THI RD DI VI SI ON

ELLI NGTON, P. J.

, DI LLA RD and M C FA DDEN, 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.

http://w w w .ga a ppe a ls .us /r ule s /

Septem b er 3, 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 88 6 . HENDERSON v . THE STATE.

E LLI N G T O N , Pres i d i n g J ud g e.

A Fl o y d Co un t y ju ry fo u n d J i m m y Hen d ers o n g u i l t y o f s ex u al bat t ery

, OCGA

§ 1 6-6 -2 2 .1 (b ); an d ag g rav at ed ch i l d m ol es t at i o n

, OCGA § 1 6 -6 -4 (c). H e ap p eal s

fro m t h e d en i al o f h i s m o ti o n fo r a n ew t ri al

, co n t en d i n g t h at th e t ri al co u rt g av e t wo

ju ry i n s t ru ct i on s t h at co ns t i tu t e p l ai n erro r warran t i n g a n ew t ri al

. Fo r t h e fo l l o wi n g

reas on s , we affi rm

i n p art an d rev ers e i n p art

.

Vi ewed i n t h e l i gh t m o s t fav o rab l e t o t he ju ry ’ s v erd i ct

, 1 t h e fact s rel ev an t t o

t h e i n st an t cl ai m s o f erro r are as fo l l o ws

. Th e 11 -y ear-o l d v ict i m

, A. S., s t ay ed wi th

H e n d ers on fo r t wo w eek s w h il e h er m o t h er was h os p i tal i zed

. Du ri n g t h at p eri o d,

1 Ja cks o n v. Vi rg i ni a

, 4 4 3 U. S. 3 0 7

, 3 1 9 (III) (B) (9 9 SCt 2 78 1

, 6 1 LE2 d 5 6 0 )

(1 9 7 9).Hen ders o n en g a g e d t h e vi ct i m i n vari o u s s ex u al act s

. Th e ev i d en ce sh o ws t h at

Hen ders o n p u t h i s p en i s i n t h e v i ct im ’ s m o u th

, pu t h i s m o u t h o n t h e v i ct im ’ s g en i t al s

,

t o u ch ed t h e v i ct im ’ s g en i t al s wi t h h i s han d

, h ad t h e v i ct im d i s ro b e s o t h at h e co u ld

g i v e h er m as s ag es

, an d fo n d led t h e v ict i m ’ s back wh il e s h e was bat h i n g

. In a

reco rd ed fo ren s i c i nt erv i ew, t h e v i ct i m al s o reco u n t ed an i n ci d en t i n wh i ch

Hen ders o n t o o k o ff h er un d erwear an d p u t h i s fi n g er “ ri g h t i n here,” p o in t in g t o h er

g en it al area. Th e v i ct i m t es t i fi ed at t ri al

, h owev er, th at Hen d ers on d i d n o t p en et rat e

h er v ag i n a wi t h h is fi n ger.

1

. Gi v en t h e i n co n s i s t en t ev i d en ce o n wh et her Hen der s o n i ns ert ed h i s fi n g er

i n t o t h e vi ct i m ’ s v ag i n a, t h e St at e as k ed t h e co u rt t o ch arg e t h e j u ry o n s ex u al b at t ery

as a l es s er i n cl ud ed o ffen s e o f t h e o ffen s e o f ag g rav at ed s ex u al bat t ery as s et fo rt h in

Co u n t 1 o f t h e i n d i ct m en t

. In Co u n t 1 o f t h e i n d i ct m en t

, t h e St at e al l eg ed t h at

H e nde r s on vio l at ed OCGA § 1 6 -6 -2 2 .2 wh en h e “ i n ten t i o n al ly pe ne tr a t e [ d] the se xua l

o rg an o f [A. S.]

, a ch il d un d er th e ag e o f 1 6 y ears [,] wi t h a fo rei g n o b ject

, t o wi t : t h e

fi ng er o f t h e accu s ed [.] ” W i t h d efen se co u n s el ’ s co n s en t

, t h e co u rt ag reed t o ch arg e

t h e ju ry o n s ex u al b at t ery

.

