HUNSTEIN, Chief Justice.
In Smith v. State, 284 Ga. 33, 663 S.E.2d 155 (2008), this Court reversed Appellant Tavaris Smith's murder conviction, finding that the trial court had erred in classifying Smith's sleepwalking defense as an insanity defense. Id. at 35-36(2), 663 S.E.2d 155. Following retrial, Smith was again convicted of malice murder and sentenced to life imprisonment. Smith now challenges his second conviction on grounds of insufficiency of the evidence, trial counsel ineffectiveness, and errors in evidentiary matters and jury instructions. Finding no error, we affirm.
1. Viewed in the light most favorable to the verdict, the evidence adduced at trial established as follows. On June 5, 2003, Smith's wife was killed by a single gunshot to the back of her head while she was asleep in her bed. Smith called 911 at approximately 1:30 a.m. to report the shooting but was not present at their home when emergency responders arrived. At the scene, a .9 mm pistol was discovered under the pillow next to the victim, aimed towards the back of her head. The pillow on which the victim's head had been resting bore bullet entry and exit holes. A single shell casing was found on the floor near the bed, and the gun had a live round in its chamber.
In a statement a few hours after the shooting, Smith told police that he kept the gun under his pillow for safety. He reported that he was awakened that night by what he thought was a gunshot; jumped out of bed and checked the house but found nothing; and returned to the bedroom, where he turned on the light to find his wife shot dead and his gun under the pillow next to her. At trial, however, Smith testified that he was awakened that night by a noise and jumped out of bed, grabbing his gun, which went off as his hands were underneath his pillow. He testified that he then proceeded to check the rest of the house and came back to discover that the victim had been shot.
A crime scene technician testified that the entry and exit holes in the pillow, the straight path of the bullet, the gunpowder markings on the underside of the pillow, and the absence of any other gunshot residue all supported the theory that the shooter had folded a pillow around the back of the victim's head and shot her through the pillow.
Testimony from the victim's mother, two close friends, and a co-worker revealed that Smith was jealous, possessive, and, at times, physically and emotionally abusive. These witnesses also testified that the victim had been contemplating divorce and that the couple had actually discussed this prospect. The victim's co-worker, Pam Ford, testified that on the day before her murder, the victim had been arguing with Smith about a work-related trip she was planning to take without him and that, when Ford saw the victim that day, she seemed "despondent" and told Ford that she was "tired" of her situation with Smith.
The evidence was sufficient to enable a rational trier of fact to conclude beyond a reasonable doubt that Smith was guilty of the malice murder of his wife. Jackson v. Virginia, 443 U.S. 307, 99 S.Ct. 2781, 61 L.Ed.2d 560 (1979). Though Smith testified that he did not intend to kill his wife and his trial expert testified that the murder weapon was defective and could have discharged accidentally, "`[i]t was for the jury to determine the credibility of the witnesses and to resolve any conflicts or inconsistencies in the evidence.'" (Citation omitted.) Vega v. State, 285 Ga. 32, 33, 673 S.E.2d 223 (2009).
2. Smith contends that his trial counsel rendered ineffective assistance in various respects. To establish ineffective assistance, Smith must show both that his counsel performed in a professionally deficient manner and that there is a reasonable probability that, but for such deficiency, the result of his trial would have been different. Sanders v. State, 290 Ga. 445(4), 721 S.E.2d 834 (2012) (citing Strickland v. Washington, 466 U.S. 668, 104 S.Ct. 2052, 80 L.Ed.2d 674 (1984)). On appeal, we accept the trial court's factual findings unless they are clearly erroneous, but we review the trial court's legal conclusions de novo. Bright v. State, 292 Ga. 273(2), 736 S.E.2d 380 (2013).
