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

De c id e d: Ja n u a ry 2 0 , 2 0 1 5

S 1 4 A1 5 2 2 . RHODES v . THE S TATE.

THOMP S O N, Ch ie f Ju stic e

.

Ap p e lla n t Ro n R

h o d e s a p p e a l s f r o m th e tria l c o u rt’s o rd e r d e n y in g

m u ltip le m o tio ns h e file d fo llo win g e n try o f h is g u ilty p le a

. F o r th e re a so n s th a t

fo llo w, we a ffirm

.

On Ma rc h 6 , 2 0 0 0

, a

p p e lla n t, wh o h a d b e e n in dic te d in c o n n e c tio n with

th e s h o o tin g d e a th o f a B ib b Co u n ty c o nv e n ie n c e sto re c le rk

, ple d g u ilty b u t

m e n ta lly re ta rd e d to c h a rg e s o f m a lic e m u rd e r an d arm e d ro b b e ry in e x c h a n g e

fo r th e S ta te ’s a g re e m e nt n o t to p u rsu e th e d e a th pe n a lty a g a in st h im

. On Ma rc h

1 4

, 2 0 00

, th e tria l c o u rt se n te n c e d a p p e lla n t on th e se c h a rg e s to two c o n se c u tiv e

te rm s o f life im

p riso nm e n t. Mo re th a n th irt e e n y e a rs la te r, in Ju ly 2 0 1 3 a n d

Ja n u a ry 2 01 4

, a

p p e lla n t file d n u me r o u s m o tio n s in th e tria l c o u rt se e k in g ,

a m o n g o th e r th in g s, to with d ra w h is g u ilty p le a , a n o u t-o f

- t i me a p p e a l,

a p p o in tm e n t o f c ou n se l, a

n d re v e rsa l o f h is c o n v ic tio n s. Th e tria l c o u rt, with o u th o ld in g a n e v id e ntia ry h e a rin g , d e n ie d a ll o f a p p e lla n t’s m o tio n s a nd a

p p e lla n t

file d th is d ire c t a

p p e a l. Se e Sim m o n s v

. S ta te

, 2 7 6 Ga

. 5 2 5

, 5 2 5 n .2 (5 7 9 S E2 d

7 3 5 ) (2 0 0 3 ) (d e n ia l o f m o tio n f o r o u t-o f-tim e a

p p e a l is d ire c tly a

p p e a la b le

wh e re c o n v ic tio n h a s n o t b e e n su b je c t o f d ire c t a

p p e a l).

1

. Re g a rd le ss o f th e n o m e n c la tu re u se d

, th e ma j o r i t y of a

pp e lla n t’s

m o tio ns se e k e ith e r to with dra w h is g u ilty p le a or to su bsta ntiv e ly c ha lle n g e h is

c o n v ic tio n s th ro u g h a

n o u t-o f-tim e a

p p e a l. 1 A tria l c o urt’s a

u th o rity to g ra n t a

mo t io n to with d ra w a g u ilty p le a e nd s a fte r e x pira tio n o f th e te rm o f c o urt

d u rin g wh ic h a p le a is e n te re d

, h o we v e r, a n d a pp e lla n t’s m o tio n , file d th irte e n

y e a rs a fte r e n try o f h is p le a , wa s fi l e d t o o la te to g iv e th e tria l c o u rt a n y

a u t h o r i t y t o a llo w th e with d ra wa l o f a p pe lla n t’s gu ilty p le a

. 2 S e e Bro wn v

.

1 Specifically

, appellant filed a motion for a ppointment o f cou nsel and request to proceed

in forma pauperis; a motion to suppress and obtain evidence; a motion to inspect, photog raph, and

test phy sical evidence, a motion to inspect bullets; a motion f o r DNA testing ; a motion f or a hearing
for allowance of credit earned; a motion for hearing on the validity of the indictment; motions for transcripts; a motion entitled “preliminary hearing ” in which appellant alleg ed his counsel failed to request a preliminary hearing ; a document e ntitled “F ourth Amendment Violation I lleg a l Search and
Seiz ure”; a motion alleg ing appellant’s F ifth Amendment rig hts were violated; a document entitled “plea hearing and sentence” in which appellant alleg ed his plea was not knowing ly and voluntarily
entered b ec a u s e counsel misinformed him and failed to adequately investig ate his competency ; a motion to withdraw his g uilty ple a ; d o c u m e nts entitled “ineffective assistance of counsel” and

“ co n c lusion” in which a p p ellant contended h e received ineffective assistance of counsel; t w o motions for out-of-time appeal; and an order to produce appellant for a hearing

.

