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

De c id e d: No v e m b e r 3

, 2 0 14

S 14 A1 6 8 9 . BROWNER v . THE S TATE.

B ENHAM , Ju stic e

.

Ap p e lla n t An to n io Bro wn e r wa s c o n v i c t e d o f fe lo n y m u rd e r a n d o th e r

re la te d c rim e s a sso c ia te d with th e sh o o tin g d e a th o f Ga ry Co le

, th e a ssi s t a n t

m a n a g e r o f a F a m ily D o lla r sto re

, d u rin g an a rm e d ro b b e ry o f th e sto re

. He wa s

a lso c o n v ic te d o f a rm e d ro bb e ry o f F ra n Me y e r a n d a tte m p te d c a r-ja c k in g o f h e r

v e h ic le wh ic h oc c u rre d la te r in th e sa m e e v e n in g a s th e sh o o tin g o f M r. Co le

. 1

1 The crimes oc c u r r e d A p r il 12, 2011. On J une 21, 2011, appellant and two others were

jointly indicted by a B ibb County g rand jury on identical c harg es of malice murder with respect the

death of victim Gary Cole, f elony murder (ag g r avated assault with a deadly weapon), armed robbery

with respect to the theft of property of the F amily Dollar store, a g g ravated assault of Gary Cole,

ag g r avated assault of Cy

nthia P o o l e, a r med robbery with respect to the theft of property of F ran

Mey er, c riminal attempt to hijack a motor vehicle, and two counts of p ossession of a firearm during

the commission of a felony

. Appellant was tried before a jury from November 7

- 10, 2011, and was

found g uilty o n all charg es ex cept malice murder. The ag g r avated assault c onviction merg ed with

the conviction for felony murder for sentencing purposes, and appellant was sentenced as follows:

life without parole for the felony murder conviction; life for the a rmed robbery c onviction relating

to the theft of property o f the F amily D ollar store to run concurrently with the sentence for the felony

murder c onviction; twenty y e ars f or the ag g ravated assault of Cy nthia Poole to run concurrently with

the life sentences; life for the armed robbery o f F ran Mey er to run c onsecutively with the previous

sentences; ten y ears for criminal at t e m p t t o h ijack a motor vehicle to run concurrently with the

previous sentences; and five y ears for each of the two convictions for p ossession of a firearm during

the c ommission of a crime to r un consecutively

with each other and consecutively to the previous

sentences. Appellant filed a timely motion for new trial w hich was twice amended. After a hearing

, the trial court denied the motion for new trial and appellant filed a timely notice o f appeal on April

28, 2014. The appeal was docketed to the September 2014 term of this Court for a decision to beBro w n e r a

p p e a ls, ra isin g se v e ra l g ro u n d s, a n d fo r th e re a so n s se t fo rth h e re in

,

we a ffirm

.

Vie we d in th e lig h t m o st fa v o ra b le to th e v e rd ic t, th e tria l e v id e n c e

sh o we d th a t a

p p e lla n t e n t e r e d t h e sto re a rm e d with a g un with th e in te n t to

c o m m it ro b be ry

. He c o m m a nd e d th e sto re m an a g e r to o p e n th e sa fe b u t wh ile

th e m a n a g e r wa s a tte m

p tin g to d o so , Bro wn e r sh o t h im . Th e v ic tim d ie d a s a

re su lt o f th e sh oo tin g

. Afte r sh o o tin g th e m a na g e r, a p pe lla n t tu rn e d h is g u n o n

a n o t h e r e m

p lo y e e

, Cy n th ia P o o le

, b e fo re ru n n in g o u t o f th e sto re

. Alth o u g h

n e ith e r e m

p lo y e e o p e n e d th e sto re sa fe o r re g iste rs, a p p e lla n t te stifie d a n d

a d m itte d h e t o o k c a sh th a t wa s la y in g o n th e sto re c ou n te r. Th e ro b b e ry wa s

re c o rd e d b y sto re se c u rity c a m e ra s w h ic h sh o we d a p p e lla nt we a rin g distin c tiv e

