FI FTH DI VI SI ON

M C FA DDEN, C. J.

, M CM ILLI A N, 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

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.

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October 24, 2019



# I n th e Co u r t o f

A p p eals o f

G eo r g ia

A1 9 A0 95 0 . THE STATE v . M cCARGO.

M C F A D D E N , Ch i ef J u d g e.

Th e s t at e ap p eal s fro m t h e tri al co u rt ’ s g ran t o f a n e w t r i al t o An t h o ny

M cCarg o

, wh o h ad b een co n v i ct ed o f t h e o ffen s es of ch i l d m o l es tat i on an d en t i ci n g

a ch i l d fo r i n d ecen t pu rp o s es

. In h i s o rd er, t h e t ri al c o u r t fo u n d t h at a bai l i ff h ad

en g ag ed in an i m

p ro p er co m

m u n i cat i o n wi t h t h e ju ry d u ri n g t h ei r d el i b erat i o n s an d

t h at t h e s t at e had n o t reb u t t ed t h e p res um p t i o n o f h arm ari si n g fro m t h at

co m m u n icat io n. Becau s e t h ere i s ev i d en ce s u pp o rt i n g t h i s ru l i n g , we affi rm

.

Th e reco rd s h o ws t h at M cCarg o m o v ed fo r a n ew t ri al b as e d

, a m o n g o t h er

t h i n g s

, o n an al l eg ed i m

p ro p er co m

m u n icat i o n b et ween a b ai l i ff an d t h e ju ry d u ri n g

ju ry d el i b erat i o n s

. At t h e h eari ng o n h i s m o ti o n

, M cCarg o p res en t ed ev i d en ce t h at t h e

b ai l i ff h ad i n fo rm ed t h e ju ry t h at t h ere h ad b een an earl i er m i s tri al in t h e cas e, an d t h es t at e co n ced es o n ap p eal t hat an im p ro p er co m

m u n i cat i o n o ccu rred

. See Gea r v.

S t a t e

, 2 8 8 Ga. 5 0 0

, 5 0 3 (3 ) (7 0 5 SE2 d 6 3 2 ) (2 0 1 1 ) (b ai l i ff’ s d u t y “ i s t o t ak e cu s t o dy

o f t h e ju ry an d t o m ak e n o c o m m u n i c a t i o n wi th t h em n o r p erm i t an y o n e to

co m m u n icat e wi t h th em

, ex cep t b y l e a v e o f co u rt ”) (ci t at i on an d pu n ct u at i o n

o m it t ed ). S e e a l s o Tu r

p i n v. To d

d

, 2 6 8 G a. 8 2 0, 8 2 3 (1 ) (4 9 3 SE2 d 90 0 ) (1 9 9 7 )

(b ai l iff’ s i m

p ro p er s t at em en t s t o ju ry m ay v io l at e d efen d an t’ s ri g h t t o fai r tri al ); Ed g e

v. St a t e

, 3 4 5 Ga. Ap p

. 7 9 4

, 7 9 6 (2 ) (8 1 5 SE2 d 1 4 6 ) (2 0 1 8 ) ( “ n o o u t s i d e i n fl u en ce

s h al l b e b ro u gh t t o b e a r o n t h e m i n d s o f t h e j u ry ”) (ci t at i o n s an d pu n ct u at i o n

o m it t ed ).

W h ere a n i m

p ro p er co m

m u n i cat i o n fro m t h e b ai l i ff t o t he ju ry i s s h o wn i n a

cri m i n al cas e, a p res u m

p ti o n o f h arm ari s es an d t h e s t at e b ears t h e b u rd en o f reb u t t i n g

t h at p res u m

p t i o n

. Gea r

, 2 88 Ga. a t 5 0 3 (3 ); Jo n es v. S t a t e

, 2 58 Ga. 9 6

, 9 6 -9 7 (3 6 6

SE2 d 1 4 4 ) (1 98 8 ); B a t t l e v. S t a t e

, 2 3 4 Ga. 6 3 7, 6 3 9 (2 1 7 SE2 d 2 5 5 ) (1 97 5 ). Th e s t at e

m ad e a p ro ffer o f ev i d en ce t h a t 1 1 o f t h e ju ro rs i n t h e cas e wo u l d t es ti fy t h at t h e

b ai l i ff’ s co m

m en t s reg ard i n g t h e earl i er m i s t ri al d i d n ot affect t h ei r v erd i ct

