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 2 2 , 2 0 1 4

S 1 4 A1 0 0 6 . THE S TATE v . HILL.

HINES , P re sid in g Ju stic e

.

Th is is a n a

p p e a l b y th e S ta te fro m th e g ra n t o f Da v id Hill’s e x tra o rd in a ry

m o tio n fo r n e w tria l fo llo win g h is c o n v ic tio n s a n d se nte n c in g fo r fe lo n y m u rd e r

a n d two a g g ra v a te d a ssa u lts. F o r th e re a so n s wh ic h fo llo w , we re v e rse

.

In 2 0 0 2 , Hill, Orla n d o Cu lle r, a nd Tra y e o n Wh ite we re jo in tly trie d a n d

c o n v ic te d o f th e No v e m

b e r 1 8

, 2 00 1 fe lo n y m

u rd e r o f Alv ita W a lle r a n d th e

a g g ra v a te d a ssa u lts o f Te rre ll Mills an d An th o n y Hu n te r. Hill wa s se n te n c e d

to life in p riso n fo r fe lo n y m u rd e r a n d to two p ro b a te d se n te n c e s o f fifte e n y e a rs

fo r two c o u n ts o f a g g ra v a te d a ssa u lt, to b e se rv e d c o n c urre ntly to e a c h o th e r a n d

c o n se c u tiv e ly to th e se n te n c e fo r fe lo n y m u rd e r. Hill file d a m o tio n fo r n e w

tria l o n De c e m

b e r 1 3

, 2 0 0 2

, a

n d a m e n d e d it o n A p ril 1 8

, 2 00 3 ; th e m o tio n wa s

d e n ie d o n Ju ly 17

, 2 0 0 3

. Hill a n d h is c o -d e fe nd an ts a p p e a le d to th is C o u rt, a n d

th e ir c o n v ic tio n s w e re a ffirm e d in 2 0 0 4

. S e e Cu lle r v

. S ta te

, 2 7 7 Ga

. 71 7 (5 9 4S E2 d 6 3 1 ) (2 0 04 ). Ap p ro xim a te ly e ig ht y e a rs la te r, o n A p ril 1 1

, 2 0 1 2

, Hill

file d a n e x tra o rd in a ry m o tio n fo r n e w tria l, wh ic h h e a m e n d e d o n Ap ril 2 3

,

2 0 1 3, a nd a g a in on Ma y 29

, 2 0 1 3

. Th e ju d g e w h o p re sid e d o v e r t h e tria l a n d

su b se q u e n t m o tio n s h a d re tire d

, so a su c c e sso r ju d g e h e a rd Hill’s e x tra o rd in a ry

m o tio n fo r n e w tria l. F o llo win g th e he a rin g, th a t c o u rt issu e d a n o rd e r o n

Oc to b e r 2 2

, 2 0 1 3

, g ra n tin g Hill a n e w tria l. Th e S ta te file d a m o tio n fo r

re c o n s i d e ra tio n o n Oc to b e r 2 4

, 2 0 1 3

, a n d th e c o u rt e n te re d a n o rd e r o n

No v e m be r 6

, 2 0 1 3, w i t h d r a w in g its p rio r ord e r. Afte r a n oth e r e v id e n tia ry

h e a rin g

, o n De c e m

b e r 3 0

, 2 0 1 3

, th e su c c e sso r c o u r t a g a in gra nte d Hill’s

e x tra o rd in a ry m otio n fo r n e w tria l.

In th e p rio r d ire c t a

p p e a l, th is Co u rt n ote d th a t th e e v id e nc e a u th oriz e d th e

j u r y to fin d th a t H ill, Cu lle r, a n d Wh ite we re a t a h o m e in Bib b Co u n t y w h e n

th e y de c id e d to go to a n e a rb y h o u se

, lo c a te d o n A m o s S tre e t, a n d re ta lia te fo r

th e de a th o f Cu lle r' s b ro th e r, wh o h a d be e n k ille d th e pre v io u s d a y ; a lo n g with

se v e ra l o th e rs, th e th re e m e n

, wh o we re a rm e d w ith h a n dg u n s, tra v e le d to Am o s

S tre e t in two c a rs; th e y a tte m p te d to ki ck i n t h e fro n t d o o r o f th e A m o s S tre e t

