230 Ga. App. at 605 Determining custody for miranda purposes16 citing cases“[a] person is not in a state of custody merely because [she] is a prime suspect at the time [she] is interrogated by the police or their agent”
- Anguiano v. State, 721 S.E.2d 652 (Ga. Ct. App. 2011).published (Citation and punctuation omitted.) Hendrix v. State, 230 Ga. App. 604, 605 (1) ( 497 SE2d 236 ) (1997).
- Dunson v. State, 711 S.E.2d 53 (Ga. Ct. App. 2011).publishedHendrix v. State, 230 Ga. App. 604, 605 (1) ( 497 SE2d 236 ) (1997).
- State v. Billings, 693 S.E.2d 627 (Ga. Ct. App. 2010).publishedSewell v. State, 283 Ga. 558, 561 ( 662 SE2d 537 ) (2008); Hendrix v. State, 230 Ga. App. 604, 605 ( 497 SE2d 236 ) (1998).
- Axelburg v. State, 669 S.E.2d 439 (Ga. Ct. App. 2008).publishedJ., and Johnson, P. J., concur. 1 See generally Smith v. State, 284 Ga. 33, 34-36 (2) ( 663 SE2d 155 ) (2008) (discussing sleepwalking defense to criminal offense). 2 See Lively v. State, 262 Ga. 510, 512 (3) ( 421 SE2d 528 ) (1992). 3 Rei…
- Ray v. State, 615 S.E.2d 812 (Ga. Ct. App. 2005).published(Citations and punctuation omitted.) Hendrix v. State, 230 Ga. App. 604, 605 (1) ( 497 SE2d 236 ) (1997).
- Mayberry v. State, 600 S.E.2d 703 (Ga. Ct. App. 2004).publishedEldridge and Adams, JJ., concur. 1 (Punctuation omitted.) Hendrix v. State, 230 Ga. App. 604, 605 (1) ( 497 SE2d 236 ) (1997). 2 Although Officer Peacock inferred that the hospital restrained Mayberry, it is evident from his testimony that…
- Black v. State, 582 S.E.2d 213 (Ga. Ct. App. 2003).publishedJ., and Miller, J., concur. 1 See Roberts v. State, 258 Ga. App. 107 (1) ( 572 SE2d 744 ) (2002). 2 Id. 3 See id. at 107-108 ; Redd v. State, 232 Ga. App. 666 -667 (1) ( 502 SE2d 467 ) (1998); OCGA § 16-6-4 (a). 4 Miranda v. Arizona, 384 U…
- Taylor v. State, 576 S.E.2d 916 (Ga. Ct. App. 2003).publishedEldridge and Mikell, JJ, concur. 1 Hadley v. State, 235 Ga. App. 737, 738 ( 510 SE2d 569 ) (1998). 2 See State v. Wintker, 223 Ga. App. 65, 66 ( 476 SE2d 835 ) (1996). 3 See Manchester v. State, 226 Ga. App. 653, 655 (1) ( 487 SE2d 449 ) (…
- In the Interest of B. Y., 570 S.E.2d 689 (Ga. Ct. App. 2002).publishedB., 214 Ga. App. at 656 ; Hendrix v. State, 230 Ga. App. 604, 605 ( 497 SE2d 236 ) (1998).
- Askew v. State, 564 S.E.2d 720 (Ga. Ct. App. 2002).publishedHendrix v. State, 230 Ga. App. 604, 605 ( 497 SE2d 236 ) (1997).
Show 6 more citing cases
- Pollard v. State, 518 S.E.2d 463 (Ga. Ct. App. 1999).published(Citations and punctuation omitted.) Thompson, supra at 75-76 (1); Hendrix v. State, 230 Ga. App. 604, 605-606 (1) ( 497 SE2d 236 ) (1997).
- Taylor v. State, 509 S.E.2d 388 (Ga. Ct. App. 1998).published“[a] person is not in a state of custody merely because [she] is a prime suspect at the time [she] is interrogated by the police or their agent”
- Johnson v. State, 506 S.E.2d 234 (Ga. Ct. App. 1998).publishedHendrix v. State, 230 Ga. App. 604, 605 (1) ( 497 SE2d 236 ) (1998).
- Thompson v. State, 506 S.E.2d 201 (Ga. Ct. App. 1998).publishedManchester v. State, 226 Ga. App. 653, 655 (1) ( 487 SE2d 449 ) [(1997)].” (Punctuation omitted.) Hendrix v. State, 230 Ga. App. 604, 605-606 ( 497 SE2d 236 ) (1998).
