FI FTH DI VI SI ON

M CFA DDEN, P. J.

, BRA NCH and BETHEL, JJ.

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

p h 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 l s .us /r ule s

October 30, 2017



# I n th e Co u r t o f

A p p eals o f

G eo r g ia

A1 7 A1 12 2 . PITTM AN v . THE STATE.

B E T H E L , J u d g e.

Qu an t ara Pi t t m an was co n v i ct ed o f o n e co u n t of en t eri n g an au t o m o b i l e an d

ap p eal s th e t ri al co u rt ’ s d en ial o f h er m o ti o n fo r n ew t ri al

. Pi t t m an arg u es t h at t h e t ri al

co u rt erred i n ad m i t t i n g ev i d en ce o f an u n red act ed p ri or accu s at i o n

. W e d i s ag ree an d

affi rm becau s e t h e ev i d en ce was p ro p erl y ad m i t t ed

.

“ O n a p p eal fro m a cri m i n al co n v i ct i on

, t h e ev i d en ce m u st b e v i ewed i n t h e

l i gh t m os t fav o rab l e t o t h e v erd i ct

, an d t h e ap p el l an t n o lo n g er en jo y s t h e

p res u m p t i o n o f i n no cen ce[.] ” Ha g o o d v. S t a te

, 22 8 Ga. Ap p

. 6 9 3

, 6 9 4 (2 ) (4 9 2 SE2 d

6 0 6 ) (1 9 9 7 ) (ci t at io n an d pu n ct u at i o n o m i tt ed ). So v i ewed

, t h e ev id en ce s h o ws t h at

o n N o v em

b er 8, 2 0 14

, Pi t t m an an d t h e v i ct i m g o t i nt o a p h y si cal al t ercat io n wh i l e at

J erm ai n e St o k es ’ fam i l y h om e. Th e al t ercat i o n was t h e res ul t o f o n g o in g t en s i o nreg ard i n g St o k es ’ s im u l t an eo u s ro m an ti c rel at i o n s h i p s wi t h Pi t t m an an d t h e v i ct i m

.

Pi t t m an was ch arg ed wi t h s i m p l e b at t ery an d d i s ord erl y co n d u ct

. Pi t t m an p l ed g ui l t y

t o d i s o rd erl y

co n d u ct , an d t h e o t h er ch arg e was d i s m is s ed

.

St o k es an d Pi t t m an su b s eq u en t l y en d ed t h ei r rel at i o n sh i p

, an d Pi t t m an m o v ed

o u t o f t hei r s hared ap art m en t

. On t h e m o rn i n g of Sep t em b er 2 3

, 20 1 5, St o k es an d t h e

v i ct i m car-p o o led to wo rk i n t h e v i ct i m ’ s v eh i cl e. St o k es d ro p p ed t h e v i ct i m o f f a t

wo rk

, b u t t h e v i ct i m l eft h er pu rs e i n t h e b ack s eat o f t he v eh i cl e. St ok es co n t i n u ed

d ri v i ng t h e v i ct i m ’ s v eh icl e to h i s jo b a n d p a r k ed i n a t em p o rary s p o t

, l eav i n g t h e

v eh icl e u n l o ck ed

. Up o n ret u rn i n g t o t h e p ark in g l o t t o m ov e t h e v i ct i m ’ s car, St o k es

s aw Pi t t m an

. Pi t t m an t o l d St o k es t h at s h e to o k t h e v i ct im ’ s p u rs e fro m t h e b ack s eat

o f t he car. St o kes fo l l o wed Pi t t m an t o h er car an d s aw t h e vi ct i m ’ s p u rs e in i t

. St o k es

reco u n ted t h e ev en t s wi t h t h e v i ct i m

, wh o t h en co n tact ed l aw en fo rcem en t

. Pi t t m an

w a s c h a rg ed wi t h o n e co u n t o f en t eri n g an au t o m o b i l e an d t wo co u n t s o f t h eft b y

t ak i n g

.