h o u se

, a n d wh e n th a t fa ile d

, th e y b e g a n firin g ra n d o m sh o ts in to th e h o u se ; o n e

o f th e th re e p e o p le in sid e th e h o u se

, Wa lle r, wa s sh o t in th e h e a d a n d k ille d ; th e

2in te nd e d t ar g e t

, M i lls, wa s sh o t in th e sh o uld e r a n d in ju re d ; Hu n te r, wh o wa s

a sle e p in a b a c k b e d ro o m wh e n th e sh o o tin g o c c u rre d

, wa s le ft u n h a rm e d o n c e

th e g u n fire e nd e d; a n e y e witn e s s t e s tifie d th a t h e wa tc h e d th e sh oo tin g a n d

h e a rd sh ots b e in g fire d fro m th re e distin c t g u n s; Cu lle r la te r to ld a frie n d th a t h e

h a d fire d sh o ts in t o t h e h o m e

, a n d th o u gh t h e h a d k ille d W a lle r; b a llistic s

re p o rts id e n tifie d sh e ll c a sin gs re c o v e re d fro m th e sc e n e a s h a v in g b e e n fire d

fro m a t le a st two d iffe re n t g u n s, po ssib ly m o re ; a n d DNA te stin g id e n tifie d a re d

b a se ba ll c a

p re c o v e re d fro m th e fro n t y a rd o f th e Am o s S tre e t h ou se a s h a v in g

b e e n wo rn b y Hill.

In h is e xtra o rd in a ry m o tio n fo r n e w tria l, Hill a lle ge d th a t h e w a s e n title d

to a n e w tria l b e c a

u se o f ne wly -d isc o v e re d e v id e n c e in v olv in g a witn e ss n a m e d

S h a ne k a Ja c k so n (“ S ha n e k a ”)

. His c la im wa s b a se d o n th re e a rg u m e n ts: (1 )

Hill’s rig h ts to du e p ro c e ss u n d e r Bra d y v

. Ma ry la n d

, 3 7 3 U.S

. 8 3 (8 3 S Ct 1 1 9 4

,

1 0 LE2 d 2 1 5 ) (1 9 6 3 ) w e re v io la t e d b e c a u se in 2 0 0 1

, S h a n e k a to ld De te c tiv e

Ca rl F le tc h e r, d u rin g h i s in itia l in v e stig a tio n

, th a t Hill wa s a t he r h o u se a t th e

tim e o f th e sh o o tin g

, th a t th e S ta te fa ile d to d i s c lo se th is in fo rm a tio n to Hill

p rio r to tria l, a

n d th a t th is a lib i in fo rm a tio n wa s n o t in c lu d e d in th e d e te c tiv e ’s

p o l i c e r e p o rt o r his tra n sc rib e d in te rv ie w with S h a n e k a ; (2 ) u n de r Timb e rla k e

3v

. S ta te

, 2 4 6 Ga

. 4 8 8 (2 7 1 S E2 d 7 9 2 ) (1 9 80 ), if Sh a n e k a ’s te stim o n y h a d b e e n

a d m itte d a t tria l, th e re is a stro n g lik e lih o o d th a t th e v e rd ic ts wo u ld h a v e b e e n

d iffe re n t; a nd (3 ) th e n e wly -d isc o v e re d a lib i e v id e n c e s h o w s Hill’s a c tu a l

in n o c e n c e

, a n d th is o v e rc o m e s th e c irc u m sta n tia l e vid e n c e u po n wh ic h Hill wa s

c o n v ic te d

.

Th e su c c e sso r c o u rt fo u n d , in te r a lia , th a t S h a n e k a ’s a ffid a v it te stim o n y

wa s c re dib le a n d re liab le

, th a t F le tc h e r’s in v e stig a to ry p ra c tic e s we re u n re liab le

a n d n ot c re d ib le

, a n d th a t a “fu lly -in fo rm e d ” ju ry sh ou ld d e c id e th e q u e stio n o f

H ill’s in v o lv e m e n t. 1 It fo u n d in fa v o r o f Hill o n a ll th re e o f th e b a s e s o f h i s

c la im o f n e w ly -d isc ov e re d e v id e n c e

, v a c a te d h is c o n v ic tio n s, a n d g ra n te d h im

a n e w tria l.

