310 Ga. 708 FINAL COPY
S20A1571. HENDERSON v. THE STATE.
BOGGS, Justice.
After a 2018 jury trial, Aquillous Rayon Henderson was found
guilty of malice murder and other offenses in connection with the
shooting death of Timothy Hill. His amended motion for new trial
was denied, and he appeals, asserting two enumerations of error:
the trial court’s denial of his motion to suppress his custodial
statement and its exclusion of Henderson’s testimony that Hill said
he had been in prison. Finding no reversible error, we affirm.1
1 The shooting occurred on July 4, 2016. On September 29, 2016, a DeKalb County grand jury indicted Henderson for malice murder, felony murder, aggravated assault, and possession of a firearm during commission of a felony. Henderson was tried before a jury from July 30 to August 3, 2018, and found guilty of all charges. On September 20, 2018, Henderson was sentenced to serve life in prison without the possibility of parole for malice murder, plus five years to be served consecutively for the firearms charge. The trial court merged the aggravated assault count into the malice murder conviction, and the felony murder conviction was vacated by operation of law. On September 19, 2018, Henderson’s trial counsel filed a premature motion for new trial, which was withdrawn. On September 27, 2018, Henderson’s trial counsel filed a timely second motion for new trial, which was amended by appellate counsel on January 7, 2020. After a hearing on January 17, 2020, the 1. Construed in the light most favorable to the jury’s verdicts,
the evidence showed that Hill and his brother, Quinton Newberry,
were on their way to a Fourth of July cookout at their aunt’s house
when they stopped at a gas station convenience store to pick up
cigarettes and beer. Henderson, an unidentified woman, and a man
he referred to as “Bam” were parked at the gas pumps. Henderson
did not know Hill or Newberry, but Newberry testified that
Henderson began yelling at them, “talking crazy,” and accusing Hill
and Newberry of stealing his parking spot. Hill responded that he
had not taken Henderson’s spot and went towards the store.
Henderson continued to yell at Newberry, who replied that they had
done nothing to Henderson and walked after Hill. Henderson
followed them, saying, “I got something for you all.” Hill and
Newberry ignored him and entered the store.
Hill and Newberry got beer from the cooler and went to the
counter to purchase cigarettes. Newberry looked up, noticed Bam
motion was denied on January 27, 2020. Henderson’s notice of appeal was filed on February 19, 2020, and the case was docketed in this Court to the August 2020 term and submitted for a decision on the briefs. 2 entering the store, and told Hill, “Bro, these guys done walked in the
store at us.” Suddenly, Henderson ran into the store, his hands in
his waistband, again “talking crazy” about a parking spot. Hill and
Newberry responded, “What’s wrong with you, man? We ain’t did
nothing to you. Go ahead on about your business.”
Newberry testified that, at that point, he noticed a gun in
Henderson’s pants, and shouted, “Gun, bro, gun!” while attempting
to push Hill out of the way. Henderson ducked behind Bam, who was
holding the door open, reached around Bam, and shot Hill in the
abdomen. Henderson and Bam then ran outside to their car and
sped away. Two people called 911, while Newberry and a woman
who was in the store attempted to help Hill. Paramedics arrived
shortly afterward, treated Hill, and transported him to the hospital,
but he died from blood loss as a result of the gunshot wound, which
pierced his liver, pancreas, and aorta.
The encounter was recorded on the store’s surveillance video
equipment and played for the jury. The video recording showed
Henderson entering the store with his hands already inside his
3 waistband and then accosting and arguing with Hill and pushing
him in the chest. Hill did not respond physically. Bam then walked
into view and appeared to intervene, at which point Henderson
turned and left the store, walking in front of Bam. But in the
doorway, Henderson suddenly turned around and reached around
Bam’s body to fire a shot at Hill. Neither Hill nor Newberry
displayed or used a weapon at any time.
Henderson gave a recorded statement to the police as well as a
written statement. He initially told investigators that he was not at
the gas station that day, but when confronted with the video
recording, he changed his story and admitted that he was there, but
claimed that Bam had shot Hill because Hill and his brother were
gang members who had a dispute with Bam. At trial, Henderson
testified and acknowledged that he shot Hill, but claimed that he did
so in self-defense after Hill threatened him.