. Th e t ri al

co u rt accep t ed t hi s p ro ffer b u t h el d t h at i t d i d no t reb u t t h e p res u m pt io n o f h arm in

t h i s cas e

. I n s t ead t h e t ri al co u rt fo u n d

, b as ed o n ot h er ev i d en ce p res en t ed at t h e

h eari n g

, t h at “ aft er h eari n g t h e i m p r o p er co m

m u n icat i o n

, s ev eral ju ro rs so u g h t to

2‘ m ak e i t ri gh t fo r th e l it t l e g i rl ’ d u ri n g t he t ri al an d d el ib erat i o n s .” So th e t ri al co u rt

g ran t ed M cCarg o a n ew t ri al

.

Ev i d en ce at t he heari n g s u p p o rt ed t he t ri al co u rt ’ s fi nd i n g

, p art icu l arl y a s eri es

o f s t a t em en t s m ad e b y t he twel ft h ju ro r i n p ri v at e m es sag es o n Faceb o o k

. In t h o s e

s t at em en t s

, t he ju ro r referred t o t h e b ai l i ff’ s co m m en t s as p o s s i b l e “

ju ry t am p eri n g ”

an d i n d i cat ed t h at t h e b ai li ff’ s co m m en ts affect ed t h e ju ry ’ s d el i b erat i o n s

, w h i ch in

t u rn affect ed t h a t j u r o r ’s o wn v erd i ct

. Am o n g o t her th i n g s

, t h e ju ro r s t at ed i n t h e

p ri v at e m es s ag es :

Fo r t h e reco rd

, I was t h e o n l y h o l do u t

. I ca ved

. Des p it e t h e i ck y

. I h av e

reg ret t ed no t rep o rt in g s o m et h i n g s i n ce, wel l

, t h e m o m en t i t h ap p en ed

.

. . . [I] n t h e en d

, t h e ju ry g o t s t u ff t h at was n ot i n wh at y o u wi l l read [i n

t h e t ri al t ran s cri pt ]

. A f

ew s en t en ces f

ro m t h e r ea l l

y ol d la d y b a i l if f wa s

a l l t h a t i t t o o k t o s t i r

t h e p o t . An d

i n t h e en d

, t h o s e s en t en ces a r e wh a t

f o u n d h i m g u i l ty, NOT wh a t i s i n t h e t r a n s cr i p t s t h a t yo u wi l l r ea d

. . . .

[T] h e s t at em en t s h e h ad s ai d i n t h e ju ry ro o m w o u ld b e o n e o f th e

reas o n s t h at m

y g ro u p wan t ed t o co m e t o a v erd i ct s o swi ft ly

. D es p i t e

m e rem i n d i n g t hem t h at t h e i n fo rm at i o n t h ey we r e d i s cu s s i n g w as

‘ un k n o wn ’ an d ‘ n o t a p art o f ou r tri al ,’ i t w as ev i d en t t h at t h i s d i d n o t

m at t er t o th e h o ard

. I wa s a l o n e i n o b j ect i o n — a nd a d

mi t t ed l y, i t h a u n t s

me t o t h i s d

a y

. . . . Sh e t o l d u s t h at t h i s was t h e s eco nd t i m e tr yi n g t h e

cas e

. . . . [P] rev i o u s o n e t h e ju ry co u l d n ’ t ag ree. [M ] i s t ri al

. I h av e n o

i d ea i f t h at was t ru [e] o r fal s e, b u t f r o m t h en o n

, i t wa s a b o u t ho w we

wer e g o i n g t o ma ke i t

r i gh t

.

3(Em

p h as i s s u p p li ed .)

