A. General P-1
B. A Portrait Of The Defendant P-5
C. Overview Of The Defense Versus the
Prosecution’s Theory P-7
D. Overview Of Pre-Trial Activity P-9
E. Overview Of The Trial P-9
F. Overview Post Trial Activity P-13
1. New Trial Motion P-13
2.
Supreme
Court Review P-14
3.
Habeas
Corpus Petition P-14
4.
Res
Judicata And Habeas Corpus
P-15
GROUND ONE: A MISCARRIAGE OF JUSTICE 1-1
GROUND TWO: INEFFECTIVE ASSISTANCE OF
APPELLATE COUNSEL 2-1
A. Failure To Document Ground
That Verdict Was Not Supported By Evidence 2-1
2. Failure To Challenge
Inconsistencies In The Record 2-1
3. Failure To Document Ineffective
Assistance Of Trial Counsel Ground 2-1
C. Use Of Grounds That Lacked
Evidentiary And Probative Value 2-2
GROUND THREE:
A SPEEDY TRIAL DENIED 3-1
A. Background 3-1
B. Issue 3-1
C. Conflict Of Interest 3-1
D. Barker Factors 3-3
1. The Length Of The Delay 3-3
2. The Reason For The Delay 3-3
3. Demand And Waiver 3-5
4. Prejudice To The
Defendant 3-6
GROUND FOUR: EXCESSIVE BAIL IMPOSED 4-1
GROUND FIVE: VERDICT NOT SUPPORTED BY THE
EVIDENCE 5-1
A. 5-1 Eyewitness
Testimony Concerning A Police Car At The Scene Disputes The Verdict
1. The Shape
And Style Of The Mystery Patrol Car 5-2
(a) Edward Schmanski 5-2
(b) Mary Ann Johnsa 5-3
(c) Stacey Turner 5-3
(d) Sean Charles 5-3
(e)
Robert
Brusie 5-4
(f) Alan Robertson 5-4
(g) Paul Omodt 5-5
(h) Karl Kautter 5-5
2. First Sighting Of The Mystery
Patrol Car, 8:45 – 9:17 PM: 5-6
(a) Edward Schmanski 5-6
(b) Tony McWaters 5-6
3. Mystery Patrol Car With Dome
Light On, 9:20 – 9:30 PM 5-7
(a) Mary Ann Jonsa 5-7
(b) Stacey Turner 5-7
(c) Sean Charles 5-8
(d) Robert Brusie 5-8
4. Mystery Police Car Missing
From Driveway, 9:30 – 10 PM 5-9
(a) Sylvia Sellers 5-9
(b) Pat Gimothy 5-10
5. Victim’s Car Alone In The
Driveway, 9:55 – 10 PM: 5-10
(a) David McGaha 5-11
(b) Amy Parker 5-12
(c) Keith Seay 5-13
6. Blue Light Activity In The
Driveway, 10 PM And Later 5-13
(a) Daniel Gravitt 5-14
(b) Alan Robertson 5-14
(c) Paul Omodt 5-15
(d) Karl Kautter 5-15
(e) Harlan Preston 5-16
(f) The Weather Becomes A
Clock 5-17
7. Witness Descriptions Of Police
Car Occupant. Dome Light On 5-17-2
(a) Maryanne Johnsa 5-17-2
(b) Stacey Turner 5-17-2
(c) Sean Charles 5-18
(d) Robert Brusie 5-18
8. Witness Descriptions
Of The Officer In The Gwinnco Driveway 5-19
(a) Paul Omodt 5-19
(b) Karl Kautter 5-20
9. A Second Police Car And
Officer 5-20
(a) Karl Kautter 5-21
(b) Jack Burnette 5-21
(c) Paul Omodt 5-22
B. Autopsy And Crime
Scene Reports Prove Shots Fired From Inside Victim’s Car 5-24
1. The crime scene report 5-24
2. Autopsy
Report 5-24
(a) External Exam, In Part 5-24
(b) Gunshot Wound #1 5-25
(c) Gunshot Wound #2 5-25
3. Prosecution
Determination Of The Order Of The Shots 5-25
4. Discussion Of The
Evidence 5-28
(a) Order Of The Shots 5-29
(b) Position Of The Shooter 5-31
(c) Blood Spots On The Counsel And
Passenger Door 5-31
(d) Fingerprints Found In
The Victim’s Automobile 5-36
(e) Out Of Place Cufflink On Left Rear
Passenger Floorboard 5-37
C. Evidence Presented Is
Insufficient To Establish The Time Of Death 5-37
1. Michael Thompson 5-37
2. Brian Frist 5-38
3. William Hutchins 5-38
4. Sara Hutchins 5-40
D. Kautter’s Identification Of The
Defendant 5-41
1. The Original 8-Photo Lineup 5-41
2. The Preliminary Hearing 5-41
3. Kautter’s Trial
Testimony 5-41
E. Defendant’s Possession of
Money At Or Near The Time Of The Murder 5-42
1. Jack Dudley 5-42
2. Valerie Heath 5-45
3.