Th e d e te rm in a tio n o f th is a p pe a l m u st b e g in w ith a n a n a ly sis o f th e

p re c e pts o f a

p p e lla te re v ie w o f th e ru lin g

. It is c e rta in ly tru e th a t th is Co u rt will

n o t d istu rb th e first g ra n t o f a n e w tria l o n th e ge n e ra l g ro u n ds in a c rim in a l c a se

u n le ss t h e tria l c o u rt a

b u se d its d isc re tio n in g ra ntin g it a n d th e la w a n d fa c ts

1 The successor c ourt rejected the State’s contention that a “Motion to V acate and V oid” filed

by Hill in 2004, was substantially an ex traordinary motion for new trial, and th e re f o re

, that the

present motion was a second ex traordinary motion for new trial, which was procedurally barred by

OCGA § 5-5-41 (b).

4re q u ire th e v e rd ic t re n d e re d

. OCGA § 5 -5 -5 0 2 ; S ta te v

. H a rris

, 2 9 2 Ga

. 9 2

, 9 4

(7 3 4 SE2 d 3 5 7 ) (2 0 1 2 ). Th e tria l c o u rt is to b e g iv en a sig n ific a n t a m o u n t o f

d e fe re n c e in th e e x e rc ise o f its d isc re tio n in su c h a situ a tio n b e c a u se it wa s a n

o b se rv e r o f wh a t tra n sp ire d a t tria l; in d e e d

, th e tria l ju d g e h a s b e e n re fe rre d to

a s th e “ th irte e n th ju ro r.” S ta te v

. H a rris

, a t 9 4

. Bu t, th e re is a sig n ific a n t

d iffe re n c e in c o n sid e ra tio n o f a m o tio n fo r n e w tr ia l a n d a n e x tra o rd in a ry

m o tio n fo r n e w tria l; e xtra o rd in a ry m otio n s fo r n e w tria l a re “ n o t fa v o re d ,” a n d

“ a stric te r ru le is a

pp lie d to a

n e x tra o rd in a ry m o tio n fo r a n e w tria l b a se d o n th e

g ro u n d of n e wly a v a ilab le e v id e n c e th a n to a n o rd in a ry m otio n o n th a t g ro u n d .”

(Cita tio n a n d p u n c tu a tio n o m itte d .) Cro w e v . S ta te , 2 65 Ga . 5 8 2 , 5 9 0 -5 9 1 (1 5 )

(4 5 8 S E2 d 7 9 9 ) (1 99 5 ). F u rth e rm o re

, th e disc re tio n o f a s u cc e s s o r j u d g e is

n a rro we r in sc op e th a n th a t o f t h e j u d g e p re sid in g a t tria l, a nd th e su c c e sso r

ju d g e ' s fa c tu a l ru lin gs a re n o t g iv e n th e b ro a d d e fe re n c e g iv e n to fin d in g s b y th e

p re sid in g ju d g e

. S ta te v

. Ha rris su pra a t 9 5 ; S ta te v

. Cle me nts

, 2 8 9 Ga

. 6 4 0 (1 )

(7 1 5 SE2 d 5 9 ) (2 0 1 1 ). Wh ile th is Co u rt w ill still a c c o rd su bsta ntia l d e fe re n c e

2 OCGA § 5-5-50 provides:

The first g rant o f a new trial shall not be disturbed b y an appellate court unless the appellant

shows that the judg e abused his discretion in g r anting it and that the law and facts require the

verdict notwithstanding the judg ment of the presiding judg e.

5to a tria l c o u rt' s d e c isio n o n a n e x tra o rd in a ry m o tio n fo r n e w tria l a n d re v ie w its

u ltim a te ru lin g fo r a n a

b u se o f d isc re tio n, su c h d isc re tio n is n o t u n fe tte re d ; th e

tria l c ou rt m

u st e x e rc ise its d isc re tio n in c o n fo rmi t y w ith th e g o v e rn in g le g a l

p rin c ip le s, a n d th e fa c ts th a t th e c o u rt is to fin d an d th o se w h i c h m u st b e

e v a lu a te d b y th is Co u rt a re th o se re le va n t to d e te rm in in g wh e th e r th e le g a l

re q u ire m e n ts h a v e b e e n sa tisfie d

. Fo rd M o to r Co

. v

. C

o n le y

, 2 9 4 Ga

. 5 3 0

, 5 3 8

(2 ) (7 5 7 S E 2d 20 ) (2 0 1 4 ), c itin g S ta te v

. P ic k e tt

, 2 8 8 Ga

. 67 4

, 67 9 (4 ) (d ) (7 0 6

S E2 d 5 6 1 ) (2 01 1). In d e e d

, if th e tria l c ou rt sig n ific a n tly m isa p p lie s th e la w o r

m a k e s a c le a r e rro r with re g a rd t o a m a te ria l fin d in g o f fa c t, th e tria l c o u rt' s