c a rto o n -p rin te d p a

ja m a -sty le p a n ts. Vid e o fro m a se c u rity c a m e ra a t th e

c o u rth o u se sh o we d a m a n m a tc h i n g a p p e lla n t’s de sc rip tio n we arin g th e sa m e

p a ja m a -sty le p a n ts e a rlie r th e sa m e d ay

. Ap p e lla n t a d m itte d h e wa s th e m a n

sh o wn in b o th se c u rity c a m e ra v i d e os. T h e sto re c a m e ra a lso sh o we d o n e o f

a p p e lla n t’s c o -in d ic te e s, Qu a rte z Ca rte r, sta n d in g a t th e d o o r to th e sto re

. Th e

o th e r c o-in d ic te e

, Ro n ’Esh a S m ith

, wa ite d o u tsid e in a g e t-a wa y c a r. Du rin g th e

made on the briefs.

2ro b b e ry

, th e c e ll p h o n e a p p e lla n t wa s c a rry in g m a d e a n a p p a re n tly in a dv e rte n t

c a ll to a frie n d wh o h e a rd a

p p e lla n t te ll th e sto re m a n a ge r to “ sh u t th e f* * * u p

a n d g iv e it to m e

. O p e n th e d ra we r.” Th e witn e ss a lso h e ard an o th e r m a le v o ic e

in th e b a c k g ro u n d sa y in g

, “ Ju st b e a t h is a ** .” S h e a lso h e a rd a g u n sh o t. Th e

n e x t d a y

, a

p p e lla n t a d m itte d to th e frie nd wh o re c e iv e d th e te le p h o n e c a ll th a t

h e a n d th e o th e rs h a d ro b b e d th e sto re

, bu t he d e n ie d k illin g an y o n e

. Wh e n th e

frie n d le a rn e d fro m a n in te rn e t re po rt t h a t a n e m plo y e e h a d b e e n k ille d in th e

ro b b e ry

, sh e no tifie d la w e n fo rc e m e n t a u th o ritie s an d to ld th e m ap p e lla n t a n d

S m ith we re o n th e ir wa y to h e r h o m e

, wh e re th e y in te n d e d to hid e o u t fo r a fe w

d a y s.

Ac tin g o n th is tip , th e po lic e lo c a te d S m ith ’s c a r e n ro u te to th e frie n d ’s

h o u se a nd m a d e a tra ffic sto p

. Ap p e lla n t wa s ta ke n in to c u sto d y

, a fte r w h ic h h e

g a v e two sta te m e n ts to po lic e

. A se a rc h o f th e sto p p e d c a r re v e a le d e v i d e n c e

re la te d to th e a rm e d ro b b e ry a n d a tte m p te d c a r-j a c k i n g o f vic tim F ra n Me y e r.

Th a t v ic tim id e n tifie d c o -in d ic te e S m ith ’s c a r a s o n e sh e h a d se e n n e a rb y b e fo re

sh e w a s a c c o ste d

. S h e te stifie d th a t th e p urse ta k e n fro m h e r c o n ta in e d se v e ra l

h u n dre d -d o lla r b ills. S e c urity c a m e ra s a t a n e a rb y sto re

, a s we ll a s sto re re c o rd s

o f th e tra n sa c tio n, c a

p tu re d v id e o sh o win g a

p p e lla n t m a k in g a

p urc h a se u sin g

3a o ne -h u n d re d-d o lla r b ill sh o rtly a fte r th e ro b b e ry o f Me y e r a n d th e a tte m p te d

c a r-ja c kin g

. Wh e n S m ith ’s c a r wa s s e ar c h e d a fte r S m ith a n d a p p e lla n t we re

ta k e n in to c u sto d y

, th e v ic tim ’s c h e c k b o o k wa s fo u nd in Sm ith ’s v e h ic le

. Two

o f a p p e lla n t’s y o u n g e r re la tiv e s te stifie d th a t a pp e lla n t a nd his two c o -in d ic te e s

h a d p ic k e d th e m u p o n th e e v e n in g o f th e se e ve n ts a n d th e y h a d witn e sse d th e

Me y e r a rm e d ro b b e ry a n d a tte m p te d c a r-ja c k in g

. P a

ja m a -sty le p a n ts m a tc h in g

th o se th a t a

p p e lla n t a d m itte d h e wa s w e a r i n g a t th e sc e n e o f th e sto re ro b b e ry

a n d sh o o tin g we re re c ov e re d fro m a du m p ste r a t Ca rte r’s a pa rtm e n t c o m p le x

.

