Title: Adams v. State

State: arkansas

Issuer: Arkansas Supreme Court

Document:

566 S.W.2d 387 (1978) Felton ADAMS, Appellant, v. STATE of Arkansas, Appellee. No. CR77-226. Supreme Court of Arkansas, In Banc. May 22, 1978. Rehearing Denied June 26, 1978. Robert F. Morehead, Pine Bluff, for appellant. Bill Clinton, Atty. Gen. by Joseph H. Purvis, Asst. Atty. Gen., Little Rock, for appellee. HOWARD, Justice. The Truckers' Inn on Highway 79 North in Jefferson County was robbed by a lone *388 black gunman on April 1, 197.7 some 16 hours later, appellant, Felton Adams, was arrested. A dirty, white bank bag (money bag) was found in his pocket at the time of the arrest. Marzella Williams, an employee at Truckers' Inn, identified appellant as the robber. Furthermore, some fingerprints taken from a cup at the Truckers' Inn that the robber had used immediately prior to the robbery were identified as appellant's. The bank bag was identified as being similar to the one used in the robbery. From a judgment entered upon a jury verdict finding appellant guilty of a charge of aggravated robbery and also a charge as an habitual criminal, appellant appeals raising numerous issues for reversal. During closing argument, the prosecuting attorney made the following statement before the jury: It is well settled that comment on the failure of a defendant to testify in a criminal case is violative of the Self-incrimination Clause of the Fifth Amendment to the United States Constitution which is applicable to States by the Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution. Malloy v. Hogan, 378 U.S. 1, 84 S. Ct. 1489, 12 L. Ed. 2d 653 (1965); Griffin v. California, 380 U.S. 609, 85 S. Ct. 1229, 14 L. Ed. 2d 106 (1965). In Miller v. State, 239 Ark. 836, 394 S.W.2d 601 (1965), the defendants did not testify in the case. Over objections, the Court instructed the jury that it was the privilege of the defendants to testify in their own behalf or to decline to testify. In his argument to the jury, the prosecuting attorney specifically called this instruction to the attention of the jury, repeated it and said: "You are instructed, this is a privilege to them to either testify or not to testify. That is what the Court says in that instruction." We said, in Miller, "Obviously, by arguing this instruction to the jury in that manner, attention was called to tne tact that defendants had not taken the stand in their own behalf. This was error." In Evans & Foust v. State, 221 Ark. 793, 255 S.W.2d 967, we said: It is readily apparent from what we have said in the two cases just cited, a defendant's privilege not to testify and the prohibition imposed on the state to refrain from using any words calculated to call a jury's attention to the fact that a defendant has not testified, makes this privilege a fundamental constitutional right and when this right has been violated by an over zealous prosecuting attorney, prejudice is presumed and an instruction from the trial court cannot eliminate the damage which has already occurred. Consequently, the granting of a request for a mistrial is the only solution to correct the prejudicial error. In an effort to cure the prejudicial remarks by the prosecuting attorney, the trial court, after objection and request of counsel for appellant, gave the following instruction, but the instruction merely reemphasized the fact in the minds of the jurors that the defendant had not testified: "THE COURT: In the event the jury didn't understand the instructions, I will paraphrase it by saying the burden is on the State to prove that the defendant is guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. The defendant didn't request, but I will instruct you at Mr. Morehead's request that the defendant is not required to testify. He may do so if he likes, but you are not to take that into consideration in arriving at your verdict in this case, neither does the defendant have to call any witness on his behalf unless he wants to. You are *389 not to consider that as evidence against the defendant. Go ahead." The error complained of here by appellant is a denial of a right guaranteed against invasion by the Fifth and Fourteenth Amendments to the United States Constitution and appellant is entitled to be free from penalties or sanctions that may have been influenced by his failure to testify in his criminal trial. Chapman v. California, 386 U.S. 18, 87 S. Ct. 824, 17 L. Ed. 2d 705 (1967). In Chapman v. California, supra, the United States Supreme Court said, among other things: We cannot say, from reviewing this record, that the error complained of was harmless beyond a reasonable doubt, or that there is not a reasonable possibility that the remarks complained of on the part of the prosecuting attorney might have contributed to appellant's conviction, accordingly, we reverse on this ground only. We recognize, as we must, that there exists some inconsistency in our cases dealing with the extent and latitude to which a prosecuting attorney is permitted in arguing to the jury the posture of the state's case or in summarizing the evidence when a defendant has failed to take the witness stand in his own behalf. In Harris v. State, 260 Ark. 646, 543 S.W.2d 459, we found that the following statement did not constitute