Opinion

Brown v. State

  • 264 Ga. 803
  • 94 Fulton County D. Rep. 3909
  • 450 S.E.2d 821
  • 1994 Ga. LEXIS 897
Court
Supreme Court of Georgia
Filed
Nov 28, 1994
Status
Published
Author
Carley
On the bench
Carley, Hunstein
Cited by
42 cases
Authority
More cited than 27.8%

noting that a determination as to whether evidence is cumulative may turn on whether it “is of the same or different grade” as the other evidence

How later courts described this case

  • noting that a determination as to whether evidence is cumulative may turn on whether it “is of the same or different grade” as the other evidence
  • order on motion to dismiss for violation of right to speedy trial reviewed under abuse of discretion standard
  • lengthy delay in filing speedy trial demand weighs against the defendant
  • Barker requires consideration of four factors: the length of the delay; the reason for the delay; the defendant’s assertion of his right; and the prejudice to the defendant

Written by the judges who cited it.

The opinion

Carley, Justice,

concurring specially.

In my opinion, the trial court did not transgress the holding of Simmons v. United States, 390 U. S. 377 (III) (88 SC 967, 19 LE2d 1247) (1968). For this reason, I must concur specially as to Division 3 of the majority opinion.

The State cannot concede error where there is none. See, e.g., Busbee v. State, 205 Ga. App. 533, 534 ( 423 SE2d 3 ) (1992); Shaw v. State, 211 Ga. App. 647, 649 (2) ( 440 SE2d 245 ) (1994). This court must determine for itself whether error exists. Simmons, supra, holds only

that when a defendant testifies in support of a motion to suppress evidence on Fourth Amendment grounds, his testimony may not thereafter be admitted against him at trial on the issue of guilt unless he makes no objection.

(Emphasis supplied.) Simmons, supra at 394 (III). In the instant case, the testimony in question had been given at a Jackson v. Denno hearing, at which the issue was the admissibility of prior incriminating statements. Thus, Simmons is inapplicable. See United States v. McClellan, 868 F2d 210, 215 (7) (7th Cir. 1989). I would hold that the only error committed by the trial court was its refusal to honor appellant’s request that the entirety of his testimony at the Jackson v. Denno hearing be admitted pursuant to OCGA § 24-3-38. I do agree with the majority that this error was not harmless and, therefore, concur in the judgment.

This is a copy of a public record, reproduced as it was published. It is not legal advice, and it may not be the version a court would rely on. Check the official source before you cite it.

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