Case Name: Tom BARKER, Appellant, v. STATE of Florida, Appellee
Court: Florida District Court of Appeal
Jurisdiction: Florida
Decision Date: 2004-06-09
Citations: 877 So. 2d 59
Docket Number: No. 4D02-3188
Parties: Tom BARKER, Appellant, v. STATE of Florida, Appellee.
Judges: GUNTHER, J., concurs.
Reporter: Southern Reporter, Second Series
Volume: 877
Pages: 59–70

Head Matter:
Tom BARKER, Appellant, v. STATE of Florida, Appellee.
No. 4D02-3188.
District Court of Appeal of Florida, Fourth District.
June 9, 2004.
Rehearing Denied July 28, 2004.
Carey Haughwout, Public Defender, and Ian Seldin, Assistant Public Defender, West Palm Beach, for appellant.
Charles J. Crist, Jr., Attorney General, Tallahassee, and Sue-Ellen Kenny, Assistant Attorney General, West Palm Beach, for appellee.

Opinion:
HAZOURI, J.
This appeal arises from a civil commitment proceeding brought by the State of Florida against Tom Barker pursuant to Chapter 394, Florida Statutes. After a jury trial, Barker was found to be a sexually violent predator and the trial court entered a Judgment and Civil Commitment Order committing Barker to the custody of the Department of Children and Family Services until such time as it is determined that it is safe for Barker to be released. Barker appeals the Verdict, Judgment, and Order of Civil Commitment rendered on July 17, 2002 and the Order denying his Motion to Set Aside Verdict and Judgment and Motion for New Trial rendered on September 13, 2002. His sole issue on appeal is the trial court's denial of his Motion to Bifurcate. We affirm.
The State filed a petition initiating proceedings to have Barker declared a sexually violent predator in October 1999 while Barker was incarcerated on a conviction for burglary with assault or battery. As the basis for the petition, the State alleged: 1) the burglary with assault or battery that Barker was convicted of was a sexually motivated offense, 2) Barker had been charged in two prior incidents involving sexually violent offenses, and 3) Barker suffers from a mental abnormality or personality disorder which makes him likely to engage in acts of sexual violence if not confined in a secure facility for long term control, care and treatment.
The trial court determined that probable cause existed to believe that Barker was a sexually violent predator and therefore eligible for commitment. Barker was then ordered to be detained while he awaited further proceedings. Prior to the civil commitment trial, Barker filed a Motion to Bifurcate. Barker argued that the trial should be bifurcated because the jury would be required to apply two different standards of proof during the proceedings. The two burdens of proof arise from the elements that the State was required to establish at trial. Pursuant to section 394.912(1), Florida Statutes (2002), in order to establish Barker as a sexually violent predator, the State was required to prove two elements: 1) Barker has been convicted of a sexually violent offense and 2) Barker suffers from a mental abnormality or personality disorder that makes the person likely to engage in acts of sexual violence if not confined in a secure facility for long-term control, care, and treatment.
With respect to the first element, section 394.912(9) contains a list of crimes that are considered sexually violent offenses. In most civil commitment proceedings under this chapter, the underlying offense is one of the enumerated offenses and therefore the State need only show that one of these crimes has been committed in order to establish the first element at trial. However, in Barker's case, the underlying conviction was a conviction for burglary with assault or battery. This is not one of the sexually violent offenses enumerated in section 394.912(9). Therefore, the State was required to prove that the burglary was sexually motivated. If the State can prove that the burglary was sexually motivated, it would fall within the catch-all provision of section 394.912(9)(h) which defines a sexually violent offense as: any criminal act that, either at the time of sentencing for the offense or subsequently during civil commitment proceedings, has been determined beyond a reasonable doubt to have been sexually motivated.
Once the State establishes beyond a reasonable doubt that the burglary was sexually motivated, then the State must also present clear and convincing evidence to establish the second element: the mental abnormality or personality disorder making Barker likely to engage in future acts of sexual violence. Barker argued that there was a likelihood that the jury would be confused by the differing standards of proof and requested that the trial be separated as follows: First, the jury would hear the evidence relating to the burglary and be required to make a determination whether it was established beyond a reasonable doubt that the burglary was sexually motivated. If the jury found that the burglary was sexually motivated, then during the second part of the trial the State could present evidence relating to Barker's alleged mental abnormality/personality disorder and his likelihood to commit offenses in the future. However, if the jury determined that the State had not established beyond a reasonable doubt that the burglary was sexually motivated, then the trial would end and there would be no need to proceed further.