W h en i n i t i al l y ch arg i ng t h e ju ry o n s ex ual b at t ery

, t h e co u rt ex p l ai n ed t h at

s ex u al b at t ery was a les s er- i n c l u ded offen se o f t h e o ffen s e o f ag g rav at ed s ex u al

2b a t tery s et fo rt h i n t h e i n d i ct m en t

. Th e co u rt ch arg ed t h e j u ry as t o t h e el em en t s o f

s ex u al b at t ery as fo l l o ws : “ A p ers on co m m i t s t h e offen s e o f s ex u al bat t ery wh en h e

i n t e n t i o n a l l y m ak es p h y si cal co n t act wi t h t he i n t i m at e p art s o f t h e bo d y o f an o t h er

p ers o n wi t h o u t t he co n s en t o f t hat p ers o n .[ 2 ] I ch arg e y o u th at a ch il d o f t h e ag e o f 1 1

i s

. . . leg al l y i n cap ab le o f gi v i n g s u ch co ns en t

. ” D efen s e co u n sel d i d n o t o b j ect t o t h e

ch arg e n or d i d h e v o i ce an y ex cep t i o n s t o t h e ch arg e wh en as ked b y t h e co u rt

.

Sh o rt l y aft er t h e ch a r g e o f t h e co u rt

, t h e j u ry as k ed t h e fo l lo wi n g q u es t i o n:

“ Do es t h e ch arg e o f ag grav at ed s ex u al b at t ery an d / o r s ex u al b at t ery hav e t o b e a

fi ng er i n acco rd an ce wi t h t h e i n d i c t m en t ? ” In d i s cu s s i n g t he q ues t i o n wi th co u n s el

o u t s i d e t h e p res en ce o f t h e ju ry , t h e co u rt s t at ed :

W el l

, t h e an s wer is ag g rav at ed sex u al b at t ery d oes ; s ex u al b at t ery d o es

n o t

. . . . I’ m g oi n g t o read t h e d efi n i t i o ns ag ai n an d t el l t h em so far as

Co u nt 1 is co n c e rn ed

, ag g rav at ed s ex u al b at t ery h as to b e p ro v en

b ey o n d a reas o n ab l e d o u b t as al l eg ed i n t h e i nd i ct m en t. Th at i s [,] wi t h

t h e u s e o f a fi n g er[.]

. . . Th e defi n i t i o n o f s ex u al b at tery d o es n ’ t co n t ai n

t h at req u irem en t[.] ”

2 Th i s fi rs t p art o f t h e co u rt ’ s ch arg e t rack s t h e lan g u ag e o f O CGA § 1 6 -6 -2 2

. 1

(b ): “ A pers o n co m

m i t s t h e o ffen s e o f s ex u al bat t ery wh en h e o r sh e i n t e n t i o n al l y

m ak es p h y si cal co n t act wi th t h e i n t i m at e part s o f th e b o dy of an o t her pers o n wi t h o ut

t h e co n s en t o f t h at p ers o n .”

3Nei t h er t h e St at e no r t h e d efen s e o b ject ed

. Th e co u rt t h en d i d as i t h ad s ug g es t ed

,

ch arg i n g t h e j u r y t h at ag g rav at ed s ex u al b at t ery m u s t b e pro v en “ i n t h e m an n er

ch arg ed i n t h e in d i ct m en t ,” t h at is

, t h e ev i d en ce m u s t s ho w t h at t h e d efen d an t

i n t en t i o n al l y

p en et rat ed t h e v i ct i m ’ s s ex u al org an wi th t h e s p eci fi ed fo rei g n o b ject

,

h i s fi n g er. Th ereaft er, h e ch arg e d t h e ju ry t h at s ex u al b at t ery m u s t b e pro v en in

acco rd an ce wi th t h e st at u to ry d efi n i t i o n h e h ad ju s t gi v en th em

. Th at i n s t ru ct i o n d id

n o t i n fo rm t he ju ry t h at t h e t o u ch i n g had t o b e i n t h e m an n er c h a rg ed i n t h e

i n d i ct m en t

. Defen s e co u n s el as s ert ed n o ex cep ti o n s t o t h e rech arg e.

Hen d ers o n arg u es t hat t h e ch arg e on s ex ual b at t ery w as o v erl y b ro ad an d t h at

g i v i n g i t co n s ti t ut ed p l ai n erro r. He arg u es t h at t he co u rt was req u i red t o ch arg e t h e

ju ry t h at i t co u ld fi n d h i m g u i l ty o f t h e l es s er i n cl u d ed o ffen s e o f s i m p l e b at t ery o n l y

i f i t fo u n d t h at h e h ad co m m i t t ed t he offen s e as al leg ed i n t h e i n d i ct m en t

, t h at i s

, by

u s i n g h i s fi n g er. Fo r t h e fo l l o wi n g reas o ns , we ag ree.

