McDowell v. State

238 S.E.2d 415, 239 Ga. 626, 1977 Ga. LEXIS 1274
Supreme Court of Georgia·Decided September 8, 1977·No. 32370·Published·Cited by 9 cases

Opinion

Undercofler, Presiding Justice.

Appellant was convicted of rape and sentenced to ten years. He appeals.

The state introduced evidence to show that appellant, who was unknown to the victim, contacted her seeking another girl by the same name. Subsequently, after several telephone calls, a blind date was arranged on Sunday, September 26,1976. Appellant called about noon at the victim’s apartment, had a beer with her, and they left when appellant suggested they get something to eat. Instead, he drove to a dirt road near his apartment complex in Gwinnett County where he forcibly removed her lower clothing and sexually molested her. He left this location and drove to his apartment where he forcibly carried the victim from his living room into his bedroom, removed her clothing and had intercourse with her. All efforts by the victim to scream or summon aid were stifled by the appellant or by the victim’s fright and tearful condition. Later, appellant repeated the intercourse and told the victim he would take her home. He told her to use the bathroom and straighten her hair. He returned to the victim’s apartment parking lot and forced her to kiss him before he left. He said he would call her again and left. A previous victim of a similar crime for which appellant had been convicted in BeKalb County was permitted to testify solely to show similar intent, motive and conduct. This victim stated this appellant contacted her in response to an advertisement in a singles magazine and *627 arranged a blind date. He came to her apartment, soon proposed they get something to eat, but went instead directly to his apartment on the pretext he had left his wallet there. Upon entering the apartment, appellant in that case locked the front door, lifted the victim physically and took her to his bedroom where he forced her to have intercourse with him. He later told her to use his bathroom to clean up and straighten her hair, and then took her back to her apartment where he forced her to kiss him before he would let her out of his car.

Appellant testified in his own defense, stating his relationships were with the consent of the victims in both cases; however, appellant also introduced to the jury the fact of his prior conviction of aggravated assault in the previous case, a lesser included offense of the crime of rape for which he had been indicted by a DeKalb County Grand Jury. He said he had pled guilty to the lesser crime because his attorney had advised him to do so. Later, he testified on direct examination he did not go on a dirt road with this victim; however, on cross examination he changed this statement, admitting he went down this road with the victim. Appellant assigns seventeen errors. We affirm.

1. Appellant argues it was error for the court to overrule his motion to have the prosecution provide him with complete addresses and telephone numbers of the witnesses to be called by the state. He argues this request is supported under the "suppression of evidence” theory presented in Brady v. Maryland, 373 U. S. 83, 87 (83 SC 1194) (1962). We do not agree. We have decided this issue adversely to appellant’s contentions in Holsey v. State, 235 Ga. 270, 271 (219 SE2d 374) (1975). However, the prosecutor in this case, in addition to providing the list of witnesses required by Code Ann. § 27-1403 (Ga. L. 1966, pp. 430, 431), also told appellant’s counsel during pre-trial meetings where most of the witnesses were employed and the nature of their testimony. We find no error.

2. In Enumeration 2, appellant challenges the validity of the search of his automobile and apartment as based upon an invalid search warrant. The affidavit supporting the warrant detailed the events with particularity which had occurred, including the molestations of the victim in appellant’s automobile as *628 well as in his apartment. The description of the apartment was very detailed, containing a description of the entrance to the parking lot, the walkways to use in reaching the apartment, the stairs to climb, and the appearance of the door with its identification numbers and letter. There is no merit to this enumeration based upon these facts amply establishing probable cause to issue the warrant. At the hearing on the motion to suppress, appellant further argued the search of the automobile was improper, charging it was not described in the warrant and could not be searched under a theory of probable cause or that the vehicle was in the curtilage of the apartment. The officers did search the automobile and remove a bottle of shaving lotion and a package of chewing gum; however, these items were not introduced into evidence. Assuming without deciding that the automobile mentioned in the affidavit attached to the warrant did not sufficiently describe the automobile to warrant its search, the items seized were not introduced into evidence and appellant shows no harm thereby. "Harm as well as error must be shown to authorize a reversal by this court.” Brooks v. State, 236 Ga. 108 (223 SE2d 79) (1976) and cases cited therein. Likewise, there was no error in permitting the testimony of Detective Blannott who testified as to the seized articles in the apartment and the introduction of state’s exhibits 8 through 12 seized in the apartment as set forth in enumerations of error 10 and 12.

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

McDowell v. State, 238 S.E.2d 415, 239 Ga. 626, 1977 Ga. LEXIS 1274 (Ga. 1977).

238 S.E.2d 415 (McDowell v. State) — published by Counsel Stack Legal Research, free access to 12M+ legal documents.

Related

Hinton v. State
631 S.E.2d 365 (Supreme Court of Georgia, 2006)
Dawson v. State
369 S.E.2d 760 (Supreme Court of Georgia, 1988)
Westbrook v. State
368 S.E.2d 131 (Court of Appeals of Georgia, 1988)
Cargill v. State
340 S.E.2d 891 (Supreme Court of Georgia, 1986)
Ware v. State
310 S.E.2d 908 (Supreme Court of Georgia, 1984)
Lewis v. State
282 S.E.2d 750 (Court of Appeals of Georgia, 1981)
Bailey v. State
276 S.E.2d 843 (Court of Appeals of Georgia, 1981)
Roberts v. State
255 S.E.2d 689 (Supreme Court of Georgia, 1979)