Title: STATE v BUSH

State: montana

Issuer: Montana Supreme Court

Document:

No. 81-315 I N THE S U P R E M E COURT O F T H E STATE O F MONTANA 1981 STATE O F M O N T A N A , P l a i n t i f f and Respondent, VS . E D W A R D G. BUSH, Defendant and Appellant. Appeal from: D i s t r i c t Court of t h e Eleventh J u d i c i a l D i s t r i c t , I n and f o r t h e County of Flathead Honorable Robert C. Sykes, Judge presiding. Counsel of Record: For Appellant: Sherlock and Nardi, K a l i s p e l l , Montana P a t r i c k Sherlock argued, K a l i s p e l l , Montana For Respondent: Hon. Fike Greely, Attorney General, Helena, Montana Allen Chronister argued, A s s i s t a n t Attorney General, Helena, Montana Ted 0. Lympus, County Attorney, K a l i s p e l l , Montana Filed: Submitted: October 22, 1981 ~ ~ ~ i d ~ d : NOV 2 5 1981 M r . Chief J u s t i c e Frank I. Haswell d e l i v e r e d t h e Opinion of t h e C o u r t . Edward G. Bush a p p e a l s from h i s c o n v i c t i o n and f i v e - y e a r s e n t e n c e f o r t h e o f f e n s e of s o l i c i t a t i o n to p o s s e s s dangerous d r u g s . T r i a l was h e l d on March 25, 1981, b e f o r e t h e District C o u r t , F l a t h e a d County. The a p p e a l is based upon a s t i p u l a t i o n of f a c t s between t h e p a r t i e s and a p a r t i a l t r a n s c r i p t c o n t a i n i n g t h e t e s t i m o n y of Kathleen Kohse , t h e complaining w i t n e s s . Edward Bush i n September of 1980 went to Carmen's Lounge i n K a l i s p e l l , Montana, where he met K a t h l e e n Kohse who was a bar- t e n d e r a t t h e lounge. Bush t o l d Kohse t h a t he was a filmmaker who photographed a n i m a l s , and t h a t he had a job f o r someone a s a f i l m c o u r i e r . Bush a p p a r e n t l y a c t i v e l y r e c r u i t e d Kathleen Kohse f o r t h e j o b , as Kohse t e s t i f i e d he came t o t h e lounge s e v e r a l t i m e s and d i s c u s s e d it. Kohse also r e c e i v e d s e v e r a l phone calls and a l e t t e r with a p p l i c a t i o n forms from a woman i n C a l i f o r n i a who was p u r p o r t e d l y Bush's s e c r e t a r y . Kohse was informed i n October t h a t she was h i r e d f o r t h e p o s i t i o n of f i l m c o u r i e r , and she t h e n r e s i g n e d from h e r job a t Carmen's. She was t o l d t o send t h e a p p l i c a t i o n forms even though s h e was a l r e a d y h i r e d because t h e company needed them f o r t h e i r f i l e s . B u s h ' s s e c r e t a r y t o l d Kohse t h e r e was a t i c k e t to L o s Angeles w a i t i n g f o r h e r a t t h e K a l i s p e l l A i r p o r t . Kohse used t h e t i c k e t , f l e w t o Los Angeles and m e t Bush a t t h e L o s Angeles A i r p o r t . She was then t o l d by Bush t h a t s h e w a s n o t going to be a f i l m c o u r i e r but r a t h e r a photographer. Bush knew t h a t Kohse had no p r e v i o u s photography e x p e r i e n c e , and he s p e n t s e v e r a l h o u r s showing h e r how t o o p e r a t e t h e cameras she was g i v e n to use. She w a s t o l d she w a s to go to L i m a , Peru, to t a k e p i c t u r e s a t t h e zoo and t o l e a r n how to be a p h o t o g r a p h e r . Bush gave h e r t h r e e cameras, an aluminum camera case and $1,200. P a r t of t h e money was used to buy h e r t i c k e t