Larry Victor Younger appeals his convictions for felony murder and possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony, both in connection with the death of Scott Monty. For the reasons that follow, we affirm.
Construed to support the verdicts, the evidence showed that Courtney Freeman, Chase Pickney, Kevin Washington, Christopher Hackney, and Shawon Golightly resolved to rob a drug dealer at his home. They gathered at Pickney's home and drove in two cars to a restaurant where they picked up Larry Younger. After arriving near the home that they believed to be the drug dealer's, Freeman demurred from continuing and Younger took Freeman's pistol.
Monty was in his home with his family shortly after midnight. Pickney knocked on the door and asked to use the phone. Hackney, wearing a bandana over his face, and Younger, wearing a ski mask, rushed through the front door; Younger brandished a handgun, and demanded money and drugs. Monty confronted the men, pulled Hackney's bandana off, and Hackney and Younger retreated. Monty followed them, and as Younger backed out of the house, Monty reached for Younger's pistol, and Younger fatally shot him in the chest. The men ran to their cars and went home.
Later that day, Freeman contacted a friend who was a former police officer, and related the events of the early morning. He met with detectives, and was told he would not be charged with murder as he was cooperating. He, Golightly, Washington, and Hackney testified against Younger.
1. Younger asserts that the evidence was insufficient to convict him of the felony of criminal attempt to commit armed robbery, which was the predicate felony to his felony murder conviction, because the evidence introduced at trial established that he abandoned the attempt to commit robbery before Monty was shot. He argues in this Court that his conduct of leaving the house when confronted by Monty fits the parameters of the affirmative defense of abandonment as set forth in OCGA § 16-4-5.
Nor is there evidence showing abandonment under the State's version of events, upon which Younger now relies. OCGA § 16-4-5 specifically states that to be considered abandonment, the defendant's conduct must be "under circumstances manifesting a voluntary and complete renunciation of his criminal purpose." OCGA § 16-4-5(a). And, a "renunciation of criminal purpose is not voluntary and complete if it results from... [a] belief that circumstances exist which increase the probability of detection or apprehension of the person or which render more difficult the accomplishment of the criminal purpose." OCGA § 16-4-5(b)(1). Without a complete and voluntary renunciation, there is no abandonment. See Hayes v. State, 193 Ga.App. 33, 37(7), 387 S.E.2d 139 (1989) (Charge on abandonment not warranted when the only evidence is that defendant fled when discovered.). The State's evidence was that Younger left the house when confronted, which is not a voluntary renunciation, but a response to circumstances that increased the probability of apprehension and made accomplishing the criminal purpose more difficult. See Johnson v. State, 276 Ga. 368, 370(1), 578 S.E.2d 885 (2003). See also Level v. State, 273 Ga.App. 601, 604(1), 615 S.E.2d 640 (2005); Jones v. State, 246 Ga.App. 494, 495(1)(b), 540 S.E.2d 693 (2000).
The evidence was sufficient to enable a rational trier of fact to find Younger guilty beyond a reasonable doubt of the crimes of which he was convicted. Jackson v. Virginia, 443 U.S. 307, 99 S.Ct. 2781, 61 L.Ed.2d 560 (1979).
2. During jury voir dire, Younger raised an objection under Batson v. Kentucky, 476 U.S. 79, 106 S.Ct. 1712, 90 L.Ed.2d 69 (1986), to the State's exercise of its peremptory strikes, contending that the State discriminatorily struck the only two African-American members of the jury venire.
Thomas v. State, 274 Ga. 156, 161(5), 549 S.E.2d 359 (2001). A trial court's finding as to whether the opponent of a peremptory strike has proven discriminatory intent is entitled to great deference and will not be overturned unless clearly erroneous. Barnes v. State, 269 Ga. 345, 350(6), 496 S.E.2d 674 (1998). As the trial court did not rule as to whether Younger made a prima facie showing of racial discrimination, but proceeded to an evaluation of the State's explanations for its strikes, the issue of a prima facie showing is moot. Chandler v. State, 281 Ga. 712, 715-716(3), 642 S.E.2d 646 (2007).
