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

De c id e d: S e p te m b e r 1 4 , 2 0 1 5

S 1 5 A1 0 4 1 . WILLIAMS v . RUDOLP H.

MELTON, Ju stic e

.

F o llo win g th e p a rtia l g ra n t o f Ra jk um a r Ru d o lp h ’s p e titio n fo r a writ o f

h a b e a s c orp u s, S ta n le y Willia m s, in h is c a p a c ity a s Wa rd e n , a

p p e a ls, c o n te n d in g

t h a t th e tria l c o u rt e rre d b y fin d in g th a t Ru d o lp h h a d re c e iv e d in e ffe c t i v e

a ssista n c e o f a

p p e lla te c o u nse l. S p e c ific a l ly

, th e ha b e a s c o urt fo u n d th a t

Ru d o lp h wa s h a rm e d b y a p p e lla te c o u nse l’s fa ilu re to c ha lle n g e th e tria l c o u rt’s

d e c isio n to c h a rg e Ru d o lp h ’s j u r y w ith th e c rim e o f sta tu to ry ra p e a s a le sse r

in c lu de d o ffe n se o f ra

p e . F or th e re a so n s se t fo rth b e lo w, we re v e rse

.

As se t fo rth in Ru d o lp h’s p rio r d ire c t a p p e a l, th e u n d e rly in g fa c ts o f th is

c a se a re a s fo llo ws:

Ru d olp h d e v e lo pe d a re la t i o n s h ip with h is frie n d' s 1 2

– y e a r– o ld
d a u g h te r, A.H., a nd sh o we re d h e r with g ifts, in c lu d in g a c e ll p h o n e

. O v e r th e c o u rse o f se v e ra l m o n th s, Ru d o lp h a n d A.H. c a lle d a n d

e x c h a n g e d te xt m e ssa g e s with e a c h o th e r, wh ic h e v e n tu a lly tu rn e d

se x u a l in n a tu re

. On No v e m b e r 1 5

, 2 0 0 7

, Ru d o l p h e n te re d A.H.' s h o u se with o u t p e rm issio n o r a u th o rity

. Up on se e in g A.H. u psta irs,Ru d olp h a p p ro a c h e d h e r, to o k o ff h is p a n ts, a n d p la c e d A.H. o n th e flo o r. Ru do lp h th e n k isse d A.H. o n h e r b re a sts a nd va g in a , in se rte d

a fin g e r in to h e r v a g in a , a nd h a d se x u a l in te rc o u rse w ith he r a g a in st h e r will.

Ru d o lp h v . S ta te , 3 13 G a . Ap p . 4 1 1 , 4 1 2 (7 2 1 S E2 d 6 25 ) (2 0 1 1 ).

At th e c lo s e o f R

u d o lp h ’s ju ry tria l, th e tria l c ou rt, a c tin g su a sp o n te

,

d e c id e d to c h a rg e th e ju ry o n sta tu to ry ra p e a s a le sse r in c lu d e d o ffe n se o f ra p e

.

Ru d o lp h h a d n o t be e n in d ic te d fo r sta tu to ry ra p e

. U ltim a te ly

, R

u d o lp h wa s

a c q u itte d o f fo rc ib le ra

p e a n d fo u n d g u ilty o f sta tu to ry ra p e , a g g ra v a te d se x u a l

b a tte ry , a g g ra va te d c h ild m ole sta tio n , c h ild m o le sta tio n , a nd b u rg la ry

. Ru d o lp h

a p p e a le d

, a n d th e Co u rt o f Ap p e a ls a ffirm e d h is c o n v ic tio n

. Id

. Th e re a fte r , a s

is p e rt i n e n t h e re , Ru d o lp h file d a h a b e a s a c tio n , arg u in g th a t h is a p p e lla te

c o u n se l p e rfo rm e d d e fic ie n tly in fo u r d iffe re nt wa y s. On Au g u st 7