At tria l, a p p e lla n t te stifie d h e h a d c o m m itte d th e sto re a rm e d ro b b e ry

, h a d

fire d th e sh o t th a t k ille d th e sto re m an a ge r, a n d to o k Me y e r’s p urse

, b u t

a p p e lla n t c la im e d Ca rte r h a d th re a te n e d to k ill h im a n d S mi t h if h e d id n o t

c o m p ly

. Th e witn e sse s to th e a tte m p te d c a r-ja c k in g

, h o we v e r, te stif i e d th e y

n e v e r sa w Ca rte r t h r e a t en a p p e lla n t a s th e y we re d riv in g a ro u n d

. In two

c u sto d i al s t at e m e n ts g iv e n to th e p o lic e

, a p pe lla n t d id n o t m e ntio n th a t Ca rte r

h a d th re a te n e d o r c o e rc e d h im

.

1

. Ap pe lla n t a sse rts th e tria l c o u r t er re d in d e n y in g his m o tio n fo r n e w

tria l o n th e g ro u n d th a t th e e v id e n c e wa s in su ffic ie nt to c on v ic t. Qu o tin g

J a c k so n v

. V irg in ia

, 44 3 U.S

. 3 0 7

, 3 1 7 ( 9 9 S Ct 27 81

, 6 1 LE2 d 56 0 ) (1 9 7 9 ),

4a

p p e lla n t u rg e s th a t th e U n ite d S ta te s S u p re m e Co u rt re c og niz e d th a t e v e n “ a

p ro p e rly in stru c te d ju ry m a y oc c a sio n a lly c o n v ic t e v e n wh e n it c a n b e sa id th a t

n o ra tio n a l trie r o f fa c t c o u ld fin d g u ilt be y o n d a re a so n a ble do ub t,” a n d th a t th is

is su c h a c a se

. P a r t i c u l a r l y with re sp e c t to wh a t a p p e lla nt re fe rs to a s “ th e

se c o nd a ry c h a

rg e s,” p re su m a

b ly re fe rrin g to th e c h arg e s re la ti n g to th e c arja c k in g an d a r me d ro b b e ry of Ms. Me y e r, a pp e lla n t c la im s th e e v id e n c e wa s

v a g u e , a m

b ig u o u s, a n d c on flic tin g , a t b e st, with re g a rd to h im

.

Wh e n re v ie win g th e su ffic ie n c y o f th e e v id e n c e th is Co u rt do e s n o t

re we ig h th e e v id e nc e o r re so lv e c o n flic ts in te stim o n y

. Ca ld we ll v

. S ta te , 2 6 3

Ga

. 5 6 0 , 5 6 2 (1 ) (4 3 6 SE2 d 4 8 8 ) (1 99 3 ). Re so lv in g e v id e ntia ry c o n flic ts a n d

in c o nsiste nc ie s a n d a sse ssin g witn e ss c re d ib il i t y a re th e pro v in c e o f th e fa c t

fin d e r, n o t t h e a

p p e lla te c o u rt. Mille r v

. S ta te

,

_ _ _ Ga

.

_ __ _ (1 ) (_

_ _ S E2 d

_ _ _ ), 20 1 4 WL 4 9 5 8 1 6 8 (Oc t. 6

, 2 0 1 4 )

. Ap p e lla n t p re se n te d th e a ffirm a tiv e

d e fe n se o f c o e rc io n

, bu t th e ju ry wa s n o t re q uire d to b e lie v e h im or a c c e p t th a t

d e fe n se

. S e e

, e .g

., Mu rra

y v

. Sta te

, 2 9 5 Ga

. 28 9

, 2 9 1 (1 ) (7 5 9 S E2 d 5 2 5 ) (2 0 1 4 )

(ju ry e n title d to d isb e lie v e a ffir ma t i v e d e fe n se of se lf-d e fe n se ); E n grisc h v

.