At t ri al

, t h e v i ct im t es t i fi ed ab ou t p ri o r co n fl ict s wi th Pi t t m an

, in cl ud i n g t h e

al t ercat i on o n N o v em

b er 8

, 2 01 4 (t h e “ p ri o r al t ercat i o n ”). On cro s s -ex am i n at i o n

, t h e

v i ct i m was as k ed wh et h er a p o l i ce rep o rt o f th e p ri or al t ercat i o n ex i s t ed

. Th e v i ct i m

res p o n d ed affi rm at i v el y

. Sh e s t at ed t h at s he h ad a co py o f t h e p ol i ce rep o rt

2ev i d en ci n g t h e p ri o r al t ercat i o n b u t th at s h e d i d n o t h av e i t wi t h h er at t ri al

. On red i rect

, t h e St at e as k ed t h e v i ct i m i f s h e k n ew wh at Pi t t m an h ad b een arres t ed fo r at

t h at t i m e, an d sh e res p o nd ed

, “ [s ] i m p l e b at t ery o r s o m et h i n g l i k e t h at .” Th ereaft er,

t h e St at e m o v ed t o ad m i t a cert ifi ed co p y o f th e accu s at io n in t o t h e reco rd t o s u p p o rt

t h e v i ct i m ’ s s t at em en t fo l lo wi n g t h e “ at t ack ” o n h er cred i b i l i t y

. Pi t t m an o bject ed to

t h e en t i re d o cu m en t as i nad m i s s i b l e hears ay

, b ut part icu l arl y t o t h e ad m i s s i o n o f t h e

d i s m i s s ed co u n t o f s i m

p l e bat t ery

. 1 Th e t ri al co u rt o v erru l ed t he o b ject i o n an d

ad m i t t ed t h e fu l l , u n red act ed accu s at i o n i nt o ev i d en ce.

Th e j u ry fo un d Pi t t m an g u i lt y o f en t eri n g an au t o m o b i l e an d n o t g u i l t y o n b o th

co u nt s of t h eft b y

t ak i n g

. Pi t t m a n f

i l e d a m o ti o n fo r n ew t ri al

, wh i ch th e tri al co u rt

d en ied . Th is ap p eal fo ll o wed

.

Pi t t m an arg u es th at t h e t ri al co u rt erred i n ad m i t t i n g t h e u n red act ed accu s at i o n

fro m t h e p ri o r al t ercat i o n wi t h t h e vi ct i m b ecau s e i t w as i n ad m is s i b l e b ad ch aract er

1 At tri al

, defen s e co un sel o b ject ed t o t h e en ti re d o cu m en t; o n ap p eal

, Pi t t m an

o n l y a r g u es th at t h e ad m i s si o n o f t h e s i m p l e b at t ery co u n t was i n erro r an d

ack n owl ed ges t h e ad m i s s i b i l it y o f t h e di s o rd erl y co n d u ct co n v i ct i o n . Sh e co n ced es

i t i s s u ffi ci en t t o s ho w t h e d i so rd erl y co n d u ct co nv i ct i o n t o reh ab i l i t at e t h e v i ct i m ’ s

t es t i m o ny

.

3ev i d en ce. 2 “ W e rev i ew th is co n t en t i o n pu rs u an t t o a cl ear ab u s e o f d i s c r e t i o n

s t an d ard .” Br o o ks v. S t a t e

, 2 9 8 Ga. 7 2 2

, 72 4 ( 2 ) (7 8 3 SE2 d 89 5 ) (2 01 6 ) (ci t at i o n

o m it t ed ).