, 2 01 4

, t h e

h a b e a s c o u rt issu e d a fin a l o rd e r g ra n tin g p a rtia l re lie f an d va c a tin g Ru d o lp h ' s

c o n v ic tio n fo r sta tu to ry ra p e , b u t d e n y in g re lie f a s to th e o th e r c o nv ic tio n s a n d

se n te nc e s. Th e h a

b e a s c o u rt fo u n d th a t a

p p el l a t e c o u nse l wa s in e ffe c tiv e fo r

fa ilin g to c h a lle n g e th e tria l c ou rt’ s d e c isio n to g iv e a ju ry in stru c tio n o n

sta tu to ry ra

p e a s a le sse r in c lu d e d o ffe nse o f ra p e

. Tria l c o u n se l h a d o b

je c te d to

th e in stru c tio n, b u t a

p p e ll a t e c o u n se l d id n o t e n u m e ra te th e g iv in g o f th e

2in stru c tio n a s e rro r o n a p p e a l. Th is ru lin g b y th e h a b e a s c o u rt wa s e rro n e o u s.

In o rd e r to p re v a il o n h is c la im , Ru d o lp h

m u st sh o w th a t h is a

pp e lla te la wy e r re n d e re d d e fic ie n t p e rfo rm a n c e

a n d th a t a c tu al p r e

ju d ic e re su lte d

. S tric kla n d v

. Wa sh in g to n , 4 6 6
U.S

. 6 6 8

, 6 8 7 (III) (1 0 4 S Ct 2 0 5 2

, 8 0 LE2 d 6 74 ) (1 9 8 4 ); Ba ttle s v

. Ch a p m a n, 2 6 9 Ga

. 7 0 2 (5 0 6 S E 2 d 8 3 8 ) (1 9 98 ); S m ith v

. F ra nc is,

2 5 3 Ga

. 7 8 2 , 7 8 3 -7 8 4 (1 ) (3 2 5 S E2 d 3 6 2 ) (1 9 8 5 ). With re sp e c t to th e p e rfo rm a n c e p ro n g , c o u n se l o n a p p e a l is “ stro n g ly pre su m e d to h a v e re nd e re d a d e q u a te a ssista n c e a n d m a d e a ll sig nific a n t d e c isio n s in th e e x e rc i s e o f re a so na b le p ro fe ssio n a l ju d g m e n t.”
S tric k la nd v

. Wa sh in g to n , su p ra , 4 6 6 U.S

. a t 6 9 0

. Be c a u se c o u n se l' s
p e rfo rm a nc e is c o n sid e re d in lig h t o f th e c ir c u m s ta n c e s su rro u n d in g th e re p re se n ta tio n , re fe re n c e to h in d s i g h t is in a p p ro p ria te in ju d g in g

c o u n se l' s p e rfo rm a

n c e

. Id

. a t 6 8 9 -6 9 0

. . . In o rd e r to fin d a c tu a l

p re ju d ic e , a c o urt m

ust c o n c lu d e th a t “ th e re is a re a so na b le

p ro b a b ility (i.e

., a pro b a

b ility su ffic ie n t to un de rm in e c on fid e n c e in
th e o u tc o m e ) th a t, b u t fo r c o u n se l' s u np ro fe ssio n a l e rro rs, th e re su lt

o f th e p ro c e e d in g wo u ld h a v e b e e n d iffe re n t [c it.] .” S m ith v

. F ra n c is, su p ra , 2 53 Ga . a t 7 8 3 (1 ). An in e ffe c tiv e a ssista n c e c la im

p re se n ts a m ix e d q u e stio n o f fa c t a n d la w, a n d we a c c e p t th e h a b e a s

c o u rt' s fin d in g s o f fa c t u n le ss c le a rly e rro n e o us b u t in de p e n d e ntly

a p p ly th o se fa c ts to th e la w. S tric k la n d v. Wa sh in g to n , su p ra , 4 6 6
U.S

. a t 69 8; La

ja ra v

. S ta te

, 2 6 3 G a

. 4 3 8

, 44 0 (3 ) (4 3 5 S E2 d 6 0 0 ) (1 9 9 3 ).

He a d v . F e rre ll, 2 7 4 Ga . 3 9 9 , 4 0 3 -4 0 4 (V) (5 5 4 S E 2 d 1 55 ) (2 00 1 ).