Laurie
Pace 5-46
4.
Kendon
Curtis 5-47
GROUND SIX: A CONSPIRACY DEVELOPED 6-1
A. Reasons For The Conspiracy 6-1
1. Bringing Down A Popular Street Cop
Would Be A Career Maker 6-1
2. If Chapel Released After
Arrest, Careers Would be Destroyed 6-2
3. The Case Against Chapel Was
Falling Apart 6-6
4. Pressure By Buford Drug
Dealers To Get Chapel Off the Streets 6-7
B. A
Precipitous Arrest 6-9
C. The Case Against Chapel Begins
To Collapse 6-10
D. The Case Against Chapel Is
Rehabilitated 6-11
E. Witness Testimony
Manipulated 6-11
1. Daniel
Gravitt 6-11
2. Karl Kautter 6-12
3. Harlan
Preston 6-13
4. Alan
Robertson 6-13
5. Joan
Shattuck 6-17
6. David McGaha 6-17
F. Witness Statement
Altered 6-18
G. Attempts To Manipulate
Firefighter Testimony 6-18
1. Robert Sloan 6-18
2. David Pierce 6-20
H. Attempts To Plant False Memories
In Witnesses 6-21
1. Jeffery
Westbrooks 6-21
2. Stanley
Wilson 6-22
3. David Pierce 6-24
I. Blood
Evidence Planted In Chapel’s Patrol Car 6-27
J. Testimony
About The Blood Spatter Evidence On Raincoat Was Perjured 6-30
1. Jennifer
Wilson 6-31
2. Dennis
Miller 6-35
3. Rees Smith 6-36
4. Johnny Moore 6-37
5. Elizabeth
Rogan 6-37
6. Keith Goff 6-37
7. Kelly Fite 6-39
K. The Pattern Of New Evidence
Discovery By The Prosecution 6-43
1. After
the Firefighters Give Chapel An Alibi 6-43
2. When The
Prosecution Needs To Account For More Of The Stolen Money 6-43
3. When The
Prosecution Needs More Evidence to ensure a conviction 6-43
M.Crime Scene
Technician Judy Graham Misidentifies A Photograph 6-43
N. Tire Evidence Is
Destroyed. 6-44
GROUND SEVEN: NEWLY DISCOVERED EVIDENCE 7-1
A. The Victim’s Missing Purse Was
Found Months After The Trial 7-1
B. Expert Testimony Disputes
Fite’s Blood Spatter Testimony 7-4
C. Expert Testimony Proves There
Was A Second Police Car And Officer 7-5
D. Crime Scene Reports And
Autopsy 7-6
GROUND EIGHT: EXCULPATORY EVIDENCE WITHHELD 8-1
A. No Gunpowder Found On The
Defendant’s Raincoat 8-1
B. Statements From Chapel Alibi
Witnesses Not Released To The Defense 8-1
C. Found Victim’s Purse Not
Released To Defense For Almost A Year 8-2
D. Suppressed Phone
Records Would Have Impeached Son’s Testimony 8-3
GROUND NINE: EVIDENCE ADMITTED IMPROPERLY 9-1
A. Videotaped Interview Of Officer Chapel
Improperly Admitted 9-1
B: Hearsay Statements Of Friends Of The
Victim Were Improperly Admitted 9-4
C. Defendant’s Raincoat Improperly Admitted 9-13
GROUND TEN: IMPROPER LINEUP PROCEDURES 10-1
A. The Defendant Was Unfairly
Highlighted In The Lineup 10-1
B. Kautter’s Identification 10-4
C. Sgt. Cline’s Presentation
Of The Lineup 10-5
GROUND ELEVEN: POLICE MISCONDUCT 11-1
A. Pattern Of Disappearing
Evidence 11-1
1. Chapel’s Drug Dealer Audio Tapes
And Other Records 11-1
2. Thirty-Right Caliber Shell Casing
Found On Victim’s Property 11-1
4. Loaded Thirty-Eight Caliber
Revolver Found At American Inn 11-1
B. Chapel’s Alibi Witnesses 11-3
C. Officer Statements
Are Changed To Fit Circumstances 11-4
D. Incomplete Testimony Regarding
1994 Search For Victim’s Purse 11-5
E. Improper Lineup Construction 11-6
F. Ignoring Crime Scene
And Autopsy Reports 11-6
GROUND TWELVE: PROSECUTORIAL MISCONDUCT 12-1