prejudicial comment upon appellant-defendant's failure to testify: We do not consider the statement "There has been absolutely no testimony to contradict that" as prejudicial comment upon appellant-defendant's failure to testify, inasmuch as counsel for appellant-defendant, indeed, was afforded the opportunity to cross-examine all of the state's witnesses for the purpose of developing any inconsistencies or contradictions. Therefore, if counsel for appellant-defendant discovered no contradictions in the state's case, indeed, the prosecuting attorney had every right to call to the jury's attention that there existed no contradictions in the state's case. We cannot visualize any valid objection to a remark of this nature when it cannot be construed as calculated to call a jury's attention to the fact that a defendant has failed to take the witness stand. On the other hand, the remarks of the prosecuting attorney in the instant case, namely, "To convict him, (the defendant) you don't have to disbelieve any part of their case, because what did the defense, how many witnesses did the defense put on for your consideration?" can be characterized only as calling to the jury's attention that appellant had not taken the witness stand to testify. We emphasize that an expression on the part of the prosecuting attorney attributable to the weight to be given to the evidence as distinguished from an expression *390 or gesture indicating to the jury that the defendant has not taken the witness stand does not offend the posture taken by the Court today in this case. Evans & Foust v. State, supra; Miller v. State, supra. We have carefully reviewed the other points asserted by appellant for the reversal of his conviction and we are persuaded that such claims are not meritorious and, accordingly, we find no error in these asserted claims. We make this observation in order to avoid any misunderstanding as to the Court's position on these issues in the event of a retrial of this case. Reversed and remanded. HARRIS, C. J., and FOGLEMAN, J., dissenting. HARRIS, Chief Justice, dissenting. I cannot agree that this case should be reversed because of the prosecuting attorney's comment to the jury, which the majority state called attention to the fact that appellant Adams did not testify. Before discussing the remark made by the prosecutor, there is, offhand, a reason why this case should not be reversed, whatever the prosecutor's remark. I refer to the fact that the defendant's counsel requested the court to tell the jury that the defendant was not required to testify, and the court complied with the request, explaining that a defendant may testify if he likes, but is not required to do so, and that fact is not to be taken into consideration in arriving at a verdict in the case. In Russell v. State, 240 Ark. 97, 398 S.W.2d 213, we thoroughly discussed when it is proper for a court to give this instruction, and when it is improper. We said: Accordingly, it would have been reversible error for the court to refuse the instruction after defendant's counsel requested it! In such event, I can't see how the State can winthe case is reversed by giving the instructionand it would be reversed if it had not been given. Not only that, but it is certainly most unusual to reverse a judgment because of error committed at the request of a defendant. As to the actual remark made, I repeat the statement of the prosecutor because I intend to compare it with numerous other statements where the same contention (that such statements called attention to the jury that the defendant did not testify) was made, and this court found no error. Here, the prosecuting attorney said: In the first place, a defendant frequently offers several witnesses, whether he testifies himself or not, and the statement made, to me, simply has reference to a lack of witnesses offered (no witnesses were offered by the defense). To compare a few other cases where the same identical contention was made, let us first look at Harris v. State, 260 Ark. 646, 543 S.W.2d 459. There, the prosecuting attorney, in argument, stated: It was argued that the italicized statement constituted prejudicial comment upon *391 appellant's failure to testify, but we found no merit in this contention. In Sims v. State, 258 Ark. 940, 530 S.W.2d 182: In Shaddox v. State, 244 Ark. 747, 427 S.W.2d 198, objection and motion for a mistrial were based on the contention that certain remarks amounted to a comment on the appellant's failure to take the witness stand. The statement objected to was as follows: We held that no error had been committed. In Davis v. State, 96 Ark. 7,130 S.W. 547, a prosecutor's remarks that the defendant had told two witnesses how he had administered medicine to produce an abortion, followed by the statement that, "* * * it is undisputed and undenied in this case and he cannot deny it," were expressions of opinion as to the weight of the testimony of the witness which could not be construed as a reference to the fact that the defendant had not testified. In Culbreath v. State, 96 Ark. 177, 131 S.W. 676, the opinion reflects: A statement by a prosecuting attorney asserting that a conversation by a defendant was unexplained and undenied by anyone and calling on "them" to explain it, if