Henderson has not challenged the sufficiency of the evidence
to support his convictions. However, as is this Court’s current
practice in murder cases, we have reviewed the record to determine
4 the legal sufficiency of the evidence supporting his convictions.2 We
conclude that the evidence presented at trial and summarized above
was sufficient to enable a rational trier of fact to conclude beyond a
reasonable doubt that Henderson was guilty of the crimes for which
he was convicted. See Jackson v. Virginia, 443 U. S. 307, 319 (III)
(B) (99 SCt 2781, 61 LE2d 560) (1979).
2. In Henderson’s first enumeration of error, he contends that
the trial court erred in denying his motion to suppress his recorded
statement to the police on the day of the shooting. Henderson points
to two statements made by detectives during the interrogation,
which he claims gave him a hope of benefit and rendered his
statement inadmissible. We disagree.
OCGA § 24-8-824 provides: “To make a confession admissible,
it shall have been made voluntarily, without being induced by
another by the slightest hope of benefit or remotest fear of injury.”
2 We remind litigants that the Court will end our practice of considering
sufficiency sua sponte in non-death penalty cases with cases docketed to the term of court that begins in December 2020. See Davenport v. State, 309 Ga. 385, 399 (4) (b) (846 SE2d 83) (2020). The Court began assigning cases to the December term on August 3, 2020. 5 The trial court determines the admissibility of a defendant’s statement under the preponderance of the evidence standard considering the totality of the circumstances. Although we defer to the trial court’s findings of disputed facts, we review de novo the trial court’s application of the law to the facts. We will not disturb the trial court’s factual and credibility determinations unless they are clearly erroneous. However, where controlling facts are not in dispute, such as those facts discernible from a videotape, our review is de novo.
(Citations and punctuation omitted.) Perez v. State, 309 Ga. 687, 692
(2) (848 SE2d 395) (2020).
At a Jackson-Denno hearing,3 one of the two detectives who
interviewed Henderson testified about the circumstances of the
questioning. Henderson was arrested and then questioned in an
interview room at the DeKalb County Police headquarters. The first
detective testified that Henderson was not threatened and no
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310 Ga. 708 FINAL COPY
S20A1571. HENDERSON v. THE STATE.
BOGGS, Justice.
After a 2018 jury trial, Aquillous Rayon Henderson was found
guilty of malice murder and other offenses in connection with the
shooting death of Timothy Hill. His amended motion for new trial
was denied, and he appeals, asserting two enumerations of error:
the trial court’s denial of his motion to suppress his custodial
statement and its exclusion of Henderson’s testimony that Hill said
he had been in prison. Finding no reversible error, we affirm.1
1 The shooting occurred on July 4, 2016. On September 29, 2016, a DeKalb County grand jury indicted Henderson for malice murder, felony murder, aggravated assault, and possession of a firearm during commission of a felony. Henderson was tried before a jury from July 30 to August 3, 2018, and found guilty of all charges. On September 20, 2018, Henderson was sentenced to serve life in prison without the possibility of parole for malice murder, plus five years to be served consecutively for the firearms charge. The trial court merged the aggravated assault count into the malice murder conviction, and the felony murder conviction was vacated by operation of law. On September 19, 2018, Henderson’s trial counsel filed a premature motion for new trial, which was withdrawn. On September 27, 2018, Henderson’s trial counsel filed a timely second motion for new trial, which was amended by appellate counsel on January 7, 2020. After a hearing on January 17, 2020, the 1. Construed in the light most favorable to the jury’s verdicts,
the evidence showed that Hill and his brother, Quinton Newberry,
were on their way to a Fourth of July cookout at their aunt’s house
when they stopped at a gas station convenience store to pick up
cigarettes and beer. Henderson, an unidentified woman, and a man
he referred to as “Bam” were parked at the gas pumps. Henderson
did not know Hill or Newberry, but Newberry testified that
Henderson began yelling at them, “talking crazy,” and accusing Hill
and Newberry of stealing his parking spot. Hill responded that he
had not taken Henderson’s spot and went towards the store.
Henderson continued to yell at Newberry, who replied that they had
done nothing to Henderson and walked after Hill. Henderson
followed them, saying, “I got something for you all.” Hill and
Newberry ignored him and entered the store.