OCGA § 2 4 -4 -4 0 4 (b ) p ro v i d es t h at

[e] v i d en ce o f o t h er cri m es

, wro n g s

, o r act s s h a l l n o t b e ad m i s s i bl e t o

p ro v e t h e c h a r a c t er o f a p ers o n i n o rd er t o s h o w act i o n in co n fo rm i t y

t h erewi th

. It m ay

, h o wev er, b e ad m i s s ib l e fo r o t h er p urp o s es

, i n cl ud i n g

,

b u t n o t l im i t ed t o

, p ro o f o f m o t i v e, op p o rt unity

, i nt en t

, p rep arat i o n

, p l an

,

k n o wl ed g e, i d en t i t y , o r ab s en ce o f m i st ak e o r acci den t

.

OCGA § 2 4 -4 -4 0 4 (b ) g o v e r n s t h e ad m is si b i l i t y o f p ri o r d i ffi cu l t y ev i d en ce.

S ee Ever ha r t v. S ta te

, 3 3 7 Ga. A p p

. 3 4 8

, 3 5 2 (2 ) (a) (7 8 6 SE2 d 8 66 ) (2 0 16 ); s ee a l s o

Red di n g v. S t a t e

, 2 9 7 Ga. 8 4 5

, 8 4 9 (3 ) (7 78 SE2 d 7 74 ) (2 0 1 5) (t ri al co u rt d i d n ot

a b u s e i t s d i s cret i o n by ad m i t t i n g i m p each m en t ev i d en ce ev en t ho u g h i t m a y h a v e

i n ci d en t al l y

p u t d efen d an t s ch aract er i n i s s u e).

On cro s s -ex am i n at io n

, d efen s e co u n s el c h al l en ged t he v eraci t y t h e v i ct i m ’ s

t es t i m o ny reg ard i n g h er pas t d i ffi cu l t i es wi t h Pi t t m an b y s u gg es t i n g th at t h e v i ct i m ’ s

t es t i m o ny w as n o t cred i b l e. Defen s e co u n s el t h en q ues t i o n ed t h e v i ct i m ab o u t h er

2 On ap p eal

, Pi t t m an h as n o t ch al l en g ed t h e ad m i s s i b i l it y o f t h is ev i den ce o n

t h e b as is t h at i t i s h ears ay

. W e t h erefo re o n l y co n s i der wh et h er t he t ri al co urt p ro p erl y

ad m i t t ed t h i s d o cu m en t p urs u an t t o OCGA § 2 4 -4 -4 0 4 (b ).

4cl ai m t h at Pi t t m an p rev i ou s l y “ at t ack ed ” h er an d was arres ted i n co n n ect i o n wi t h t h e

at t ack

. Defen s e co u n s el ’ s q ues t i o n s at t ack ed th e cred i bi l i t y o f t h e vi ct i m ’ s v ers i o n o f

ev en ts b ecau s e t h e v i ct i m co u l d n o t p ro d uce a p o li ce rep o rt t o co nfi rm h er s t o ry . In

an effo rt t o reh ab i l i t at e t h e v i ct i m ’ s t es ti m o n y re g a r d i n g th e p ri o r al t ercat i o n

, t h e

St at e as k ed t h e v i c t i m a b o ut Pi t t m an ’ s arres t fo r s im pl e bat t ery an d i n t ro d u ced

Pi t t m an ’ s p ri o r a c c u s at i o n i n s u p p o rt o f t he v i ct i m ’ s t es t im o n y t h at t h e p ri o r

al t ercat i on o ccu rred an d t h at Pi t t m an was arres t ed i n co n n ect i o n t h erewi t h.