2 Although appellant asserts he f iled a pro se m otion to withdraw his plea in March

2000 within the sam e term of court, there is no evidence in the record that s uch a m otion was

2S ta te

, 2 80 Ga

. 6 5 8

, 6 5 8 (6 3 1 S E2 d 6 8 7 ) (2 0 0 6 ). S e e a lso Du p re e v

. S ta te

, 2 7 9

Ga

. 6 1 3 (6 1 9 S E2 d 6 0 8 ) (2 0 0 5 )

. A c c o rd in g ly

, th e tria l c o u rt’s d e n ia l o f

a p p e lla n t’s m o tio n to with d ra w h is g u ilty p le a a n d a ll o th e r m o tio n s in wh ic h h e

so u g h t th e with d ra wa l of h is p le a a re a ffirm e d

. It fo llo ws th a t a p p e lla n t wa s n o t

e n title d to th e a

p p o in tm e n t o f c o u n se l to a ssist with h is un tim e ly file d m o tio n

.

S e e P ie rc e v . S ta te , 2 8 9 Ga . 8 9 3 , 8 9 4 (7 1 7 S E2 d 2 0 2) (2 0 1 1 ).

2

. With re g a rd to a

p p e lla n t’s re q u e sts fo r a n o u t-o f-tim e a pp e a l, a p p e lla n t

a sse rts he is e n title d to a n o u t-o f-tim e a p p e a l b o th b e c a

use h is g u ilty ple a wa s

n o t m a d e fre e ly a n d v o lu n ta rily a n d b e c a u se h e re c e iv e d in e ffe c tiv e a ssista n c e

o f c o u n se l. We a g re e with th e tria l c ou rt’s d e n ia l o f th e se m o tio n s.

As re c e n tly sta te d by th is Co urt, a n o u t-o f-tim e a p p e a l is i n t e n d e d to

a d d re ss th e c o n stitu tio n a l c on c e rn s th a t a rise wh e n a d e fe nd an t is d e n ie d h is first

a p p e a l b e c a

u se th e c o u n se l to wh ic h h e wa s c o nstitu tio n a lly e n title d re n d e re d

in e ffe c tiv e a ssista n c e b y fa ilin g t o ad v i s e h im o f his rig h t to a p p e a l a n d

c o u n se l’s d e fic ie n c y re su lte d in p re ju d ic e

. S e e Ste p h e n s v

. S ta te

, 2 9 1 Ga

. 8 3 7

,

8 3 7 -8 3 8 (7 2 2 S E2 d 2 6 6 ) (2 01 2 ). Th u s, a n ou t-o f-tim e a p p e a l is a v a ilab le wh e n

a d ire c t a p p e a l w a s n o t t a k e n d u e to in e ffe c tiv e a ssista n c e o f c o u n se l. S e e id

.

f iled.

3Wh e n a c o n v ic tio n is e n te re d b a se d o n a p le a o f g u i l t y , “ a d ire c t a p p e a l is

a v a ilable o n ly ‘if th e issu e o n a p p e a l c a n b e re so lv e d b y re fe re n c e to fa c ts o n th e

re c o rd

. ’ ” I d

. a t 83 8, q u o tin g Gra n th a m v. S ta te

, 2 6 7 Ga

. 63 5

, 63 5 (4 8 1 S E2 d

2 1 9 ) (1 99 7 ). “ Th u s, if th e issu e s th a t th e d e fe n d a n t se e k s to a p p e a l c a n n o t

b e

re so lv e d fro m th e re c o rd

, h e h a d n o rig h t to file a d ire c t a p pe a l, a nd th e re fo re h e

h a s n o rig h t to file a n o u t-o f-tim e a p p e a l. [Cit.] .” Ha g an v

. S ta te

, 2 9 4 Ga

. 7 1 6

,

7 1 8 (7 5 5 S E2 d 7 3 4 ) (2 0 14 ).