Becau s e d efen se co u ns el i n t erp o s ed no o b ject i on t o t h e s i m

p l e b at t e r y

i n s t ru ct i o n , t h e t ri al co u rt ’ s d eci s i o n t o g i v e t h e i n s t ru ct i o n i s rev i ewab l e o n ap p eal

o n l y fo r pl ai n erro r. See O CGA § 1 7-8 -5 8 (b ) (p ro v id i n g t hat t h e f a i l u r e t o o b

ject

reg ard i n g a ju ry in s t ru ct io n at t ri al p recl ud es ap pel l at e rev i ew u n les s “ t h e ju ry ch arg e

co n st i t u t es p l ai n erro r wh ich affect s s u b s t an ti al ri g h ts o f t h e p art i es ”); S t a t e v. Kel l y

,

42 9 0 Ga. 2 9

, 3 2 (1 ) (7 18 SE2 d 2 3 2 ) (2 0 1 1) (“ [A] p p el l at e rev i ew fo r p l ai n erro r i s

req u i red wh en ev er an ap p eal i ng p art y pro p erl y as s ert s an erro r i n ju ry i n st ru ct i o n s .”).

Th e “ p l ai n erro r” tes t ad o p t ed b y t h i s Co u rt i n S t a t e v. Kel l y

. . .

au t h ori zes rev ers al of a co n vi ct i o n i f th e i n s t ru ct i o n w as erro n eo u s

, th e

erro r was ob vi o u s

, t h e i n s t ru ct i o n l i k el y affect ed t h e o u t co m e o f th e

p ro ceed i n g s

, an d t h e erro r seri o u s ly aff e c t e d t h e fai rn es s

, i n t eg ri ty o r

p u b l i c rep u tat i o n o f ju di ci al pro ceed i n g s

. Sat i s fy i n g al l fo u r p ro n gs o f

t h i s s t an dard i s d i ffi cu l t , as i t s ho u l d b e.

(Ci t at i o n s an d p u n ct u at i o n o m i t t ed .) La ke v. S t a t e

, 29 3 Ga. 5 6

, 59 (5 ) (7 4 3 SE2 d 4 1 4 )

(2 0 1 3).

Th e q u es t i on b efo re u s i s w h e th er t h e t ri al co u rt ’ s i n s tru ct io n o n t h e l es s er

i n cl u d ed o ffen s e o f s ex u al b at t ery 3 was p ro p erl y t ai l o red to t h e fact s al l eg ed i n t h e

i n d i ct m en t

. “ [I] t i s erro r t o g i v e a ch arg e s t at i n g t hat an o ffen s e m ay b e co m m i t t ed in

m o re t h an o n e m an n er wh en (1 ) o n l y o n e m an n er i s al l eg ed i n th e i n d i ct m en t

, an d (2 )

fact s i n ev i d en ce rai s e a reas o n ab l e p ro b ab i l i t y t h at t h e ju ry m ay h av e co n v i ct ed t h e

3 W e n o te t h at th e co urt was au t ho ri zed t o ch arg e t h e ju ry o n s ex u al bat t ery as

a l es s er i ncl u d e o ffen s e o f ag g rav at ed s ex u al b at t ery

. T h e o ffen se o f s ex u al b at t ery

i s i n cl u d ed i n th e o ffen se o f ag grav at ed s ex u al b at t ery as a m at t er of l aw; i t i s m i s s i n g

o n l y t h e ad d it i o n al el em en t o f p en et rat i o n

. See OCGA § § 1 6 -6 -2 2 .1 (b ); 1 6 -6 -2 2 .2 ;

1 6 -1 -6 (1 ); S

m i t h v. S t a t e

, 3 1 0 Ga. Ap p. 3 9 2

, 3 9 4 (2 ) (7 1 3 SE2 d 4 5 2 ) ( 2 0 1 1 ) (“ [A]

co n vi ct i o n fo r ag g rav at ed s ex u al b at t ery req ui res p ro o f o f p en et rat i o n, wh i l e a s ex u al

b at t ery co n v i ct i on d oes n o t .”) (ci t at i o n s o m i t t ed ).