S ta te

, 2 9 3 Ga

. Ap p

. 8 1 0

, 8 1 2 (6 8 8 S E2 d 3 19 ) ( 2 0 0 8 ). Alth o u g h a p p e lla n t

d e n ie d h e p a

rtic ip a te d in th e a tte m

p te d c a r-ja c k in g a t th e tim e h e to ok Me y e r’s

5p u rse

, th e e v id e n c e wa s a t le a st su ffic ie n t to su pp o rt h is c o n v ic tio n a s a p a rty to

th e c rim e

. In d e te rm in in g th e su ffic ie n c y o f th e e v id e nc e

, th is Co u rt re v ie ws th e

e v id e n c e in th e lig h t m o st fa v o ra b le to th e v e rd ic t. M

ille r v

. S ta te

, su p ra a t (1 ).

Do in g so

, we fin d su ffic ie n t e v id e n c e wa s p re se nte d a t tria l to p e rm it a ra tio n a l

trie r o f fa c t to fin d a

p p e lla n t g u ilty o f a ll th e c h a r g e s fo r w h ic h h e wa s

c o n v ic te d

.

2

. Afte r b e in g ta k e n in to c u sto d y

, a p p e lla n t ga v e two se p a ra te sta te m e n ts

to p o lic e

. Th e tria l c o urt c o n d u c te d a h e a rin g o n a p p e lla n t’s m o tio n to su p p re ss

th e sta te m e n ts fro m b e in g p re se n te d a s e v id e n c e a t t h e tria l, a fte r wh ic h th e

c o u rt d e n ie d a

p p e lla n t’s m o tio n

. Th e e vid e nc e p re se n te d a t th e he a rin g sh o we d

th a t be fo re g iv in g e a c h sta te m e n t, a p p e lla nt e x e c u te d a wr i t t e n wa iv e r

a c k n o wle d g in g th a t h e h a d b e e n in fo rm e d of h is rig h t to ha v e c o un se l p re se n t

d u rin g a n y s ta te m e n t m a d e to p o lic e

, in d ic a tin g th a t h e u n d e rsto od h is rig h ts,

a n d d e c la rin g th a t h e fre e ly a n d v o lu nta rily w a iv e d his ri g h t to h a v e c o u n se l

p re se n t. Ne v e rth e le ss, a

p p e lla n t a sse rts th e tria l c o u rt e rre d in a d m itti n g t h e

sta te m e n ts b e c a

u se

, h e c la im s, th e t o ta lity o f th e c irc u m sta n c e s sh o w th a t h is

sta te m e n ts we re n o t fre e ly a n d v o lu n ta rily m a d e

. “ [U] n le ss c le a rly e rro n e o u s,

a t ria l c ou rt’s c re d ib ility d e te rm in a tio n s a nd fa c tu a l fin d in g s re la tin g to t h e

6a d m issib ility o f a c o n fe ss i o n mu s t b e u p h e ld o n a p p e a l. Ho w e v e r, we

in d e pe n d e n tl y a p p l y th e la w to th e fa c ts.” (Cita tio n om itte d .) S m ith v

. S ta te

,

2 9 5 Ga

. 2 8 3

, 2 8 5 (1 ) (7 5 9 S E2 d 5 2 0 ) (2 0 1 4 ). Ap p ly in g th is sta n d a rd

, we fin d

n o e rro r in th e tria l c o u rt’s d e c isio n to a d m it th e two c u sto dia l sta te m e n ts in to

e v id e n c e

.