A. The Prosecution’s Closing
Argument 12-1
1. Arguing The Accused And Witnesses
For Defense Had Lied 12-1
2. Calling Upon The Jury To Get
Even 12-3
3. Arguing Defense Counsel
Had Lied 12-3
4. Appealing To The Emotions Of
The Jury 12-3
(a) Stating The Honor Of The Police
Department Has Been Impugned 12-3
(b) Presenting Chapel’s
Raincoat To The Jury 12-7
(c) Presenting Before And After
Death Pictures Of the Victim 12-7
5. Ridiculing Of The Defense
And Defense Witnesses 12-8
7. Vouching For The
Credibility Of Government Witnesses 12-9
8. Commenting On The Demeanor
Of The Accused 12-9
B. Other Instances Of Prosecutorial Misconduct 12-11
1. The Prosecution’s
Failure To Correct The Record 12-11
(a) Firefighter Peters 12-11
(b) Bobbie and Sara Guthrie 12-11
2. Misleading The Court And
The Jury 12-12
3. Knowingly Referring To
Inadmissible And Unsupported Evidence 12-16
4. Ignoring Crime Scene And
Autopsy Reports 12-17
5. The Prosecution Hides A
Critical Photograph From the Jury 12-18
GROUND THIRTEEN: JUROR MISCONDUCT 13-1
A. Special Relationship With
Juror 13-1
B. Juror Conflict 13-4
GROUND FOURTEEN: CRIME SCENE PHOTOGRAPH
PRESENTATION TO THE JURY 14-1
A. Denying The Jury An opportunity
To Fully Examine Crime Scene Photos 14-1
B. The Prosecution Hides A Critical Photographs And Reports From The Jury 14-5
C. Crime Scene Technician Judy Graham Misidentifies A Photograph 14-7
D. The Prosecution Secures
Confusing Testimony From Technician Judy Graham 14-9
GROUND FIFTEEN: INEFFECTIVE ASSISTANCE OF TRIAL COUNSEL 15-1
A. Defense Counsel Failed
Understand That The Most Critical Issues 15-1
1. The Time Of Chapels
Departure From Fire 14 15-1
2. The Time Of The Blue Light
Activity In The Gwinnco Muffler Driveway 15-1
B. Defense Counsel Failed To Carefully
Examine Crime Scene And Autopsy Data 15-2
C. Defense Counsel Failed To Challenge
Prosecution On State’s Exhibit 12 15-2
D. Defense Counsel Failed To Interview
Defendant’s Alibi Witnesses 15-2
E. Defense Counsel
Failed To Call Crucial Witnesses 15-2
1. The Time The Victim
Left Her Home For Work. 15-2
(a) Amy Parker 15-2
(b) Keith Seay 15-2
2. Contamination Of
Raincoat By The Georgia State Crime Lab. 15-3
F. Visit To The Crime Scene 15-3
G. Defense Counsel Failed To
Introduce Expert Testimony 15-3
1. Bullet Trajectory And Blood
Spatter Analysis. 15-3
2. Police Patrol Car Capability
Analysis by Herman Hill 15-4
H. Defense Counsel’s
Attention Is Not On Trial Testimony 15-4
I. Defense Counsel
Introduced Prejudicial Information 15-5
GROUND SIXTEEN: COLLUSION ....................... 16-1
A. The
testimony of Karl Kautter....................... 16-1
1. Porter’s Opening Argument 16-1
2. Kautter’s Testimony At The
July 10th Hearing.................. 16-2
3. Kautter’s
Trial Testimony 16-3
B. Chapel’s
Contaminated Raincoat....................... 16-5
C. Blue Light
Activity Witness Testimony....................... 16-6
1.
Danny
Porter’s Problem.................. 16-6
2.
Daniel
Gravitt.................. 16-6
3.
Alan
Robertson.................. 16-6
4.
Paul
Omodt And Karl Kautter.................. 16-6
5.
Harlan
Preston.................. 16-7
6.
Johnny
Moore’s Response.................. 16-7
D.