After hearing argument on the motion, the trial court entered an Order denying Barker's Motion to Bifurcate. The trial court found as follows:
The standard jury instructions relative to this case do not contemplate that there would be a bifurcated trial on the establishment of any of the three elements as set out in those instructions. This Court cannot presume that a jury will be confused by the instructions and sees no reasons for a bifurcated trial.
At the start of the trial, Barker renewed his Motion to Bifurcate. He provided no additional support for his motion and the trial court again denied the motion. During the trial, the State presented testimony and evidence relating to: the November 1994 incident which resulted in his conviction for burglary with assault or battery, the March 1994 incident that Barker was never officially charged with, and the 1985 conviction in Kansas. In addition, the State presented extensive testimony from several psychologists relating to Barker's mental state. The experts testified that Barker suffers from a personality disorder which makes him likely to be dangerous to the public without further treatment of his disorder. The jury found that Barker was a sexually violent predator and the trial court entered a Judgment and Order of Civil Commitment in accordance with the jury verdict.
A trial court's decision to bifurcate is generally subject to an abuse of discretion standard of review. See Rose-man v. Town Square Ass'n, 810 So.2d 516, 521 (Fla. 4th DCA 2001). On appeal Barker makes essentially three separate arguments in support of his contention that the trial court's failure to bifurcate violated his right to due process. First, he argues that it is likely that the jury was confused when asked to apply two different standards of proof to the separate elements that the State was required to prove at trial. He contends that this confusion may have caused the jury to apply the lesser "clear and convincing" evidence standard to the entire proceeding. This is the argument upon which his pre-trial Motion to Bifurcate was based. In denying the motion, the trial court determined that the jury instructions adequately addressed the two standards of proof and did not contemplate that a bifurcated trial would be necessary. We agree. The instructions clearly state that before the jury could find that the burglary was sexually motivated, the State must prove, beyond a reasonable doubt, that one of the purposes for which the person committed the crime was sexual gratification. The instructions given to the jury were as follows:
To prove the respondent, Tom Barker, is a sexually violent predator, the State must prove each of the following four elements by clear and convincing evidence.
1.Tom Barker has been convicted of a sexually violent offense; and
2. Tom Barker suffers from a mental abnormality or personality disorder; and
3. The mental abnormality or personality disorder causes Tom Barker to have serious difficulty in controlling his behavior, and his inability to control his behavior is sufficient to distinguish him from dangerous recidivists convicted in ordinary criminal cases; and
4. The mental abnormality or personality disorder makes him likely to engage in acts of sexual violence if not confined in a secure facility for long-term control, care, and treatment.
Before the Respondent, Tom Barker, can be confined in a secure facility, the State has the burden of proving, by clear and convincing evidence, that he is a sexually violent predator.
Clear and convincing evidence is evidence that is precise, explicit, lacking in confusion, and of such weight that it produces a firm belief or conviction, without hesitation, about the matter in issue.
A sexually violent offense is:
Any criminal act that has been determined beyond a reasonable doubt to be sexually motivated. In this cause the criminal act in question is the burglary of a conveyance with assault or battery occurring on November 20th, 1994. However, before you can find the crime was sexually motivated, the State must prove, beyond a reasonable doubt, that one of the purposes for which the person committed the crime was sexual gratification. If you have a reasonable doubt about whether or not the crime was sexually motivated, then you should find the act was not sexually motivated.
A reasonable doubt is not a mere possible doubt, a speculative, imaginary or forced doubt. Such a doubt may not influence you to find the crime was not sexually motivated if you have an abiding conviction that it was. On the other hand, if, after carefully considering, comparing and weighing all the evidence, there is not an abiding conviction that the act was sexually motivated, or, if having a conviction, it is one which is not stable but one which wavers and vacillates, then it has not been proven beyond every reasonable doubt.
There is no reason to believe, based on these jury instructions, that there is a likelihood that the jury was confused.
In addition, Barker's counsel focused on the reasonable doubt standard during closing argument. He argued as follows:
The judge is going to instruct you that you must find sexual motivation beyond a reasonable doubt, and here there's plenty of reasonable doubt as to sexual motivation because it comes only from one person, Kevin Sossi (an eyewitness).
