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RI CKM A N, C. J.

, M CFA DDEN, P. J.

, and SENI OR A PPELLA TE JUDGE PHI PPS

N O T IC E : M otions for r e c ons i de r a tion m us t be

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A ugust 18, 2021



# I n th e Co u r t o f

A p p eals o f

G eo r g ia

A2 1 A1 01 3 . TURKIA v . THE STATE.

P H I P P S , Sen i o r Ap p el l at e J u d g e.

A ju ry fo u n d Ja r i Ka l e vi Tu rk i a gu i l t y o f ag g rav at ed b at t ery

, b at t ery

, an d

s i m p l e as s au lt as a l e sse r

- inc l u d ed o ffen s e o f ag g rav at ed as s au lt

. Fo l l o wi ng t h e d en i al

o f h i s m ot i o n fo r n ew t r i a l

, T u rk i a ap p eal s

. H e arg u es t h at t h e tri al co u rt erred by

ad d res s i n g ju ry qu es t i o n s d u ri n g d el i berat i o n s w i t ho u t fi rs t so l i ci t i n g h i s i n p u t an d

b y fai l i n g t o p ro p erl y

i n st ru ct t h e ju ry

o n t h e d ead l y

weap o n el em en t o f ag g rav at ed

as s au l t . W e fi n d n o erro r an d affi rm

.

On ap p eal fro m a cri m i n al co n v i c t i o n

, t h e ev id en ce m u s t be

v i ewed i n t h e l i g h t m o s t fav o rab l e t o s u p po rt th e v erd i ct

, an d th e

d efen d an t n o l o n g er en

jo y s th e p res u m

p t i o n of i n no cen ce; m oreo v er, an

ap p el l at e co u rt det erm in es ev i d en ce su ffi ci en cy an d do es n ot wei g h th e

ev i d en ce o r d et erm i n e wi t n es s cred ib i l i t y

.Zer b ar i n i v. S t a t e

, 3 5 9 Ga. Ap p

. 1 5 3

, 15 3 -1 5 4 (8 5 5 SE2 d 8 7 ) (2 0 2 1 ) (ci t at i o n

o m it t ed ). See al s o Ja cks on v. Vi r g i n i a

, 4 4 3 U. S. 3 0 7

, 3 19 (III) (B) (9 9 SCt 2 7 8 1

, 6 1

LE2 d 5 6 0 ) (1 97 9). Vi ewed i n t h a t l i g h t

, t h e reco rd s h ows t h at i n No v em ber 2 0 1 6,

Tu rk i a k n o ck ed on t h e d o o r o f t h e vi ct i m ’ s ho u se. Bel i ev i n g T u r k i a was a

s al es pers o n, t h e v i ct im o p en ed t h e d o o r. Tu rk i a to l d th e vi ct i m t h at h e was l o o k i n g

fo r “ t h e t u rk ey h o us e.” Th e v i ct i m i n fo rm ed Tu rk i a t h at he h ad t h e wro ng ho u s e, an d

Tu rk i a wal k ed away

.

A few m i n u t es l at er, t h e v i ct i m a g a i n h e ard a k n o ck at t h e d o o r an d s aw t h at

Tu rk i a h ad ret u rn ed

. Bel i ev in g Tu rk i a n eed ed d i rect i on s

, th e vi ct i m ag ai n o pen ed t h e

d o o r. “ Th e m in u t e” h e o p en ed t h e d o or, h o wev er, T urk i a “ p u s h ed it o p en

, fu l l fo rce,”

t h ro wi n g t h e v i ct im b ack a few feet

. Tu rk ia t h en h el d t h e vi ct im t i g h t l y

, tri ed t o fo rce

h i m o u t o f t h e h o u s e, an d y el l ed

, “ Yo u need to g et o u t

, t h i s i s m y h ou s e, y ou n eed to

g et o u t,” an d “ My

wi fe o wn s t h i s h o u s e.” Th e v i ct i m tri ed t o ex p l ai n t o T urk i a t h at

h e o wn ed t h e h o u s e, b u t Tu rk i a “ p u s h ed [h i m ] s o h ard [h e] act u al ly wen t th ro u g h t h e

d ry wal l .” Th e v ict i m co n t in ued t o t ry an d reas on wi t h Tu rk i a, b u t Tu rk ia p u t t h e

v i ct i m i n a ch o k eh o l d

, cau s i n g t h e v i c t i m t o co l lap s e t o h is k nees

, an d s t art ed

s u ffo cat in g h i m

. Tu rk i a t h en p u s h ed t h e vi ct i m d o wn i n t o t he fl o or an d p res s ed h i s

wh o l e b o d y w ei gh t o n t o t h e v i ct i m

. T h e v i ct i m t h o u gh t T u rk i a was go i n g t o k i l l h i m

.