If th e issu e s a d e fe n d a n t wish e s to ra ise in a n o u t-o f-tim e a p p e a l c a n b e re so lv e d a g a in st h im o n th e fa c e o f th e re c o rd

, so t h a t e v e n a ti me ly a p p e a l wo u ld h a v e b e e n u nsu c c e ssfu l, ‘th e n p le a c o u n se l’s
fa ilu re to a d v ise th e d e f e n d a n t t o file su c h a n a p pe a l wa s n o t

p ro fe ssio n a lly d e fic ie n t, n o r d id a n y p re ju dic e re su lt.’

(Cita tio n o m itte d .) S te ph e ns, su p ra a t 8 3 9

. S e e a lso S m ith v. S ta te

, 2 8 7 Ga

. 3 9 1

,

4 0 3

, n .5 (6 9 7 S E2 d 1 7 7 ) (2 0 1 0 ).

(a ) Ap p e lla n t’s c la im th a t h is g u ilty p le a wa s n o t fre e ly e n te re d c an n o t b e

re so lv e d o n th e fa c e o f th e re c o rd

. Ap p e lla n t a lle g e s h is ple a wa s in v o lu n ta ry

b e c a u se p le a c o u n se l th re a te n e d h i m, to ld him wh a t to sa y , a n d p ro m ise d h im

h e w o u ld b e g o in g h om e to se e h i s m o th e r. Re so lu tio n o f th is issu e re q u ire s

e v id e n c e o f th e c on v e rsa tio ns b e twe e n a p p e lla n t a n d h is p le a c o u n se l, e v id e n c e

t h a t is n o t p a rt o f th e p le a tra n sc rip t. Ac c o rd in g ly

, th is c la im c ou ld n o t h a v e

4b e e n p ro p e rly ra ise d in a d ire c t a p p e a l fro m a

p p e lla nt’s g u ilty p le a a n d is n o t a

p ro p e r gro u n d fo r a n ou t-o f-tim e a p pe a l

. S e e Ha g an , su p ra , 2 9 4 Ga

. a t 7 1 8 ;

S te wa rt v . S ta te , 2 6 8 Ga

. 8 8 6 , 8 8 7 (4 94 S E2 d 6 6 5) (1 9 98 ).

(b ) S im ila rly

, a

p p e lla n t ’ s c la im th a t c o u nse l p ro v id e d in e ffe c tiv e

a ssista n c e b y fa ilin g to e x p la in th e S ta te ’s p le a o ffe r, fa ilin g to in v e stig a te

, a n d

fa ilin g to o b ta in th e se rv ic e s o f a m e n ta l he a lth e x p e rt fo r se n te n c in g p u rp o se s

c a n n o t b e de c id e d b y re fe re n c e to th e re c ord

. Alth o u gh th e tria l c ou rt c o rre c tly

re c o g n iz e d a n d th e re c o rd re fle c ts th a t a p p e lla n t wa s e v a lu a te d b y two e x p e rts

wh o o ffe re d th e ir op in io n s re g a rd in g b o th a pp e lla n t’s c o m

p e te n c y to sta n d tria l

a n d h is m e n ta l c a

p a c ity a t th e tim e o f th e c rim e s, a p p e lla nt in th is c la im a lle ge s

c o u n se l sh o u ld h a ve h ir e d a n a d d itio n a l e x p e rt to p re se nt m itig a tin g e v id e n c e

re la te d to h is m e n ta l h e a lth h isto ry , in c lu d in g t h e fa c t th a t h e h a d su ffe re d a

p r ev i ou s h e a d in

ju ry

. Re so lu tio n of th is issu e , lik e th o se c o n sid e re d a b o v e ,

re q u ire s e v id e n c e o f d isc ussio n s b e twe e n a p p e lla n t a n d p le a c o u n se l a n d /o r

e v id e n c e o f c o un se l’s re a so n s fo r e le c tin g n o t to h ire an a d d itio n a l e x p e rt.