- Durrence v. State, 706 S.E.2d 180 (Ga. Ct. App. 2011).published Smith, P. J., and Adams, J., concur. 1 Miranda v. Arizona, 384 U. S. 436 (86 SC 1602, 16 LE2d 694) (1966). 2 (Citations and punctuation omitted.) State v. Folsom, 285 Ga. 11, 12-13 (1) ( 673 SE2d 210 ) (2009); accord McAllister v. State, 2…
- Sims v. State, 530 S.E.2d 212 (Ga. Ct. App. 2000).published See Hendrix v. State, 230 Ga. App. 604, 605-606 (1) ( 497 SE2d 236 ) (1997).
230 Ga. App. at 607 Defining aggravated sexual battery and penetration requirements15 citing cases“it constitutes an act of aggravated sexual battery for a person to penetrate intentionally and without consent the sexual organ of another with his finger or other foreign object.”
- Madison v. State, 766 S.E.2d 206 (Ga. Ct. App. 2014).published “penetration may be proved by indirect or circumstantial evidence”
- Ellis v. State, 751 S.E.2d 129 (Ga. Ct. App. 2013).published “It constitutes an act of aggravated 8 sexual battery for a person to penetrate intentionally and without consent the sexual organ of another with his finger or other foreign object”
- Smith v. State, 713 S.E.2d 452 (Ga. Ct. App. 2011).published “It constitutes an act of aggravated sexual battery for a person to penetrate intentionally and without consent the sexual organ of another with his finger or other foreign object”
- In Re F.F., 695 S.E.2d 723 (Ga. Ct. App. 2010).publishedNOTES [1] F.F. appeals in Case No. A10A1270, and his mother appeals in Case No. A10A1271. [2] OCGA § 16-6-22.2. [3] See In the Interest of S.K., 289 Ga.App. 672 , 658 S.E.2d 220 (2008). [4] OCGA § 16-6-22.2(b). [5] OCGA § 16-6-22.2(a). [6]…
- Colton v. State, 678 S.E.2d 521 (Ga. Ct. App. 2009).publishedSmith, P J., and Bernes, J., concur. 1 Hardeman v. State, 247 Ga. App. 503, 504 (2) ( 544 SE2d 481 ) (2001) (footnotes omitted). 2 Hendrix v. State, 230 Ga. App. 604, 607 (4) ( 497 SE2d 236 ) (1997). 3 Bradley v. State, 292 Ga. App. 737 (1…
- Aaron v. State, 620 S.E.2d 499 (Ga. Ct. App. 2005).publishedSee Hardeman v. State, 247 Ga. App. 503, 504 (2) ( 544 SE2d 481 ) (2001) (finger constitutes foreign object for purposes of aggravated sexual battery); Hendrix v. State, 230 Ga. App. 604, 607 (4) ( 497 SE2d 236 ) (1998) (slight penetration…
- Duran v. State, 619 S.E.2d 388 (Ga. Ct. App. 2005).publishedLay v. State, 264 Ga. App. 483,484 (1) ( 591 SE2d 427 ) (2003); Hendrix v. State, 230 Ga. App. 604, 607 (4) ( 497 SE2d 236 ) (1998).
- Jones v. State, 543 S.E.2d 72 (Ga. Ct. App. 2000).publishedJackson v. Virginia, 443 U. S. 307 (99 SC 2781, 61 LE2d 560) (1979); Hendrix v. State, 230 Ga. App. 604, 607 (5) ( 497 SE2d 236 ) (1997). 2.
- Deal v. State, 528 S.E.2d 289 (Ga. Ct. App. 2000).publishedMcMurray, P. J., and Phipps, J., concur. 1 House v. State, 236 Ga. App. 405 ( 512 SE2d 287 ) (1999). 2 Jackson v. Virginia, 443 U. S. 307 (99 SC 2781, 61 LE2d 560) (1979); House, supra. 3 OCGA § 16-6-4 (a). 4 OCGA § 16-6-22.2 (b). 5 See He…
- Evans v. State, 506 S.E.2d 169 (Ga. Ct. App. 1998).publishedHendrix v. State, 230 Ga. App. 604, 607 (5) ( 497 SE2d 236 ) (1998); Grant v. State, 195 Ga. App. 463, 464 (1) ( 393 SE2d 737 ) (1990).
Show 2 more citing cases
- Grimsley v. State, 505 S.E.2d 522 (Ga. Ct. App. 1998).publishedHendrix v. State, 230 Ga. App. 604, 607 (5) ( 497 SE2d 236 ) (1998).