Ap p e lla n t’s a sse rti o n t h a t th e sta te m e n ts sh o u ld n o t ha v e b e e n a d m itte d

in t o e v i d e n c e is b a se d in p a rt o n th e fa c t th a t a p p e lla n t wa s k e p t wa itin g in

iso la tio n fro m o th e rs fo r o v e r a n h o u r b e fo re th e in te rv ie win g o ffic e r first

in fo rm e d h im o f h is rig hts a n d to o k h is first sta te me n t, du rin g wh ic h tim e h e

wa s u n d e r v id e o su rv e i l l an c e

. No e v id e n c e g le a n e d fro m th e p re -in te rv ie w

v id e ota p e

, h owe v e r, wa s a d m itte d in to e v id e n c e

. Th u s, th e fa c t th a t a v id e o ta p e

wa s m a d e

, un b e kn o wn st to a p p e l la n t, b e fo re h e wa s a dv ise d o f h is rig h t to

c o u n se l a n d rig h t to re m a in sile n t is irre le v an t to th e is s u e o f wh e th e r th e

sta te m e n ts a d m itte d in to e v id e n c e we re fre e ly a nd v o lu n ta rily g iv e n

. With o u t

re fe re nc in g a n y e v id e n c e in su p po rt, a p p e lla n t c la im s th a t th e pe rio d of iso la tio n

im p o se d on h im prio r to th e first sta te m e n t h e g a v e h a d a n a d v e rse

p sy c ho lo g ic a l e ffe c t up o n h im

, n o tin g th a t h e wa s o nly n in e te e n y e ars o f a g e a t

t h e tim e o f th e qu e stio n in g

. P h y sic a l o r m e n ta l to rtu re is th e ty p e of fe a r o f

7in

ju ry th a t p re v e n ts a c o n fe ssio n fro m b e in g a d m issib le p ursu a n t to th e fo rm e r

OC G A § 2 4

- 3

- 5 0

. 2 S e e S ta te v

. Ro b e rts

, 2 7 3 G a

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

(2 0 0 1 ), o v e rru le d o n o th e r g ro u n d s

, Ve rg a ra v

. S ta te

, 2 8 3 Ga

. 1 7 5 (6 5 7 S E2 d

8 6 3 ) (2 0 0 8). Th e re c ord

, h o we v e r, sh ows a p p e lla n t wa s n ot a m in o r an d wa s a

h ig h sc h o o l g ra d u a te wh o wa s e nro lle d in h is se c o n d y e a r o f te c hn ic a l sc h o o l a t

th e tim e o f th e s e e v e n t s

. Th u s, we re je c t th e su g g e stio n th a t h e wa s o f su c h

te n d e r y e a

rs th a t be in g h e ld in th e in te rv ie w ro om by h im se lf p rio r to

c o m m e n c e m e n t o f th e q u e stio n in g

, with o u t m o re

, c o n stitu te d p h y sic a l o r m e n ta l

to rtu re of th e t y p e to re n d e r a n in -c u sto dy sta te m e n t in v o lu n ta ry a n d

in a d m issib le . S e e id

.

Ap p e lla n t fu rth e r a rg u e s th a t h is sta te m e n ts we re m a d e wh e n h e wa s tire d

a n d u n d e r du re ss, a

n d th e re fo re h is sta te m e nts we re n o t fre e ly g iv e n

. Ap p e lla n t,

h o we v e r, fa ils to p o in t to a n y c irc u m sta n c e s su p p o rtin g th e a sse rtio n th a t h is

sta te m e n ts we re m a d e u n d e r d u r e ss, a n d a re v ie w o f th e vid e o ta p e o f h is

sta te m e n ts re v e a ls n o su c h d u re ss wa s a p p lie d

. At n o p o in t d urin g th e

in te rv ie ws d id a

p p e lla n t a sse rt h is rig h t to c o u n se l o r a tte m p t to e n d th e

in te rv ie w. Th e v id e o ta

p e o f th e two in te rv ie ws re v e a ls n o e v id e n c e o f e x tre m e

2 O CGA § 24-3-50 is now codified at O CGA § 24-8-824 as p art of the new Evidence Code.

8ta c tic s “ su c h a s le n g th y in te rro g a tio n

, p h y s ic a l d e priv a tio n

, b ru ta lity

, o r

d e c e p tio n ” th a t wo u ld re n d e r t h e tria l c o u rt’s d e c isio n re g a rd in g th e

v o lu n ta rin e ss o f a

p p e lla n t’s sta te m e nts e rro n e o u s. (Cita t i o n a n d p u n c tu a tio n

o m itte d .) Fe n n e ll v . S

ta te , 2 9 2 Ga . 8 3 4 , 8 3 7 (4 ) (7 4 1 S E2 d 8 7 7 ) (2 0 1 3 ).