Th e ju ro r wh o m ad e th es e s tat em en t s i n p ri v at e m es s ag es al s o t es t i fi ed at t h e

h eari n g o n t h e m ot i o n fo r n ew t ri al

. Sh e ad m it t ed m ak i n g t h o se s tat em en t s

. Sh e

t es t i fi ed t h at t h e b ai l i ff had ei t h er s t at ed o r i m p l i ed t o t h e ju ry

t hat M cCarg o “ h ad a

m i s t r ial t h e fi rs t t i m e,” th at t h e ju ro rs d is cu s s ed t h e b ai l i ff’ s s t at em en t d u ri n g

d el i b e r a t i o n s

, an d th at i n th e co n t ex t o f t h o se d i s cu s s i o ns so m e of t h e ju ro rs s t at ed

t h at t hey were g o i n g t o “ [m ] ak e[ ] t he v erd i ct ri g h t

. ” Sh e t es t i fi ed t h at t h e i s s u e “ cam e

u p m u lt i p l e ti m es [.] ” Al t h o u g h at t h e h eari n g t h e ju ro r al s o t es t i fi ed th at s h e m i g ht

h av e ex ag g erat ed i n th e p ri v at e m es s ag es t h e i m p act o f t h e b ai l i ff’ s co m

m en t s

, an d

s h e t es t i f i e d t hat t h e co m

m en t s d id n o t affect h er verd i ct

, t h e t ri al co u rt was n ot

req u i red t o cred it t h o s e as p ect s o f h er t es t i m o n y

. See H en l ey v. S t a t e

, 28 5 Ga. 5 0 0,

5 0 3 -5 0 4 (2 ) (6 7 6 SE2 d 8 8 4 ) (2 0 09 ) (t ri al co u rt h as p rero g at iv e t o d i s b el iev e ju ro r

t es t i m o ny reg ard in g i m

p act o f ex t ra-ju d i ci al i n fo rm at i o n o n v erd ict ).

Gi v e n t h i s e v i d en ce, th e t ri al co u rt w as au t h o ri zed t o fi nd t h at t h e s t at e’ s

p ro ffer d id n o t reb u t t h e pres u m p ti o n o f h arm

. Ev en i f t h e t r i al co urt b el iev ed t h e

p ro ffered ev i d en ce t h at t he co m m en t s d id n o t affect t h e v erd i ct o f el ev en o f t h e ju ro rs

,

t h e tri al co u rt co u l d co n cl u d e fro m t h e t w el ft h j u ro r’ s p ri v at e m es s ag es t h at s h e h ad

b een i n fl u en ced b y t h e react io n o f t h e ju ro rs t o t h e b a i l i f f ’s co m m en t s

. See Ki n g v.

4S t a t e

, 92 Ga. Ap p. 6 1 6

, 6 1 9 (8 9 S E 2 d 5 85 ) (1 9 55 ) (t o reb u t p res um p t i o n o f h arm

,

s t at e m u s t s h o w t hat n on e o f t h e j u ro r s w e r e i n fl u en ced by th e i m p ro p er

co m m u n icat io n).

W e are n o t p ers u ad e d b y t h e s t at e’ s arg u m en t s t o t h e co n t rary

. Bas ed o n

co m m en t s m ad e b y t h e t ri al co urt d u ri n g t h e h eari n g

, t he s t at e arg u es t h at we d o n ot

o we t h e t ri al co u rt an y d eferen ce b ecau s e t he t ri al co u rt t reat e d t h e ru l i n g as a

q u es ti o n of l aw rat h er t h an fact

. Th e s tat e al so arg u es t h at at t he h eari n g t h e t ri al co u rt

i n co rrect l y s t at ed t hat t here was a co n st i tu t i o n al ri g h t t o a h u n g ju ry

. Bu t t h e t ri al

co u rt ’ s wri t t en o rd er co n t ro l s o v er an y oral s t at em en ts m ad e at t h e h eari n g

. S t a t e v.

