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Smith v. State

Court of Appeals of Georgia
Jan 23, 1978
241 S.E.2d 465 (Ga. Ct. App. 1978)

Opinion

55163.

SUBMITTED JANUARY 5, 1978.

DECIDED JANUARY 23, 1978.

Child molestation. Fulton Superior Court. Before Judge Holt.

Guy R. Dunn, for appellant.

Lewis R. Slaton, District Attorney, Joseph J. Drolet, Thomas W. Thrash, R. Andrew Weathers, Assistant District Attorneys, for appellee.


The defendant appeals the denial of his motion for new trial following his conviction for child molestation.

1. The child, a five-year-old girl, was located by her mother almost immediately after the incident took place. She was emotionally distraught and in tears. Evidence that the child told her mother that the defendant had taken her to a wooded area, removed her pants, and touched his sexual organ to hers was properly admitted as part of the res gestae. See Code § 38-305; Robinson v. State, 232 Ga. 123, 129 (6) ( 205 S.E.2d 210) (1974); Johnson v. State, 142 Ga. App. 560 ( 236 S.E.2d 552) (1977).

2. "Objection as to the competency of an infant of tender years to testify as a witness will not be considered when no such objection was made at the trial." Polk v. State, 18 Ga. App. 324 (5) ( 89 S.E. 437) (1916); Dunn v. State, 83 Ga. App. 682 (1) ( 64 S.E.2d 478) (1951).

3. A counselor from the Rape Crisis Center at Grady Hospital stood beside the child as she testified and volunteered what was stated to be the child's whispered response to a question by the assistant district attorney. Defense counsel moved for and was granted a mistrial; however, he then requested and obtained corrective instructions to the jury and expressly withdrew the motion for mistrial. The failure to grant the mistrial may not now be asserted as error.

4. The evidence overwhelmingly supported the verdict.

Judgment affirmed. Deen, P. J., and Smith, J., concur.

SUBMITTED JANUARY 5, 1978 — DECIDED JANUARY 23, 1978.


Summaries of

Smith v. State

Court of Appeals of Georgia
Jan 23, 1978
241 S.E.2d 465 (Ga. Ct. App. 1978)
Case details for

Smith v. State

Case Details

Full title:SMITH v. THE STATE

Court:Court of Appeals of Georgia

Date published: Jan 23, 1978

Citations

241 S.E.2d 465 (Ga. Ct. App. 1978)
241 S.E.2d 465

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