e x e rc ise o f d isc re tio n c a n be u p h e ld o nly if th is Co u rt c a n re a c h th e c o n c lu sio n

th a t h a d t h e t r i a l c o u rt u se d th e c o rre c t fa c ts a n d le g a l a n a ly sis, it wo u ld h a v e

h a d n o d isc re tio n to re a c h a d iffe re n t ju d g m e n t. S ta te v

. Pic k e tt

, su p ra a t 6 7 9 (4 )

(d ). Oth e rwise

, th e re is a n a b u se o f d i s c r e t i o n a s a m a tte r of la w. Th a t is

p re c ise ly th e situ a tio n in th is c a se

. Th e su c c e sso r c o u rt c le arly e rre d in re g a rd

to m a t e r i a l f

a c tu a l fin d in g s wh ic h re su lte d in th a t c ou rt’s im p ro p e r g ra n t o f

Hill’s e x tra o rd in a ry m o tio n fo r n e w tria l. Ad d itio n a lly

, th e su c c e sso r c o urt

e m p lo y e d , in pa rt, a n e rro n e ou s le g a l a n a ly sis in fin d in g in fa v o r o f Hill.

Th e lin c h p in o f th e su c c e sso r c o urt’s ru lin g is S h a n e ka ’s 2 01 2 a ffid a vit,

6to wh ic h th e c o urt g a v e fu ll c re d it. Ho we v e r, th e re wa s n o e v i d e n c e

, v ia

S h a ne k a ’s a ffid a v it o r o th e rwise to su p p o rt th e su c c e sso r c o u rt’s d e te rm in a tio n

th a t p rio r to tria l, S h a n e k a to ld De te c tiv e F le tc h e r a b o u t a n a lib i fo r Hill. He r

2 0 1 2 a ffid a v it did n o t in c lu d e a n a v e rm e n t th a t sh e pro v id e d F le tc h e r with a n y

a lib i in fo rm a tio n wh e n h e in te rv ie w e d h e r. 3 Mo re o ve r, th e v a g u e a v e rm e n ts in

th e a ffid a v it d id no t p ro v id e a n y c o n c re te e v id e nc e th a t Hill wa s n o t o r c o u ld n o t

h a v e be e n in v o lv e d in th e fa ta l sh o o tin g a n d a ssa ults fo r wh ic h h e wa s

c o n v ic te d

. De sp ite th is la c k o f p r o o f th a t S h a n e ka g a v e F le tc h e r e x c u lp a to ry

in fo rm a tio n

, th e su c c e sso r c o u rt le a p e d to th e u n wa rra n te d c o n c lu sio n th a t sh e

h a d p ro v id e d su c h in fo rm a tio n

. Th e c o u rt th e n u se d th is e rro n e o u s fin d in g o f

fa c t a s th e fo u n d a tio n fo r its ru lin gs in fa v o r o f Hill’s c la im s.

3 Shaneka’s 2012 affidavit stated in relevant part as to Hill’s alibi that on Sunday

, N ovember

18, 2 001, she was living n e a r the crime scene; that she was out socializ ing on Saturday evening

, November 17, 2001, and that in the early morning hours of November 18, several people returned

to h er home to r etrieve their v e h icles; that Hill and W hite were in her home after midnig ht; that when

she returned home, she immediately went to bed but her friends (unnamed) were still in the house;

that althoug h she w as in the bedroom, she could hear what was said; that “at some point” a neig hbor

came to the house a

nd said that Culler’s brother had b een shot to death; that she heard “people” in

her living room reacting emotionally to the news; that Hill, W hite, a nd “ others” left tog ether shortly

after learning of the death; that she “heard g unshots outside, somewhere in the neig h borhood, after

the news a

bout [ Culler’s brother] was delivered but b efore the men de parted”; shortly after the

crimes at issue, F letcher had her broug ht to his office and after F letcher and she “ spoke off the record

f o r a w h i l e

, ” she g a ve a statement which was ty ped as she spoke; and that during F letcher’ s

questioning o f her, he ex pressed dissatisfaction with what she was able to tell him and wanted her

to incriminate Hill, W h ite and others, offering her inducements and making threats.