Mo n d o r

, 3 0 6 Ga. 3 38

, 35 1 (3 ) (8 3 0 SE2 d 2 0 6 ) (2 0 19 ). Al t h o u g h i n t h e wri t t en o rd er

t h e t ri al co u rt u s ed t he t erm “ i ns u ffi ci en t as a m at t er o f l aw” t o d es cri b e t h e s t at e’ s

p ro ffered reb u t t al ev i d en ce, t h e tri al co u rt al s o m ad e fact u al fi n d in g s fro m t h e

ev i d en ce an d tes t i m o n y p res en t ed to h i m at t h e h eari n g. An d t h e wri t t en o rd er m ad e

n o m en t i o n o f a s u p p o sed co n s t i tu t io n al ri g h t t o a h u n g ju ry

. So n ei t h e r o f t h es e

arg u m en t s s u p p o rt rev ers al

.

Th e st at e al so m ak es v ari o u s arg u m en t s t h at es s en t i al l y am o u n t t o as k i n g u s to

d e ci d e, as a m at t er of l aw, t h at M cCarg o was n o t h arm ed

. To t h e ex t e n t t h e s e

arg u m en t s as k u s t o d is reg ard t h e s t at e’ s b u rd en o f reb u t t i n g t he p res u m p ti on o f h arm

5i n fav or o f ap pro ach es u sed i n o t h er ju ri s di ct io n s, we can n o t d o s o

— t h at b u rd en h as

b een wel l es t ab l is h ed b y o u r Su p rem e Co u rt

. See Jo n es

, 2 5 8 Ga. at 9 6 -9 7

. Th e s t at e

arg u es t h at t hi s i s a cas e wh ere t h e l ack o f h arm “ sp eak s fo r i t s el f.” W e di s ag ree. It

i s t ru e t h at “ wh ere t h e su b st an c e o f t h e [i m p ro p er] co m

m u n i cat i o n i s es t ab l i s h ed

wi t h o u t co nt rad ict i o n

, t h e fact s t h em s el v es m ay es t ab li s h t h e l ack o f p reju d i ce o r

h arm t o th e d efen d an t ,” id

. a t 9 7

, b u t t h i s i s n o t s u ch a cas e. Al t h o u g h t h e s t at e

co n ced es t h at an i m

p ro p er co m

m u n i cat i o n o ccu rred

, t h e ev i d en ce ab o u t t he p reci s e

s u b s t an ce o f t h at co m

m u ni cat i o n co n fl i ct ed

. Th e ju ro r wh o t es ti f i e d co u l d n ot

d efi n i t i v el y st at e wh at was s ai d

, t h e p ro ffered s tat em en t s o f t h e o t her ju ro rs were n ot

s p eci fi c o n t he p o i n t

, an d a t t h e h eari n g t h e b ai l i ff d en i ed t el l i n g th e j u ry t h at t h ere

h ad b een an earl i er m i st ri al

. See Ch a mb er s v. S t a te

, 32 1 Ga. Ap p

. 5 1 2

, 5 2 0 (1 ) (7 3 9

SE2 d 5 1 3 ) (2 0 1 3 ) (p h y s i cal p reced en t on l y ) (i n cas e wh ere su b st an ce o f

co m m u n icat io n was n o t e s t ab l i s h ed wi t h o u t co n t rad i ct i o n

, d ecl i n i ng t o ap p l y

p ri n ci p l e t h at fact s t h em s el ves can es t ab l i sh l ack o f h arm ).

Fi n al l y

, t h e s tat e arg u es t h at t h ere was n o h arm b ecau s e t he ju ry heard t h e s am e

i n fo rm at i o n fro m t ri al w i t nes ses

. Bu t i n a n o r d e r d en y i n g th e st at e’ s m o t i o n fo r

reco n s i d erat i on t h e tri al co u rt fo u n d t h at t he t ri al t es t i m o n y t o wh i ch t he s t at e p o i n t ed

6was “ eas i l y d i s t i ng u i s h ab le” fro m t h e b ai li ff’ s co m m en t s

. W e h av e rev i ewed t h e t ri al

t es t i m o ny an d fi n d n o erro r i n t h e t ri al co u rt ’ s as s es s m en t.

Ju d g men t a f f i r med

. McMi l l i a n

, P

. J., a n d S e n io r Ap pel l a t e Ju d

g e Her b er t E.

Ph i p ps co n cu r

.

7