- In the Interest of F. F., 695 S.E.2d 723 (Ga. Ct. App. 2010).published See Hendrix v. State, 230 Ga. App. 604, 607 (4) ( 497 SE2d 236 ) (1998).
230 Ga. App. at 606 Determining voluntariness of statements and jury charge errors9 citing cases“Applying these standards to the evidence before us, we conclude the trial court’s finding that the appellant’s statement was voluntarily made under noncustodial circumstances was not clearly erroneous.”
- Watson v. the State, 765 S.E.2d 24 (Ga. Ct. App. 2014).publishedSee Engle v. State, 290 Ga. App. 396, 398 (2) ( 659 SE2d 795 ) (2008); Carson v. State, 259 Ga. App. 21, 24 (5) (b) ( 576 SE2d 12 ) (2002); Hendrix v. State, 230 Ga. App. 604, 606 (3) ( 497 SE2d 236 ) (1997); see also Haynes v. State, 302…
- Lee v. State, 701 S.E.2d 582 (Ga. Ct. App. 2010).published OCGA § 16-6-22.1 (a) and (b); Hendrix v. State, 230 Ga. App. 604, 606 (4) ( 497 SE2d 236 ) (1997) (a person who penetrates intentionally and without consent the sexual organ of another with his finger commits the offense of aggravated sexu…
- Bright v. State, 687 S.E.2d 208 (Ga. Ct. App. 2009).publishedAdams and Doyle, JJ., concur. 1 Former OCGA § 16-6-4 (a) (2003). 2 Dennis v. State, 294 Ga. App. 171 ( 669 SE2d 187 ) (2008). 3 Jackson v. Virginia, 443 U. S. 307, 319 (III) (B) (99 SC 2781, 61 LE2d 560) (1979). 4 Green v. State, 293 Ga. A…
- Engle v. State, 659 S.E.2d 795 (Ga. Ct. App. 2008).publishedHendrix v. State, 230 Ga. App. 604, 606 (3) ( 497 SE2d 236 ) (1998).
- Reedman v. State, 593 S.E.2d 46 (Ga. Ct. App. 2003).publishedHendrix v. State, 230 Ga. App. 604, 606 (3) ( 497 SE2d 236 ) (1998).
- Day v. State, 531 S.E.2d 357 (Ga. Ct. App. 2000).publishedHendrix v. State, 230 Ga. App. 604, 606 (2) ( 497 SE2d 236 ) (1997).
- Green v. State, 523 S.E.2d 581 (Ga. Ct. App. 1999).published Smith and Eldridge, JJ., concur. 1 Vansant v. State, 264 Ga. 319, 320 (1) ( 443 SE2d 474 ) (1994). 2 Terry v. Ohio, 392 U. S. 1, 27 (88 SC 1868, 20 LE2d 889) (1968). 3 Gonzalez v. State, 235 Ga. App. 253, 254 ( 509 SE2d 144 ) (1998); Evans…
- Gore v. State, 627 S.E.2d 198 (Ga. Ct. App. 2006).published See OCGA § 16-2-20 (b) (3). 6 Glenn v. State, 278 Ga. 291, 293 (1) (a) ( 602 SE2d 577 ) (2004). 7 Hoang v. State, 250 Ga. App. 403, 407-408 (1) ( 551 SE2d 813 ) (2001). 8 Wolf v. State, 246 Ga. App. 616, 617-618 (1) ( 540 SE2d 707 ) (2000)…
- Groves v. State, 590 S.E.2d 136 (Ga. Ct. App. 2003).published See Hendrix v. State, 230 Ga. App. 604, 606 (2) ( 497 SE2d 236 ) (1997); see also Heard v. State, 257 Ga. App. 315 (1) ( 573 SE2d 82 ) (2002) (trial court does not err in refusing to give charge in exact language requested where the charge…
497 S.E.2d at 288 rejecting, in case involving sexual assault of a nine-year-old child, claim that instruction on the age of consent proved element of victim's noneon-sent1 citing case
- People v. Sorrendino, 37 P.3d 501 (Colo. Ct. App. 2001).published(rejecting, in case involving sexual assault of a nine-year-old child, claim that instruction on the age of consent proved element of victim's noneon-sent)
v.
