Case Title: Hilton v. Commonwealth

Citation: 

Docket Number: 2015-SC-000452-MR

State: kentucky

Court: Kentucky Supreme Court

Date: 2018-02-15T00:00:00Z

Document:
RENDERED: FEBRUARY 15, 2018 TO BE PUBLISHED jupr:ettt:e · dT11urf 11f '1:enfurku 2015-SC-000452-MR MICHAEL TODD HILTON v. ON APPEAL FROM HARDIN CIRCUIT COURT HONORABLE KEN.HOWARD, JUDGE NO. 14-CR-00427 COMMONWEALTH OF KENTUCKY OPINION OF THE COURT BY JUSTICE HUGHES AFFIRMING APPELLANT APPELLEE Michael Todd ·Hilton appeals as a matter of right from a judgment of the Hardin Circuit Court sentencing him to life imprisonment for murder, first- degree assault, second-degree assault, operating a motor vehicle under influence of alcohol which impairs driving ability, and for being. a first-degree persistent felony offender. Hilton ~leges that the trial court erred by: 1) failing to grant a change of venue; 2) declining to suppress a witness's statement; 3) refusing to grant a continuance; 4) failing to remove jurors for cause; 5) denying his request for .a mistrial; and 6) by permitting the Commonwealth to . inquire of witnesses during the penalty phase what sentenGe they believed . appropriate for Hilton's crimes. For the following reasons, we affirm the Judgment and sentence. · FACTS AND PROCEDURAL HISTORY During the evening of June 22, 2014, Jason Hall was driving down. Deckard School Road in Hardin County, Kentucky. After reaching the intersection of Deckard School Road and Patriot Parkway, Hall observed an overturned burning truck. As Hall drove towards the burning wreck h.e. observed a cooler and beer cans in the road. After Hall exited his vehicle, he was approached by Michael Todd Hilton who told Hall that he was unable to find his brother, Kyle Hilton. 1 Hall informed Hilton that he would be with him momentarily, after he called 911 to request emergency assistance. Hilton tried to persuade Hall not to call 911, but Hall refused and contacted the authorities. Faith Terry and Jason Combs also arrived on the scene of the collision. Terry observed a truck flipped upside down and a mangled orange Mustang. Hearing coughing from the Mustang, Terry and Combs .attempted to aid the injured driver, Brianna Taylor, but were unable to assist Taylor's passenger, Mickayla Harig, who was pinned down by wreckage from the collision. Subsequently, Terry and Combs overheard Hilton yelling for help for his .. brother Kyle, who was also injured in the accident. While attending to Kyle, Hilton admitted to not stopping at the intersection's stop sign and that he had been drinking. Terry also observed beer cans strewn amongst the wreckage. After the arrival· of emergency personnel, Hilton and his brother were transported to the University of Louisville Hospital for medical treatment. Prior 1 For clarity we will refer to Kyle Hilton as Kyle and Michael Hilton as Hilton. 2 \ to his transport to the hospital, Hilton admitted to emergency personnel that he and Kyle had been drinking heavily. At the hospital, physicians examined and treated Hilton for minor injuries. Kyle was admitted at the hospital and received treatment for five days prior to being discharged. Due to Taylor and Harig being trapped in their darriaged vehicle, they were transported to the University of Louisville Hospital after Kyle and Hilton. Both women were treated for severe injuries. Among other injuries, Harig suffered a traumatic brain inj"µry and was ho~pitalized for approximately 22 days prior to being discharged. As for Taylor, her extensive injuries induced cardiac arrest. While doctors were initially abl 32 COUNSEL FOR APPELLANT: Roy Alyette Durham, II Assistant Public Advocate COUNSEL FOR APPELLEE: Andy Beshear Attorney General of Kentucky Thomas Allen Van De Rostyne Assistant Attorney General 33