5d efen d an t of co m m i t t i n g t h e o f

f e n s e i n a m an n er no t ch arg ed i n t h e i n d i ct m en t .”

(Ci t at i o n s o m i t t ed .) El ro d v. S t a t e

, 2 3 8 Ga. Ap p

. 8 0

, 8 3 (2 ) (5 1 7 SE2 d 8 0 5 ) (1 9 9 9 ).

W i th res p ect to t h e l es s er-i n cl u ded o ffen s e o f s e x u al b at tery

, t h e i n d ict m en t i m p l i ci t l y

al l e g ed th at Hen d ers o n co m m i t t ed t h e s p eci fi c act o f t o u ch i n g th e v i ct i m ’ s s ex u al

o rg an wi th h i s fi ng er. Th is is b ecau s e t h e d efen d an t can n o t p en et rat e t h e v i ct i m ’ s s ex

o rg an wi th h i s fi n g er wi t h o ut fi rs t t o u ch i n g i t

. “ As w e hav e ex pl ai n ed , n o av erm en t

i n an i nd i ct m e n t c a n b e reject ed as s u rp l u s ag e wh i ch i s d es cri p t i v e ei th er o f t h e

o ffen s e o r o f t h e m a n n e r i n wh i ch i t was co m m i t t ed

. Al l s u ch av erm en t s m u s t b e

p ro v ed as l ai d

, o r th e fai l ure t o p ro v e t h e s am e as l ai d wi l l am o u n t t o a v ari an ce.”

(Ci t at i o n an d p u nct u at io n o m i tt ed .) Id

.

In t h i s cas e, th e ju ry ’ s q u es t i o n rev eal s th at i t was p art i cu l arl y i n t eres t ed in

wh et h er i t co u l d fi n d Hen ders o n g u i l t y o f s ex u al b at t ery ev en i f i t co n cl u d ed t h at h e

h ad n o t u s ed h i s f

i n g e r t o t o u ch t h e v i ct i m ’ s s ex u al o rg an

. Th e co u rt ’ s rech arg e

es s en t i al l y an s wered t h at q u es t i o n in t h e affi rm at iv e. Gi ven t h at t h e fact s s ho wed t h at

Hen ders o n h ad t o uch ed th e v i ct i m ’ s s ex u al o rg an wi t h h i s m o u t h as wel l as wi t h h i s

fi ng er, t h ere ex i s t s a reas on ab l e p ro b ab i l i t y t h at t h e ju ry m a y h a v e co n vi ct ed t h e

d efen d an t of co m

m i t t i n g t h e o ffen s e i n a m an n er n o t s p eci fi ed i n t h e i n d i c t m e n t

.

Th u s, b o th t h e co u rt ’ s ch arg e an d rech arg e o n s ex ual b at t ery were erro n eo u s g i v en

6t h e co u rt ’ s fai l ure to l i m i t t h e ch arg e t o m an n er o f t ou ch i n g al l eg ed i n t h e i n d i ct m en t

.

See i d

. at 8 3-8 4 (2 ) (Becau se t h e co u rt ’ s rech arg e in fo rm ed t h e j u ry t h at an

ag g rav at ed as s au l t co u ld b e co m m i t ted i n a way

n o t s et fo rt h i n t he i nd i ct m en t , an d

i t co n t ai n ed no rem ed i al i n s t ru ct i o n li m i ti n g t h e j u ry ’ s co n s i derat i o n t o t h e fact s

al l eg ed i n t h e i n d ict m en t

, i t co n s t i t u t ed rev ers ib l e erro r.). T h i s erro r i s “ an o b v i ou s

d efect rat h er th an a m erel y arg u ab l e d efect .” Ter r y v. S t a t e

, 2 91 Ga. 50 8

, 50 9 (2 ) (7 3 1

SE2 d 6 6 9) (2 01 2 ). Ad d i t i on al l y

, w e co n cl u d e t h at t h e err o n e o u s ch arg e affect ed

Hen ders o n ’ s s u b s t an t i al ri g h t s an d l ik el y co n t r i b u t ed t o t he o u t co m e o f t h e cas e,

g i v en t h at i t au t h o ri zed t h e ju ry t o co n vi ct h i m o f s ex u al b at t ery in a m an n er t h at was