At th e tim e o f R

u d o lp h ’s tria l, th e re wa s Ge o rg ia p re c e d e nt ho ld in g th a t,

u n d e r c e rta in c irc um sta nc e s , sta tu to ry ra p e m ig h t b e a n in c lu d e d o ffe n se in

fo rc ib le ra

p e a s a m a tte r o f fa c t, e v e n if n o t a lwa y s in c lu d e d a s a m a tte r o f la w.

3Hill v

. S ta te

, 2 9 5 Ga

. Ap p

. 3 6 0 (2 ) (6 7 1 S E 2d 8 5 3 ) (2 00 8 ). Th is re m a in e d th e

la w a t th e tim e th a t Ru d o lp h ’s d i r e c t a p p e a l w a s file d a n d a t th e tim e th a t th e

a p p e a l wa s d e c id e d a t th e Co urt o f Ap p e a ls in 2 0 1 1

. In 2 0 1 2

, be fo re Ru d o lp h ’s

p re se nt h a

b e a s a c tio n, th e Co u rt o f Ap pe a ls re v e rse d i t s c o u rse , e x p re ssly

o v e rru le d Hill a nd he ld th a t sta tu to ry ra p e m a y n e v e r b e in c lu de d in fo rc ib le

ra p e , a s a m a tte r o f f

a c t o r la w. S tu a rt v

. S ta te

, 31 8 G a

. Ap p. 8 3 9 (7 34 S E2 d

8 1 4 ) (2 0 1 2 ). B a se d o n S tu a rt, Ru d o lp h arg ue d in h is h a b e a s a c tio n th a t h is d u e

p ro c e ss rig h ts h a d b e e n vio la te d 1 wh e n h e wa s c o n vic te d fo r sta tu to ry ra p e

b e c a u se h e h a d no t b e e n i n d i c t e d fo r th a t c rim e a n d it wa s n e ve r a n in c lu d e d

c rim e o f fo rc ib le ra

p e . Th e tria l c o u rt a g re e d with th is a rg u m e n t.

P re te rm ittin g th e q u e stio n o f S tu a rt’s p ro p rie ty

, a t th e tim e th a t a p p e lla te

c o u n se l h a n d le d Ru d olp h ’s a p p e a l, S tu a rt h a d n o t y e t b e e n d e c id e d

.

In m a k in g litig a tio n d e c isio n s, th e re is n o g e n e ra l d u ty o n th e p a rt

o f d e fe n se c o u n s e l to a n tic ip a te c h a ng e s in th e la w, a n d o nly in a

ra re c a se wo u ld it b e in e ffe c tiv e a ssista n c e b y a tria l a tto rn e y n o t to

m a k e a n o b

je c tio n th a t wo uld b e o v e rru le d u n d er p re v a ilin g la w

.

1 S in c e Ru do lp h wa s r e q u ire d to fra m e h is arg u m e nt a s th e d e n ia l o f a

c o n stitu tio n a l rig h t, a s h a b e a s c o rp u s is l i m ite d to th e c o rre c tio n o f su c h a n

e rro r, Ru d o lp h ba se d h is c la im b e lo w o n in e ffe c tiv e a ssista nc e o f c o u n se l. S e e OCGA § 9

– 1 4

– 4 2 (a ). Cf. Hill v

. Willia m s, 2 9 6 Ga

. 7 5 3 (7 7 0 S E2 d 8 0 0 ) (2 0 1 5 ) (h a b e a s c o rp u s a c tio n p re m ise d o n a sta n d -a lo n e du e p ro c e ss c la im ).

4Alth o u g h th is Co u rt h a s h e ld th a t a n e w d e ci s i o n a p p lie s to th e

a d m issio n o f e v id e n c e in c a se s p e nd in g o n d ire c t re v ie w a t th e tim e th a t o p in io n wa s issu e d

, th a t d o e s n o t a lte r th e lo n g -sta n d in g
p re c e d e n t th a t, wh e n a d d re ssin g a c la im o f in e f f e c t i v e n e ss o f

c o u n se l, th e re a so n a

b le n e ss o f c o u n se l' s c on d u c t is e x a m in e d fro m

c o u n se l' s p e rsp e c tiv e a t th e tim e o f tria l. Th u s, a n e w de c isio n d o e s

n o t a p p ly in a m a

n n e r th a t wo u ld re q u ire c o u n se l to a rg u e b e y o n d

e x istin g p re c e d e n t a n d a n tic ip a te th e su bst a n c e o f th e o pin io n b e fo re it wa s issu e d

.