untrue, was held to be an expression of opinion that the testimony, not being rebutted, should be accepted as true and not a comment on the failure of the defendant to testify. Davidson v. State, 108 Ark. 191, 158 S.W. 1103. When a prosecuting attorney referred to a coat of an alleged accomplice which had been found in a defendant's car and asked, "What explanation have they made of that?", this court said that this argument was not a comment on the defendant's failure to testify. Cascio v. State, 213 Ark. 418, 210 S.W.2d 897, cert. den. 335 U.S. 845, 69 S. Ct. 68, 93 L. Ed. 395. In Edens v. State, 235 Ark. 996, 363 S.W.2d 923, also a case where the defendant offered no proof, a statement by a prosecuting attorney in closing argument that the State's evidence was undenied was said by this court to be a contention that the testimony should be believed because it was uncontradicted. In Hammond and Evans v. State, 244 Ark. 1113, 428 S.W.2d 639, it was contended that certain remarks of the prosecuting attorney before the jury amounted to a comment upon the failure of appellants to testify. During his closing argument, the prosecutor made the following statements, and those that were contended to be prejudicial are italicized: In a rather comprehensive discussion, the court held that none of the remarks were a comment upon the defendants' failure to testify and stated: In Moore, Frazier, Davidson v. State, 244 Ark. 1197, 429 S.W.2d 122, the prosecuting attorney, in the course of his closing argument, made the following statements: This court stated: In Ferrell v. State, 177 Ark. 742, 9 S.W.2d 15, where the defendant failed to testify, the prosecutor stated: We found no error. In Langston v. State, 184 Ark. 687, 43 S.W.2d 231, the prosecuting attorney remarked: No error! In Markham v. State, 149 Ark. 507, 233 S.W. 676, the prosecuting attorney used the following language: The case of Miller v. State, 239 Ark. 836, 394 S.W.2d 601, cited by the majority, is clearly distinguishable, for there, over objections, the court instructed the jury that it was the privilege of the defendants to testify in their own behalf or to decline to testify, and the prosecuting attorney, in arguing the case, specifically called this instruction to the attention of the jury, and even repeated it. Obviously, attention was directly called to the fact that defendants had not taken the stand in their own behalf. It is apparent from the cases cited that much stronger remarks have been made than the simple little remark made in the instant case, but this court found no error. It is inconceivable to me that this case is being reversed, and to me, this reversal has the effect of overruling the cases mentioned, and numerous others that I do not have time to cite. I consider that the majority opinion will very much handicap a prosecutor in his argument to the jury, and in fact, places him in a position where he really cannot know what can be validly said. I would affirm. FOGLEMAN, J., joins in this dissent. FOGLEMAN, Justice, dissenting. I fully agree with the dissenting opinion of the Chief Justice and join in it. I also take issue with the majority's assertion that there are inconsistencies in our cases relating to arguments of the nature of that made in this case that must be resolved. Resolution of inconsistencies is an important responsibility of a court of last resort. The strained attempt of the majority to distinguish Harris v. State, 260 Ark. 646, 543 S.W.2d 459, is a poor demonstration of inconsistency. I submit that the alleged inconsistency in uui cases is an inusiun. See Hall, The Bounds of Prosecutorial Summation in Arkansas, 28 Ark.Law Rev. 55, 72 and cases cited in the dissenting opinion by Harris, C. J.; Annot., 14 A.L.R.3d 723, 757, § 9; 773, § 15; Supp.1977, p. 34, § 10. Of course, a prosecuting attorney should not comment on a defendant's failure to testify. But for an advocate to be prohibited from pointing out that no witness testified except those presented by the state, as a basis for eliminating reasonable doubt and as a factor in determining the weight to be given that evidence, is extreme and unnecessary. See 14 A.L.R.3d 723, 729, § 3, Practice Pointers. It reads something into the Fourteenth Amendment that isn't there. I fear that it means that a prosecuting attorney cannot ask a jury to accept even an isolated statement by one witness because no one denies it, when dozens of people could if it were untrue. It is all very well to relegate the prosecuting attorney into the role of a minister of justice in some stages of the prosecutorial process, for he must act in a quasi-judicial capacity. But in closing argument to a jury, his role as an advocate completely overshadows any other role. Then he is society'sthe people'sonly advocate. Sending him into the arena shackled, hamstrung and gagged destroys his ability to act as such, at a time when society's need for strong advocacy was never greater. [1] In view of the fact that the majority opinion is predicated on the self-incrimination clause of the 5th Amendment to the United States Constitution, applicable to states by the 14th Amendment, it is interesting to note that certiorari was denied by the court in this case. See 393 U.S. 1063, 89 S. Ct. 714, 21 L. Ed. 2d 705.