Court Opinion

ID: 9597212
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-22 00:56:38.344323+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T09:53:20.693708
License: Public Domain

Hill, Justice,
dissenting.
In reviewing death sentences, this court is required by law (Ga. L. 1973, pp. 159,165; Code Ann. § 27-2537 (c) (1)) to make three determinations, one of which is to determine whether the sentence of death "was imposed under the influence of passion, prejudice, or any other arbitrary factor.” In this review, this court must make its own determination.
Although I can unhesitatingly say that the statutory aggravating circumstances found by the jury are amply supported by the evidence and that, considering the crime and the defendant, the death sentences imposed in this case are not excessive or disproportionate to the penalty *96imposed in similar cases (Code Ann. § 27-2537 (c) (2) (3)), I am unable to declare that the sentences were not imposed under the influence of passion, prejudice or other arbitrary factor. I do not say that they were, but I cannot, as the law requires, say that they were not.
The approval by this court of the sentence of death is the most awesome of our responsibilities. When the time for execution of the sentence arrives, the matter will be beyond our control and I want no second thoughts or reservations. I therefore must respectfully dissent for the reasons which follow.
The majority of this court treat change of venue and the approval of the sentence of death as two separate issues. Because of the necessity that I determine whether the death sentence was imposed under the influence of passion, prejudice or any other arbitrary factor, I am unable to separate these two issues.
Seminole County has a population of seven thousand according to the 1970 census (four thousand 21 or over) and is located in the southwest corner of Georgia. In addition to the transmission of the news by oral communication, the county residents read the Donalsonville News, published weekly with circulation of 1800 copies in Seminole County. They also read the Albany Herald, published daily with-circulation of 518 copies in Seminole County, and the Dothan Eagle. Television stations in Albany, Dothan and Tallahassee are seen in the county. Although the record contains no television tapes or radio scripts, prospective jurors testifying on voir dire recalled having seen or heard news of the Alday murders on TV and radio.
The record contains 14 issues of the weekly Donalsonville News, 38 clippings from the daily Albany Herald, 24 issues of the daily Dothan Eagle, and three magazine articles, all introduced in connection with the September 27 hearing and dated during the period May 15 to September 28, covering the period from discovery of the crimes through the pre-trial hearing on the motion for change of venue. The articles of record report that three of the four men had escaped from a Maryland prison facility where this defendant was serving 10 years for robbery, that a truck had been stolen during the escape, that the *97car found near Mary Alday’s body belonged to a Richard Wayne Miller, that Mr. Miller was missing, that this defendant had confessed to having killed Miller because Miller witnessed the theft of the truck used in the escape, and that this defendant was taken to Maryland to help locate Miller’s body.
The news articles reported that 2,500 people attended the mass Alday funeral where one of the preachers performing the service was reported to have asked the weeping crowd to pray for those responsible for this awful destruction, saying: "I hope and pray that before they close their eyes in death they will come to see what they are.”
The Sheriff of Seminole County is reported by the press to have said: "If I had my way about it, I’d have me a large oven and I’d precook them for several days, just keep them alive and let them punish ... And I don’t think that would satisfy me. . . Whenever I’m protecting them, I’m going to do my job and bring them to court, and I hope they’ll get justice... I don’t see where they could put up any plea for mercy. . . The acts of these men are lower than animals... If a citizen gets out of hand and starts shooting people up, there’s only one way to arrest and that’s with a shotgun. . . Any man that believes in God believes in capital punishment. . . I could throw the switch to the electric chair and never lose a minute’s sleep.”
The voir dire examination shows that of the 77 prospective jurors who were examined as to having formed or expressed an opinion, 38 were stricken on defendant’s motion for having fixed opinions as to the guilt of the accused, leaving 39 jurors. The defendant used 19 of his 20 peremptory strikes and the state used 8 of its 10, leaving only 12.
