Court Opinion

ID: 9597506
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-22 00:59:29.393007+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:01:38.238229
License: Public Domain

McMurray, Judge,
dissenting in part.
After examination of the various enumerations of error, I concur fully in Division 2 that all other enumerations of error have no merit inasmuch as counsel for defendant failed to make proper objection, the objections made are not meritorious or no such objection to the evidence was made as contended by the defendant.
But I dissent to Division 1 of the opinion and to the *408judgment of reversal. I do not think that proper objection was made. In addition thereto, the court, more or less, ruled in favor of the objection, if any, with reference to the attempt to impeach the witness by showing she was confined to the county jail.
I agree fully with the majority in its statement as to the law with reference to impeachment of a witness by showing conviction of a crime involving moral turpitude. See Grant v. State, 142 Ga. App. 606 (236 SE2d 691). But counsel has simply failed to raise proper objection to the evidence. No objection was made to the question asked as to the fact the witness was in the county jail. However, this line of questioning as to why she was in the county jail was objected to as follows: "I want to object to this line of testimony ... on grounds it is totally irrelevant.” The court then asked the question, "Why?” The defense attorney answered: "She’s been convicted of a misdemeanor and a conviction for a misdemeanor is not grounds for impeachment. . .” Then after much colloquy between the court and counsel, the court ruled, "Well, all right, don’t go into anything. The highest and best evidence would be a record of conviction, if you’re doing that; and it may — a misdemeanor can involve moral turpitude, can’t it?” The court later added, "... a misdemeanor can involve moral turpitude, but go ahead.” The cross examination of the witness continued, but the assistant district attorney then elected not to proceed with this line of questioning in order to impeach the witness, if that was his intention or to further destroy the credibility of this witness by showing that she was then incarcerated in jail. At no time did counsel for defendant move to exclude the jury from consideration of the discussion and colloquy with reference to the objection. No motion for mistrial was made, and no request was made for the court to instruct the jury to disregard the testimony given or to instruct the assistant district attorney to cease and desist from his tactics in attempting to destroy the credibility of this witness in this manner, if this was in fact the intention of the assistant district attorney. See Hudson v. State, 229 Ga. 565, 566 (1) (193 SE2d 7); Clenney v. State, 229 Ga. 561, 563 (3) (192 SE2d 907); Jackson v. State, 108 Ga. App. 529 (133 SE2d 436) and cits. This enumeration of *409error is not meritorious.
Since none of the enumerations of error is meritorious, I would affirm the conviction.
I am authorized to state that Presiding Judge Deen and Judge Banke join in this dissent.