to Peru. I n L i m a , Kohse met a person named Dan who took h e r t o t h e zoo, l e f t h e r t h e r e and took t h e camera case. She took p i c t u r e s a t t h e zoo f o r f o u r hours a l t h o u g h Dan had t o l d h e r he would r e t u r n i n one hour. A f t e r s t a y i n g i n Lima f o r f o u r days s h e was t o l d to r e t u r n t o t h e S t a t e s . When s h e a r r i v e d Los Angeles and went through customs she was a r r e s t e d f o r p o s s e s s i o n of c o c a i n e which was hidden i n a com- p a r t m e n t i n t h e l i n i n g of t h e camera case. Kohse t e s t i f i e d s h e had n o t placed t h e c o c a i n e t h e r e , had no knowledge of it being t h e r e and d i d n o t see anyone p u t it t h e r e . A f t e r h e r arrest s h e had no c o n t a c t with Bush or h i s associates. Bush was charged w i t h s o l i c i t a t i o n of Kohse to p o s s e s s d a n g e r o u s d r u g s , or i n t h e a l t e r n a t i v e s o l i c i t a t i o n to p o s s e s s d a n g e r o u s d r u g s with i n t e n t to s e l l , and he was c o n v i c t e d of t h e former . A p p e l l a n t raises t h e f o l l o w i n g i s s u e s : 1) Whether t h e S t a t e of Montana h a s j u r i s d i c t i o n of t h i s case. 2 ) Whether t h e i n f o r m a t i o n s t a t e d an o f f e n s e ; and whether t h e s t a t u t e is u n c o n s t i t u t i o n a l l y vague, i n d e f i n i t e , and v i o l a - t i v e of d e f e n d a n t ' s due p r o c e s s r i g h t s . 3 ) Whether i n Montana t h e crime of s o l i c i t a t i o n is complete even though t h e person s o l i c i t e d is unaware of t h e s o l i c i t o r l s a c t i o n s and e f f o r t s . A p p e l l a n t f i r s t c o n t e n d s t h a t t h e t r i a l c o u r t should have g r a n t e d h i s motion to d i s m i s s f o r l a c k of j u r i s d i c t i o n . H e a r g u e s t h a t t h e t r i a l c o u r t should have excluded as i r r e l e v a n t a l l e v i d e n c e of e v e n t s o c c u r r i n g o u t s i d e of Montana. I f t h i s were done, t h e remaining e v i d e n c e would show o n l y t h a t a p p e l l a n t h i r e d Kohse f o r a job i n L o s Angeles, and t h i s would be i n s u f - f i c i e n t e v i d e n c e t o s u p p o r t j u r i s d i c t i o n o v e r t h e case i n Montana under s e c t i o n 46-2-1011 MCA. W e f i n d t h a t t h e e v i d e n c e of t h e e v e n t s o c c u r r i n g o u t s i d e t h e S t a t e of Montana was r e l e v a n t to show t h e mental state or purpose of t h e d e f e n d a n t . The t r i a l c o u r t had j u r i s d i c t i o n of t h e case p u r s u a n t t o s e c t i o n 46-2-101( 1) ( c) , MCA, which p r o v i d e s i n p a r t : " ( 1 ) A person is s u b j e c t t o p r o s e c u t i o n i n t h i s s t a t e for a n o f f e n s e which he commits while e i t h e r w i t h i n o r o u t s i d e t h e state by h i s own c o n d u c t or t h a t of a n o t h e r f o r which he is l e g a l l y a c c o u n t a b l e i f : " ( c ) t h e conduct w i t h i n t h e s t a t e c o n s t i t u t e s a n a t t e m p t , s o l i c i t a t i o n , or c o n s p i r a c y to c o m m i t i n a n o t h e r j u r i s d i c t i o n an o f f e n s e under t h e laws of t h i s state and such o t h e r j u r i s d i c t i o n , " A p p e l l a n t ' s conduct w i t