Timothy Maddox appeals his conviction and sentence for robbery. Maddox contends his constitutional right to a speedy trial was violated and that his trial counsel was constitutionally ineffective for failing to file a pretrial motion to suppress certain identification testimony. He further claims the trial court erred in failing to give a requested charge on impeachment. Held:
1. Maddox asserts that the trial court erred in denying his motion for acquittal based on a denial of his demand for a speedy trial made pursuant to OCGA § 17-7-170. Maddox’s trial attorney filed an entry of appearance on March 31, 1993. Thereafter, counsel filed no fewer
*321
than nine discovery motions on Maddox’s behalf. On June 25, 1993, about two months later, Maddox, even though represented by counsel, filed a pro se demand for a speedy trial. On October 28, 1993, Maddox’s counsel filed a motion for acquittal based on an alleged violation of OCGA § 17-7-170 (b). Following an evidentiary hearing, the trial court denied the motion for acquittal, determining under
Goodwin v. State,
The trial court was clearly authorized to find that the pro se demand was of no legal effect whatsoever.
Goodwin v. State,
Maddox seeks to distinguish
Goodwin
and claims that
State v. Moore,
In
Johnson,
supra, we made plain that strict compliance with OCGA § 17-7-170 is mandatory because the demand statute authorizes such an extreme sanction: discharge and acquittal.
Johnson,
Further, OCGA § 17-7-170 (a) specifically requires that “the demand for trial shall be served on the prosecutor.” In the case at bar, however, there is no evidence in the record that the State’s attorney was properly served with Maddox’s demand for trial. The record indicates only that Timothy Maddox mailed the trial court a letter in the form of a “demand by accused for speedy trial” and that the demand was stamped on June 25, 1993, as filed in the clerk’s office. Absent *322 from the record is any copy of a certificate of service showing the State’s attorney had been served with Maddox’s demand for trial.
Thus, even assuming arguendo that Maddox’s demand was not a nullity under Goodwin, supra, the record fails to document compliance with the explicit statutory requirements of the demand statute, OCGA § 17-7-170. Since Maddox cannot demonstrate strict compliance with the demand statute, his claim must fail.
2. Maddox asserts that his trial counsel was constitutionally ineffective because his counsel did not file a pretrial motion to suppress identification testimony based on what Maddox alleges was a coercive and unduly suggestive field show-up. The ineffectiveness issue was presented in the trial court by a timely amendment to his motion for new trial. Although the trial court did not make explicit findings on this issue, implicit in the trial court’s denial of the amended motion for new trial is a finding that Maddox was not denied the effective assistance of counsel.
To prevail on his ineffectiveness claim, Maddox must establish not only that his trial counsel’s performance was deficient but also that this deficient performance prejudiced his defense.
Bryant v. State,
Evaluating Maddox’s counsel’s performance in the above manner, we find defense counsel’s performance was not deficient. In the instant case, the victim testified at trial that she had ample opportunity to view Maddox from the time she first detected his presence until the time he grabbed her. The victim testified she watched Maddox come down the sidewalk, walk up her driveway, come up the path toward her porch, and then come up onto her porch. In addition, although it was close to midnight, the victim was able to discern Maddox’s attire, build, and features because he was illuminated by street lights, a security light, and her porch light. Moreover, Maddox spoke with the victim and grabbed her as they struggled, thereby affording the victim the further opportunity to familiarize herself with her attacker’s physical appearance and voice. Prior to the field show-up (counsel’s failure to move to suppress this evidence is the basis of Maddox’s ineffective assistance of counsel claim), the victim had provided police with a detailed description of the robber, including his *323 height, weight, clothing, complexion, and basic stature. Based on this detailed description police picked up Maddox within approximately eight minutes after the victim provided the description, as Maddox was walking about a quarter of a mile from the victim’s home. Police transported Maddox back to the victim’s home for identification. At the field show-up, without any hesitation or reservation, the victim affirmatively identified Maddox as the man who had attacked her. At trial, the victim reiterated her certainty that Maddox was indeed the perpetrator who had struggled with her and robbed her.
Under the facts of this case, there was no substantial likelihood of misidentification.
Mattison v. State,
In
State v. Frye,
Maddox has not shown and cannot show that the outcome of his trial would have been different had his trial counsel challenged the admissibility of the field identification testimony. Having reviewed the transcript and the applicable portions of the trial record, we find no support for appellant’s claim of ineffective assistance of counsel under the standards of
Strickland v. Washington,
3. Turning to the question whether the court erred in not giving the requested charge on impeachment, we find no error.
The basis for requesting the impeachment charge was an alleged inconsistency as to whether the victim had ever claimed the robber threatened to kill her. The victim did not testify that the perpetrator told her he was going to kill her. In fact, she testified that her attacker told her, “I am not going to hurt you.” However, the first police officer testified that the victim had told him the robber had threatened to kill her. But after the officer had an opportunity to review his notes from January 9, 1993, he confirmed that he had not written down any such threat and he conceded that it would have been normal procedure for him to have noted such a serious threat. The officer admitted he had not reviewed his notes before making that statement, had hundreds of cases to remember, and that a considerable amount of time had passed since the night of January 9, 1993. He also acknowledged he could have been mistaken about what the victim told him. The second police officer confirmed that the victim had not stated that the robber said he was going to kill her. And the victim, when recalled, also reaffirmed that she had never stated to the police that the robber told her he would kill her. During further cross-examination, the victim also speculated as to why she thought the first police officer might have misconstrued or misunderstood what she had said.
On appeal, Maddox contends the impeachment charge was essential to his defense and that the evidence demonstrated that the victim had been successfully impeached by contradictory and prior inconsistent statements. However, the testimony at trial does not support this claim because there is not sufficient evidence that the victim made any prior inconsistent or contradictory statement. Although the first officer’s testimony did not coincide with the victim’s testimony, the *325 trial court concluded that any lack of consistency did not constitute impeachment of the victim. Having determined that the requested charge on impeachment was not supported by the evidence, the court instead gave a charge on conflicting testimony. Accordingly, we find no error.
Judgment affirmed.
