Powell v. StatePowell v. State
Appellants William and Sharmilla Powell are husband and wife. They appeal their various convictions stemming from the death of Jesse Evans and the armed robbery of Geno Evans and Antonio Cunningham.1 The evidence viewed in a light most favorable to the verdicts showed that William sold drugs and that Geno Evans was believed to be a drug dealer.2 William and Sharmilla decided to rob Geno. On the day in question, William and Sharmilla drove a rented black Chrysler Pacifica to Geno‘s house. William entered the house and pointed a chrome colored handgun at Geno and Cunningham
At trial, Sharmilla testified that she was never at Geno‘s house on the night in question and, instead, was at home with her children when the shooting occurred. She said William sometimes sold drugs and that, on the night in question, he did leave the house and go out, but noted William was not driving the Pacifica. She also testified that she had purchased the guns that were used in the shooting, but surmised that Scott had taken the guns from her home. Later on the same night of the shooting, Sharmilla stаted she, William, and the children left to go to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, for the couple‘s anniversary.3
1. The evidence adduced at trial and summarized above was sufficient to authorize a rational trier of fact to find appellants guilty beyond a reasonable doubt of the crimes for which they were convicted. Jackson v. Virginia, 443 U. S. 307 (99 SCt 2781, 61 LE2d 560) (1979).
(a) Appellant William Powell alleges that the evidence was insufficient to support his conviction for felony murder and aggravated assault of Jesse Evans because he contends there was no proof that any bullet he fired wounded the victim and because he asserts
(b) Appellant William Powell alleges the evidence was insufficient to convict him of armed robbery because the evidence was conflicting and certain witness testimony was impeached. Appellate courts, however, do not re-weigh evidence or determine the credibility of witnesses on appeal, but rather appellate courts defer to the jury‘s findings. Dixon v. State, 294 Ga. 40 (3) (751 SE2d 69) (2013). The jury was authorized to resolve any conflicts in the evidence against appellants. Selvidge v. State, 252 Ga. 243, 245 (313 SE2d 84) (1984).
2. Both appellants argue that the trial court erred when it denied the defense motions for a change of venue. In support of this argument, appellants contend the jury that tried their case was not fair and impartial because many of the jury poоl members were exposed to pretrial publicity about the case and because many of the jurors knew the victim Jesse Evans. This Court has held:
The trial court has the discretion to grant a change of venue and its discretion will not be disturbed absent an abuse of that discretion. In a motion for a change of venue [when the death pеnalty is not sought], the petitioner must show (1) that the setting of the trial was inherently prejudicial or (2) that the jury selection process showed actual prejudice to a degree that rendered a fair trial impossible. As for the first showing, even in cases of widespread pretrial publicity, situations where such publicity has rendered a trial setting inherently prejudicial are extremely rare. The record must establish that the publicity contained information that was unduly extensive, factually incorrect, inflammatory or reflective of an atmosphere of hostility.
(Citations and punctuation omitted.) Walden v. State, 289 Ga. 845 (2) (717 SE2d 159) (2011). It is not the number of jurors who have had pretrial exposure to publicity that is key; but the question is whether those jurors who have heard about the case can put aside their
The transcript of the voir dire process shows that approximately 82 jurors4 were considered for service at appellants’ trial. Approximately 28 jurors, or 34%, were dismissed for cause.5 All of the jurors who were eventually impaneled, except the two alternates, had some type of pretrial media exposure to the case.6 The two alternates stated they knew nothing about the case. One of the impaneled jurors worked with the victim Jesse Evans. The husband of another impaneled juror also wоrked with the victim. All the jurors who served on the jury testified that they could be fair and impartial and stated that they would base their decision only on the evidence that was presented at trial.