Ac c o rd in g ly

, th e se a lle g a tio n s o f in e ffe c tiv e a ssista n c e a re n o t p ro pe r g ro u n d s

fo r a n o u t-o f-tim e a

p p e a l a n d m u st b e pu rsu e d with in a p ro p e rly file d p e titio n

fo r h a b e a s c o rp us. Gib so n v

. S ta te

, 2 9 0 Ga

. 5 1 6 (2 ) (b ) (7 2 2 S E2 d 74 1) (2 0 1 2 ).

5(c ) We d o fin d o ne g ro u n d o f in e ffe c tiv e a s s i s t a n c e ra ise d th a t c a n b e

d e c id e d b y re fe re n c e to th e re c o rd

, a lth ou gh a d ve rse ly to a pp e lla n t. Ap p e lla n t

c la im s p l e a c o u n se l wa s in e ffe c tiv e b y fa ilin g to o b je c t to c o m m e n ts m a d e b y

th e tria l ju d g e d u rin g th e p le a h e a rin g , c o m m e n ts w h ic h h e a rg u e s v io la te d

OCGA § 1 7-8 -5 7

. Ho we v e r, th a t c o d e se c tio n p r o h i b i t s a t ria l ju d g e in a

c rim in a l c a se fro m e x p re ssin g o r in tim a tin g d u rin g th e p ro g re ss of th e c a se o r

in th e ju ry c h a rg e h is or h e r o pin io n a s to wh a t ha s be e n p ro v e d o r a s to th e g u ilt

o f th e a c c use d

. Th e p ro h ib itio n s fo u n d in § 1 7

- 8

- 5 7 d o no t a p p ly wh e n th e

c o m p la in e d o f c o mm e n ts a re m a d e o u tsid e th e pre se n c e o f th e ju ry , a n d

th e re fo re , d o n o t a

p p ly wh e re , a s he re , th e c om m e nts are m a d e b y a tria l ju d g e

d u rin g a p le a he a rin g

. S e e S m ith v

. S ta te

, 23 6 Ga

. Ap p

. 1 2 2, 1 2 4 -1 2 5 (3 ) (5 1 1

S E2 d 2 2 3 ) (1 9 9 9 ) (“ In a sm u c h a s th e p u rp ose o f O CGA § 1 7 -8 -5 7 is to p re v e n t

th e ju ry fro m b e in g in flu e n c e d a n d th e ju ry wa s n o t pre se n t a t th e tim e o f [th e

c h a lle n g e d ] re m a rk s, th e sta tu te wa s n o t v io la te d

. [Cits.] ” ). Th e re fo re , c o u n s e l ’ s

fa ilu re to o b

je c t to th e tria l c o u rt’s c o mme n t s o n § 1 7 -8 -5 7 gro un d s wa s n o t

e v id e n c e o f d e fic ie n t pe rfo rm a n c e

. S e e G e ig e r v. S ta te

, 2 9 5 Ga

. 6 4 8

, 6 5 4 (5 ) (c )

(

__ _ S E2 d

_ _ _ ) (2 0 1 4 ) (fa ilu re to ra ise m e ritle ss o bje c tio n c a n n o t b e e v id e n c e

o f de fic ie n t p e r f

o r m a n c e ). Be c a

u se th is c ha lle ng e c o u ld b e d e c id e d a g a in st

6a

p p e lla n t b y re fe re n c e to th e re c o rd

, it wa s n o t e rro r to d e n y h is m o tio n fo r o uto f-tim e a p p e a l o n th is g ro u nd

. S e e Le wis v. Sta te

, 29 3 Ga

. 5 4 4

, 54 8 (1 ) ( 7 4 8

S E2 d 4 14 ) (2 0 1 3 ).

3

. Ba se d on o u r de te rm in a tio n th a t a p p e lla n t wa s n o t e ntitle d to with d ra w

h is g u ilty p le a or to a n o u t-o f-ti me a p p e a l, we fin d n o e rro r in th e tria l c o u rt’s

d e n ia l o f a

p p e lla n t’s re m a in in g m o tio n s in wh ic h h e ra ise d o r so ug ht e v id e n c e

to su p po rt su b sta n tiv e c ha lle n g e s to h is c on vic tio ns.

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

7