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| 01/21/94 STATE NEBRASKA v. JESSE L. PERRIGO
01/21/94 STATE NEBRASKA v. JESSE L. PERRIGO
STATE OF NEBRASKA, APPELLEE AND CROSS-APPELLANT,v.JESSE L. PERRIGO, APPELLANT AND CROSS-APPELLEE.
Appeal from the District Court for Douglas County: Lawrence J. Corrigan, Judge.
Hastings, C.j., Boslaugh, White, Caporale, Fahrnbruch, and Lanphier, JJ., and Moran, D.j., Retired.
1. Rules of Evidence: Other Acts. Neb. Evid. R. 404(2) (Neb. Rev. Stat. § 27-404(2) (Reissue 1989)) is an inclusionary rule permitting the use of relevant, specific acts for all purposes except to prove character of a person in order to show that such person acted in conformity with character.
2. Rules of Evidence: Other Acts. Neb. Evid. R. 404(2) (Neb. Rev. Stat. § 27-404(2) (Reissue 1989)) is subject to the overriding protection of Neb. Evid. R. 403 (Neb. Rev. Stat. § 27-403 (Reissue 1989)).
3. Rules of Evidence: Other Acts. The purposes set forth in Neb. Evid. R. 404(2) (Neb. Rev. Stat. § 27-404(2) (Reissue 1989)) are illustrative only and not intended to be exhaustive or mutually exclusive.
4. : Trial: Evidence: Stipulations. Refusal of a trial court to accept an offer by a defendant to stipulate to an essential element of the alleged offense ordinarily constitutes no ground for a new trial.
5. Prior Convictions: Evidence: Proof. If evidence of a prior conviction is relevant to establish elements of another crime, and if the probative value of the evidence is not substantially outweighed by the danger of unfair prejudice, the State may prove a prior conviction in any permissible manner.
MORAN, D.J., Retired.
Jesse L. Perrigo appeals his convictions of first degree murder, see Neb. Rev. Stat. § 28-303 (Reissue 1989), a Class I felony; use of a firearm to commit a felony, see Neb. Rev. Stat. § 28-1205 (Reissue 1989), a Class III felony; and possession of a firearm by a felon, see Neb. Rev. Stat. § 28-1206 (Reissue 1989), a Class IV felony. Perrigo was sentenced to life in prison for conviction of first degree murder, 10 years' imprisonment for conviction of use of a firearm to commit a felony, and 5 years' imprisonment for conviction of possession of a firearm by a felon, all sentences to be served consecutively. The State cross-appeals the district court's refusal to give one of the State's proposed jury instructions.
Perrigo told Giangrosso that while Schaefer and he were in the cab, Schaefer told Perrigo they should jump out of the cab and not pay the fare once the cab reached the destination given to the driver. According to Perrigo, once the cab reached the designated point, he jumped from it and ran into a field, hearing gunshots being fired from the area of the cab as he ran. Perrigo said that he ran through the nearby fields to a barn or outbuilding and fell asleep for "a couple of hours." On awakening, he walked home, not returning to the area where he had jumped from the cab. Perrigo told Giangrosso that he did not know where Schaefer went after the shooting or how Schaefer got home.
Over Perrigo's objection, Danny Arcuri, the owner of Danny's Bar, testified that his bar had been burglarized on November 26, 1991. During the burglary, a .32-caliber Colt revolver was stolen. Arcuri identified the gun found during the search of Perrigo's home as the gun taken during the burglary of his bar. At Perrigo's request, the trial court gave a limiting instruction concerning Arcuri's testimony, telling the jury that Arcuri's testimony about the burglary of Danny's Bar was to be used only in determining the voluntariness and truthfulness of Perrigo's statement to Giangrosso and whether Perrigo's admission was corroborated.
Mark Bohaty, a firearms and tool-mark examiner for the Nebraska State Patrol Criminalistics Laboratory, testified that marks on the test-fired bullets and on bullets found in Linkenhoker's body were consistent with the general characteristics of marks made on bullets fired by Colts of the .32-caliber weapon's design. However, Bohaty further testified that the gun found in Perrigo's home lacked the "unique peculiarities needed for absolute positive identification." In other words, the gun failed to leave its fingerprints on test-fired bullets. Therefore, Bohaty was unable to positively determine whether the bullets found in Linkenhoker's body were or were not fired from the gun found in Perrigo's possession.
"In all proceedings where the Nebraska Evidence Rules apply, admissibility of evidence is controlled by the Nebraska Evidence Rules, not judicial discretion, except in those instances under the Nebraska Evidence Rules when judicial discretion is a factor involved in admissibility of evidence . . . ." State v. Messersmith, 238 Neb. 924, 936, 473 N.W.2d 83, 92 (1991). Accord, State v. Toney, 243 Neb. 237, 498 N.W.2d 544 (1993); State v. Jacob, 242 Neb. 176, 494 N.W.2d 109 (1993); State v. Thomas, 240 Neb. 545, 483 N.W.2d 527 (1992). "Although the word 'discretion,' in one form or another, does not appear in either Rule 401 or Rule 403, nevertheless, judicial discretion, as a factor in admissibility, is implicit in Rule 401, concerning the admission of relevant evidence, and Rule 403, regarding exclusion of relevant evidence." State v. Messersmith, 238 Neb. at 936, 473 N.W.2d at 92.