Younger now enumerates error as to only one of these potential jurors. The State explained that it was striking the venireman because he recounted what he termed a "very bad" experience with law enforcement personnel. The potential juror testified that during this experience, he had firearms pointed at him, he and his companion were treated "as though we were the gang members," the situation was not resolved quickly, "it wasn't cool," and that since the incident he becomes nervous whenever a police car is behind him. The State also noted that the venireman was hesitant to respond when asked if he could listen to the testimony of
3. Co-indictee Washington testified during the State's case-in-chief, having been granted testimonial immunity. On cross-examination, Washington testified that he had been arrested, but was then out on bond. Younger asked whether the State had consented to the bond. The State objected and, after discussion outside the presence of the jury, the court sustained the objection. Younger argues that he should have been allowed to question Washington regarding any potential bias arising from an agreement to make a statement implicating Younger in consideration for the State's consent to Washington receiving a bond, and that the court's sustaining the State's objection violated his rights under the Confrontation Clause of the Sixth Amendment, the Due Process clauses of the Fifth and Fourteenth Amendments, and his statutory right to a thorough and sifting cross-examination under OCGA § 24-9-64.
Even under such considerations, "trial judges retain wide latitude ... to impose reasonable limits on such cross-examination based on concerns about, among other things, harassment, prejudice, confusion of the issues, the witness' safety, or interrogation that is repetitive or only marginally relevant." State v. Vogleson, 275 Ga. 637, 638-640(1), 571 S.E.2d 752 (2002). In any event, any error was harmless beyond a reasonable doubt. See Brown v. Baskin, 286 Ga. 681, 685, 690 S.E.2d 822 (2010); Mangum v. State, 274 Ga. 573, 576(2), 555 S.E.2d 451 (2001). The jury was informed that: Washington had received testimonial immunity; at the time he gave his statement to police, he was charged only with criminal attempt to commit armed robbery; the detective told him then that other charges might be added, or he may be offered a plea agreement; he was jailed after he gave his statement; and he was later charged with felony murder and possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony. Younger's proffer of evidence showed that: at the time of Washington's statement, Washington was told that he would not be charged with murder because he was being truthful and cooperating in the investigation; he was not promised anything in exchange for his statement; at the time of his statement he believed that he would have no bond; and he was confined for two or three weeks after giving his statement. We therefore conclude, beyond a reasonable doubt, that further cross-examination regarding the circumstances surrounding Washington's being granted bond would not have influenced the jury. See Vogleson, supra.
4. Freeman testified as a State's witness against Younger, and Freeman was never prosecuted for involvement in the crimes. From this circumstance, Younger argues that the State failed to make a full disclosure of its intent not to prosecute Freeman in exchange for his favorable testimony against Younger. Of course,
Owen v. State, 265 Ga. 67, 68(2), 453 S.E.2d 728 (1995) (punctuation omitted).
Blackshear v. State, 285 Ga. 619, 622(5), 680 S.E.2d 850 (2009).
Freeman testified that when he spoke with a detective, he was told that he would not be charged with murder, but that there would be no other "deals" made with him; he understood that he could be charged with armed robbery or aggravated assault. He also knew that, after his testimony against Younger, he could be charged with some crime; at the time of Younger's trial, the State had not indicated to him that a decision on this issue would be made after the trial, and he did not know when such a decision might be made. No evidence of any agreement, even an informal one, was ever produced. During the hearing on the motion for new trial, the prosecuting attorney stated in her place that no such agreement was made, and that Freeman was always subject to being indicted for his involvement. Younger subpoenaed the District Attorney and the Assistant District Attorney who had agreed that Freeman would not be charged with murder, and they appeared at the hearing on the motion for new trial. However, Younger released them at the hearing, his counsel stating that he accepted the State's declarations that no discussions with Freeman regarding possible charges had taken place that had not already been disclosed, and no internal discussions in the District Attorney's office regarding charging Freeman had taken place prior to Freeman's testimony against Younger.
Younger fails to meet his burden to demonstrate that the State possessed any evidence that it did not reveal which could have been used to impeach Freeman regarding any bias or interest he had in testifying against Younger. Blackshear, supra at 622(5), 680 S.E.2d 850. Compare Gonnella v. State, 286 Ga. 211, 213-216(2), 686 S.E.2d 644 (2009). It was not error for the trial court to deny the motion for new trial on this ground.
Judgments affirmed.
All the Justices concur.