1 ) (2 00 4 )), wh i ch i s n o t at i s s u e h ere.

3(Em

p h as i s ad d ed .) Th e u n am b i g u o u s l a n g u a g e o f O CGA § 1 6 -1 3-2 (a) l i m i t s i t s

ap p li cat io n t o t h o s e cri m i n al d efen d an t s w h o pl ead g u i l t y t o o r are co nv i ct ed o f d ru g

p o s s es s i o n

. 4

“ Po s s es s i o n

. . . i s d efi n ed as t h e ri g h t t o e x e r c i s e p o wer o v er a co rp o real

t h i n g .” (Ci t at i on an d pu nct u at io n om it t ed .) S t a t e v. Ja cks o n , 27 1 G a. 5 (5 1 5 SE2 d

3 8 6 ) (1 9 9 9 ). On t h e o t her h an d, “ [m ] an u fact u re m ean s t h e p ro d u ct i o n, p rep arat i o n,

p ro p ag at i o n , c o m

p ou n d i n g , co n v ers i o n , or p ro ces s i n g of a co n t ro ll ed s ub s t an ce[.] ”

(Pu n ct u at i on o m i t t ed .) OCGA § 1 6 -1 3 -2 1 (1 5). By ex p res s ly m en t i on i n g o n l y

posse s s i o n , t he s t at u t e i m

p l i ci t l y ex cl u d es o t h er dru g o ffen se s, suc h a s m a n uf a c tur ing.

See Ab d u l ka d i r v. S t a t e , 2 7 9 Ga. 1 2 2

, 12 3 (2 ) (6 1 0 SE2 d 50 ) (2 0 0 5 ) (“ Geo rg i a l aw

p ro v id es t h at t h e ex p res s m en t i o n o f o n e t h in g i n an Act o r s t at u t e i m p l i es t h e

ex cl u s i o n o f al l o th er t h i n g s.” (fo o t n o t e o m i t t ed ).

Li m i t i n g t h e ap p l i cat i o n o f OCGA § 1 6 -1 3 -2 (a) t o d ru g p o s s es s i o n i s

co n si s t en t w i t h t h e l eg i s l at i v e s ch em e cri m i n al i zi n g an d p u n i s h in g d r u g o f f e n s es

.

No t ab l y , d ru g p o s s es s i o n i s cri m i n al i zed b y OCGA § 1 6 -1 3

- 3 0 ( a). In co n t ras t

,

OCGA § 1 6-1 3 -3 0 (b ) p ro h i b i t s m an u fact u ri ng , d el i v eri n g, d i s t ri b u t i n g, d i s p en s i n g,

4 In d eed

, at t h e heari n g o n t h e St at e’ s m o t i o n t o v acat e Barro w ’s sen t en ce, Barro w co n ced ed t h at co n d it i o n al d i s ch arg e i s o n l y av ai l ab l e fo r p o ss es s i o n an d n ot
fo r m an ufact uri ng

.

4ad m i n is t eri n g , s el l i n g , an d p o s s e s si n g w i th i n t en t t o di st ri bu t e an y co n t ro l l ed

s u b s t an ce. M o reo ver, Geo rg i a l aw i m p o ses m u ch h ars h er p en al t i es fo r t h es e cri m es

t h an fo r m ere p o s ses s i o n

. C o m p are OCGA § 1 6 -1 3-3 0 (c) an d (d ); s ee al s o Ba s set t

v. Lema cks , 2 5 8 Ga. 3 6 7 , 3 7 0 (2 ) (3 7 0 SE2 d 1 4 6 ) (1 9 8 8 ).

In d en y i n g th e St at e’ s m o t i o n t o v acat e or co rrect Barro w’ s sen t en ce, t h e t ri al

co u rt fo un d t h at p o s s e s s i o n , as u s ed i n OCGA § 1 6 -1 3 -2 (a), w as in ten d ed t o b e

i n t erp ret ed i n t h e “ g en eri c s en s e,” an d t h u s en co m p as s ed t raffi ck i n g an d

m an u fact u ri n g ch arg es as wel l

. Sp eci fi cal l y , t h e t ri al co u rt fo u n d t h at co nd i t i o n al

d i s ch arg e i s av ai l ab le t o d efen d an t s ch a r g ed wi t h d ru g t raffi ck i n g o r m an u fact u ri n g,

as wel l as p o s s es si o n. El i g i b i l it y u n d er t h e c o n d i t i o nal d i s ch arg e s t at u t e, h o wev er,

t u rn s on t h e o ffen s e fo r wh ich a d efen d an t i s co n v i ct ed o f o r wh i ch h e p l ead s g ui l t y

t o , n o t o n t h e ch arg es fi l ed ag ai n s t h i m . OCGA § 1 6 -1 3 -2 (a).

Th e ru les o f s t at u t o ry i n t erp ret at i on , cl earl y , d o n o t p erm i t u s t o ad o pt t h e t ri al

co u rt ’ s i n t erp ret at i o n

. “ Po s s es s i o n ” m u s t b e i nt erp ret ed as referri n g t o t h e cri m e o f

d ru g p o s s es s i on

. See OCGA § 1 -3 -1 (b ) (“ In al l i n terp ret at io n s o f s t at u t es , t h e

o rd i n ary s i g n i fi cat i o n s hal l b e ap p li ed t o al l wo rd s , ex cep t w o r d s o f a r t o r wo rd s

co n nect ed wi th a p art i cu lar t rad e o r s u b ject m at t er, wh i ch s h al l h av e t h e s i g n i fi cat i o n

at t ach ed t o t h em b y ex pert s i n s u ch t rad e or wi t h referen ce t o s u ch s u b ject m at t er.”).

5Si n ce OCGA § 1 6 -1 3 -2 (a ) u n a m b i g u o u s ly ap p l i es on l y t o d efen d an t s wh o

h av e b een fo un d g u i l t y o f o r p l ed gu i l t y to dru g p o s s es s i o n , Barro w i s n o t el i g i b l e fo r

co n di t i o n al d i s ch arg e u n d er t h at s t at u t e. Acco rd i ng l y, we rev ers e an d rem an d t h i s

cas e t o t h e t ri al co u rt fo r res en t en ci n g

.

2

. Si n ce we rev ers e, we n eed n o t co ns i d er t h e St at e’ s rem ai n i n g co n t en t i o n t h at

Barro w is i n el i g i b l e fo r co n d i t io n al d i s ch arg e b ecau s e h e was p rev i o u sl y co n v i ct ed

o f d ri v i n g u n der t h e i n fl u en ce o f d ru gs (OCGA § 4 0 -6 -3 9 1 (a) (2 )). 5

Ju d g men t r ever sed a n d r ema nd ed . An d rews , P. J., a n d

Br a n ch , J., co n cu r

.

5 M o reo v er, t h e St at e d i d n o t p ro p erl y p res en t t hi s arg um en t fo r i n el i g i b i l i t y to

t h e t ri al co urt

, b u t rat h er rai s ed i t fo r t h e fi rs t ti m e i n i ts No t i ce o f Ap p eal

. W e are a

co u rt fo r t h e co rrect i on o f erro rs , an d we d o n o t co n s i d er i s s u es wh i ch were n o t rai s ed

b el o w an d ru led o n b y t h e t ri al co u rt

. See W a r d v. S ta t e , 2 9 9 Ga. Ap p

. 8 2 6

, 8 2 7 (6 8 3

SE2 d 8 9 4) (2 0 0 9).

6