We don't have to prove that it (the burglary) was something other than for purposes of sexual motivation. The burden is on the State to prove sexual motivation beyond a reasonable doubt.
During deliberations, the jury did not ask any questions which would evidence any confusion concerning the burden of proof.
Barker's second argument on appeal relates to the evidence presented at trial regarding the two prior "similar" incidents where Barker was accused and/or convicted of sexual battery. Barker argues that had the trial been bifurcated, this similar fact evidence would not have been admissible with respect to the first element. Therefore, allowing the jury to hear this evidence prior to making its determination of whether the burglary was sexually motivated unfairly prejudiced him. Barker did not make this argument in his written Motion to Bifurcate. The written motion addressed only his argument regarding the varying standards of proof. The transcript of the hearing on the motion reflects that Barker briefly argued this to the trial court, but he did not obtain a ruling on this issue. The trial court never made any determination regarding the admissibility of the prior bad act evidence. Therefore, we find that the issue is not preserved for appellate review. See Carratelli v. State, 832 So.2d 850 (Fla. 4th DCA 2002) (in order to preserve an argument for appellate review, a party must make the objection sufficiently precise to fairly apprise the trial judge of the grounds for the relief sought and must obtain a ruling on the objection); Armstrong v. State, 642 So.2d 730 (Fla.1994); Filan v. State, 768 So.2d 1100 (Fla. 4th DCA 2000).
In addition, Barker did not object to the admission of evidence relating to the prior incidents during the trial. We also note that Barker did not request a limiting instruction to the jury that the evidence of prior similar acts should not be considered by the jury in making its determination as to whether the burglary was sexually motivated.
Barker's third argument on appeal relates to the expert testimony that the State presented during trial. Several psychologists testified that based on their review, Barker suffers from a mental abnormality, he lacks volitional control, and is likely to commit future acts of sexual violence. Barker argues that this testimony is only relevant to the second element that the State was required to prove. He asserts that if the trial had been bifurcated, this evidence would not have been admissible during the first part of the proceeding. Therefore, he contends that allowing the jury to hear the expert testimony during the same proceeding prejudiced the jury in its determination of whether the burglary was sexually motivated and improperly bolstered the State's evidence relating to the first element. Barker argues:
The fundamental unfairness in a non-bifurcated trial rests in the fact that a respondent cannot effectively mount a defense to the allegation that the underlying felony conviction was sexually motivated when the jury is simultaneously exposed to expert testimony opinion that he is a sexually violent predator who will more likely than not commit future acts of sexual violence.
As pointed out by the State, Barker makes this argument for the first time on appeal and therefore has failed to preserve this as error. We agree. See Reid v. State, 799 So.2d 394 (Fla. 4th DCA 2001)(in order to preserve an issue for appeal, counsel must preserve the issue by making a specific objection to the admission of evidence on the same grounds as raised on appeal).
We therefore affirm the trial court's denial of the Motion to Bifurcate.
AFFIRMED.
GUNTHER, J., concurs.
FARMER, C.J., dissents with opinion.
. The two prior incidents alleged by the State were a 1985 conviction in a district court in Kansas for one count of unlawful restraint and one count of sexual battery and a March 1994 arrest by the Riviera Beach Police Department that resulted in Barker being charged with one count of sexual battery with force, one count of simple battery, and one count of false imprisonment. However, no formal charges were ever filed for the March 1994 incident and Barker was never convicted of any crimes with regard to that incident.
. "Sexually motivated" means that one of the purposes for which the defendant committed the crime was sexual gratification. § 394.912, Fla. Stat. (2002)
. It should be noted that any potential jury confusion could have been addressed through a revised verdict form. The verdict form that was given to the jury did not distinguish between the two elements that the State was required to prove. The verdict form only asked the jury one question: whether or not the jury unanimously found that Barker was a sexually violent predator. Perhaps a clearer way to recognize the two elements would have been to first ask the jury if it found beyond a reasonable doubt that the burglary was sexually motivated. If no, then the jury would end its deliberation. But, if the jury answered yes, the jury would have been required to answer the second question which was whether Barker is a sexually violent predator. However, the record reflects that Barker never objected to the verdict form and did not ask for a form containing these two separate questions.