Phillips v. Stynchcombe

202 S.E.2d 26, 231 Ga. 430, 1973 Ga. LEXIS 729
CourtSupreme Court of Georgia
DecidedNovember 9, 1973
Docket28122
StatusPublished
Cited by37 cases

This text of 202 S.E.2d 26 (Phillips v. Stynchcombe) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Supreme Court of Georgia primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Phillips v. Stynchcombe, 202 S.E.2d 26, 231 Ga. 430, 1973 Ga. LEXIS 729 (Ga. 1973).

Opinions

Grice, Presiding Justice.

Leon Dean Phillips, also known as Ronald Davis, appeals from the denial of three habeas corpus petitions by the Superior Court of Fulton County.

One petition (No. 1555) alleged in substance as follows: (1) that the appellant was in the custody of the respondent Leroy N. Stynchcombe, Sheriff, of Fulton County, by virtue of two consecutive 20 year sentences arising from his August, 1971, convictions for robbery and kidnapping in the superior court of that county; (2) that he was taken against his will to Kentucky to stand trial in September, 1972; (3) that he was returned to the respondent’s custody in November, 1972; and (4) that as a result his Georgia sentence is satisfied and he is entitled to release.

The other two petitions (Nos. 1473 and 1479) challenged the appellant’s confinement in the Fulton County jail under the authority of the 1971 armed robbery and kidnapping convictions and sentences. These convictions were affirmed by this court in Davis v. State, 229 Ga. 509 (192 SE2d 253).

The allegations in Nos. 1473 and 1479 were in essence that the appellant’s present confinement was illegal because he was denied due process in the following particulars: (1) he was denied a [432]*432commitment hearing prior to his trial; (2) he was not notified of the charges against him prior to trial; (3) he was not notified of the witnesses to be used against him and was not allowed to record their testimony prior to trial; (4) he had ineffective assistance of counsel; and (5) the prosecution submitted to the jury in aggravation of sentence a prior conviction for robbery although it knew that this conviction had been reversed by a United States District Court. Upon the habeas corpus hearing the petitioner further alleged (6) that a robbery conviction arising in Florida and also used in aggravation of punishment at the sentencing phase of the trial was reversed by a United States District Court in Florida; and (7) while the prosecution attempted to show that he had been convicted twice for escape, there was in fact only one such conviction.

After hearing evidence the habeas corpus court denied the petitions upon each and every ground.

There are eight enumerations of error upon appeal.

Under the circumstances here, the habeas corpus court properly ruled that the appellant was not entitled to a commitment hearing.

That court did not determine whether the appellant had in fact been denied a commitment hearing. Rather, it was of the opinion, expressed upon the respondent’s motion to dismiss the petition, that even assuming he could substantiate his claim of denial of a commitment hearing, such would not void his conviction. The holding of a commitment hearing is not a requisite to a trial for commission of a felony.

We agree. See in this connection Holmes v. State, 224 Ga. 553, 556 (163 SE2d 803); Smith v. Brown, 228 Ga. 584, 585 (187 SE2d 142); Burston v. Caldwell, 228 Ga. 795 (3) (187 SE2d 900); Hilliard v. Ballard, 229 Ga. 305 (191 SE2d 74); Thrash v. Caldwell, 229 Ga. 585 (1) (193 SE2d 605). The decision in Manor v. State, 221 Ga. 866 (148 SE2d 305) is essentially different. It dealt with a coerced waiver of commitment hearing.

We know that cross examination of the state’s witnesses at a commitment hearing often results in an accused obtaining valuable information for trial of the case. However, it should be remembered that the purpose of a commitment hearing is to authorize the keeping in custody of one accused with probable cause of committing a crime until the grand jury determines whether he should stand trial. See Code § 27-407; Cannon v. Grimes, 223 Ga. 35, 36 (153 SE2d 445); Smith v. Brown, 228 Ga. 584, [433]*433585, supra.

The federal courts share the view which we take. They hold that an accused has no constitutional right to a preliminary hearing. See Dillard v. Bomar, 342 F2d 789, 790 (6 Cir.); Woods v. Texas, 404 F2d 332 (5 Cir.).

The appellant did not raise this issue upon his criminal trial or appeal. He does not allege here and nothing in the record shows that he asked for and was denied a commitment hearing prior to his indictment by the grand jury. Since he has been indicted, tried and convicted, however, no useful purpose could now be served by remanding his case for a finding as to whether there was a commitment hearing. This fact does not affect the legality of his present detention, which is the only issue in a habeas corpus hearing. Johnson v. Plunkett, 215 Ga. 353 (5) (110 SE2d 745); Ballard v. Smith, 225 Ga. 416 (4) (169 SE2d 329); Thrash v. Caldwell, 229 Ga. 585 (1), supra.

The appellant failed to present any evidence in support of his contention that he was not notified of the witnesses to be used against him prior to trial or to record their testimony.

However, the trial transcript, which was admitted in evidence at the habeas corpus hearing, shows from statements of both the assistant district attorney and the appellant’s counsel that a list of witnesses was furnished to the appellant, and there was no evidence to the contrary.

The habeas corpus court correctly found that there was no authority to support the appellant’s contention that he should have had an opportunity to cross examine witnesses and record their testimony prior to trial.

There is no merit in this enumeration.

There is likewise no validity in the appellant’s enumeration that he was entitled to be "formally” informed of the charges against him prior to trial other than by indictment.

He presented no evidence that he did not know of the charges against him. His criminal trial attorney testified that he was appointed to represent him some time prior to the date of the trial and that he had at least one discussion concerning the case with him at the Fulton County Jail.

The habeas corpus court found that the evidence did not support the appellant’s contention in this regard, and his findings will not be disturbed where there is evidence to support them. Williams v. Caldwell, 229 Ga. 453 (1) (192 SE2d 378) and cits.; Crawford v. Caldwell, 229 Ga. 809 (194 SE2d 470) and cits.

[434]*434The habeas corpus court properly found that the allegations of ineffective and incompetent counsel were not substantiated.

The habeas corpus judge, who also presided at the criminal trial, found that "a review of the trial transcript shows that petitioner’s counsel provided diligent and vigorous representation,” and that appellant’s allegations in this regard "are an afterthought arising after an adverse verdict and without merit.”

We agree.

Appellant’s arguments in support of this ground are an attempt to raise the sufficiency of the evidence and present nothing for decision upon petition for the writ of habeas corpus. See in this connection, Nolley v. Caldwell, 229 Ga. 441 (6) (192 SE2d 151); Martin v. Ault, 229 Ga. 594 (193 SE2d 613).

The appellant’s contention that he was not properly notified prior to his trial of evidence and witnesses the state intended to submit in aggravation of his sentence cannot be sustained.

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Bluebook (online)
202 S.E.2d 26, 231 Ga. 430, 1973 Ga. LEXIS 729, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/phillips-v-stynchcombe-ga-1973.