Whatley v. State

462 S.E.2d 779, 218 Ga. App. 608, 95 Fulton County D. Rep. 3031, 1995 Ga. App. LEXIS 805
CourtCourt of Appeals of Georgia
DecidedSeptember 29, 1995
DocketA95A1362
StatusPublished
Cited by8 cases

This text of 462 S.E.2d 779 (Whatley v. State) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals of Georgia primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Whatley v. State, 462 S.E.2d 779, 218 Ga. App. 608, 95 Fulton County D. Rep. 3031, 1995 Ga. App. LEXIS 805 (Ga. Ct. App. 1995).

Opinion

Andrews, Judge.

This case is before us on an out-of-time appeal to determine whether the trial court erred in denying a motion to suppress evidence seized under a warrant for electronic surveillance. We hold that it did not.

This is the second appearance of this case in our court and the procedural history is an involved one. On December 9, 1989, Whatley was convicted in the Superior Court of Floyd County of conspiracy to traffick in cocaine, trafficking in cocaine, and illegal use of a communications facility. Whatley appealed the conviction and sentencing. This Court reversed as to conspiracy to traffick in cocaine, but affirmed on the remaining counts. We also determined that Whatley’s enumeration of error regarding the trial court’s denial of the motion to suppress had been abandoned for failure to cite or argue authority on appeal. Whatley v. State, 197 Ga. App. 489 (398 SE2d 807) (1990). *609 Whatley’s trial counsel also represented him on appeal.

On January 11, 1991, Whatley filed a petition for a writ of habeas corpus in the Superior Court of Bibb County, alleging five grounds for relief: (1) the trial court erred and violated Whatley’s constitutional rights by improperly charging on constructive and actual possession; (2) counsel was ineffective on appeal; (3) counsel was ineffective at trial; (4) the trial court erred in failing to grant a motion to suppress electronic surveillance evidence; and (5) the evidence did not support the verdict.

On April 23 and May 15, 1991, the habeas court held evidentiary hearings, and on July 17, 1992, the court entered an order holding grounds one, three, and five to be without merit. However, the court granted habeas corpus because it found that counsel was ineffective on appeal based on trial counsel’s testimony at the evidentiary hearing that he believed the enumeration of error on appeal regarding the trial court’s denial of a motion to suppress electronic surveillance evidence was not worth pursuing. Thus, the habeas court remanded to the trial court to appoint counsel for the appeal on the issue of the trial court’s denial of the motion to suppress the electronic surveillance evidence.

On September 22, 1992, the State filed an appeal of the habeas corpus order on the grounds that the habeas court erred in granting an out-of-time appeal to pursue the issue of the trial court’s denial of the motion to suppress. The Supreme Court held that the habeas court had no authority to remand to another superior court and thus remanded the case to the habeas court to consider the ineffectiveness of counsel claim. Jones v. Whatley (Case No. S92A1499, December 2, 1992).

On September 7, 1994, the case was heard on remand to the habeas court. The court adopted its earlier order of July 17, 1992, in which it concluded that Whatley received ineffective assistance of counsel on appeal. The order stated that if the State did not file an appeal to the Supreme Court within 30 days, Whatley would then be entitled to a direct out-of-time appeal to the Court of Appeals of his conviction and sentence on the issue of the trial court’s failure to grant the motion to suppress.

The State did not appeal and on November 3, 1994, Whatley, with new counsel, filed a notice of appeal to the Court of Appeals in the Superior Court of Floyd County, alternatively labeled as a notice of application for an out-of-time appeal, and included a motion for a new trial. Whatley sought authorization to appeal on all grounds, not just on the trial court’s failure to suppress. On February 1, 1995, the Superior Court of Floyd County issued an order finding that the enumeration regarding ineffectiveness of counsel at trial was res judicata and denied Whatley’s motion for a new trial. The court also found *610 that the habeas court failed to use the proper two-pronged analysis as to the effectiveness of counsel on appeal, but determined that “this court, (the trial court), will not act in derogation of said standing Habeas Court Order and will authorize said appeal ‘out-of-time.’ ” The court further authorized Whatley to file an amended notice of appeal, allowing him “to raise all issues on appeal before the Court of Appeals as may exist on this case including the issue of ineffective assistance of counsel at trial.” Accordingly, on February 16, 1995, Whatley filed an amended notice of appeal on all issues.

1. The central issue in this out-of-time appeal is whether the trial court erred in denying Whatley’s motion to suppress. Whatley contends that the trial court erred in not granting his motion to suppress because the affidavit upon which the pen register warrant and all the other surveillance and seizure warrants were issued contained false information and, therefore, failed to establish probable cause for the warrant. Specifically, Whatley claims that the statements in the affidavit concerning the confidential informant are false.

“The standard of probable cause for a wiretap authorization is the same as the standard for a regular search warrant.” (Citations omitted.) Ayers v. State, 181 Ga. App. 244, 248 (351 SE2d 692) (1986). In a search warrant based primarily on information from a confidential informant, the test is whether, given all the circumstances set forth in the affidavit, including the veracity and basis of knowledge of persons supplying the information, there is a fair probability that evidence will be found in a particular place. State v. Stephens, 252 Ga. 181, 182 (311 SE2d 823) (1984). Further, the duty of the reviewing court is simply to ensure that the magistrate had a substantial basis for determining probable cause existed. Stephens, supra. In situations where the court has determined that the affidavit contains a false statement, the false statement should be deleted, any omitted truthful material should be included, and the affidavit reexamined to determine whether probable cause exists. Peters v. State, 213 Ga. App. 488, 489-490 (445 SE2d 290) (1994).

After a review of the evidence submitted, the State’s exhibits, and the transcript in the Cook case, the trial court determined that the reliability of the informants was properly considered by the Magistrate and was adequately supported by the evidence. The trial court concluded, therefore, that the warrant was supported by probable cause.

“On motion to suppress evidence, the trial judge sits as the trior of the facts, hears the evidence, and his findings based upon conflicting evidence are analogous to the verdict of a jury and should not be disturbed by a reviewing court if there is any evidence to support it.” (Citations omitted.) Dimick v. State, 178 Ga. App. 60, 61-62 (341 SE2d 914) (1986). In reviewing the record and the affidavit of Sgt. *611 Shiflett, we find there was sufficient evidence to support the trial court’s denial of the motion to suppress.

Whatley’s contention that there was no probable cause to issue the warrant is based on a statement in the affidavit of Sgt. Shiflett stating that the confidential informant giving information had previously provided reliable information used in the arrest and conviction of one Anthony Cook.

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Bluebook (online)
462 S.E.2d 779, 218 Ga. App. 608, 95 Fulton County D. Rep. 3031, 1995 Ga. App. LEXIS 805, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/whatley-v-state-gactapp-1995.