(Cita tio n s a n d p u n c tu a tio n o m itte d .) P e re ra v

. Sta te

, 2 9 5 Ga

. 88 0, 8 8 5 -8 8 6 (2 )

(d ) (7 6 3 S E2 d 6 8 7 ) (2 0 1 4 ).

Th e h a b e a s c o u rt’s o rd e r, d u e to its re lia n c e o n S tu a rt, a dd re sse s th e c la im

o f in e ffe c tiv e a ssista n c e fro m a p e rsp e c tiv e a nd sta te o f th e la w a fte r Ru d o lp h ’s

a p p e a l h a d a lre a dy b e e n d e c id e d

. Th is p e rsp e c tiv e wo u ld re q u ire Ru d o lp h ’s

a p p e lla te c o u n se l to a rg ue b e y o n d e x istin g p re c e d e n t a t th e tim e of h is a p p e a l;

h o we v e r, th e re is n o re q u ire m e nt fo r a n a tto rn e y to p ro g n o stic a te fu tu re la w in

o rd e r to re n d e r e ffe c tiv e re p re se n ta tio n

. At th e tim e o f Ru d o lp h ’s a p p e a l, th e re

wa s c a se la w in d ic a tin g th a t sta tu to ry ra p e c o u ld b e a le sse r in c lu d e d o ffe n se o f

fo rc ib le ra

p e a s a m a tte r o f fa c t. T h er e f o re , e x a m in in g a

p p e lla te c o u n se l’s

p e rsp e c tiv e a t th e tim e o f R u d o lp h ’s a

p p e a l, it wa s n o t u n re a so n a b le fo r h e r n o t

to c ha lle n g e th e tria l c o u rt’s de c isio n to c ha rg e Ru d o lp h ’s ju ry o n th e c rim e o f

sta tu to ry ra

p e

. P e re ra , su p ra

. Mo re o v e r, a t th e tim e o f Ru d o lp h ’s tria l a n d

5a

p p e a l, th e la w wa s we ll-se ttle d th a t sta tu to ry ra p e c o u ld b e a le sse r in c lu d e d

o ffe n se o f a g g ra v a te d c h ild m o le sta tio n p re m ise d o n se x u a l in te rc ou rse with a

c h ild u n de r th e a ge o f six te e n. 2 S e e An d re w s v

. S ta te

, 2 0 0 Ga

. Ap p

. 4 7

, 4 7

– 4 8

(1 ) (4 0 6 S E 2 d 8 0 1 ) (1 9 9 1 ) (h o ld in g th a t sta tu to ry ra p e wa s in c lu d e d a s a m a tte r

o f fa c t in a g g ra v a te d c hild m ole sta tio n wh e re b o th c rim e s we re p re m ise d o n “ a

sin gle a c t o f se x u a l in te rc o u rse with th e fiv e -y e ar-o ld v ic tim ” ). Ac c o rd in g ly

, th e

h a b e a s c o u rt’s g ra n t of Ru d o lp h ’s writ of h a be a s c o rp us m

u st b e re v e rse d

, a n d

Ru d o lp h ’s c o n v ic tio n fo r sta tu to ry ra p e m ust b e re in sta te d

.

Ju d g m e n t re ve rse d . All th e Ju stic e s c o nc u r.

2 Ru d o lp h wa s in d ic te d fo r a g g ra v a te d c h ild m o le sta tio n o n th e b a sis th a t h e “ did th e n a nd th e re u n la wfu lly p e rfo rm a n imm o ra l a nd in d e c e nt a c t u p o n th e
p e rso n o f [AH]

, a c h ild u n d e r th e a ge o f six t e e n y e a rs, b y p e n e tra tin g h e r

v a g in a .”

6