Vega v. State

673 S.E.2d 223, 285 Ga. 32, 2009 Fulton County D. Rep. 439, 2009 Ga. LEXIS 52
CourtSupreme Court of Georgia
DecidedFebruary 9, 2009
DocketS09A0023
StatusPublished
Cited by340 cases

This text of 673 S.E.2d 223 (Vega v. State) 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
Vega v. State, 673 S.E.2d 223, 285 Ga. 32, 2009 Fulton County D. Rep. 439, 2009 Ga. LEXIS 52 (Ga. 2009).

Opinion

CARLEY, Justice.

After a jury trial, Tito Flores Vega was found guilty of the felony murder of Sammy Avilla during the commission of arson in the first degree. The trial court entered judgment of conviction and sentenced Vega to life imprisonment. The trial court denied a motion for new trial, and Vega appeals. *

1. Vega contends that the trial court erred in denying a motion for directed verdict. Construed most strongly in support of the jury’s verdict, the evidence shows that Carlos Maye saw a fire in an abandoned building as he drove by. He turned around, stopped, and observed Vega tossing several tires onto the fire while it continued to grow larger. After being restrained by Maye, Vega said that somebody died and told another person that someone was inside the building. Subsequent to his arrest, Vega admitted his involvement to two other inmates. The victim’s body was discovered in the building, and the cause of the fire was determined to be arson. The victim’s death was caused by smoke inhalation and thermal injury.

Vega argues that the evidence fails to show that he deliberately or intentionally set the fire, or that he had ignitable materials with him. He relies on evidence that a man matching the description of Jesse Padilla, who was an acquaintance of the victim and was known as a troublemaker, left the burning building and subsequently told people that the victim was burned. However, a “person commits the offense of arson in the first degree when, by means of fire or explosive, he or she knowingly damages or knowingly causes, aids, abets, advises, encourages, hires, counsels, or procures another to damage” specified property under certain circumstances. OCGA § 16-7-60 (a). That statute does not require that the accused personally set the fire or possess ignitable materials. The evidence is sufficient where, as here, the defendant knowingly damages or knowingly aids or abets another to damage property by adding fuel to a fire. Although Vega further relies on evidence that tires do not catch fire easily and that an attempt to use the tires to smother the fire could inadvertently worsen it, there was not any evidence that Vega was trying to put out the fire. Indeed, he never made that claim when Maye asked him what he was doing or when he was talking to *33 another person on the scene. Furthermore, the evidence shows that the fire continued to grow larger as Vega tossed the tires on it.

The particular subsection of the arson statute which Vega was charged with violating requires that the defendant’s acts take place “under such circumstances that it is reasonably foreseeable that human life might be endangered.” OCGA § 16-7-60 (a) (5). Vega claims that, even if he had knowingly damaged the building by means of fire, he would not have had any way of knowing that he was endangering human life, because the building was abandoned, and the victim, who was in a small bedroom area, was so intoxicated that he was likely unconscious. To the contrary, the evidence shows that Vega had actual knowledge that he was endangering human life. Vega’s statements immediately after adding fuel to the fire and upon being restrained outside the building indicate that he knew that someone else was still in the building and probably died in the fire.

Vega further asserts that part of the inmates’ testimony was contradicted by the medical examiner’s testimony. However, “ ‘[t]his Court does not reweigh evidence or resolve conflicts in testimony .... [Cit.]’ [Cit.] .... It was for the jury to determine the credibility of the witnesses and to resolve any conflicts or inconsistencies in the evidence. [Cits.]” Mickens v. State, 277 Ga. 627-629 (593 SE2d 350) (2004). Viewed in the light most favorable to the verdict, the evidence was sufficient for a rational trier of fact to find Vega guilty of felony murder beyond a reasonable doubt. Jackson v. Virginia, 443 U. S. 307 (99 SC 2781, 61 LE2d 560) (1979). See also Green v. State, 283 Ga. 126, 129 (1) (657 SE2d 221) (2008); Funderburk v. State, 276 Ga. 554, 555 (1) (580 SE2d 234) (2003); Crumbley v. State, 267 Ga. 354 (1) (478 SE2d 132) (1996).

2. Vega also contends that he was denied the right to a fair trial because of the State’s failure to comply with the discovery requirements of OCGA § 17-16-4 (a) (1) and Brady v. Maryland, 373 U. S. 83 (83 SC 1194, 10 LE2d 215) (1963) with respect to the videotaped interviews of Maye and of Vega himself.

Several months prior to trial, the prosecutor notified defense counsel that the videotaped interview of Maye did not have any sound and would only be provided upon express request. The interview of Vega was on the same tape, and examination of the original tape revealed that there was no sound for either interview. Vega’s attorney raised the issue about two weeks before trial, while the prosecutor was on leave, and the soundless recording was provided on the Friday preceding the beginning of trial on Monday morning.

Vega has failed to show that Brady required the prosecutor to produce the videotape. “ ‘The prosecution, upon a Brady motion, has the duty to produce anything that .is exculpatory or impeaching.’ *34 [Cit.]” In the Interest of E. J., 283 Ga. App. 648, 650 (2) (642 SE2d 179) (2007). The record establishes that the completely inaudible “videotape lacked any exculpatory or evidentiary value. Any assertion to the contrary is mere speculation. [Cit.]” In the Interest of E. J., supra at 651 (2). Moreover, due to the lack of sound, Vega has also failed to show how earlier disclosure of the videotape “would have benefited him or how any delay harmed him. . . . [Thus,] [t]his case falls within the rule that ‘ “Brady is not violated when the (purported) Brady material is available to defendants during trial. (Cits.)” (Cit.) ...’ [Cit.]” Jordan v. State, 217 Ga. App. 420, 422 (1) (457 SE2d 692) (1995).

OCGA § 17-16-4 (a) (1) requires, in pertinent part, that the prosecutor make available to the defendant, no later than ten days before trial, “any relevant . . . recorded statements made by the defendant . . . .” Vega has failed to show how the soundless videotape can be deemed a “relevant . . . recorded statement.” The trial court correctly stated that “[i]t is unfair to characterize the failure of the recording device as a discovery violation.”

Even if OCGA § 17-6-4 (a) (1) was violated, the trial court clearly did not abuse its broad discretion under OCGA § 17-16-6

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Bluebook (online)
673 S.E.2d 223, 285 Ga. 32, 2009 Fulton County D. Rep. 439, 2009 Ga. LEXIS 52, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/vega-v-state-ga-2009.