2Ul t i m at el y

, h o wev er, T u rk i a t h rew t h e v i ct i m o ut o f t h e h o u s e, an d h e s lam m ed an d

l o ck ed t h e d o o r. As a res ul t o f Tu rk i a’ s at tack

, t he v i ct i m was b l eed i n g

, su s t ai n ed a

crack ed ri b , an d h ad s crat ch es , b ru i s es , an d red m ark s wh ere Tu rk i a ch o ked h i m

.

Th e v i ct i m cal l ed 91 1

, an d o ffi cers arri ved o n t h e s cen e s h o rt l y th ereaft er. Th e

o ffi cers en t ered t h e h o u s e an d arres t ed Tu rk ia. A r e s p o n d i n g o ffi cer tes t i fi ed t h at

Tu rk i a l oo k ed l i k e h e h ad b een i n a fi g h t

, was fl u s h ed

, an d ap p eared t o b e u n d er t h e

i n fl u en ce o f i l l eg al dru g s

. An au d i o reco rd i n g o f t h e v i ct i m ’ s 9 1 1 cal l was ad m i t t ed

at t ri al an d p l ay ed fo r t h e ju ry

.

A ju ry fo u nd Tu rk i a gu i l t y o f ag grav at ed b at t ery

, b at t ery

, an d s i m pl e as s au l t

as a les s e r

- i n cl u d ed o ffen s e o f ag grav at ed as sau l t

. Th e t ri al co u rt d en i ed Tu rk i a’ s

m o ti o n fo r n ew t ri al , an d Tu rk ia fi l ed t h is t i m el y ap p eal

.

1

. Tu rk ia fi rs t al l eg es t h at t h e t ri al co u rt erre d b y fai l i n g t o fo l l o w t h e

p ro ced ure es t ab l i s h ed b y Lo wer y v. St a t e

, 2 8 2 Ga. 6 8

, 7 2 -7 6 (4 ) (b ) (6 4 6 SE2 d 6 7 )

(2 0 0 7), fo r res p o n d i n g t o a d el i b erat i n g ju ry ’ s q u es t i o n s

. Th e reco rd s h o ws t h at t h e

d el i b erat i n g ju ry s en t t h e t ri al co u rt t wo n o t es

. W e fi n d n o rev ers i b l e erro r in t h e t ri al

co u rt ’ s res p o n se t o ei t h er n o te.

Th e p ro ced u re fo r ad d res s i n g a d el i b erat i n g ju ry ’ s q u es t io n i s wel l s et t l ed . A

t ri al co u rt i s req u ired

3t o h av e ju ro rs ’ co m m u n i cat i o n s s u b m i t t ed t o t h e co u rt i n wri t i n g ; t o

m ark [each ] wri t t en co m

m u n i cat i o n as a co u rt ex h i bi t i n t h e p res en ce o f

co u n s el ; t o affo rd co un s el a fu l l o p po rt u n i ty t o s u g g es t an ap p ro p ri at e

res p on s e; an d to m ak e co u n s el aware o f t h e s u b s tan ce o f t h e t ri al co u rt ’ s

i n t en d ed res p o n s e i n o rd er t h at co u n s el m ay s eek wh at ev er

m o d i fi cat i o n s co u n s el d eem s ap pro p ri at e b e f o re t h e ju ry i s ex po s ed t o

t h e i n st ru ct i o n

.

