Title: State v. Lippi
Citation: 108 Ariz. 342, 498 P.2d 209
Docket Number: 2024
State: Arizona
Issuer: Arizona Supreme Court
Date: June 16, 1972

108 Ariz. 342 (1972) 498 P.2d 209 The STATE of Arizona, Appellee, v. Roger B. LIPPI, Appellant. No. 2024. Supreme Court of Arizona, In Banc. June 16, 1972. Rehearing Denied July 11, 1972. *343 Gary K. Nelson, Atty. Gen., by William P. Dixon and Frank Sagarino, Asst. Attys. Gen., Phoenix, for appellee. Ross P. Lee, Maricopa County Public Defender, by Anne Kappes, Deputy Public Defender and Warren R. Brown, Phoenix, for appellant. CAMERON, Vice Chief Justice. This is an appeal from a judgment of conviction for the crimes of assault with a deadly weapon, § 13-249, subsec. B A.R.S.; *344 robbery, § 13-641, § 13-643, subsec. B A.R.S.; and kidnapping, § 13-491, subsecs. A and D A.R.S., for which the defendant received 20-25 years as to each charge, and theft of a motorcycle, § 13-672 A.R.S., for which the defendant received 9-10 years, all sentences to run concurrently. We are called upon to answer the following questions: The facts necessary for a determination of this matter are as follows. On 15 July 1968 Kerry David Burr drove a friend, John Howard King, from Casa Grande, Arizona, to Phoenix, Arizona, on his motorcycle so that King could see a friend in a Phoenix hospital. At the hospital Burr and King met with several members of the "Undertakers", a motorcycle gang, who invited them to a party at a house where several of the "Undertakers" lived. At the party later that night, as Burr was standing near his motorcycle which he had pushed over to a corner of the house, several members of the "Undertakers" came from inside the house with guns and crowded around Burr. The defendant pointed a pistol at Burr's head and asked for his wallet. Then, with guns still pointed at Burr, they escorted him inside the house where they forced him to sign over to them the bill of sale for the motorcycle. It appears from the record that, once this had been accomplished, Burr came outside with the others and started to walk down an alley. His friend, John King, approached him and told him they had a ride back to Casa Grande. So John King and Kerry Burr got into a car and were taken back to Casa Grande by one of the friends of the "Undertakers." The defendant was not in the car, nor does it appear that he was involved beyond this point. Kerry Burr reported the theft of the motorcycle to the Phoenix Police Department, and a Phoenix police officer testified that an investigation was conducted by the Phoenix Police Department but the motorcycle has not been found. The defendant Lippi was charged along with five codefendants with assault with a deadly weapon, robbery, kidnapping, and theft of a motor vehicle. A preliminary hearing at which Kerry Burr testified was held for the defendant Lippi and two of his codefendants who were represented by the Public Defender's Office. At his arraignment on 30 August 1968 defendant pled not guilty to all four charges and denied having been previously convicted of burglary which was alleged in the information. On 4 October 1968 the Public Defender was granted permission to withdraw as counsel because of a possible conflict of interest. Trial was held before a jury at which defendant was represented by new and separate counsel. After the State had been granted two continuances because of Kerry Burr's failure to appear as a witness for the State, Kerry Burr's father, who was at that time Sheriff of Pima County, testified that he had personally served the subpoena upon his son and that he had not seen him for two days. The court then allowed, over objection of defense counsel, the preliminary hearing testimony of Kerry Burr to be read into evidence. The State was also allowed, over defense objections, to admit into evidence a photograph of defendant as he looked at the time of the crime. The jury returned a verdict of guilty against the defendant on all four counts, and the court found the defendant guilty as to the prior conviction. The court denied defendant's motion for new trial and sentenced him to serve 20-25 years for the crimes of assault with a deadly weapon, *345 robbery and kidnapping, and 9-10 years for the crime of theft of a motor vehicle, all sentences to run concurrently. DO THE FACTS SUPPORT FOUR SEPARATE CONVICTIONS? Defendant contends that his convictions for both robbery and theft of a motor vehicle violate § 13-1641 A.R.S. which provides as follows: This same question was raised and answered in State v. Seelen, 107 Ariz. 256, 485 P.2d 826 (1971) which concerned one of the codefendants. In that case we stated: Defendant further contends that the evidence does not support convictions for both kidnapping and assault with a deadly weapon. That the evidence presented was sufficient to support a conviction for assault with a deadly weapon there can be no doubt. State v. Seelen, supra, at page 261, 485 P.2d 826. We faced a similar problem in State v. Mitchell, 106 Ariz. 492, 478 P.2d 517 (1970). There the defendant was convicted of attempted kidnapping and assault with a deadly weapon. He challenged the convictions under the double punishment statute § 13-1641 A.R.S. In interpreting this statute we said: In the instant case, while the crime of assault with a deadly weapon can stand alone, once the elements of the assault with a deadly weapon are removed, the kidnapping charge cannot stand alone. We have held that "punishment" in this statute, § 13-1641 A.R.S., includes both the conviction and the sentence imposed thereon. State v. Ballez, 102 Ariz. 174, 427 P.2d 125 (1967). We have also stated: In the instant case, the punishments for assault with a deadly weapon, a gun, § 13-249, subsec. B A.R.S., and kidnapping with a gun, § 13-491, subsec. D A.R.S., are the same. Inasmuch as the kidnapping charge appears to be, factually, the weaker of the two, we therefore hold that the kidnapping *346 conviction must be set aside and the sentence thereunder vacated. State v. Mitchell, supra; State v. Ballez, supra. WAS THE TRANSCRIPT OF THE VICTIM'S TESTIMONY TAKEN AT THE PRELIMINARY HEARING PROPERLY ADMITTED AT TRIAL? A defendant's rights to cross-examine and confront the witnesses against him are not abridged by the introduction at trial of preliminary hearing testimony where the accused had the opportunity at the preliminary hearing to confront and cross-examine the witnesses against him. State v. Head, 91 Ariz. 246, 371 P.2d 599 (1962); State v. Stuard, 104 Ariz. 305, 452 P.2d 98 (1969); State v. Reynolds, 7 Ariz. App. 48, 436 P.2d 142 (1968). Defendant contends, however, that the State did not make a good faith effort to obtain the presence of the witness. Rule 30, Rules of Criminal Procedure, 17 A.R.S., states: The record discloses that the victim was personally subpoenaed to appear at trial by his father who was at that time Sheriff of Pima County. His father testified that he was unable to locate his son and that he had eight Deputy Sheriffs looking for him who were also unable to locate him. Furthermore, the Deputy County Attorney assigned to this case testified that he had been in contact with Sheriff Burr regarding the whereabouts of Burr's son, was unaware of Kerry Burr's whereabouts, and had done nothing to cause his unavailability. We are of the opinion that Rule 30, subd. B was complied with in the instant case. See State v. Stuard, supra; State v. Reynolds, supra. Defendant further contends, that at the preliminary hearing, defendant Lippi and two of his codefendants were represented by the same attorney who, after the preliminary hearing, was allowed to withdraw because he felt he could not effectively represent all three codefendants. Defendant contends that a conflict of interest existed at the preliminary hearing which precluded his attorney from effectively cross-examining the victim, and that therefore the victim's testimony should not have been admitted. We find nothing in the transcript of the preliminary hearing to show that the rights of the defendant were prejudiced by the alleged lack of adequate representation by counsel. The fact that the attorney anticipated a possible conflict in representing all three codefendants jointly at trial does not necessitate a finding of a conflict at the preliminary hearing. We have previously stated: There is no evidence in the record that defense counsel did not adequately protect the defendant's interests at the preliminary hearing. DID THE COURT IMPROPERLY INSTRUCT THE JURY ON THE DEFINITION OF THEFT OF A MOTOR VEHICLE? The statute under which defendant was convicted reads as follows: The court instructed the jury on theft of a motor vehicle as follows: And: We believe under the facts that the jury was properly instructed. DID THE TRIAL COURT ERR IN ADMITTING INTO EVIDENCE DEFENDANT'S PHOTOGRAPH? At the trial of defendant, counsel for the State introduced and had admitted into evidence, over objection by defense counsel, a photograph of defendant as he appeared at the time of the crime. The State contends that, since the defendant's hair was cut short for the trial, the photograph was relevant for identity purposes. The defendant, on the other hand, contends that the introduction of the photograph showing defendant with long hair inflamed the passions of the jury against him. At the trial, the following transpired: Exhibit 2 is before this court and shows the defendant with a sparse beard and some long hair at the back of his head. It is not a typical "mug shot," and does not suggest a prior record. See State v. Cumbo, 9 Ariz. App. 253, 451 P.2d 333 (1969). In the area of admissibility of exhibits, the trial court's discretion will not be disturbed even though the effect of the exhibits may be arguably prejudicial, unless such discretion has been abused. State v. Beers, 8 Ariz. App. 534, 448 P.2d 104 (1969). While we may feel that the exhibit should not have been admitted, it having little or no probative value, we are unable *349 to say that it was so prejudicial as to amount to an abuse of the trial court's discretion in admitting it into evidence. The judgments and sentences as to the crimes of assault with a deadly weapon, robbery, and theft of a motor vehicle are affirmed. The judgment and sentence as to the crime of kidnapping is set aside. HAYS, C.J., and STRUCKMEYER, LOCKWOOD and HOLOHAN, JJ., concur.