Court Opinion

ID: 9585231
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-21 22:57:58.706107+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T15:36:29.159367
License: Public Domain

Pope, Judge,
dissenting.
“The granting or refusing of bail in felony cases after indictment and conviction is a matter within the sound discretion of the trial court, and this court will not control that discretion unless it has been flagrantly abused.” Watts v. Grimes, 224 Ga. 227 (161 SE2d 286) (1968). Based upon the record in this case, I do not believe the trial court has flagrantly abused its discretion in denying appellant’s motion for bond pending appeal. Therefore, I respectfully dissent.
The record evidence shows that the crimes with which appellant was charged took place during early 1982. Shortly thereafter, the twelve-year-old victim (appellant’s stepdaughter) was placed in a home for children. At some point prior to trial, the victim’s mother (appellant’s wife) took her from the home to a small office in the courthouse. As the result of her mother’s statements to her, the victim recanted her allegations of misconduct on the part of appellant. Present in the courthouse office were the victim, her mother, appellant’s trial counsel and a court reporter; no one else was present. The victim testified at trial that her mother had told her if she said her allegations against appellant were false, then the family could get back together again. The victim was afraid that if she did not change her story, she would have to spend the rest of her life at the children’s home. This courthouse meeting took place at a time when appellant *215was free on bond pending trial and was living with his wife, the victim’s mother. Additionally, at the hearing on appellant’s motion for bond pending appeal, the evidence showed that appellant, if he were released, would likely again be living with his wife. He thus would have access to the victim, who made occasional visits from the children’s home.
As noted by the majority, appellant was granted a new trial on one of his convictions (Count III) subsequent to the trial court’s denial of his motion for bond. Although there is no evidence of appellant’s direct involvement in attempting to intimidate or to influence the testimony of the victim, the trial court was authorized to infer from the circumstances that appellant was aware of and concurred in the actions of his wife in trying to influence the victim’s testimony at trial. Also, the trial court was authorized to consider, and apparently did consider, that appellant had received a maximum sentence for each of his crimes. See Birge v. State, 238 Ga. 88, 90 (230 SE2d 895) (1976). Under these circumstances, and although there was some evidence to the contrary, I believe the trial court did not abuse its discretion in concluding that there was a substantial risk that appellant would attempt to intimidate the twelve-year-old victim or otherwise interfere with the administration of justice, particularly now as to any retrial of Count III. See, e.g., Royals v. State, 155 Ga. App. 389 (270 SE2d 908) (1980). I would affirm the trial court’s denial of bond pending appeal.
I am authorized to state that Presiding Judge Deen joins in this dissent.