Lo wer y , 2 8 2 Ga. at 7 6 (4 ) (b ) (i i ).

a. Th e f i r st n o te

. In t h e fi rs t n o t e, t h e ju ry as k ed t o r e v i e w T u r ki a’ s an d t h e

v i ct i m ’ s t es t i m o n y, a s w e l l as t h e 9 1 1 cal l

. Th e t ri al co u rt i nfo rm ed t h e ju ry t h at

t es t i m o ny was n ot red u ced to w ri t i n g

, an d t he ju ro rs n eed ed t o rel y on t hei r n o t es an d

co l l ect i v e m em o ry reg ard in g an y tes t i m o n y

. H o we v er, t h e t ri al co u rt rep l ay ed t h e

au d io reco rd i ng of t h e 9 1 1 cal l i n t h e co u rt ro o m fo r t h e ju ry

. Th e reco rd i n d i cat es t h at

t h e St at e an d Tu rk i a, wh o was p ro ceed i n g p ro s e aft er fi ri n g hi s t ri al co u n s el m i d

t ri al

, 1 were p res en t wh en t h e t ri al co u rt ad d res s ed t he ju ry ’ s n o t e an d rep l ay ed t h e 9 1 1

t ap e. Nei t h er p art y

o b ject ed t o t h e t ri al co urt ’ s rech arg e.

1 W e n o t e t hat p ro s e l i t i g an t s are h el d t o th e sam e s t an d ard as at t o rn ey s

. See

Lewi s v. S t a t e

, 3 3 0 G a. Ap p

. 6 5 0

, 6 5 2 (7 6 8 SE2 d 8 2 1 ) (2 01 5 ) (“ A p art y i s n o t h el d

t o a d i fferen t o r m o re l en i en t s tan d ard m erel y b ecau s e h e el ect ed t o p ro ceed p ro s e.

O n e wh o k n o wi n g l y el ect s t o rep res en t h im s el f as s um es fu l l res po n si b i l i t y f o r

c o m p l y i n g wi t h t h e s ub s t an t i v e an d p ro ced u ral req ui rem en t s of t h e l aw.”) (ci t a t i o n

an d p u n ct u at i on o m i t t ed ). Tu rk i a l at er o b t ai n ed co u n s el t o rep res en t h i m at

s en t en ci n g an d fo r h is m o t i o n fo r a n ew t ri al

.

4It is i m po rt an t t o n o t e t h at Tu rk i a d o es n ot ch al l en ge th e s u b s t an ce o f t h e

rech arg e g i v en t o t h e ju ry i n res p o n s e t o t h i s fi rs t no t e. In fact

, h i s co u n sel at t h e

m o ti o n fo r n ew t ri al h eari n g s t at ed t h at t he t ri al co u rt ’ s res p o n ses were “ co rrect an d

accu rat e.” In st ead

, Tu rk i a cl ai m s t h at t h e t ri al co u r t f a i l e d t o fo l l ow t h e p ro ced u re

p res cri bed b y Lo wer

y fo r h an d l i n g ju ry n o tes

. T he St at e ack n o wl ed g es t h at t h e t ri al

co u rt fai l ed t o fo l l ow th e Lo wer y p ro ced u re wi t h res p ect to th e fi rs t no t e b ecau s e “ t h e

t ri al co u rt d i d n ot ad d res s th e ju ry ’ s q ues t i o n s wi t h t h e pro s ecu t or an d [Tu rk i a] p ri o r

t o b ri n g i ng t h e ju ry i n an d d i scu s s i n g t h e q u es ti o n s wi th t h e ju ry .” No t wi t h s t an d i n g

t h e tri al co u rt ’ s fai l u re t o fo l l ow t h e p ro p er p ro ced u re, Tu rk i a “ d i d n o t ob ject at t ri al

t o th e p ro ced u re t h at th e co u rt fo l l o wed in h an d l i n g th e ju ry no t e here. [He] t h erefo re

wai v ed t h i s cl ai m an d i s n o t en t i t l ed ev en t o p lai n erro r rev i ew.” S u g g s v. S t a t e

, 3 1 0

Ga. 7 6 2 , 7 6 8 (6 ) (8 5 4 SE2 d 6 7 4 ) (2 0 2 1 ) (ci tat i o n o m i t t ed ).