the State
Harold Hendrix, a/k/a Harold Hendricks, appeals his conviction of one count each of child molestation, cruelty to children, and aggravated sexual battery of his nine-year-old adopted daughter. Appellant enumerates eight errors. Held:
1. The trial court did not err in ruling that appellant’s pre-arrest statement was non-custodial, voluntary, and admissible at trial. A female employee of the county DFACS investigated the child molestation allegations; appellant had been named as the alleged perpetrator by his daughter. The employee contacted appellant and requested that he come down to the local police station. Although the employee did not advise appellant of the specific allegations made against him, she did inform him who she was and that “there had been some allegations” made. Appellant immediately went to the police station of his own free will; no threats or promises were made to get him to do so. When he arrived, appellant was taken to a small interview room, without windows, located in the interior of the building. For reasons of privacy, the interview was not conducted in the lobby; the counsel room was not used as someone had been locking the counsel chamber doors. Appellant did not appear to be under the influence of drugs or alcohol at the time of the interview. According to protocol, appellant was interviewed by the employee in the presence of a female police investigator. The officer was dressed in khaki pants with a button-down oxford shirt; although she had a badge, the officer was not carrying any weapon. Appellant was introduced to the DFACS employee and to the police investigator and then informed of the allegations made against him. At no time during the interview process was he informed of his right to counsel, of his right to remain silent, or told that anything he said could be used against him. Appellant was not placed under formal arrest, he was not in handcuffs and, although not so informed, he was free to leave the station at any time. Except for a few questions asked at the end of the interview by the police officer, the interview was conducted by the DFACS[*605] employee. Appellant responded voluntarily to questions regarding the allegations made against him, and the DFACS employee then set up a “safety plan,” as she had done with the child’s mother. Thereafter, appellant departed the station in the same manner in which he had arrived; he was not charged or detained at that time. Appellant was arrested the next day. Appellant testified that, at the police station, he did not feel that he was free to come and go if he wanted to, because he had never been in trouble before and did not know what rights he had or what to do.
The trial court ruled appellant’s pretrial statement could be admitted in evidence and held that appellant was free to leave the police station at any time, he was not in custody, the statement was not taken during a custodial interrogation, and his “statement was freely and voluntarily given without the slightest hope of benefit or remotest fear of injuries. . . . No promises were made to him.”
“[T]he issue presented, as to whether appellant was in custody for Miranda purposes, is a mixed question of law and fact. We will not reverse the trial court’s fact findings which underpin its legal conclusion made at a suppression hearing, unless they are clearly erroneous.” Whatley v. State, 196 Ga. App. 73, 78 (5) (395 SE2d 582). A person is not in a state of custody merely because he is a prime suspect at the time he is interrogated by the police or their agent. See Vaughn v. State, 261 Ga. 686, 687 (2) (410 SE2d 108). Even if the police have probable cause to arrest at the time of the interview and secretly intend to charge the suspect at some future time, such facts are immaterial to a determination of whether the suspect was in custody at the time of the interview, except when and to what extent the police communicate their future intent to arrest during the course of the interview. State v. Brannan, 222 Ga. App. 372, 376 (2) (c) (474 SE2d 267). “ Miranda warnings are not required simply because questioning takes place in a building containing jail cells.’ ” Id. at 375. A suspect must be in a custodial situation for Miranda to apply; a suspect is not entitled to Miranda warnings, as a matter of right, unless he has been taken into custody or has been deprived of freedom of action in another significant way. Hardeman v. State, 252 Ga. 286, 288 (1) (313 SE2d 95); Carroll v. State, 208 Ga. App. 316, 317 (2) (430 SE2d 649). The cases cited by appellant in support of this enumeration of errors are distinguishable. The real issue for adjudication “is whether the individual was formally arrested or restrained to the degree associated with a formal arrest.” Hodges v. State, 265 Ga. 870, 872 (2) (463 SE2d 16). In resolving this issue, the “relevant inquiry is how [a] reasonable person in suspect’s position would perceive his situation” (Hodges, supra, citing Berkemer v. McCarty, 468 U. S. 420, 442 (104 SC 3138, 82 LE2d 317)); that is, “whether a reasonable person in [appellant’s] position would have understood the[*606] situation to constitute restraint on freedom of movement of the degree which the law associates with formal arrest.’ ” Manchester v. State, 226 Ga. App. 653, 655 (1) (487 SE2d 449). Applying these standards to the evidence before us, we conclude the trial court’s finding that the appellant’s statement was voluntarily made under noncustodial circumstances was not clearly erroneous. Compare Hodges, supra; Vaughn, supra; Manchester, supra.