The Testron
Incident........................................................................................................................................................... 16-7
E. Chapel’s
Defense Witnesses....................... 16-8
1.
Sgt.
Donald Stone.................. 16-9
2.
The Firemen.................. 16-9
3.
The Gym Witnesses.................. 16-9
F. Danny
Porter Intimates Nonexistent Witnesses To The Jury....................... 16-10
G. Ignoring
Crime Scene And Autopsy Reports....................... 16-10
H. The
Prosecution’s Presentation Of The Crime Scene Evidence To The Jury....................... 16-10
I. Johnny Moore Rejected A
Recommended Visit To The Crime Scene....................... 16-11
J. Defense Counsel
Introduced Information Prejudicial To The Defendant....................... 16-11
K. J. P. Morgan....................... 16-12
L. Pledging
Not To Interrupt The District Attorney In His Closing Argument....................... 16-13
M. Conclusion....................... 16-14
LIST OF EXHIBITS
P-01 Michael Chapel as
a Marine Corps recruit
P-02 Mike and Eren Chapel
P-03 Chad Chapel (current
photograph)
P-04 Chelsea Chapel
(current photograph)
P-05 The Buford-Sugar Hill
area
P-06 Peachtree
Industrial Boulevard Going North
5-01 Hanson Re-enactment Photo
5-02 Hanson Re-enactment Photo – closeup
5-03 Console area in
victim’s car
5-04 High velocity blood
spatter on windshield of victim’s car from outside the vehicle
5-05
Almost pristine bullet on floorboard
of victim’s car
5-06 Bullet
hole in passenger seat
5-07 Deformed bullet recovered from metal
casing beneath passenger seat
5-08 Metal
casing beneath front passenger seat
5-09 Photo of victim
through the windshield from driver’s side
5-10 Photo of the
inside of victim’s jacket
5-11 Inside of driver’s
side door and window – no blood spatter
5-12 Victim’s vehicle
from driver’s side showing headrest area
5-13 Blood on driver’s
side headrest area of victim’s car – closeup
5-14 Low velocity blood
spatter on console area
5-15 Low velocity blood spatter on
passenger side door
5-16 Low velocity blood
spatter on passenger door panel
5-17 Low velocity blood
spatter on passenger side window – see decal
5-18 Blood spot on doorframe below right
front passenger seat
5-19 Umbrella on
passenger side floorboards
5-20 Near
pristine bullet on right front passenger floorboard with debris
5-21 Cufflink on GBI
evidence table
5-22 Cufflink on left rear passenger
floorboard
5-23 Cufflink on left rear passenger
floorboard – closeup
6-01 Blood on front seats of victim’s car
6-02 Blood on backseats floorboards of
victim’s car
6-03 Bloodstain
on armrest of Chapel’s patrol car
6-04 Chapel’s patrol
car with the armrests in the “down” position.
6-05 Chapel’s raincoat
after testing on July 7, 1993
6-06 Victim’s sweater
with blood flakes from garments on GBI evidence table
6-07 Chapel’s raincoat
and victim’s blood flakes on the GBI evidence table
6-08 Detail of Chapel’s
raincoat with markings by Kelly Fite
6-09 Tire Evidence
7-02 Wooded area behind 1402-12 Craig
Drive
B. Document Exhibits
4-01 Newspaper
article Dated May 28, 1993. “Accused officer’s family says
Sheriff being
unfair. Claim attempt to raise bail is being blocked.”
5-01 E-156 - Statement of Tony
McWaters
5-02 E-58 - Statement of Sylvia
Sellers
5-03 E-49 – Statement of Pat Gimothy
5-04 E-20 – Statement of Amy Parker
5-06 E-41 – Statement of Harlan
Preston
5-07 E-70 – Statement of James
Guthrie
5-11 Declaration of Eren Chapel
5-12 Declarations of Chapel’s
friends and relatives
6-01
Crime Scene Report
6-02
D. Miller GBI Crime Lab Memo
6-03 Declaration of
Johnny Moore
6-04 Declaration of Elizabeth
Rogan
6-05 Korczak-Acosta
Interview with Latty-Smith
7-01 U.S.
Naval Observatory Report, Buford GA for April 1, 1994
7-02 Ed Hanson, Bullet
Trajectory and Blood Spatter Analysis
7-03 Herman Hill, Time and Distance Analysis for 1992 Ford Police
Patrol Car
8-01 Burnette’s Notes
14-01 Crime Scene Report
15-01 Declaration
of Herman Hill