b

. Th e s eco n d n o t e

. T h e s eco n d n o t e as k ed

, “ In ord er t o m eet t h e cri t eri a o f

ag g rav at ed as s au l t

, w o ul d t h e defen d an t hav e t o hav e i n t en d ed (i nt en t t o ) s t ran g l e? ”

an d req u es t ed t h e fu l l d efi ni ti o n o f ag g rav at ed as s au l t

. Th e St at e an d Tu rk i a were

ap p ri s ed o f t h e ju ry ’ s n o t e, an d b o th wei g hed i n o n t h e ap p ro p ri at e res po n se t o t h i s

n o t e b efo re t h e ju ry was b ro u gh t t o t h e co u rt ro o m

. Th e t ri al co u rt t h en rech arg ed t h e

ju ry wi t h t h e fu l l d efi n i t i o n o f ag g rav at ed as s au l t

, ad j u s t ed t o t h e i n d i ct m en t an d t h e

5fact s i n t h e cas e, an d gav e an ad d i t i o n al ch arg e o n c r i m i n a l i n ten t

. Fo l l o wi n g t h e

rech arg e, t h e t ri al co u rt s o l i ci t ed o b ject i o n s , an d Tu rk i a s t at ed t h at h e h ad n o n e.

As wi th t h e fi rs t n ot e, Tu rk i a d o es n o t ch al l en g e t h e s u b s t an ce o f t h e rech arg e

g i v en t o t h e ju ry i n res p o n se to th i s s eco nd n ot e, b ut

, rat h er, cl ai m s ag ai n t hat t h e t ri al

c o u r t f ai l ed t o fo l l o w t h e p ro ced u re p res cri b ed b y Lo wer y fo r han d l in g ju ry n o t es

.

Ho wev er, ev en Tu rk i a’ s m ot io n fo r n ew t ri al co u n s el co n ced ed t h at h e d i d n o t “ s ee

m u ch o f a p ro b l em wi t h th e h an d l i ng o f t h e s eco n d qu es t i o n .” M o reo v er, o n ce ag ai n,

Tu rk i a “ d i d n o t o b

ject at t ri al t o t h e p ro ced u re t h at t h e co u rt fo l l o wed i n h an d l i n g t h e

ju ry n o t e h ere. [He] t herefo re wai v ed t hi s cl ai m an d i s n o t en t i t l ed ev en t o p l ai n erro r

rev i ew.” S

u g g s , 3 10 Ga. at 7 6 8 (6 ) (ci t at i o n o m i t t ed ).

Th e tri al co u rt d i d n o t err i n d en y in g Tu rk ia’ s m o t i o n fo r n ew tri al bas ed o n t h e

h an dl i n g o f t h e ju ry ’ s n o t es

.

2

. T urk i a nex t ch al l en g es t h e t ri al co u rt ’ s fai lu re t o ch arg e th e ju ry o n i t s d u t y

t o det erm i n e wh et h er an o ffen si v e weap o n was u sed fo r p u rp os es o f t h e ag g rav at ed

as s au l t ch arg e, ci t in g s u g g es t ed Pat t ern J u ry In s t ru ct i on s

, Vo l. II: Cri m i n al Cas es

, §

62 .2 0.2 3

. 2 He as s ert s b y o m i t t i n g t h i s ch arg e, t h e tri al co u rt fai l ed t o i ns t ru ct t h e ju ry

as t o a m at eri al el em en t o f t h e ag g rav at ed as s au l t co u nt . W e fi nd n o erro r.

Fi rs t an d fo rem o s t, t h e ju ry fo u n d Tu rk i a g u i l t y o f t h e l es s er-i ncl u d ed o ffen s e

o f

- a n d t h e t ri al co u rt s en t en ced h im fo r - s i m p l e as s au l t

, n ot ag grav at ed as s a u l t

.