7In re g a rd to Hill’s c la im o f a v io la tio n o f Bra d y v

. Ma ry la n d

, Hill h a d to

sh o w th a t: (1 ) th e Sta te

, wh ic h wo u ld in c lu de a n y pa rt o f th e p ro se c u tio n te a m

,

p o sse sse d e vid e n c e fa v ora b le to h im ; (2 ) h e d i d n o t p o sse ss th e fa v o ra b le

e v id e n c e a n d c o u ld n o t o b ta in it h im se lf with a ny re a so n a ble d ilig e n c e ; (3 ) th e

S ta te su p p re sse d su c h fa v ora b le e v id e n c e ; a n d (4 ) a re a so na b le p ro b a b ility th a t

th e o u tc om e o f th e tria l w o u ld h a ve b e e n d iffe re n t h a d t h e fa v o ra b le e v id e n c e

b e e n disc lo se d to th e d e fe n se

. S ta te v

. J a mes

, 2 9 2 Ga

. 4 4 0

, 4 41 (2 ) (7 3 8 S E2 d

6 0 1 ) (2 01 3 ). An d , Hill d id n o t m e e t su c h b u rd e n

.

Ag a in

, Hill fa ile d to sh o w th a t t h e S t a te e ith e r p o sse sse d o r su p p re sse d

a n y fa vo ra

b le e v id e n c e

, b e c a

use th e re is n o e v id e n c e th a t Sh a ne k a a c tu a lly g a v e

F le tc h e r th e a lle ge d a lib i in fo rma t i o n

. I n d e e d

, h e r 2 0 0 1 sta te m e n t to F le tc he r,

wh ic h wa s p ro v id e d to th e d e fe n se p rio r to tria l a lo ng with a witn e ss list n a m in g

S h a ne k a

, wa s a n y th in g b u t e xc u lp a to ry a s to H ill

. S h e n a me d h e r th e n

b o y frie n d

, two c o u sin s, a n d a n a c q u a in ta nc e

, wh o a lle g e d ly w e r e i n h e r

a p a rtm e nt in th e e a

rly m o rn in g h o u rs p rio r to th e sh o o tin g b u t d id n ot m e n tio n

Hill. S h e a lso sta te d th a t sh e wa s in a n o th e r ro o m wh e n sh e h e a rd a n in d iv id u a l

o r in d iv idu a ls k n o c k o n th e a p a rtm e n t d o o r a n d e n te r th e a pa rtm e n t; th a t sh e

h e a rd lo u d ta lk in g a n d c u rsin g a fte r so m e o n e sa id th a t Cu lle r’s b ro th e r h a d b e e n

8k ille d, a nd in fa c t, sh e to ld “ e v e ry b o d y to h o ld i t d o wn ” ; th a t sh e h e a rd th e

in d iv id u a ls wh o h a d a

rriv e d a t th e a

p a rtm e n t le a v e ; an d th a t sh e h e ard gu n sh o ts

a b o u t fiv e m in u te s a fte r th e u n n a m e d in div id u a ls le ft h e r a p artm e n t. Th u s, e v e n

if Hill w a s on e o f th e u n n a m e d in d i v i d u a l s wh o e x ite d th e a p a rtm e n t, a n d th e

g u n sh o ts h e a rd b y S h a n e k a w e re in d e e d th o se re su ltin g in th e pre se n t c rim e s,

th e e x pre sse d tim e lin e wo u ld n o t ru le o u t Hill’s in v o lv e m e n t. Th u s, q u e stio n s

o f Hill’s d ilig e n c e in a sc e rta in in g S h a n e k a ’s k no w le d g e a b o u t th e n ig h t o f th e

sh o o tin g

, o r a n y p o te n tia l im p a c t o n th e ou tc o m e o f tria l n e e d n o t b e re a c h e d

.

