Title: State v. Callaway

State: new-mexico

Issuer: New Mexico Supreme Court

Document:

582 P.2d 1293 (1978) 92 N.M. 80 STATE of New Mexico, Plaintiff-Appellee, v. Jesse CALLAWAY, Defendant-Appellant. No. 11745. Supreme Court of New Mexico. August 29, 1978. Freedman, Boyd & Daniels, Charles W. Daniels, David A. Freedman, Albuquerque, for defendant-appellant. Toney Anaya, Atty. Gen., Don D. Montoya, Suzanne Tanner, Asst. Attys. Gen., Santa Fe, Peter McDevitt, Asst. Dist. Atty., Albuquerque, for plaintiff-appellee. McMANUS, Chief Justice. Defendant was charged with alternative counts of first and second-degree murder for the shooting death of his former wife. The primary issue at trial was whether the evidence presented as to the state of mind of the defendant warranted an instruction to the jury on the lesser-included offense of voluntary manslaughter. After trial by jury the defendant was convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to life imprisonment. Defendant appeals. Defendant has raised three points on appeal. Due to the result we reach on the first issue, we need not address the remaining issues. Defendant argues that the prosecutor's repeated prejudicial comments denied him a fair trial. The conduct of the prosecutor alleged to be reversible error was his questioning the defendant as to his refusal to make a formal statement to the police and as to whether the defendant requested counsel after arrest. We agree. During cross-examination of the defendant the following exchange occurred: Shortly thereafter, the prosecutor asked: During the first bench conference the objection of the defense counsel was sustained. At the second bench conference, which for the most part is unintelligible on the taped transcript, the trial court directed the prosecutor to "go on to something else." Despite the direction of the trial court the next question asked by the prosecutor was, "Mr. Callaway, do you know David Freedman?" Mr. Freedman was one of the attorneys representing the defendant. The line of questioning was designed to elicit testimony concerning the defendant's post-arrest silence and his request for counsel. The use of evidence of post-arrest silence for the purpose of raising an inference of guilt is clearly erroneous. Miranda v. Arizona, 384 U.S. 436, 86 S. Ct. 1602, 16 L. Ed. 2d 694 (1966). In Doyle v. Ohio, 426 U.S. 610, 96 S. Ct. 2240, 49 L. Ed. 2d 91 (1976) the United States Supreme Court held that the use for impeachment purposes of a defendant's silence, at the time of arrest, and after receiving Miranda warnings violated the Due Process Clause of the fourteenth amendment. Id. at 619, 96 S. Ct. 2240. In Doyle the state did not claim that the use of the statement was harmless error. In this cause, the State in its answer brief, concedes that the questioning may constitute error, but argues that such error is harmless and does not provide grounds for reversal. The State is correct that many lower courts have found that the harmless error doctrine is applicable to the kind of constitutional violation outlined in Doyle. See, Stone v. Estelle, 556 F.2d 1242 (5th Cir.1977); Chapman v. United States, 547 F.2d 1240 (5th Cir.1977), cert. denied 431 U.S. 908, 97 S. Ct. 1705, 52 L. Ed. 2d 393 (1977). However, reference to a defendant's silence and/or request for counsel, both in testimony and in closing argument, has been held to constitute reversible error. See, United States v. Arnold, 425 F.2d 204 (10th Cir.1970); United States v. Nolan, 416 F.2d 588 (10th Cir.1969), cert. denied, 396 U.S. 912, 90 S. Ct. 227, 24 L. Ed. 2d 187 (1969). In State v. Baca, 89 N.M. 204, 549 P.2d 282 (1976) this Court held that unsolicited and possibly inadvertent testimony regarding both post-arrest silence and a request for an attorney would not constitute reversible error. In Baca this Court limited the holding in State v. Lara, 88 N.M. 233, 539 P.2d 623 (Ct.App. 1975) to those comments on a defendant's exercise of constitutional rights directly attributable to the prosecutor as opposed to inadvertent testimony of a witness. The Doyle decision, which was rendered since Baca, does not affect this result since harmless error may be found. Stone, supra. In Lara the Court of Appeals had held that if the reference to a defendant's silence lacks significant probative value, it has an intolerable prejudicial impact. In more recent New Mexico cases, it has been held that the question on review as to a comment regarding a request for counsel is whether the probative value of the evidence was outweighed by its prejudicial effect. See, State v. Day, 91 N.M. 570, 577 P.2d 878 (Ct.App. 1978); State v. Hogervorst, 90 N.M. 580, 566 P.2d 828 (Ct.App. 1977); State v. *1296 McGill, 89 N.M. 631, 556 P.2d 39 (Ct.App. 1976). There are also other decisions which distinguish Lara on its facts and hold that a comment on a defendant's silence under the circumstances is not prejudicial since the defendant chose not to remain silent. State v. Hamilton, 89 N.M. 746, 557 P.2d 1095 (1976) (defendant declined to talk to one particular detective); State v. Olguin, 88 N.M. 511, 542 P.2d 1201 (Ct.App. 1975) (defendant chose to make an exculpatory statement). The State, during oral argument, contended that the questions of the prosecutor were designed to elicit testimony properly admissible under Day and Olguin, supra. To present a point for our consideration, a party must submit written argument, transcript references and authorities thereon. See, State v. Vogenthaler, 89 N.M. 150, 548 P.2d 112 (Ct.App. 1976). In its brief the State conceded error but relies upon the harmless error rule to sustain the conviction. This is the issue before us. It is true, as the State argues, that a curative instruction was given that may have initially mitigated the error and that the prosecutor did not refer to the defendant's silence and request for counsel in closing argument. United States v. Wycoff, 545 F.2d 679 (9th Cir.1976), cert. denied 429 U.S. 1105, 97 S. Ct. 1135, 51 L. Ed. 2d 556 (1977); Arnold, supra; Nolan, supra. Nor did the questions focus on the defendant's silence so as to attack the defendant's innocence or exculpatory story. Stone, supra. The State further argues that the questions constituted only a brief portion of the context of the whole trial and that these factors, in addition to the amount of evidence, compel a finding of harmless error. We disagree. The questioning compelled a considerable interruption in the trial. The prosecutor, despite the admonition of the trial court, insisted on following a line of questions that violated the defendant's constitutional rights. His initial questions were directed specifically to the defendant's right to remain silent and the following questions specifically related to the defendant's right to counsel. This line of questioning was unwarranted and prejudicial. Miranda, supra. We cannot approve of such prosecutorial tactics. This action compelled the court to conduct two bench conferences and to remove the jury, drawing considerable attention to the entire line of questioning. This constitutes more than harmless error. The questions were deliberate and fall within the prohibitions outlined in Miranda and Baca. Although the State presented considerable evidence in rebuttal of the claim of provocation, we cannot say that this evidence was so overwhelming as to find that the questioning of the prosecutor constituted harmless error or that there is no reasonable possibility that the improper questioning contributed to the conviction. Chapman v. California, 386 U.S. 18, 87 S. Ct. 824, 17 L. Ed. 2d 705 (1967). We find the actions of the prosecutor constituted reversible error. We find no merit in the defendant's claim of double-jeopardy which would bar a new trial. This cause is reversed with instructions to grant the defendant a new trial. IT IS SO ORDERED. SOSA and PAYNE, JJ., concur.