Case Title: State v. Vasquez

Citation: 130 Ariz. 103, 634 P.2d 391

Docket Number: 

State: arizona

Court: Arizona Supreme Court

Date: 1981-09-23T00:00:00Z

Document:
130 Ariz. 103 (1981) 634 P.2d 391 STATE of Arizona, Appellee, v. Tony VASQUEZ, Appellant. No. 5245. Supreme Court of Arizona, In Banc. September 23, 1981. *104 Robert K. Corbin, Atty. Gen. by William J. Schafer III and Stanley L. Patchell, Asst. Attys. Gen., Phoenix, for appellee. Thomas A. Moran, Yuma, for appellant. CAMERON, Justice. Defendant, Tony Vasquez, was convicted in absentia by a jury on 30 March 1979 of two counts of armed robbery, a dangerous offense, in violation of A.R.S. § 13-1904. On 20 April 1979, defendant was sentenced to concurrent terms of eight years in prison on each armed robbery count. A.R.S. § 13-604(K). Defendant now appeals the convictions and sentences. We have jurisdiction pursuant to Rule 47(e)(5), Rules of the Supreme Court, 17A A.R.S. Defendant raises two issues on appeal: The facts necessary to a resolution of these issues are as follows. On 6 January 1979, defendant attended a party at a friend's house in Yuma, Arizona. During the course of the party, defendant became intoxicated and told co-defendant Daniel Lopez, Pete Ayala, and others that he wanted to rob the Economy Gas Station also located in Yuma. Between 1:00 and 2:00 a.m. on 7 January, defendant, Lopez, Ayala, and three other men left the party in Ayala's car to go to another party. Unable to find the other party, the men "cruised" the streets of Yuma until defendant suggested that they go "check out" the gas station. After the car was parked in the alley to the rear of the gas station, defendant and Lopez approached the gas station. Ronald Boston, the attendant on duty and an acquaintance of defendant, was conversing with a friend, Cecil Brand, in the gas station's office when defendant and Lopez *105 entered. Defendant removed a pistol from his coat, swept it in an arc across the room, pointed the pistol at Boston and ordered him to surrender the pouch containing the evening's receipts. When Boston did not readily comply, defendant extracted the pouch from one of Boston's pockets. While this was occurring, Lopez took Cecil Brand's wallet after first ordering Brand to turn around and stand against the wall. As defendant and Lopez left the office, Lopez stated, "Hey, if you don't remember us, just remember how big this gun is." Later that morning, defendant and Lopez were arrested and the wallet and pouch were recovered. Defendant was convicted of two counts of armed robbery and sentenced to concurrent terms of eight years in prison. From the convictions and sentences imposed, defendant appeals. JUROR MISCONDUCT The defendant raises two questions as to alleged juror misconduct. The first concerned Mrs. Uribe. After the jury had been selected and the first witness was testifying, the following transpired: Failure of a juror to disclose knowledge of the facts of the case during voir dire or a juror's contact with a witness during trial, although improper, State v. MacDonald, 110 Ariz. 152, 515 P.2d 1172 (1973), is not grounds for a mistrial or new trial unless defendant establishes that the "misconduct was prejudicial to the rights of the defendant or when such a state of facts is shown that it may fairly be presumed * * that the defendant's rights were prejudiced." State v. Adams, 27 Ariz. App. 389, 392, 555 P.2d 358, 361 (1976); see State v. Ebert, 110 Ariz. 408, 519 P.2d 1149 (1974). It would appear that Mrs. Uribe was a conscientious juror and when her memory was jogged by Ronald Boston's testimony, she immediately informed the court. Mrs. Uribe's assurances of impartiality would appear to have considerable weight when considered in connection with her action in bringing these facts to the attention of the court. Our Court of Appeals has stated: Defendant, however, argues that the nondisclosure deprived him of the right to intelligently exercise his peremptory challenges. State v. Ortiz, 117 Ariz. 264, 571 P.2d 1060 (App. 1977). We do not believe, however, that the