Court Opinion

ID: 9581898
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-21 22:20:13.090056+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T13:37:19.418056
License: Public Domain

Carley, Justice,
concurring.
I concur in the majority opinion and in the judgment affirming the conviction. With regard to Division 4,1 agree with the majority’s conclusion that the challenged statements were not hearsay. However, even if viewed as hearsay, the statements have sufficient indicia of reliability. See Peterson v. State, 274 Ga. 165,169 (3) (549 SE2d 387) (2001). “In determining whether there are sufficient indicia of reliability the trial court must examine the totality of the circumstances surrounding the making of the statements sought to be introduced. The test is whether ‘the declarant’s truthfulness is so clear from the surrounding circumstances that the test of cross-examination would be of marginal utility.’ [Cits.]” Chapel v. State, 270 Ga. 151, 155 (4) (510 SE2d 802) (1998). Here, factors which show the reliability of the statements include McRae’s consistency in relating his planned purchase to others, and his lack of any motive to create a false story about purchasing the wheel rims.
Finally, even if the statements were wrongly admitted, Allen was not harmed. Young also testified that McRae told her that he planned to buy the wheel rims that day, but Allen does not challenge this testimony as improperly admitted. Additionally, Allen himself testified that McRae spoke of buying the wheel rims as something he had to do that day. With such duplicative testimony, any error was harmless. Hayes v. State, 265 Ga. 1, 3 (3) (453 SE2d 11) (1995); Roper v. State, 263 Ga. 201, 202-203 (2), & n. 2 (429 SE2d 668) (1993).
I am authorized to state that Justice Hunstein joins in this opinion.
*70Decided March 25, 2002
Reconsideration denied April 10, 2002.
Demetria N. Williams, for appellant.
J. Tom Morgan, District Attorney, Barbara B. Conroy, Elisabeth G. Macnamara, Assistant District Attorneys, Thurbert E. Baker, Attorney General, Ruth M. Bebko, Assistant Attorney General, for appellee.