In this case, neither prong justifying a change in venue has been met. Although a third of the potential jurors were dismissed for cause, appellants have failed to show actual prejudice or that those jurors who remained could not be fair and impartial in spite of publicity associated with the case. See Chancey v. State, supra, 256 Ga. at 431-432 (no actual prejudice rendering a fair trial impossible was shown where 42% of the venire had been excused for cause and where 72% of prospective jurors had heard or read about the case). In addition, the record showed the trial court was meticulous in excusing any prospective juror who expressed any degree of fixed bias. Likewise, appellants failed to proffer any evidence that the pretrial publicity was so pervasive as to render the trial setting inherently рrejudicial. Under these circumstances, we cannot say the trial court abused its discretion when it denied appellants’ requests for a change of venue. Id. at 432; Gear v. State, 288 Ga. 500 (2) (705 SE2d 632) (2011).
3. Both appellants contend their jury was not constitutionally fair and impartial because the impaneled jurors were all Caucasian, whereas appellants are African-American. Inasmuch as no Batson7 challenge or other objection was made below regarding the racial composition of the jury, the issue has been waived for appellate review. See Lyons v. State, 271 Ga. 639 (5) (522 SE2d 225) (1999) (Batson issue was waived on appeal when it was not specifically
4. Appellant William Powell contends the prosecutor engaged in misconduct when a colloquy occurred between the prosecutor and Sharmilla, during which he asked whether her religion precludеd her from taking oaths and telling the truth. Since William never objected to this colloquy at trial, the matter is waived for appellate review. See Johnson v. State, 293 Ga. 641 (4) (748 SE2d 896) (2013).
5. Appellant Sharmilla Powell contends her trial counsel rendered constitutionally ineffective assistance on several grounds. In order to prevail on a claim of ineffectivе assistance of counsel, Sharmilla
must show counsel‘s performance was deficient and that the deficient performance prejudiced [her] to the point that a reasonable probability exists that, but for counsel‘s errors, the outcome of the trial would have been different. A strong presumption exists that counsel‘s cоnduct falls within the broad range of professional conduct.
(Citation and punctuation omitted.) Pruitt v. State, 282 Ga. 30, 34 (4) (644 SE2d 837) (2007). If a defendant fails to meet her burden on one prong of the two-prong test, then the other prong need not be reviewed by the Court. Wright v. State, 291 Ga. 869, 870 (2) (734 SE2d 876) (2012).
(a) Appellant alleges that counsel failed to move for a change of venue. This allegation is not borne out by the record.
(b) Aрpellant alleges trial counsel was deficient for failing to file a motion to sever. At the motion for new trial hearing, counsel testified that the defense made a strategic decision not to sever the defendants and, in any case, the couple wanted to be tried together. “The failure to file a motion to sever doеs not require a finding of ineffective assistance since the decision whether to seek severance is a matter of trial tactics or strategy [cit.], and a decision amounting to reasonable trial strategy does not constitute deficient performance.” Harris v. State, 279 Ga. 522 (6) (615 SE2d 532) (2005).
(d) Appellant alleges her counsel was deficient by failing to render a proper defense inasmuch as he did not proffer certain items of evidence at trial. Specifically, appellant complains that counsel failed to call witnesses other than herself, failed to find and/or place hotel receipts into evidence, and failed to introduce appellants’ marriage certificate into evidence. At the motion for new trial hearing, counsel stated he decided not to introduce appellants’ marriage certificate because it revealed Sharmilla‘s religion; and instead, Sharmilla testified as to the date of her marriage and testified that she and William were traveling out of town for their anniversary, and were not fleeing a crime. As to hotel receipts, Sharmilla‘s own testimony placed the couple in town at the approximate time the shooting occurred9 and, thеrefore, any hotel receipts would have been irrelevant as to appellants’ main defense that they were not at the crime scene.10 At the motion for new trial hearing, appellant failed to proffer any witnesses or documentary evidence, including any hotel receipts, that she contends counsel was dеficient in failing to proffer at trial. In the absence of offering such evidence at the motion for new trial hearing, appellant cannot show prejudice. See Miller v. State, 295 Ga. 769 (2) (a) (i) (764 SE2d 135) (2014); Barge v. State, 294 Ga. 567 (2) (755 SE2d 166) (2014). Appellant‘s claim of ineffective assistance of counsel necessarily fails.
Judgments affirmed. All the Justices concur.