(a) Smith maintains that trial counsel rendered deficient performance by refusing to assert a sleepwalking defense. At the new trial hearing, trial counsel testified that he considered asserting the sleepwalking defense as had been done by prior counsel at Smith's first trial, but that during his investigation he became aware of reported defects in the model of gun used in the shooting and located experts who would testify about these defects and problems they found in their examination of the actual murder weapon. Based on his past experience as a criminal defense lawyer, counsel concluded that the jury was more likely to believe a defense based on the accidental discharge of a defective weapon than one based on sleepwalking. Though Smith himself favored the sleepwalking defense, it was trial counsel's prerogative to decide, after his many consultations with Smith on the issue, which defense theory to pursue. See Smith v. State, 283 Ga. 237(2)(b), (c), 657 S.E.2d 523 (2008) (strategic decisions regarding defense theories should involve consultation with client but are ultimately to be made by trial counsel). Given the strong presumption of reasonableness afforded to trial counsel's decisions, see Hargrove v. State, 291 Ga. 879(2), 734 S.E.2d 34 (2012), Smith has failed to overcome his burden to establish deficient performance in this respect. See Smith, 283 Ga. at 239(2)(b), (c), 657 S.E.2d 523 (counsel's reasonable decisions regarding defense strategy do not constitute deficient performance).
(b) Smith also faults counsel's decision not to seek bond after the reversal of Smith's initial conviction. Trial counsel testified that, based on his prior experience, the trial court was unlikely to grant bond under the circumstances of Smith's case. We cannot say that this reasoned decision was professionally deficient, nor is it conceivable that the outcome of the trial would have been different had bond been granted.
3. Smith contends that the trial court erred in refusing to conduct a full evidentiary hearing, following reversal of the
4. Smith also contends that the trial court erred in holding that his custodial statement was admissible. In determining the admissibility of a defendant's statement, the trial court must find by a preponderance of the evidence, considering the totality of the circumstances, that the defendant's waiver of his rights was knowing and voluntary. Watkins v. State, 289 Ga. 359(4), 711 S.E.2d 655 (2011). On appeal, we accept the trial court's factual findings unless clearly erroneous but review its legal conclusions de novo. Id. Here, Smith claims his statement was obtained improperly, asserting that an attorney that had been dispatched by Smith's father to assist him was denied access to him at the detective bureau at which he was questioned.
The record reflects that Smith was brought to the detective bureau a few hours after the shooting, where he was read his Miranda
5. We reject Smith's assertion that the trial court erred in allowing certain evidence to go out with the jury during deliberations. A trial court's evidentiary rulings must be affirmed absent an abuse of discretion. Miller v. State, 284 Ga. 498(2), 668 S.E.2d 690 (2008). During the testimony of police Lieutenant Jeff Pettis, who processed the crime scene, the State offered into evidence the bloody pillow on which the victim's
6. Smith next asserts that the trial court erred in refusing to instruct the jury on misdemeanor involuntary manslaughter. While the court did charge the jury on felony involuntary manslaughter, see OCGA § 16-5-3(a), it rejected Smith's request to charge on the misdemeanor-level offense. See OCGA § 16-5-3(b). The crime of misdemeanor involuntary manslaughter is defined as an unintentional homicide "by the commission of a lawful act in an unlawful manner likely to cause death or great bodily harm." Id. Smith contends that, because the trial court saw fit to include a jury charge on accident, then it necessarily should also have charged on misdemeanor involuntary manslaughter. However, given that Smith's accident defense was premised on the contention that the gun was defective and discharged accidentally, Smith's version of events did not support a finding of "a lawful act in an unlawful manner." Id. The trial court thus properly refused to give the requested charge.
7. Finally, Smith contends that the trial court erred in permitting the State to call a firearms expert in rebuttal following the testimony of the defense's firearms expert. The defense expert testified that he had examined the gun used in the shooting and concluded that it had defects that could have caused it to discharge accidentally. The State's rebuttal expert testified that his examination of the gun had uncovered no defects and that other forensic evidence suggested that the gun had been fired while being pressed into the pillow. Trial courts have broad discretion in deciding whether to permit the State to introduce testimony after the defendant has closed his evidence. Smith v. State, 260 Ga. 746(1), 399 S.E.2d 66 (1991). Absent an abuse of that discretion, we will not reverse a decision to allow such testimony, even if it was not strictly in rebuttal. Id. at 748, 399 S.E.2d 66. We find no abuse of discretion here, and this enumeration thus must fail.
Judgment affirmed.
All the Justices concur.