To be admissible, evidence must be relevant and not subject to exclusion under the U.S. or Nebraska Constitutions, federal or state statutes, or rules adopted by the Nebraska Supreme Court. See Neb. Evid. R. 402 (Neb. Rev. Stat. § 27-402 (Reissue 1989)). Evidence not relevant is inadmissible. Id. "Relevant evidence means evidence having any tendency to make the existence of any fact that is of consequence to the determination of the action more probable or less probable than it would be without the evidence." Neb. Evid. R. 401 (Neb. Rev. Stat. § 27-401 (Reissue 1989)).
Neb. Evid. R. 404(2) (Neb. Rev. Stat. § 27-404(2) (Reissue 1989)) is a rule of relevance. See State v. Coca, 216 Neb. 76, 341 N.W.2d 606 (1983).
"However, Rule 404(2) is subject to the overriding protection of Rule 403 of the Nebraska Evidence Rules . . . ." State v. Craig, 219 Neb. at 77, 361 N.W.2d at 213. See, State v. Phelps, supra; State v. Jacobs, 226 Neb. 184, 410 N.W.2d 468 (1987). "Although relevant, evidence may be excluded if its probative value is substantially outweighed by the danger of unfair prejudice, confusion of the issues, or misleading the jury, or by considerations of undue delay, waste of time, or needless presentation of cumulative evidence." Neb. Evid. R. 403 (Neb. Rev. Stat. § 27-403 (Reissue 1989)). While most, if not all, evidence offered by a party is "calculated to be prejudicial to the opposing party," only evidence tending to suggest a decision on an improper basis is "unfairly prejudicial" and a concern under rule 403. State v. Phelps, 241 Neb. at 722-23, 490 N.W.2d at 688. See, State v. Messersmith, 238 Neb. 924, 473 N.W.2d 83 (1991); State v. Lonnecker, 237 Neb. 207, 465 N.W.2d 737 (1991). In summary, rule 404(2) requires a two-step inquiry. See United States v. Beechum, 582 F.2d 898 (5th Cir. 1978), cert. denied 440 U.S. 920, 99 S. Ct. 124, 59 L. Ed. 2d 472 (1979). First, relevance of the evidence at issue is determined. Rule 404(2) permits admission of other acts evidence if it is relevant to prove some fact of consequence other than the defendant's bad character. See, State v. Phelps, supra; State v. Timmerman, supra; State v. Clancy, supra; State v. Craig, supra. Second, rule 403 requires a determination of whether the probative value of the other acts evidence is substantially outweighed by the danger of unfair prejudice.
The identity of the crime's perpetrator was put in issue by Perrigo's statements to Giangrosso. Therefore, who shot Linkenhoker was a fact of consequence at trial. Perrigo admitted taking the .32-caliber gun in the burglary of Danny's Bar a few days before the shooting. His possession of the gun after the shooting, coupled with Schaefer's alibi, discredited Perrigo's story blaming Schaefer for Linkenhoker's death and naming Schaefer as the source of the gun found in Perrigo's possession. Evidence concerning the gun's origin in the bar burglary established that Perrigo possessed the gun before Linkenhoker was killed. When we link the evidence of Schaefer's alibi and the gun that was found in Perrigo's possession after the shooting, we find it more likely that the gun was in Perrigo's possession at the time Linkenhoker was killed. Therefore, the evidence of the burglary of Danny's Bar was relevant under rule 404(2).
The evidence of the bar burglary was also relevant to show Perrigo's opportunity to commit the crime charged. While Wright and Graham note that the meaning of "opportunity" in rule 404 is somewhat mysterious, they conclude that "opportunity" likely means what Wigmore termed "capacity," that is, a "person's physical or mental ability to perform the act in question." 22 Charles A. Wright & Kenneth W. Graham, Jr., Federal Practice and Procedure: Evidence § 5241 at 485 (1978). According to Wright and Graham, no inference concerning a defendant's character is necessary with regard to opportunity, since "the definition of 'character' does not include physical or mental ability." Id. Noting that this opportunity or capacity evidence would often be used to identify the defendant as the one who did the crime, Wright and Graham state that "the ability shown must not be one shared by the entire populace." Id. at 486.
Other state and federal courts have recognized the relevance of other acts evidence regarding opportunity or capacity. In State v. Brooks, 57 Ore. App. 98, 643 P.2d 1324 (1982), the state argued that evidence concerning the theft and resale of certain weapons was necessary to account for the never-found murder weapon's origin and the later discovery of the holster for the missing gun in the defendant's house. The Court of Appeals of Oregon determined that the evidence was admissible because evidence of the theft of the weapons and their resale corroborated an accomplice's testimony and "went far toward showing defendant's opportunity to commit the crime." Id. at 107, 643 P.2d at 1330.