Hill and Newberry got beer from the cooler and went to the
counter to purchase cigarettes. Newberry looked up, noticed Bam
motion was denied on January 27, 2020. Henderson’s notice of appeal was filed on February 19, 2020, and the case was docketed in this Court to the August 2020 term and submitted for a decision on the briefs. 2 entering the store, and told Hill, “Bro, these guys done walked in the
store at us.” Suddenly, Henderson ran into the store, his hands in
his waistband, again “talking crazy” about a parking spot. Hill and
Newberry responded, “What’s wrong with you, man? We ain’t did
nothing to you. Go ahead on about your business.”
Newberry testified that, at that point, he noticed a gun in
Henderson’s pants, and shouted, “Gun, bro, gun!” while attempting
to push Hill out of the way. Henderson ducked behind Bam, who was
holding the door open, reached around Bam, and shot Hill in the
abdomen. Henderson and Bam then ran outside to their car and
sped away. Two people called 911, while Newberry and a woman
who was in the store attempted to help Hill. Paramedics arrived
shortly afterward, treated Hill, and transported him to the hospital,
but he died from blood loss as a result of the gunshot wound, which
pierced his liver, pancreas, and aorta.
The encounter was recorded on the store’s surveillance video
equipment and played for the jury. The video recording showed
Henderson entering the store with his hands already inside his
3 waistband and then accosting and arguing with Hill and pushing
him in the chest. Hill did not respond physically. Bam then walked
into view and appeared to intervene, at which point Henderson
turned and left the store, walking in front of Bam. But in the
doorway, Henderson suddenly turned around and reached around
Bam’s body to fire a shot at Hill. Neither Hill nor Newberry
displayed or used a weapon at any time.
Henderson gave a recorded statement to the police as well as a
written statement. He initially told investigators that he was not at
the gas station that day, but when confronted with the video
recording, he changed his story and admitted that he was there, but
claimed that Bam had shot Hill because Hill and his brother were
gang members who had a dispute with Bam. At trial, Henderson
testified and acknowledged that he shot Hill, but claimed that he did
so in self-defense after Hill threatened him.
Henderson has not challenged the sufficiency of the evidence
to support his convictions. However, as is this Court’s current
practice in murder cases, we have reviewed the record to determine
4 the legal sufficiency of the evidence supporting his convictions.2 We
conclude that the evidence presented at trial and summarized above
was sufficient to enable a rational trier of fact to conclude beyond a
reasonable doubt that Henderson was guilty of the crimes for which
he was convicted. See Jackson v. Virginia, 443 U. S. 307, 319 (III)
(B) (99 SCt 2781, 61 LE2d 560) (1979).
2. In Henderson’s first enumeration of error, he contends that
the trial court erred in denying his motion to suppress his recorded
statement to the police on the day of the shooting. Henderson points
to two statements made by detectives during the interrogation,
which he claims gave him a hope of benefit and rendered his
statement inadmissible. We disagree.
OCGA § 24-8-824 provides: “To make a confession admissible,
it shall have been made voluntarily, without being induced by
another by the slightest hope of benefit or remotest fear of injury.”
2 We remind litigants that the Court will end our practice of considering
sufficiency sua sponte in non-death penalty cases with cases docketed to the term of court that begins in December 2020. See Davenport v. State, 309 Ga. 385, 399 (4) (b) (846 SE2d 83) (2020). The Court began assigning cases to the December term on August 3, 2020. 5 The trial court determines the admissibility of a defendant’s statement under the preponderance of the evidence standard considering the totality of the circumstances. Although we defer to the trial court’s findings of disputed facts, we review de novo the trial court’s application of the law to the facts. We will not disturb the trial court’s factual and credibility determinations unless they are clearly erroneous. However, where controlling facts are not in dispute, such as those facts discernible from a videotape, our review is de novo.
(Citations and punctuation omitted.) Perez v. State, 309 Ga. 687, 692
(2) (848 SE2d 395) (2020).
At a Jackson-Denno hearing,3 one of the two detectives who
interviewed Henderson testified about the circumstances of the
questioning. Henderson was arrested and then questioned in an
interview room at the DeKalb County Police headquarters. The first
detective testified that Henderson was not threatened and no
promises were made to him about anything, including bond,
reduction of charges, or any potential sentence he might receive.
