Court Opinion

ID: 9600770
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-22 01:31:12.119712+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T09:35:38.782853
License: Public Domain

MELTON, Justice,
concurring.
While I concur fully with the result reached by the majority, I write separately to emphasize that Division 2 of the majority opinion should not be read to imply that this Court in any way approves of the police using potentially deceptive practices to convince a defendant to provide them with a DNA sample. “A consent which is the product of coercion or deceit on the part of the police is invalid. [Cits.]” Code v. State, 234 Ga. 90, 93 (III) (214 SE2d 873) (1975). Here, the totality of the circumstances authorized the trial court to conclude that the police did not engage in deceptive practices in their efforts to obtain Holmes’ consent.
As the majority notes in Division 2, the record reveals that the detective informed Holmes, in part, that he needed to provide a DNA sample to police in connection with a standard police department policy. More specifically, however, the detective testified at the motion to suppress hearing that, although there was no formal department policy about DNA tests, the members of the department had “talked about anytime [that they] ran any kind of case involving sexual acts [such as exposing oneself in public, they] would take DNA samples and utilize them.” Consistent with these departmental discussions, the detective informed Holmes that the police conducted “DNA sampling anytime [they] ran into cases like [his].” The detective did not stop there, however. He also informed Holmes that his DNA sample would be used for comparison purposes. Thus, contrary to Holmes’ claim that the police misinformed him that his DNA sample would only be collected as part of a formal police policy and would not be used for any other purpose, Holmes was specifically informed that (1) the request for a DNA sample was routine in his type of case, and (2) that his DNA sample was being taken for comparison purposes. Based on the detective’s testimony alone, the trial court was authorized to conclude that the police did not deceive Holmes in their efforts to obtain his consent to provide a DNA sample.
Moreover, in addition to being informed orally by the detective *335that his DNA sample would he used for comparison purposes, Holmes also signed a waiver of rights form that specifically informed him of (1) his constitutional right not to have a warrantless search made of his person, (2) his right to refuse to consent to such a search, and (3) the fact that blood would be drawn from him for DNA comparison purposes. Thus, again, under the totality of the circumstances here, the trial court did not err in concluding that Holmes voluntarily consented to provide a DNA sample to police. See, e.g., Pace v. State, 271 Ga. 829 (2) (524 SE2d 490) (1999). Accordingly the trial court did not err in denying Holmes’ motion to suppress.
Decided September 22, 2008.
Donald L. Lamberth, for appellant.
Cecilia Marie Cooper, District Attorney, Thurbert E. Baker, Attorney General, Sheila E. Gallow, Assistant Attorney General, for appellee.