Chandler v. State, 54256

• Decision Date: 22 September 1977
• Docket Number: No. 2,No. 54256,54256,2
• Citation: 143 Ga.App. 608,239 S.E.2d 158
• Parties: Freddie M. CHANDLER v. The STATE
• Court: Georgia Court of Appeals

Page 158

239 S.E.2d 158

143 Ga.App. 608

Freddie M. CHANDLER v. The STATE.

No. 54256.

Court of Appeals of Georgia, Division No. 2.

Sept. 22, 1977.

Rehearing Denied Oct. 21, 1977.

Richard L. Powell, Augusta, for appellant.

Richard E. Allen, Dist. Atty., Gayle B. Hamrick, Asst. Dist. Atty., Augusta, for appellee.

QUILLIAN, Presiding Judge.

The defendant appeals his conviction for violation of the Georgia Controlled Substances Act. Held :

1. "A motion to continue is addressed to the sound discretion of the trial judge, and this court will not interfere unless it is clearly shown that he has abused his discretion . . . (Cits. omitted). Where the moving party fails to make a proper showing of the requirements set forth in Code Ann. § 81-1410, the denial of a continuance motion cannot be said to be an abuse of discretion." Jones v. State, 135 Ga.App. 893, 896, 219 S.E.2d 585, 588. Accord: Scoggins v. State, 98 Ga.App. 360(2), 106 S.E.2d 39; Beasley v. State, 115 Ga.App. 827(1), 156 S.E.2d 128.

The first enumeration of error is not meritorious.

2. "Where illegal evidence is admitted at the trial, it is not error to refuse the grant of mistrial if the illegal or harmful testimony can be corrected by proper instructions to the jury . . . (Cits. omitted). The decision not to declare a mistrial is within the discretion of the trial court, and this discretion should not be interfered with unless manifestly abused." Barrow v. State, 235 Ga. 635, 641, 221 S.E.2d 416, 421. Where the trial judge gives corrective instructions and thereafter counsel fails to request further instruction or renew his motion for mistrial, an enumeration addressed to such ground is without merit. Clyatt v. State, 126 Ga.App. 779, 786, 192 S.E.2d 417.

Enumerations of error 2 and 3 show no basis for reversal.

3. A trial judge may not judicially note a prior conviction in his own court without compliance with Code Ann. § 27-2503(a) (Ga.L.1974, pp. 352, 357). Paschal v. State, 139 Ga.App. 842, 845(6), 229 S.E.2d 795. Nevertheless, in this case there is nothing to establish that the trial judge's recollection of a prior charge against the defendant which was dismissed resulted in an increased sentence. See Munsford v. State, 235 Ga. 38, 218 S.E.2d 792.

There is no merit in enumeration of error 5.

4. The evidence was sufficient to sustain the verdict. Enumerations of error 6 and 7 are therefore without merit.

5. Any question as to the excessiveness of the sentence, which was within legal limits, should be addressed to the sentence review panel as provided in Code Ann. § 27-2511.1 (Ga.L.1974, pp. 352, 358 (amended Ga.L.1977, pp. 1098, 1104, eff. July 1, 1977)). Lee v. State, 139 Ga.App. 65, 66, 227 S.E.2d 878; Thomas v. State, 139 Ga. 364, 365, 228 S.E.2d 386; Mydell v. State, 238 Ga. 450(2), 233 S.E.2d 199. Enumeration of error 8 is without merit.

6. Since the indictment and the plea of not guilty entered thereon constitute the pleadings in a criminal case, it has always been the practice in this State to permit the jury to have, in their room, the indictment. Broughton v. State, 186 Ga. 588, 589(1), 199 S.E. 111; Salem v. State, 228 Ga. 186, 188(5), 184 S.E.2d 650.

However the Supreme Court has pointed out the advisability of masking or concealing extraneous or prejudicial matter contained in an indictment. Salem v. State, 228 Ga. 186, 184 S.E.2d 650, supra; Riggins v. Stynchcombe, 231 Ga. 589, 593, 203 S.E.2d 208; Bostick v. Ricketts, 236 Ga. 304, 305, 223 S.E.2d 686. Compare: Page v. State, 120 Ga.App. 709(1), 172 S.E.2d 207; Corbin v. State, 212 Ga. 231(2), 91 S.E.2d 764. Under the circumstances of this case, it was not error to permit a copy of the indictment to go out with the jury where the...