After being asked about his age and education and whether he was
3 Jackson v. Denno, 378 U. S. 368 (84 SCt 1774, 12 LE2d 908) (1964).
6 under the influence of drugs or alcohol, Henderson read and signed
a form waiving his Miranda rights.4 In the initial questioning, when
asked where he had been the day of the shooting, Henderson told
the detectives that he went to his mother’s house, then to his sister’s
house, then his friend Tasha picked him up there in her car, and the
police stopped them shortly afterward. He stated that he had been
nowhere else that day. Then the following exchange occurred
between Henderson and the second detective:
Q: While I, I’m pretty sure you did go to your mama’s house and I know you went to your sister’s house and I know Tasha picked you up before the police came, I know all that. A: Uh-huh. Q: There’s something that happened in the middle. That you, you’re not telling me and, and I get it, you don’t want to tell me[,] but right now, it’s going to only help you. Okay? But if you keep lying to me, there’s not much I can do for you.
Henderson insisted that he had gone nowhere else, and the first
detective disclosed that they had a video recording of him, but
Henderson continued to insist that he had been nowhere else. The
4 Miranda v. Arizona, 384 U. S. 436 (86 SCt 1602, 16 LE2d 694) (1966).
7 second detective urged him to “[t]ell the truth about what happened.
. . . Sitting up here, keep lying to us is not going to get us anywhere,”
and asked him if he had been to a Chevron station that day.
Henderson replied, “No. Hell, no.” The detective asked, “Hell no?”
and Henderson said, “Uh, and guess what. I just rolled by there, I
just rolled by.” The detective said, “I know you did,” and the first
detective added, “You on camera, some folks you know already told
us what happened, okay? So, ain’t no point in sitting up here, keep
trying to lie to us. It’s not going to work man. . . . Like [the second
detective] said, you can help yourself right now.”
Henderson concedes that any hope of benefit arising from the
detectives’ statements to “help you” and “help yourself” is
“admittedly vague.” But he contends that because he knew he was
in custody for Hill’s shooting, and because the detectives did not
elaborate that “help yourself” meant to make himself feel better or
“make him right with his God,” the only possible interpretation “was
to help himself in the context of the criminal investigation, i.e., a
lesser sentence, a lower bond, lesser or no criminal charges.” We
8 disagree.
It is well established that interview tactics such as telling the
appellant that he could “help himself” by telling the truth do not
violate OCGA § 24-8-824. As this Court has observed:
It has long been understood that “slightest hope of benefit” refers to promises related to reduced criminal punishment — a shorter sentence, lesser charges, or no charges at all. By contrast, this Court has explained that certain other tactics used by law enforcement — such as exhortations or encouragement to tell the truth, conveying the seriousness of the accused’s situation, or offering to inform the district attorney about the accused’s cooperation while making clear that only the district attorney can determine charges and plea deals — do not amount to a hope of benefit.
(Citations and punctuation omitted; emphasis supplied.) Perez, 309
Ga. at 693-694 (2) (telling accused that he “could help himself by
being honest and by telling them what had really happened” was not
a hope of benefit under OCGA § 24-8-824). See also Reed v. State,
307 Ga. 527, 533 (2) (a) (837 SE2d 272) (2019) (“[E]xhortations or
encouragement to tell the truth and comments conveying the
seriousness of a suspect’s situation do not render his subsequent
statements involuntary.”). The detectives made no “promises related
9 to reduced criminal punishment” but merely encouraged Henderson
to help himself without promising him hope for a lesser sentence or
a reduction in his charges, and the trial court did not err by
admitting Henderson’s statement into evidence at trial.
3. Henderson also contends that the trial court erred in
sustaining the State’s objection to his trial testimony regarding a
statement Hill made to him before the shooting. Relying on cases
decided under Georgia’s former Evidence Code, Henderson contends
this testimony was relevant to his defense of justification and the
reasonableness of his fear of Hill.5
During Henderson’s direct examination, the surveillance video
from the store was played while Henderson recounted the events
leading up to the shooting. Then the following exchange occurred:
[DEFENSE COUNSEL]: You say [Hill] was walking up on you. Is this where he was walking up on you? [APPELLANT]: Uh-huh. [DEFENSE COUNSEL]: And what is he saying to you at this moment?