Also

, a p p e ll an t c l a im s th e fa c t th a t h e wa s offe re d wa te r a n d a c ig a re tte

a fte r th e first in te rv ie w b e g a n

, b u t no t d u rin g th e tim e h e sp e n t wa itin g fo r th e

in te rv ie w to b e g in

, de m o n stra te s a n im p ro p e r b e ne fit wa s offe re d th a t re n d e rs

h is sta te m e n t in v o lu nta ry a n d in a d m issib le

. Ap p e lla n t p o i n t s to n o e vid e n c e th a t

h e a sk e d fo r, b u t w a s de n ie d, wa te r or a n y o th e r c o m fo rt a c c o m m o d a tio ns wh ile

h e wa s wa itin g fo r th e in te rv ie w to b e g in

. P ro v id in g th e m d u rin g th e in -c u sto d y

in te rv ie w d o e s n o t rise to th e le v e l o f a h o p e o f b e n e fit th a t will p re v e n t a

c o n fe ssio n fro m b e in g a d m issib le p u rsu a n t to OCGA § 2 4 -3 -5 0

. “ Ge n e ra lly

, th e

‘h o p e o f b e n e fit’ to wh ic h th e sta tu te re fe rs h a s b e e n c o n stru e d a s a h o p e o f

lig h te r pu n ish m e n t.” W

ilso n v

. S t a t e

, 28 5 Ga

. 2 2 4

, 2 2 7 (3 ) (6 7 5 S E2 d 1 1 )

(2 0 0 9 ); se e a lso W

h ite v

. S ta te

, 2 6 6 G a

. 1 3 4

, 1 3 5 (3 ) (4 6 5 S E2 d 2 7 7 ) (1 9 9 6 )

(“ Th e p ro m ise o f a b e ne fit th a t w i l l r e n d e r a c o n fe ssio n in v o lu n ta ry u n d e r

OCGA § 2 4 -3 -5 0 m

u st re la te to th e c h a rg e o r se n te n c e fa c in g th e su sp e c t.” )

3

. Ap pe lla n t a sse rts th e tria l c o urt e rre d in a d m ittin g in to e v id e n c e

, o v e r

9h is o b

je c t io n

, fo ur p h o to g ra

p h s o f v ic tim Co le ’s b od y

. Ap p e lla nt a sse rts th e

p h o t o g r a p h s w e r e g r

u e s o m e

, h a v e no in d e pe n d e n t p ro b a tiv e v a lu e

, an d th e r e f o r e

th e y se rv e d o n ly to p re

ju d ic e th e ju ry b y in te rje c tin g e m o tio n in to th e c a se

.

F u rth e r, h e a sse rts th e in fla m m a to ry e ffe c t o f th e se ph oto g ra p h s o u twe ig h s th e ir

e v id e n tia ry wo rth wh e re

, a s h e re

, a pp e lla n t d id n o t c o n te st th e v ic tim wa s sh o t

a n d die d fro m h is wo u n d s. T h e first o f th e se p h o to g ra p hs sh o we d th e v ic tim

ly in g in a b o d y b a g

, c o v e re d b y a sh e e t u p t o h is sh o u ld e rs with a b re a th in g

a p p a ra tu s o n h is fa c e

. At th e h e a rin g o n th e m o tio n to su p pre ss, in re sp o n se to

a p p e lla n t’s o b

je c tio n

, th e p r o s e c u t o r c o u n t e r e d t h at t h is p h o to g ra

p h wa s re le v a n t

in th a t it sh o we d h o w th e v ic tim a rri v ed a t t h e m e d ic a l e x a m in e r’s o ffic e a n d