In People v Billington, 116 Mich. App. 220, 323 N.W.2d 343 (1982), the prosecution introduced other acts evidence that the defendant and three others had stolen the murder weapon, a .270-caliber rifle, during a burglary. In upholding the admission of the other acts evidence, the Court of Appeals of Michigan stated: "The prior breaking and entering was clearly relevant to establish defendant's access to the murder weapon, which fact tends to refute his claimed defense that he did not participate in the shooting and thus had no intent to commit the charged crime." Id. at 231, 323 N.W.2d at 348.
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit in United States v. Waldron, 568 F.2d 185 (10th Cir. 1977), cert. denied 434 U.S. 1080, 98 S. Ct. 1276, 55 L. Ed. 2d 788 (1978), upheld the admissibility of other acts evidence under Fed. R. Evid. 404(b). At trial, evidence of a prior burglary was admitted by the defendant and an accomplice, in which burglary guns were stolen which were later used in the charged bank robbery. An accomplice testified that the defendant retained possession of the guns. The 10th Circuit concluded that evidence of the defendant's possession of the weapons was "highly probative" of the issue of identity. United States v. Waldron, 568 F.2d at 187. See, also, United States v. Covelli, 738 F.2d 847 (7th Cir. 1984), cert. denied 469 U.S. 867, 105 S. Ct. 211, 83 L. Ed. 2d 141.
The evidence concerning the bar burglary established Perrigo's possession of a particular .32-caliber gun before Linkenhoker's murder. While no doubt many .32-caliber guns are possessed among the general public, the possession of this particular gun, taken from Danny's Bar, was unique to Perrigo because, unlike other guns, this particular weapon failed to leave distinctive marks on the .32-caliber bullets found lodged in Linkenhoker's body or on bullets test-fired from the weapon by a firearms expert. Possession of this gun before the murder provided Perrigo the opportunity or capacity to use this gun in the crime charged, thereby identifying Perrigo as the one who shot and killed Linkenhoker. Thus, evidence of the bar burglary in which the gun was stolen was relevant under rule 404(2).
"'Probative value is a relative concept, the probative value of a piece of evidence involves a measurement of the degree to which the evidence persuades the trier of fact that the particular fact exists and the distance of the particular fact from the ultimate issues of the case.'" State v. Bostwick, 222 Neb. 631, 639, 385 N.W.2d 906, 912 (1986) (quoting Andrew K. Dolan, Rule 403: The Prejudice Rule in Evidence, 49 S. Cal. L. Rev. 220 (1976)). Accord, State v. Messersmith, 238 Neb. 924, 473 N.W.2d 83 (1991); State v. Baltimore, 236 Neb. 736, 463 N.W.2d 808 (1990). "In the context of Neb. Evid. R. 403, 'unfair prejudice' means an undue tendency to suggest a decision on an improper basis." State v. Lonnecker, 237 Neb. 207, 210-11, 465 N.W.2d 737, 741 (1991). Accord State v. Messersmith, supra.
The probative value of the burglary evidence was not outweighed by the danger of unfair prejudice or any other factor listed in rule 403. The district court's limiting instruction restricted the jury's use of the evidence and minimized the tendency to suggest a decision on an improper basis. See Neb. Evid. R. 105 (Neb. Rev. Stat. § 27-105 (Reissue 1989)) (restrictive instruction on the proper use of evidence admissible for one purpose but inadmissible for another). Consequently, the court's instruction reduced possible prejudice due to admission of the bar burglary evidence.
It should be noted that rule 404(2)'s list of permissible purposes is not exhaustive. "The 'purposes' set forth in Rule 404(2) are illustrative only and not intended to be exhaustive or mutually exclusive." State v. Craig, 219 Neb. 70, 77, 361 N.W.2d 206, 213 (1985). See, State v. Phelps, 241 Neb. 707, 490 N.W.2d 676 (1992); State v. Timmerman, 240 Neb. 74, 480 N.W.2d 411 (1992). Therefore, if evidence of the prior felony conviction was offered for a purpose other than to show Perrigo's propensity to commit the crime charged, it would be relevant under rule 404(2), and its admissibility would be subject to rule 403.
Perrigo asserts that the State should not have been permitted to prove the charge of possession of a firearm by a felon by using a copy of the prior judgment, which Perrigo termed "the most prejudicial and inflamatory evidence available." Brief for appellant at 11. Instead, Perrigo argues that the State should have been required to accept Perrigo's offer to stipulate that he was a felon.
Perrigo further argues that we should by analogy apply our reasoning in State v. Olsan, 231 Neb. 214, 436 N.W.2d 128 (1989), which prescribed the parameters for proper impeachment under Neb. Evid. R. 609 (Neb. Rev. Stat. § 27-609 (Reissue 1989)) (impeachment by evidence of conviction of crime). In Olsan, we held that a prosecutor's cross-examination of a defendant concerning how many times the defendant had been convicted of felonious escape violated the boundaries established for impeachment by rule 609 and prejudiced Olsan's right to a fair trial. We recognized in Olsan that a prosecutor's delving into the nature of a defendant's prior convictions "ravished the rationale of Rule 404, which is equally applicable to Neb. Evid. R. 609 . . . ." 231 Neb. at 225, 436 N.W.2d at 135-36.