5 Under the current Evidence Code, “[t]he admissibility of evidence of a
victim’s character is now governed by OCGA § 24-4-404 and § 24-4-405.” (Citation omitted.) Gibson v. State, 300 Ga. 494, 498 (3) n.8 (796 SE2d 712) (2017). See generally White v. State, 307 Ga. 882, 885 (2) (838 SE2d 828) (2020). 10 [APPELLANT]: Don’t talk to me with his hands. Don’t talk to me with your hands. I don’t play that. Don’t talk to me with your hands. He went to saying something and I done been to prison before and — [PROSECUTOR]: Objection. Objection. [COURT]: Sustained. Strike it from the record.
Henderson raised this issue in his motion for new trial, and the trial
court ruled that the statement was properly stricken as inadmissible
character evidence, and moreover would not have affected the
outcome of the trial. We agree with the trial court that striking this
testimony, even if it amounted to error, was harmless.
“[I]t is fundamental that harm as well as error must be shown
for reversal.” (Citations and punctuation omitted.) O’Neal v. State,
288 Ga. 219, 223 (2) (702 SE2d 288) (2010). “The test for determining
nonconstitutional harmless error is whether it is highly probable
that the error did not contribute to the verdict.” (Citations,
punctuation and footnote omitted.) Smith v. State, 299 Ga. 424, 432
(2) (d) (788 SE2d 433) (2016). See also OCGA § 24-1-103 (a) (“Error
shall not be predicated upon a ruling which admits or excludes
evidence unless a substantial right of the party is affected. . . .”). “In
11 determining whether trial court error was harmless, we review the
record de novo, and we weigh the evidence as we would expect
reasonable jurors to have done so as opposed to viewing it all in the
light most favorable to the jury’s verdict.” (Citations and
punctuation omitted.) Peoples v. State, 295 Ga. 44, 55 (4) (c) (757
SE2d 646) (2014).
So viewed, any error in striking the complained-of statement
was harmless. In his account of the incident on direct examination,
Henderson also claimed that Hill and Newberry cursed him and
made explicit threats to him. He testified that the two men said that
they wanted to fight him, that they said they would “beat his little
b*tch *ss,” that they “said something about snapping my neck and
p*ssing down my throat,” and that Hill “charged” him. Henderson’s
somewhat ambiguous testimony that Hill said he had “been to
prison before,” to the extent it could be construed as a threat, thus
added little if anything to the more explicit threats to which
Henderson testified. See Mitchell v. State, 293 Ga. 1, 3 (2) (742 SE2d
454) (2013) (exclusion of evidence harmless when cumulative of
12 other evidence admitted at trial). Moreover, the evidence of
Henderson’s guilt was very strong. As noted above, other testimony
and the store surveillance recording showed that Henderson
initiated the conflict, that neither Hill nor Newberry displayed a
weapon, that Henderson already had his hands on the gun in his
waistband as he entered the store, and that he was leaving the store
when he turned around in the doorway and shot Hill from behind
his companion. Thus, any error by the trial court in limiting
Henderson’s testimony was harmless, as it is highly probable that
any such error did not contribute to the verdicts. See Keller v. State,
308 Ga. 492, 503 (5) (842 SE2d 22) (2020) (“[I]n light of the strong
evidence of [appellant’s] guilt,” refusal to allow appellant’s witness
to testify was “harmless error, if error at all,” because it was highly
probable that exclusion of evidence did not contribute to verdict.)
(Citations and punctuation omitted).
Judgment affirmed. All the Justices concur.
13 DECIDED FEBRUARY 1, 2021. Murder. DeKalb Superior Court. Before Judge Barrie. Daniel H. Petrey, for appellant. Sherry Boston, District Attorney, Emily K. Richardson, Deborah D. Wellborn, Roderick B. Wilkerson, Drew K. Shumate, Assistant District Attorneys; Christopher M. Carr, Attorney General, Patricia B. Attaway Burton, Deputy Attorney General, Paula K. Smith, Senior Assistant Attorney General, Kathleen L. McCanless, Assistant Attorney General, for appellee.