a lso sh o we d th e m e d ic a l e x a m in e r’s c a se n um b e r, b y wh ic h th e e x a m in e r wa s

a b le to i d e n t i f

y th e v ic tim a s sh e te stifie d a t tria l. Th e se c on d p h o to g ra p h

sh o we d a c lo se -u p o f t h e v ic tim ’s fa c e on c e th e b re a th in g a p pa ra tu s wa s

re m o v e d , wh ic h sh o we d so m e b lo o d in th e v ic tim ’s m o u th , b u t th e p ro se c u to r

c o u n te re d th a t th is wa s th e o n ly p h o to g ra p h sh o w in g a n u n o b stru c te d v ie w o f

th e vic tim ’s fa c e wh ic h wa s n o t a n ud e fu ll-b o d y p h o to

. Th e th ird p h o to g ra p h

sh o we d th e gu n sh o t e n try wo u n d in th e v ic tim ’s sid e a n d th e fo u rth wa s a c lo se

u p o f th e e n try wo u n d. As su c h

, th e se p h o to g ra p h s we re re le v a n t to

10d e m o n stra t i n g th e c a u se o f d e a th a n d ty pe o f wo u n d in flic te d in th e sh o o tin g

.

Ge n e ra lly

, p re -in c isio n a

u to p sy p ho to g ra

p h s o f th e v ic tim a re a d m issib le

if re le v a n t a

n d m a te ria l to a n y i ssu e

, e ve n if th e y a re d u p lic a tiv e a n d m a y

in fla m e th e ju ry

. S e e T

h o m a s v

. S ta te

, 2 5 9 Ga

. 2 0 2

, 2 03 (4 ) (3 7 8 S E2 d 6 8 6 )

(1 9 8 9 ). Th i s C o u rt h a s d e e m e d pre -a uto p sy p h o to g ra p h s to b e re le v a n t a n d

m a te ria l, a n d th e re fo re a dm issib le

, if th e y illu stra te th e n a tu re a n d e x te n t o f th e

v ic tim ’s wo u n d s. S e e Oliv e r v

. S ta te

, 2 7 6 Ga

. 6 6 5

, 6 6 8 (5 ) (5 81 S E 2 d 5 3 8 )

(2 0 0 3 ); Ha

y e s v

. S ta te

, 2 6 8 Ga

. 8 0 9

, 81 2 (5 ) (4 9 3 SE2 d 16 9 ) (1 9 9 7 ). Th a t o n e

o f th e ph o to g ra

p h s d e p ic te d th e v ic tim w ith a b re a t h i n g a pp a ra tu s o n h is fa c e

d o e s n o t m a k e it in a d m issib le

. Co m p a re J o h n so n v

. S ta te

, 28 9 Ga

. 1 0 6

, 1 0 8 (2 )

(7 0 9 S E 2 d 7 6 8 ) (2 0 1 1 ) (th e m e re fa c t th a t m e ta l p ro b e s illu stra tin g th e a n g le a n d

p a th o f th e v ic tim ’s wo u n d s c o u ld b e se e n in p h o to g ra p h s of th e vic tim d id n o t

re n d e r th e m in a dm issib le ); S te w a rt v

. Sta te

, 2 86 G a

. 6 6 9

, 6 7 0 (3 ) (6 9 0 S E2 d

8 1 1 ) (2 0 1 0 ) (p h o to g ra

p h s th a t in c lu d e d m e d ic a l d e v ic e s with th e v ic tim ’s b o d y

we re n o t u n n e c e ssa rily g ru e so m e to a d m it in to e v id e n c e ). F u rth e r, th e fa c t th a t

th e c a u se o f d e a th wa s n o t in d isp u te d o e s n o t re n d e r th e ph oto g ra p h s

u n n e c e ssa ry a n d th e re f

o r e i n a d missib le

. S e e J

oh n so n v

. S ta te

, su p ra

. “ Th e

a d m issio n o f p h o to g ra

p h ic e v id e n c e is a t th e d isc re tio n o f th e tria l c o u rt.”