h i n Montana c o n s t i t u t e d a s o l i c i t a t i o n to commit i n a n o t h e r j u r i s d i c t i o n t h e o f f e n s e of p o s s e s s i o n of d a n g e r o u s d r u g s . The t r i a l c o u r t committed no error i n denying a p p e l l a n t ' s motion to d i s m i s s f o r l a c k of j u r i s d i c t i o n . The a p p e l l a n t n e x t a r g u e s t h e s t a t u t e d e f i n i n g s o l i c i t a t i o n , s e c t i o n 45-4-101, MCA, is u n c o n s t i t u t i o n a l l y vague and d e n i e s him due p r o c e s s . H e o b j e c t s s p e c i f i c a l l y to t h e word " f a c i l i t a t e s " i n t h e s t a t u t e , which r e a d s as f o l l o w s : " A p e r s o n c o m m i t s t h e o f f e n s e of s o l i c i t a t i o n when, with t h e purpose t h a t an o f f e n s e be committed, he commands, e n c o u r a g e s , o r f a c i l i - tates t h e commission of t h a t o f f e n s e . " S e c t i o n 45-4-101(1), MCA. (Emphasis added.) A p p e l l a n t s u b m i t s t h a t t h e word " f a c i l i t a t e s " is too broad and too vague to e s t a b l i s h a s t a n d a r d and to g i v e f a i r n o t i c e of t h e p r o s c r i b e d c o n d u c t . A s t a t u t e is r e q u i r e d t o be s p e c i f i c enough to g i v e f a i r n o t i c e o f t h e conduct p r o h i b i t e d . It must p r o v i d e s t a n d a r d s f o r law enforcement p e r s o n n e l so as to p r e v e n t a r b i t r a r y or d i s c r i m i n a - t o r y arrests and to p r e v e n t t h e c h i l l i n g of c o n s t i t u t i o n a l l y pro- t e c t e d a c t i v i t y . Grayned v. C i t y of Rockford ( 1 9 7 2 ) , 408 u . S . 1 0 4 , 9 2 S.Ct. 2294, 33 L.Ed.2d 222. The s t a t u t e must p r o v i d e a m e a n i n g f u l d i f f e r e n t i a t i o n be tween c u l p a b l e and i n n o c e n t conduct . S t a t e v. B l i n z l e r (1979 , Mon t . , 599 P.2d 349, 36 St.Rep. 1580. The s o u r c e f o r t h e Montana s t a t u t e is t h e I l l i n o i s C r i m - i n a l Code, T i t l e 38, § 8-1, which p r o v i d e s : "A person commits s o l i c i t a t i o n when, w i t h i n t e n t t h a t an o f f e n s e be committed, he commands, e n c o u r a g e s or r e q u e s t s a n o t h e r - t o c o m m i t t h a t o f f e n s e . " ( Emphasis added. ) S o l i c i t a t i o n was a common l a w i n c h o a t e o f f e n s e committed when a p e r s o n r e q u e s t e d , commanded o r importuned a n o t h e r p e r s o n t o commit a f e l o n y o r s e r i o u s misdemeanor. 4 Wharton's Criminal Law ( 1 4 t h Ed.) S 713. The modern s t a t u t e s p r e s e r v i n g s o l i c i t a t i o n as a n o f f e n s e tend to d e f i n e it i n terms close to t h e common l a w d e f i n i t i o n . See Wharton's, s u p r a , 717. The Model Penal Code d e f i n e s t h e crime as f o l l o w s : "A p e r s o n is g u i l t y of s o l i c i t a t i o n to c o m m i t a crime i f with t h e purpose of promoting or f a c i - l i t a t i n g its commission he commands, e n c o u r a g e s o r r e q u e s t s a n o t h e r person to engage i n s p e c i f i c c o n d u c t which would c o n s t i t u t e such crime o r an a t t e m p t t o c o m m i t such crime o r which would e s t a b l i s h h i s c o m p l i c i t y i n its commission or a t t e m p t e d commission .I1 ( Emphasis added. ) Model P e n a l Code 9 5 . 