Becau s e t h e t ri al co u rt di d n o t e n t e r a j u d g m en t o f co n vi ct i o n an d s en t en ce as to

ag g rav at ed as s au lt

, “ an y is s u es co n cern i n g t h o s e ju ry in s t ru ct i o ns are m o o t

. ” Al l en

v. S t a te

, 2 9 6 G a

. 7 8 5

, 79 1 (9 ) (7 7 0 SE2 d 8 2 4 ) (2 0 1 5 ). Acco rd Pa r ker v. S t a t e

, 2 8 2

Ga. 8 97

, 8 99 (4 ) (6 5 5 SE2 d 5 8 2 ) (2 0 0 8 ) (en u m erat ed erro rs co n cern i ng ju ry ch arg e

g i v en i n co n n ect io n w i t h fel o n y m urd er an d ag g rav at ed as s au l t co u n t s o f an

i n d i ct m en t were m o ot b ecau s e t ri al co urt en t ered a ju d g m en t o f co nv i ct i o n a n d

s en t en ce o n l y

o n m al i ce m

u rd er v erd i ct ).

Reg ard l es s

, Tu rk i a’ s cl ai m nev ert h el es s fai l s b ecau s e “ [s ] u ch an i ns t ru ct i o n

was s i m p l y i n ap pl i cab le t o th e cas e at b ar.” Bo yd v. St a t e

, 2 8 9 Ga. Ap p. 34 2

, 3 4 5 (3 )

(6 5 6 SE2 d 8 6 4 ) (2 0 08 ). OCGA § 1 6 -5 -2 1 (a) pro v i d es fo r di s t i n ct m e t h o d s o f

2 Pat t ern J u ry In s t ru ct i o n 2.2 0

. 2 3 i s l ab el ed “ Ag grav at ed As s au l t ; Dead l y

W eap o n ; Ot h er W eap o n s

. ” Th e i n s t ru ct i o n i n fo rm s t h e ju ry t h at i t “ m ay

o r m ay n ot

i n fer t h e (l et h al ) (s eri o u s i nju ry -p ro d u ci n g ) ch aract er o f t h e in s t ru m en t i n q u es t i o n

fro m th e n at u re an d ex t en t o f t h e i n j u ry

, if an y

, i n fl i ct ed u p o n t h e p ers o n al l eg ed l y

at t ack ed ” an d th at i t m

u s t d eci d e fro m t h e ev i d en ce i n t h e cas e wh et h er t h e i m p l em en t

u s ed co n st i t ut ed a d ead l y weap o n o r a w eap o n l i k el y t o cau s e s eri o u s bo d i l y i n ju ry

.

7c om

m i t t i n g ag grav at ed as sau l t

. As ap p l i cab l e t o Tu rk i a’ s arg u m en t

, OCGA § 16- 5- 21

(a) (2 ) s t at es t h at a p ers on co m m i t s t he o ffen s e o f ag g rav at ed as s au l t wh en h e as s au l t s

“ [w] i t h a d ead l y weap o n o r wi t h an y o b ject

, dev i ce, o r in st ru m en t wh i ch

, wh en u s ed

o f f e n s i v el y ag ai n s t a p ers o n

, i s l i k el y t o o r act u al ly d o es res u l t i n s eri o u s b o d i l y

i n ju ry ,” wh ereas OCGA § 1 6 -5 -2 1 (a) (3 ) s tat es t hat a p ers o n co m m i t s an g g rav at ed

as s au l t wh en h e as s au l t s “ [w] i t h an y o b ject

, d ev i ce, o r i n st ru m en t wh i ch

, w h en u s ed

o ffen s i v el y ag ai n s t a p e rs o n

, is l i k el y t o o r act u al l y d o es res u l t i n st ran g u l at i o n.”

Here, t h e St at e al l eg ed t h e l at t er m et h o d wh en i t as s ert ed i n t h e i n d i ct m en t t h at Tu rk i a

a s s a u l t ed t h e v i ct im wi t h h i s “ h an d s an d an arm

. . . wh i ch wh en u s ed offen s i v e l y

ag ai n s t a p ers o n are l ik el y t o an d act u al l y d i d res u l t i n s t ran g u l at io n .” Th u s, “ [t ] h ere

was n o n eed t o i n s t ru ct t h e ju ry o n h an d s as d ead l y weap o n s

, a s t h at m et h o d o f

ag g rav a t e d a s s a u l t was [n ei th er] al leg ed n or p u rs u ed by th e St at e.” Bo yd

, 2 8 9 Ga.

Ap p . at 3 4 5 (3 ).

Ju d g men t a f f i r m ed . Ri ckma n , C. J., a n d McFa d d en , P. J., co n cu r

.

8