11S te wa rt v

. S ta te

, su p ra

, a t 1 0 7

. In th is c a se

, we fin d no a b u se o f th e tria l c o u rt’s

d isc re tio n in a d m ittin g th e d isp u te d p h o to g ra p hs in to e v id e n c e

.

4

. Ap p el l a n t te stifie d a n d a d m itte d th a t h e h e ld a g u n o n th e v ic tim b u t

th a t h e o n ly m e a n t to sc a re th e v ic tim in to o p e n in g th e sa fe a n d d id n o t m e a n th e

g u n to g o o ff. H e u rg e s th a t th is te stim o n y e sta b lish e d a n e v id e n tia ry issu e fo r

ju ry d e te rm in a tio n re g a rd in g in te n t, an d th a t sin c e t h e c r e dib ility o f h is

te stim o n y wa s u p to th e ju ry to d e te rm in e

, th e tria l c o u rt e rre d in fa ilin g to g iv e

h is re q u e ste d c h a rg e o n th e a ffirm a tiv e d e fe nse o f a c c id e n t o r m isfo rtu n e

. Bu t

a p p e lla n t’s o wn te stim o n y ne g a te s a ny issu e re g a rd in g a c c id e n t o r m isfo rtu n e

.

P u rsu a n t to OCGA § 1 6 -2 -2 : “ A p e rso n sh a ll n ot b e fo u n d g u ilty o f a n y

c rim e c o m m itte d b y m isfo rtu n e or a c c id e nt wh e re it sa tisfa c to rily a p p e ars th e re

wa s n o c rim in a l sc h e m e o r u n d e rta k in g

, i n t e n tio n

, o r c rim in a l n e g lig e n c e .”

Ev e n if a n issu e w a s p re se n te d fo r ju ry d e te rm in a tio n re g a rd in g wh e th e r

a p p e lla n t h a d be e n c o e rc e d in to e n g a g in g in th e c r i mi n al sc h e m e a n d

u n d e rta k in g o f a

rm e d ro b b e ry

, th e e v id e n c e did no t su p p o rt th e re q u e ste d ju ry

c h a rg e

. Crim in a l n e g lig e n c e m e a n s “ re c k le ss a n d wa n to n n e g lig e n c e o f su c h a

c h a ra c te r a s to sh o w a n u tte r d i s re ga rd fo r th e sa fe ty o f o th e rs w h o m ig h t

re a so na b ly b e e x p e c te d to b e in

ju re d th e re b y

. ” (Cita tio n o m itte d.) Ne w v

. S ta te

,

122 6 0 Ga . 4 41 (1 ) (3 9 6 S E 2 d 48 6 ) (1 9 9 0 ) (a ju ry in stru c tio n o n a c c id e n t wa s n o t

a p p ro p ria te in a c a se in wh ic h th e d e fe n d a n t te stifie d he c o c k e d an d a im e d a g u n

a t th e v ic tim

, b e c a

u se su c h c o n d u c t c on stitu te s c rim in a l n e g lig e n c e ). Ap p e lla n t

a d m itte d h e p u lle d b a c k th e h a m m e r o f th e g u n a n d p o in te d th e g u n a t th e v ic tim

to sc are h im

. Th u s, a

p p e lla n t’s te stim o n y e st ab l i s h e d h e w a s e n g a g e d in

c o n d u c t th a t c o n stitu te s c rim in a l n e g lig e n c e

. No e vid e n c e wa s p re se n te d a t tria l

t o s u p p o rt a n in stru c tio n o n a c c id e n t a n d m isfo rtu n e

, a n d

, in fa c t, a pp e lla n t’s

o wn te stim o n y n e g a te s su c h a th e ory of th e c a se

. C o n se q ue n tly

, th e tria l c o urt

d id n o t e rr in fa ilin g to g iv e th e re q u e ste d c h a rg e

.

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

13