information mistakenly not disclosed *106 by Mrs. Uribe during voir dire was of such character as to indicate a probable bias or prejudice to defendant's right of peremptory challenge. The juror did not connect the facts she had previously received with the case she was called upon to decide until evidence was presented. On voir dire, her answers were given in good faith and were not the result of bias or an attempt to conceal a belief in defendant's guilt. Even if she had remembered the conversation with the witness, she could still have been qualified as a juror. The United States Supreme Court has stated, "* * * [q]ualified jurors need not * * * be totally ignorant of the facts and issues involved. * *" Murphy v. Florida, 421 U.S. 794, 799-800, 95 S. Ct. 2031, 2036, 44 L. Ed. 2d 589, 594-95 (1975); see State v. (Ricky) Tison, 129 Ariz. 526, 633 P.2d 335 (1981); State v. Narten, 99 Ariz. 116, 407 P.2d 81 (1965), cert. denied, 384 U.S. 1008, 86 S. Ct. 1985, 16 L. Ed. 2d 1021 (1966). There has been no showing of prejudice to the defendant. We find no error. The communication between the witness and Juror Desch is, however, more troublesome. During the first recess, the witness Ronald Boston spoke with Mr. Desch. The defense counsel moved for a mistrial stating: The court questioned Boston out of the hearing of the jury on the nature of his conversation with the juror: The trial court noted the crowded conditions of the court house: And stated he did not believe the jury was prejudiced. He did, however, admonish the jury as follows: The conversation between a witness and a juror during a recess can be prejudicial: In the present case, however, the conversation was unrelated to the trial. If it was prejudicial at all, it would appear to be prejudicial to the State because a victim of the crime and the State's witness, Ronald Boston, mentioned his prior arrest record in Missouri. Idle conversation relating to subjects unrelated to the case is generally not grounds for a mistrial. State v. Johnson, 97 Ariz. 27, 396 P.2d 392 (1964); see State v. Mangrum, 98 Ariz. 279, 403 P.2d 925 (1965); Annot., "Prejudicial Effect, in Criminal Case, of Communications between Witnesses and Jurors," 9 A.L.R.3d 1275 (1966). Our Court of Appeals has stated: The trial court did not abuse its discretion in denying the motion for mistrial based on Juror Desch's conversation with Ronald Boston. State v. MacDonald, supra; State v. Johnson, supra; State v. Garaygordobil, 89 Ariz. 161, 359 P.2d 753 (1961). We find no error. EXCESSIVE SENTENCE Defendant was sentenced to concurrent eight year terms of incarceration for committing two counts of armed robbery, a class 2 dangerous felony, in violation of A.R.S. §§ 13-604 and 13-1904. The presumptive sentence for a first time dangerous class 2 offender is 10.5 years, A.R.S. § 13-604(G); State v. Martinez, 127 Ariz. 444, 622 P.2d 3 (1980), therefore, defendant was sentenced to less than the presumptive term. Defendant argues that the eight year concurrent sentences are excessive and should be modified by this court. We have power to reduce a sentence pursuant to A.R.S. § 13-4037, but if the sentence imposed is within statutory limits, as here, it will be upheld unless, under the circumstances, the trial judge clearly abused his discretion. State v. Malory, 113 Ariz. 480, 557 P.2d 165 (1976). An abuse of discretion occurs when the judge's decision is characterized as capricious or arbitrary, or by a failure to adequately investigate all the facts and circumstances necessary to intelligently exercise sound discretion. State v. Patton, 120 Ariz. 386, 586 P.2d 635 (1978). Defendant contends that the eight year concurrent sentences are excessive in view of defendant's age, 19 years, and state of intoxication at the time the offenses were committed. As the trial judge's sentencing memorandum indicates, these factors were adequately considered: And prior to sentencing the judge stated: We find no abuse of discretion. Judgments of conviction and sentences affirmed. STRUCKMEYER, C.J., HOLOHAN, V.C.J., and HAYS and GORDON, JJ., concur.