Ballenger v. State

436 S.E.2d 793, 210 Ga. App. 627, 93 Fulton County D. Rep. 3852, 1993 Ga. App. LEXIS 1295

• Court: Court of Appeals of Georgia
• Decided: October 21, 1993
• Docket: A93A1575
• Status: Published

Opinions

Johnson, Judge.

Michael Scott Ballenger pled guilty to charges of interference with government property, obstruction of an officer, habitual violator, driving under the influence of alcohol and operating a vehicle with a foreign license. Numerous conditions were imposed on the probated portion of the five-year sentence Ballenger received, including a special condition requiring Ballenger to wear a fluorescent pink plastic bracelet imprinted with the words “D.U.I. CONVICT” until further order of the court. At the sentencing hearing, the court acknowledged that Ballenger had reserved the right to challenge that condition of probation on appeal.

1. In his first enumeration of error, Ballenger asserts that the trial court lacks authority to impose the wearing of the bracelet as a part of the sentence because it is not specifically authorized by an existing Georgia statute. This argument is without merit. Ballenger received a five-year sentence in accordance with OCGA § 40-5-58 (as in effect on the date of the offense) on the felony charges and twelve months, to be served concurrently on the misdemeanor charges. The trial judge is expressly authorized by OCGA § 17-10-1 (a) to “suspend or probate all or any part of the entire sentence under such rules and regulations as the judge deems proper. . . .” OCGA § 42-8-35 sets forth 12 conditions which may be imposed on probation. This list, however, is not exclusive. Parkerson v. State, 156 Ga. App. 440 (274 SE2d 799) (1980). “A trial court certainly has broad discretion to determine the terms and conditions of probation. In the absence of express authority to the contrary, we see no logical reason why any reasonable condition imposed for probation or suspension of a sentence by a trial court should not be approved.” (Citations and punctuation omitted.) Pitts v. State, 206 Ga. App. 635, 637 (3) (426 SE2d 257) (1992). In affirming a trial court’s imposition of an unusual condition of probation in Mangiapane v. State, 178 Ga. App. 836 (344 SE2d 756) (1986), we found that requiring the appellant, convicted of driving under the influence of alcohol, to complete the written requirements for Boy Scout merit badges on the subjects of traffic safety, law and citizenship in the community had rehabilitative value and served a useful purpose. This is just one example of a condition which was tailored by a trial court, but was not expressly authorized by specific Georgia statute. Ballenger’s assertion that the conditions of probation must be expressly authorized by statute is incorrect.

2. Ballenger argues that requiring him to wear the bracelet violates his equal protection rights and constitutes cruel and unusual punishment. In support of these arguments he cites Covington v. State, 157 Ga. App. 371 (277 SE2d 744) (1981), in which we held: “ ‘A sentence is not unconstitutionally cruel and unusual if it is within the statutory limit.’ ” Arguing the reverse, he asserts that since the condition of probation is not specifically authorized by statute, it is not within statutory limits and is therefore cruel and unusual. For the reasons discussed in Division 1 above, this argument is without merit.

Ballenger also relies on Inman v. State, 124 Ga. App. 190 (183 SE2d 413) (1971), in which we held that a condition of probation requiring appellant to cut his hair during the term of his probation was unreasonable because it was not related to his rehabilitation and invaded his constitutionally protected right to self-expression. However, “[t]he two essential purposes of probation in Georgia, as elsewhere are the rehabilitation of the probationer, and the protection of society,,” (Punctuation omitted.) Hancock v. State, 205 Ga. App. 890, 891 (424 SE2d 77) (1992), citing Owens v. Kelley, 681 F2d 1362 (11th Cir. 1982). Being jurists rather than psychologists, we cannot say that the stigmatizing effect of wearing the bracelet may not have a rehabilitative, deterrent effect on Ballenger. See Lindsay v. State, 606 S2d 652, 657 (5) (Fla. App. 1992). Certainly the fines and/or' incarceration this defendant received in connection with his numerous previous driving under the influence and habitual violator convictions did not succeed in rehabilitating him. It may also serve the second purpose, that of protecting society, in the event someone notices the bracelet and chooses not to ride with Ballenger or refuses to allow him to drive. Balancing the possible beneficial purpose of this condition of probation, we do not find as a matter of law that the possible embarrassment of being required to wear the bracelet constitutes an unreasonable infringement on Ballenger’s constitutional rights. Finally, we do not find the trial court’s assessment that this condition has rehabilitative value to be so totally without basis that we will interfere with its broad discretion in matters of conditions of probation.

3. In his last enumerated error, Ballenger argues that the condition which requires him to wear the bracelet until further order of the court violates the provisions of OCGA § 17-10-1 (a) because it is indeterminate in duration. The conditions of probation cannot exceed the length of the sentence. It follows, therefore, that if the trial court has not entered an order permitting the removal of the bracelet prior to the expiration of the five-year sentence, the ability of the court to enforce the terms of the conditions of the probation would lapse at that point. Ballenger could then remove the bracelet without leave of court and would not be in violation of the conditions of his probation. It would have been clearer if the trial court framed this condition of probation differently, i.e., ordered Ballenger to wear the bracelet for the entire period of his probation, unless specially permitted to remove it by order of the court. Nonetheless we do not find that the condition, as worded, is indeterminate in length or is so confusing so as to require a remand for clarification.

Judgment affirmed.

Pope, C. J., McMurray, P. J., Birdsong, P. J., Andrews and Smith, JJ., concur. Beasley, P. J., concurs specially. Blackburn and Cooper, JJ., dissent.