n o t al l eg ed in t h e i n d i ct m e n t

. Fi n al l y

, b ecau s e we fi n d t h at t h e erro n eo us ch arg e

s eri ou s l y affect ed t he fai rn es s o f Hen d ers o n ’ s t ri al wi t h res p ect to t h e l es s er i n cl u d ed

o ffen s e o f sex u al bat t ery

, we ex erci s e o u r di scret io n t o rev ers e h i s co n vi ct i o n o n t h at

ch arg e. See Pa t t er

s o n v. S t a t e

, 32 8 Ga. Ap p

. 1 11

, 1 1 6 -1 2 1 (4 ) (7 61 SE2 d 5 2 4 ) (2 0 1 4 )

(Th e t ri al co urt erred i n in s tru ct i n g t he ju ry o n t h e o ffen s e of p o s s es s i o n o f

h yd r o co d o n e, as t he i ns t ru ct i on al l o wed t h e ju ry t o co n v i ct th e d efen dan t u n d e r

OCGA § 1 6 -1 3 -3 0 (a), w it h o u t co n si d erat i o n o f o n e of t h e es s en t i al el em en t s

,

k n o wl ed g e t hat t h e p il l co n t ai n ed h y d ro co d on e.).

72

. Hen ders o n al s o co nt en d s t h at t he t ri al co u rt ’ s ju ry in s t ru ct i o n co n cern i n g t h e

o ffen s e o f ag g rav at ed ch i l d m o l es t at i o n co n s t i t ut ed p lai n erro r. He co n t en d s t h at t h e

co u rt erred i n ch arg i ng t h e ju ry t h at i t co u l d fi n d t h e d efen d an t g u i l t y o f ag g rav at ed

ch i l d m ol es t at i o n i f i t fo un d th at “ an y ” act o f s o do m y i nv o l v i n g h i m s el f an d t h e

v i ct i m h ad o ccu rred wh en t h e in d i c t m e n t s p eci fi cal l y d efi ned th e act o f s o d o m y as

i n v o l v i n g “ t h e m o u t h o f [A. S.] an d t h e s ex u al o rg an o f t he accu s ed [.] ” Ou r rev i ew

o f t h e co u rt ’ s ch arg e rev eal s n o s u ch erro r.

Th e co u rt i n s t ru ct ed t h e j u ry co n cern i n g t h e s p eci fi c ch arg e ag ai n s t H en d ers o n

as set fo rt h i n t h e i n d ict m en t

, s p e ci fi cal l y t h at Hen d ers on req u ired t h e ch i l d “ to

p erfo rm o r a l s e x o n [ h im ]

, s ai d act i n v o lv i n g t h e m o u t h o f t he ch i l d an d t h e s ex u al

o rg an o f t h e accu sed [.] ” Th e co u rt al s o fu l ly an d co rrect l y defi n ed ag grav at ed ch i ld

m o les t a t i o n

, a n d i t i n s t ru ct ed t h e ju ry th at it was req u i red t o d et erm i ne wh et h er

Hen ders o n h ad co m

m i t t ed t h e offen s e “ as i t ’ s ch arg ed i n Co u n t 2 [.] ” Co n s eq u en t l y

,

we fi n d n o erro r an d affi rm Hen d ers o n ’ s co n vi ct i o n fo r ag g rav at ed ch il d m o l es t at i o n.

Ju d g men t af f i r med i n p a r t a n d r ever s ed in p ar t

. McFa d

d en

, J

. , co n cu r s

.

Di l l a r d , J., co n cu r

s i n t h e j u dg men t

o n l y.

8A1 5 A0 88 6 . HENDERSON v . THE STATE.

D I LLA R D , J u dg e.

I co n cu r fu l l y i n Di v i s i on 2 o f t h e m ajo ri ty o p i n i o n. A s t o Di v i s io n 1, I co n cu r

i n ju dg m en t o n l y b ecau s e I d o n o t a g r e e w i t h al l th at is s ai d in th at d i v is i o n

. As a

res u l t, t h e m ajo ri t y ’ s o p in i o n i n Di v is i on 1 d eci d es o n l y t h e i s s u es p res en t ed i n t h at

d i v i s i on an d m ay n o t b e ci t ed as b in d i n g p reced en t

. S ee Co u rt o f A p p eal s ru l e 3 3 (a).