It wa s a lso e rro r fo r th e su c c e sso r c ou rt to fin d th a t H i l l sa tisfie d th e

c rite ria o f T

imb e rla k e v

. S t a te fo r gra n tin g a n e w tria l o n th e b a sis o f n e wly

d isc o v e re d e v id e n c e

. He h a d to sa tisfy th e c o u rt th a t (1 ) th e e v id e n c e a t issu e

c a m e to h is k n o wle d g e sin c e h is tria l; (2 ) it wa s n o t o win g to th e w a n t o f d u e

d ilig e n c e th a t h e d id n o t a c q u ire it so o n e r; (3 ) su c h e v id e n c e is so m a te ria l th a t

it wo u ld p ro b a

bly p r o d u c e a d iffe re n t ve rd ic t; (4 ) th e e v id e n c e is n o t m e re ly

c u m u la tiv e ; (5 ) t h e a ffid a v it o f th e witn e ss h e rse lf sh o uld be p ro c u re d o r its

a b se nc e a c c o u n te d fo r; a n d (6 ) th e e ffe c t o f th e e v id e n c e wo u ld b e m o re th a n to

m e re ly im

p e a c h th e c re d ib ility o f a witn e ss. Id

. a t 4 91 (1 ). Hill c a nn o t sa tisfy

9e v e n th e th re sh old re q u ire m e n ts o f T imb e rla k e

.

Th e sta te m e n ts in Sh a n e k a ’s 2 0 1 2 a f f id a vit u p o n wh ic h H ill re lie s we re

n o t ne w e v id e n c e in th a t th e y c e rta in ly d id no t c o m e to Hill’s k no w le d g e sin c e

h is tria l. Ac c e p tin g a rg u e n do

, th e a c c u ra c y o f th e sta te m e nts i n S h a n e k a ’s

a ffid a vit, Hill wa s p re se nt a n d a w a re o f S h a n e k a b e in g a t he r h o m e o n th e n ig h t

a n d tim e o f th e sh o o tin g

, a n d a lso a wa re o f h e r k no w le d g e t h a t Hill wa s th e re

a s we ll. F u rth e rm o re

, a s no te d

, a w i t n es s list n a m in g S ha n e k a a n d h e r

2 0 0 1sta te m e n t to p o lic e we re p ro v id e d to Hill p re -tria l; th er ef o r e

, Hill h a d

a m p le o p p o rtu n ity to se c u re h e r a s a witn e ss. Th e fa ilu re to sa tisfy e v e n o n e o f

th e T imb e rla k e re qu ire m e n ts is c a

u se fo r th e d e n ia l o f a n e w t r ia l on th e b a sis

o f a lle g e d n e wly d isc ov e re d e v id e n c e

. Da v is v

. S ta te

, 2 83 Ga

. 4 3 8

, 4 4 0 (2 ) (6 6 0

S E2 d 3 54 ) (2 0 0 8 ).

F in a lly

, th e su c c e sso r c ou rt e rro n e o u sly fo u n d th a t Hill sh ou ld b e g ra n te d

a n e w tria l b a se d o n a c la im o f a c tu a l in n o c e n c e

, p re m ise d u po n th e 19 1 6 c a se

o f J o in e r v

. S ta te

, 1 7 Ga

. Ap p

. 7 2 6 (8 8 S E 2 15 ) (1 9 1 6 ). Ev e n a ssu m in g t h a t

J o in e r, ra t h e r t h a n T

imb e rla k e

, is p ro p e rly a

pp lie d in th is situ a tio n, th a t c a se

p ro v id e d th a t a

n e w tria l sh o u ld b e g ra n te d

10if t h e c o nv ic tio n o f th e a c c u se d re sts u po n c irc u m sta ntia l

e v id e n c e a lo n e

, a n d t h e n e wly d isc o v e re d e v id e n c e is d ire c t

a n d p o sitiv e in c h a ra c te r a s to th e in n oc e n c e o f th e d e fe n da n t,

a n d su c h te stim on y wo u ld

, if th e w itn e ss b e c re dite d, p ro d u c e

a d iffe re n t re su lt o n a

se c o n d tria l.

Th e a l l e g e d n e w ly -d isc o v e re d e vid e n c e is fa r fro m “ d ire c t a n d po sitiv e ” a s to

H i ll’s in n o c e n c e

, a n d e v e n if fu lly c re d ite d

, d oe s n o t re fu te th e e v i d e n c e o f

Hill’s g u ilt a d d u c e d a t tria l; c o n s e q u e n tly

, th e o ffe re d e v id e nc e is u n lik e ly to

p ro d u c e a d iffe re n t re su lt u p o n re tria l.

S im p ly

, th e su c c e sso r c o u rt a b u se d its d isc re tio n in g ra n tin g Hill’s

e x tra o rd in a ry m otio n fo r n e w tria l.

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

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