Examination of the voir dire of those prospective jurors stricken peremptorily by the defendant shows that 10 stated that they had formed no opinion as to" the guilt of the accused. One such stricken juror expressed the belief that the two men convicted earlier were guilty, conceded that the news articles she read in the Donalsonville paper all referred to all four defendants, acknowledged that she believes what she reads, but felt she could be impartial. *98Another such juror expressed the belief that the newspapers "just told what happened.” One stated that although he had discussed the two defendants already found guilty, he had not discussed this defendant. Two were related to witnesses and would believe their testimony.
One prospective juror stricken peremptorily by the defendant testified on voir dire that she had known the victims for 8 or 9 years, except that she had known Mary Alday only a little over 2 years, that she had attended the funeral and had read the newspapers and heard the news, that she had testified as a witness for the state in the two prior trials, that she was named to be a witness in this case, and that she had not been influenced by what she had heard and could give the defendant a fair trial: (When called as a witness in this case, she testified that she worked with Mary Alday and that she last saw her at 5 p.m. on May 14. The witness identified the clothing Mrs. Alday had been wearing and identified Mrs. Alday’s watch.) Defendant’s challenge for cause to this juror was overruled and she was stricken peremptorily.
On voir dire, the twelve jurors who served testified as follows:
Juror No. 1 testified that he knew the victims when he saw them. Although he did not go to the funeral, two days after their deaths he went by the trailer to pay his respects. He knew the two other cases were tried and their outcome and had discussed those trials. He had read a lot about the cases in the newspapers and had seen and heard about the homicides on television and radio. The things he had heard did not make him think the defendant was probably guilty.
Juror No. 2 (later selected as foreman) testified that he had known the victims for eight years and had worked with two of them. They had never visited in his home nor he in theirs and he did not attend the funeral. He knew that two other defendants had been tried and both were found guilty but he had not discussed it with anyone. He had read newspaper articles and heard on television and radio about the crimes. Although the news he had read and heard pointed to defendant’s guilt, the reports did not sway him one way or the other.
*99Juror No. 3 did not know the Aldays. He did know of the prior trials and convictions and he knew that this defendant was the fourth man. Although he had read about the case in the newspaper, he had seen it on television only once or twice. Although the publicity indicated that the defendant was guilty, he felt he could be impartial.
Juror No. 4 lived five or six miles from the trailer and knew all the Aldays but did not attend the funeral. He had read and heard some news accounts and knew that two other cases had been tried and verdicts of guilty returned.
Juror No. 5 did not know the victims. He had read news reports and knew about the trials but was not swayed by them.
Juror No. 6 had met one of the victims five or six years earlier in connection with an insurance claim. He had read and heard news of the homicides and of the trials.
Juror No. 7 knew all of the Aldays except Mary and went to the funeral. He had seen newspaper and television accounts of the crimes and trials.
Juror No. 8 knew all of the Aldays that were killed except Mary but did not know them well enough to visit them and did not attend their funeral. She had read newspapers and knew the outcomes of the other trials.
Juror No. 9 did not know the Aldays. She kept up with the cases on television and by newspaper and had discussed the matter with a friend. She knew the outcome of the earlier trials.
Juror No. 10 knew the victims by sight and had seen newspaper and television accounts of the other trials. She also had read a magazine article about the matter. The information she had read was unfavorable to the defendant but she felt she could be impartial.
Juror No. 11 did not know the victims personally. She had read in the paper about the cases and prior convictions. The information she had read was unfavorable to the defendant and she believed to some extent the things she had read but felt she could be impartial.
Juror No: 12 knew the victims when he saw them but did not know them personally. He had read news reports of the homicides and knew there were two prior *100convictions. He had not discussed the case.
In summary, four of the impaneled jurors thought that the publicity indicated that the defendant was guilty but felt that they could be impartial. Another juror attended the Alday funeral and another went to the Alday trailer to pay his respects. A majority of the jurors knew one or more of the victims. All twelve were aware of the outcome of the two earlier trials of co-defendants.
In summary, I personally cannot make the necessary determination that the jury which imposed these sentences of death acted dispassionately. I would reverse and grant the defendant a . change of venue. Although another jury from a different venue would be authorized under the law to reach the same verdict, at least I could then declare that I found that its decision as to sentence was not imposed under the influence of passion, prejudice or other arbitrary factor.
I must therefore respectfully dissent.