2. Jury instructions must be read and considered as a whole in determining whether a charge contained error. Hambrick v. State, 256 Ga. 688, 690 (3) (353 SE2d 177). Absent a remedial instruction, reversible error can occur if a jury charge recites the entire statutory definition of a crime, thereby informing the jury that a crime may be committed in more than one manner, when the indictment avers that the crime was committed only in one specific way. Dukes v. State, 265 Ga. 422, 423 (457 SE2d 556) (court failed to give a remedial instruction limiting jury’s consideration to the manner in which the offense was averred to have been committed in the indictment); but compare Green v. State, 221 Ga. App. 694 (2) (472 SE2d 457). In this instance, the trial court did not err in charging the entire language of OCGA § 16-5-70 (b), pertaining to the offense of cruelty to children, as the jury was also given an instruction which confined the elements of the crimes charged to those “material allegation[s] in the indictment.” McClain v. State, 220 Ga. App. 474, 475 (2) (469 SE2d 756).
3. In its aggravated sexual battery charge, the trial court pertinently instructed the jury that: “A child under the age of 16 cannot consent to sexual acts. . . . [L]ack of consent is proved by evidence of the [child’s] age.” Appellant’s contention that the trial court violated OCGA § 17-8-57 by instructing the jury that the State had “proved” lack of consent, a material element of aggravated sexual battery, is without merit. The trial court did not instruct the jury that the State had proved lack of consent. When the charge is viewed in its totality and in the context given (see, e.g., Mullinax v. State, 255 Ga. 442, 445 (4) (339 SE2d 704)), it becomes apparent that the trial court did not express a personal opinion as to the state of the evidence but rather instructed that, in regard to lack of consent to an act of sexual battery, a child under age 16 cannot consent to sexual acts and that lack of consent is proved by evidence of the child’s age. (It was left for the jury to determine the child’s age based on the evidence before it.) Under the facts of this case, this charge was an accurate statement of the law. Luke v. State, 222 Ga. App. 203, 205-206 (1) (b), n. 2 (474 SE2d 49); compare Strickland v. State, 223 Ga. App. 772, 774 (1) (a), 776-777 (1) (b) (479 SE2d 125); see also Phagan v. State, 268 Ga. 272 (486 SE2d 876). The trial court did not violate the provisions of OCGA § 17-8-57 when, as here, it simply charges on a point of law. Willis v. State, 214 Ga. App. 479, 481 (5) (448 SE2d 223).
[*607] Decided December 9, 1997 Reconsideration denied February 16, 1998 Kathleen J. Anderson, Kevin R. Christopher, William D. Hedían III, for appellant.This holding is consistent with the previous recognition of appellate courts that “[b]ecause children do not have the capacity to give consent to or resist a sexual act directed at them, such acts ‘are, in law, forcible and against the will’ of a child.” (Emphasis supplied.) Brown v. State, 268 Ga. 154, 155 (486 SE2d 178); Richardson v. State, 256 Ga. 746, 747 (2) (353 SE2d 342). Cf. Daniel v. State, 194 Ga. App. 495, 497-498 (391 SE2d 128) (modern sexually transmitted disease creates new dimension to legal question of intelligent and informed consent to a sexual act by a child).
4. It constitutes an act of aggravated sexual battery for a person to penetrate intentionally and without consent the sexual organ of another with his finger or other foreign object. Burke v. State, 208 Ga. App. 446 (1) (430 SE2d 816); OCGA § 16-6-22.2. We find penetration however slight will suffice to satisfy the statutory penetration element of OCGA § 16-6-22.2; penetration may be proved by indirect or circumstantial evidence. Cf. Ortiz v. State, 222 Ga. App. 432 (1) (474 SE2d 300) (only slight penetration required for rape). The trial court did not err in charging the jury that “penetration of the child’s sex organ need only be slight.”
5. The testimony of the child victim, the adults to whom the child made statements about appellant’s conduct, and the statement which appellant made to the DFACS employee in the presence of a police investigator established facts from which the jury could conclude beyond a reasonable doubt that appellant was guilty of the offenses of which he was convicted. On appeal the evidence must be viewed in the light most favorable to support the verdict, and appellant no longer enjoys a presumption of innocence; moreover, an appellate court determines evidence sufficiency and does not weigh the evidence or determine witness credibility. Grant v. State, 195 Ga. App. 463, 464 (1) (393 SE2d 737). Review of the transcript reveals ample evidence from which any rational trier of fact could have found beyond a reasonable doubt that appellant was guilty of the offenses of child molestation, cruelty to children, and aggravated sexual battery of which he was found guilty. Jackson v. Virginia, 443 U. S. 307 (99 SC 2781, 61 LE2d 560).
Judgment affirmed.
Eldridge, J., and Senior Appellate Judge Harold R. Banke concur. [*608] Timothy G. Madison, District Attorney, Robin R. Riggs, Assistant District Attorney, for appellee.