0 2 ( 1 ) The Montana L e g i s l a t u r e h a s s u b s t i t u t e d t h e term " f a c i l i t a t e s " f o r t h e term " r e q u e s t s , " t h u s expanding t h e scope of conduct which is made c r i m i n a l by t h e s t a t u t e . The l e g i s l a t u r e h a s t h e power t o change t h e common l a w . W e hold t h a t t h e s t a t u t e d e f i n i n g t h e o f f e n s e of s o l i c i t a t i o n , s e c t i o n 45-4-101 , MCA, is n o t u n c o n s t i t u t i o n a l l y vague. " F a c i l i t a t e " is a commonly understood word. Its d e f i n i - t i o n a c c o r d i n g t o W e b s t e r ' s Third N e w I n t e r n a t i o n a l D i c t i o n a r y is " t o make easier o r less d i f f i c u l t : f r e e from d i f f i c u l t y or impediment ." I n a l l c a s e s , t h e a c t o r must have t h e purpose of promoting t h e commission of an o f f e n s e . The s t a t u t e is d e f i n i t e and s p e c i f i c enough to g i v e f a i r warning of t h e conduct p r o h i b i t e d . A p p e l l a n t ' s f i n a l c o n t e n t i o n is t h a t t h e crime of s o l i c i - t a t i o n is n o t complete u n l e s s t h e person s o l i c i t e d is aware of t h e s o l i c i t o r ' s c r i m i n a l purpose and scheme. S i n c e Kohse was unaware t h a t s h e was t o do anything b u t work f o r a movie company and s i n c e s h e was unaware of t h e d r u g s , a p p e l l a n t m a i n t a i n s s h e was n o t s o l i c i t e d . A t common l a w t h e use of an i n n o c e n t a g e n t to accomplish a crime was c o n s i d e r e d an a t t e m p t but n o t a s o l i c i t a t i o n . See P e r k i n s on Criminal Law (2d Ed. 1 9 6 9 ) , 587-588. The common l a w h a s been af f i r m a t i v e l y changed i n some j u r i s d i c t i o n s by s t a t u t e s which p r o v i d e t h a t it is no d e f e n s e t o a c h a r g e of s o l i c i t a t i o n t h a t t h e s o l i c i t e e is unaware of t h e c r i m i n a l n a t u r e of t h e con- d u c t s o l i c i t e d or of t h e d e f e n d a n t ' s purpose. See e.g. Code of A l a . S 13A-4-l(d) ( 2 ) ; Ark.Stats.Ann. s41-713(2) ( d ) ; Del .Code Ann. 1 1 S 5 2 3 ( a ) . The t h e o r y behind t h e change is t h a t one is no less g u i l t y of a crime because he employs an i n n o c e n t a g e n t . The Montana s t a t u t e is n o t e x p l i c i t i n t h i s r e g a r d . The language " f a c i l i t a t e s t h e commission of t h a t o f f e n s e " d o e s n o t imply t h a t t h e person s o l i c i t e d must be aware of t h e c r i m i n a l p u r p o s e . A s above n o t e d , t h e Montana l e g i s l a t u r e h a s changed t h e common l a w , as is its p r e r o g a t i v e , and h a s n o t r e q u i r e d t h a t t h e solicitee be aware of t h e c r i m i n a l purpose of t h e solicitor or of t h e c r i m i n a l n a t u r e of t h e conduct s o l i c i t e d . To do so would d e f e a t t h e purpose of t h e s t a t u t e which is to p r o t e c t t h e c i t i z e n s o f t h i s s t a t e from v i c t i m i z a t i o n and from exposure to inducements to c o m m i t or j o i n i n t h e commission of crime. The gravamen of t h e o f f e n s e of s o l i c i t a t i o n is t h e i n t e n t of t h e s o l i c i t o r and n o t t h e knowledge of t h e v i c t i m . Affirm. Chief J u s t i c e