Becau s e th e d i s p u t e reg ard i n g t h e p ri o r al t ercat i o n was n o t l i m i t ed t o wh et h er

Pi t t m an h ad b een arres t ed

, b u t al s o i n cl u d ed wh et her t he p ri o r al tercat i o n h ad act u al l y

o ccu rred as reco u nt ed b y t h e v i ct i m , t he u n red act ed accu s at i o n b o re d i rect l y o n t h e

v i ct i m ’ s cred i b i li t y , an d i t s ad m i s s io n

, ev en i f i t i n ci d en t al ly refl ect ed o n Pi t t m an ’ s

ch aract er, w as p ro p er. S

ee P eo p l e s v

. S t a t e

, 2 9 5 G a. 4 4

, 5 3 (4 ) (b ) (7 5 7 SE2 d 6 4 6 )

(2 0 1 4) (“ [E] v i d en ce of an i nd ep en den t b ad act co m m i t t ed b y th e defen d an t m ay b e

ad m i s s i b l e i f t h e ev i den c e i s s u b s t an t i al l y rel ev an t fo r s om e p u rp os e o t h er t h an to

s h o w a p ro b ab il i t y t h at t h e d efen d an t co m m i t t ed t h e cri m e o n t ri al b ecau s e h e h as a

cri m i n al ch aract er.”) (ci t at i on an d p u n ct u at io n o m i t t ed ); s ee a l s o Ro b i n s on v. S t a t e

,

2 7 5 G a. Ap p

. 5 3 7, 5 3 8 (1 ) (6 21 SE2 d 7 7 0 ) (2 0 0 5 ) (t he St at e m ay “ r e h a b i l i t a t e a

wi t n es s wh o s e cred i b i l i t y h as b een a t t ack ed .”) (ci t at i o n an d p u n ct u at i o n o m i t t ed ).

5Co mp a re Cr a n e v. S t a t e

, 2 6 3 Ga. 5 18

, 5 1 9 -5 2 0 (1 ) (b ) (4 3 6 S E 2 d 2 1 6) (1 9 9 3 )

( e v i d en ce was i nad m i s s i b l e wh ere t h e accu sat i o n h ad no d i rect ap p l i cab i l i t y o n t h e

u l t i m at e i s s u e o f cred i b i l it y o f t h e d efen d an t ’ s d en ial ).

Red act i ng t h e a c c usa tion to s h o w o n l y t h e co n v i ct i o n o f d i s o rd erl y co n d u ct an d

n o t t he ch arg e o f s im

p l e b at t ery w o u l d n o t h av e s erv ed i t s reh ab i l it at i ve p u rp o s e

b ecau s e t h e v i ct i m tes t ifi ed t h at s h e was “ at t ack ed ” by Pi tt m an an d t h at Pi t t m an was

arres t ed fo r s i m

pl e b at t ery

. Becau se t h e u nred act ed accu s at i o n was p ro perl y ad m i t t ed

t o reh ab i l i t at e t h e p ro s ecu t i o n ’ s wi t n es s

, t h e tri al co urt d i d n o t ab us e i t s d i s cret i o n in

ad m i t t i ng i t as ev i den ce o f p ri o r d i ffi cu l t i es b et w een Pi t t m an an d t h e v i ct i m p u rs u an t

t o OCGA § 2 4 -4 -4 04 (b ). S ee P a l mer v. S t a t e

, 3 30 Ga. Ap p. 6 7 9

, 6 8 6 (6 ) (a) (7 6 9

SE2 d 1 07 ) (2 0 1 5 ) (ci ti n g Th o mp s o n v. S t at e

, 2 9 5 Ga. 9 6

, 1 0 1 -1 02 (3 ) (b ) (7 5 7 SE2 d

8 4 6 ) ( 2 0 1 4 ) ) ; a cco r d Cu n n i n gh a m v. S t a t e

, 2 4 3 Ga. Ap p

. 7 7 0

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

7 3 5 ) (2 00 0 ) (“ [e] v i d en ce o f p ri o r d i ffi cu l t i es bet ween t h e p art i es i s ad m is s ib l e i f t h ere

i s a l og i cal

, p ro b at i ve co n nect i o n b et ween th e d i ffi cu l t i es an d t h e cri m es ch arg ed .”)

(ci t at i o n an d p u nct u at io n o m i t ted ).

Ju d g men t a f f i r m ed . McFa d

d en , P. J., a n d

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

.

6