Opinion ID: 2575696
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 9

Heading: Res Judicata/ Roberts

Text: As Crawford is not retroactively applicable to Drach's case on collateral review, Drach alternatively argues that the marital discord evidence in this case was inadmissible hearsay. He contends the admission of this evidence as either res gestae or under the judicially created marital discord hearsay exception violated the Confrontation Clause under the law in effect at the time of trial, Ohio v. Roberts, 448 U.S. 56. In this 60-1507 motion, Drach raises the exact same issue that was resolved by this court on his direct appeal. On direct appeal, Drach raised the following issue: Drach argues [in his direct appeal] that evidence of his prior bad acts was erroneously admitted at trial. This evidence consisted of statements Deanne made to others about beatings she had suffered at the hands of Drach and also testimony from others who saw bruises and cuts on Deanne. Drach argues that Deanne's statements were inadmissible hearsay and that the other testimony was inadmissible evidence of prior bad acts. 268 Kan. at 648. We rejected his argument, reasoning: Although the trial court admitted the evidence on the basis of res gestae, the evidence was admissible on other independent grounds. Kansas courts have consistently allowed evidence of `marital discord' in cases similar to this. Evidence of marital discord can include several types of evidence: Oral and written statements made by the deceased spouse relating their abuse; evidence of scarring, bruising, bleeding, and other physical manifestations of the abuse; testimony by others who saw the couple fighting, arguing, or otherwise in conflict; and statements by the defendant relating that he or she will kill his or her spouse. This testimony may fall under the traditional notion of hearsay or evidence of prior bad acts, yet still be admitted. 268 Kan. at 648-49. After citing numerous marital discord cases which allowed marital discord evidence independent of the prior bad acts exclusion or a hearsay exclusion, we concluded: Hearsay statements made by a deceased spouse-declarant are admissible as evidence of marital discord if the trial court finds that the statements have particular guarantees of trustworthiness. See Ohio v. Roberts, 448 U.S. 56, 65 L. Ed. 2d 597, 100 S. Ct. 2531 (1980). . . . . Drach argues res gestae evidence is violative of the Confrontation Clause of the United States Constitution. The evidence complained of is admissible under the marital discord exception. Drach's argument under this issue is moot. The evidence was admissible, and the trial court did not abuse its discretion in allowing the evidence of marital discord. 268 Kan. at 651. Based upon our resolution of this issue on Drach's direct appeal, the State argues that the doctrine of res judicata applies to the same issue Drach now raises in his 60-1507 motion: Under Kansas law, where an appeal is taken from the sentence imposed and/or a conviction, the judgment of the reviewing court is res judicata as to all issues actually raised, and those issues that could have been presented, but were not presented, are deemed waived. Where a defendant's claim has not been raised at trial or on direct appeal, such a default prevents the defendant from raising the claim in a second appeal or a collateral proceeding. State v. Neer, 247 Kan. 137, 140-41, 795 P.2d 362 (1990). Drach does not dispute that the issue of whether the hearsay was improper under Roberts was decided by the court on direct appeal. Rather, Drach seeks to have this court revisit the issue by suggesting in his brief that the law of the case doctrine rather than res judicata should apply: Under this doctrine, issues already decided by this Court on appeal should not be relitigated or reconsidered unless [they are] clearly erroneous or would cause manifest injustice. State v. Collier, 263 Kan. 629, Syl. ¶ 3, 952 P.2d 1326 (1998). Drach argues that this court's decision on direct appeal was clearly erroneous and imposed a manifest injustice on him. The problem with Drach's argument is that he omits a critical portion of the law of the case doctrine in his argument: When a second appeal is brought to this court in the same case, the first decision is the settled law of the case on all questions involved in the first appeal, and reconsideration will not normally be given to such questions. Ordinarily, under the law of the case doctrine, once an issue is decided by the court, it should not be relitigated or reconsidered unless it is clearly erroneous or would cause manifest injustice. (Emphasis added.) Collier, 263 Kan. 629, Syl. ¶ 3. See also In re Cullen, No, 91,735, unpublished opinion filed December 17, 2004 (law of the case doctrine not applicable to same issues raised in the second separate case). The law of the case doctrine is thus inapplicable to this case where the appeal stems from a K.S.A. 60-1507 civil proceeding, which is a separate case from the criminal proceedings considered by this court on direct appeal in 2000. Drach raised virtually identical arguments in his direct appeal, and he has not shown why any of his new arguments concerning hearsay or Roberts could not have been raised on direct appeal. See Supreme Court Rule 183(c)(3) (2005 Kan. Ct. R. Annot. 228) (a K.S.A. 60-1507 motion cannot be used as a substitute for a second appeal, absent a showing the trial error affected constitutional rights and a showing of exceptional circumstances). In fact, Justice Six referenced the marital discord exemption law review article in his concurring opinion that Drach now relies upon in his hearsay argument in this appeal. 268 Kan. at 651-52. Although Drach now claims that the district court never found on the record that the statements carried with them a particularized degree of trustworthiness under Roberts, the trial court is presumed to have made all necessary factual findings to support its judgment in the absence of an objection to inadequate findings. State v. Combs, 280 Kan. 45, 50, 118 P.3d 1259 (2005).