Opinion ID: 2349823
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Admission of Michael McInnis's Testimony

Text: The trial court admitted the testimony of Michael McInnis (McInnis) regarding a conversation he had with Benjamin in 1999. The Court admitted the testimony pursuant to Md. Rule 5-404(b), governing the admission of evidence related to other crimes, wrongs, or acts. Benjamin challenges the admission of this testimony. We affirm the trial judge's decision to admit the evidence pertaining to Benjamin's statement, but for different reasons. McInnis is a former Navy SEAL and friend of Benjamin. He was called by the State at Benjamin's trial to recount a conversation that he had with Benjamin. McInnis testified that in 1999 the two men were at a strip club having drinks when the discussion turned to how Benjamin would dispose of a body if he ever killed someone. According to McInnis, Benjamin stated that he would do it by laying down plastic in a living room or an open space and then remove the arms, legs and head with a knife. Then he would remove the body in separate bags and dispose of the body in either the same dumpster over the course of a month or in different dumpsters throughout the city in a single trip. On cross-examination, McInnis stated that the conversation was a typical conversation between SEALs, that they were simply talking trash with guys over a few beers and that the conversation was not to be taken seriously. Outside the presence of the jury, McInnis testified that the conversation had, in fact, arisen when McInnis stated to Benjamin, I should send you to go whack my wife. To which, Benjamin responded, [y]eah sure. The conversation then turned to the discussion of how it could be done without getting caught. That is when the discussion about quartering and disposing of the bodies arose. Later, McInnis asked what the going rate was, and Benjamin responded $20,000 to $40,000, $30,000. On April 1, 2003, counsel for Benjamin made an oral motion to exclude the testimony of McInnis. The defense argued that the conversation did not amount to another crime, wrong, or act. The conversation was just a drunken discussion three years ago. The State countered that the act of offering to kill someone's wife for money constitutes solicitation to commit murder, which is a crime. The Court took a brief recess and then made an initial ruling that the testimony qualified under Md. Rule 5-404(b); however, before a final determination could be made on whether to admit the testimony, a hearing was necessary outside the presence of the jury. Following the hearing, the trial court held that the testimony was admissible pursuant to Rule 5-404(b), based on its interpretation that the conversation amounted to an offer or solicitation to commit murder. The trial court, relying on the case of Ridgeway v. State, 140 Md.App. 49, 67, 779 A.2d 1031, 1041 (2001), aff'd, 369 Md. 165, 797 A.2d 1287 (2002), conducted the required three-part analysis regarding the admissibility of other crimes testimony and concluded that it was admissible. The testimony was admitted, without any reference to the statement about whacking McInnis's wife. Additionally, the court gave a cautionary instruction to the jury regarding the proper use of the testimony. [7] Benjamin contends that the trial court erred in admitting this testimony because it simply did not qualify as relevant evidence, as it neither `tended to make the proposition asserted more or less probable,' nor was [it] `related logically to the matter in issue in the case.' He further argues that the testimony does not fall within any of the stated exceptions embodied in Rule 5-404(b) and relied upon by the trial court. On appeal, the State contends that the conversation did not amount to prior bad acts evidence because the version actually admitted at trial, the version without reference to whacking McInnis's wife, did not fall within the exceptions for the admission of character evidence. We agree with the State that evidence of the conversation between McInnis and Benjamin did not constitute other crimes or prior bad acts evidence. Further, we agree that the evidence was relevant and admissible. For testimony to be admissible it must be relevant. Md. Rule 5-402. Evidence is relevant if it has any tendency to make the existence of any fact that is of consequence to the determination of the action more probable than it would be without the evidence. Md. Rule 5-401. Benjamin's declaration is admissible as circumstantial evidence tending to prove that he later committed the murder. See Kirkland v. State, 75 Md.App. 49, 54, 540 A.2d 490, 492, cert. denied, 313 Md. 506, 545 A.2d 1344 (1988) (Affirming that the Hillmon doctrine provides that when the performance of a particular act by an individual is an issue in the case, his intention (state of mind) to perform that act may be shown.... The Hillmon doctrine allows the trial court to admit [a defendant's] statement as circumstantial evidence that [the defendant] carried out his intention and performed the act.) Id. at 56, 540 A.2d at 493 (citing Mutual Life Insurance Co. v. Hillmon, 145 U.S. 285, 12 S.Ct. 909, 36 L.Ed. 706 (1892) (Holding that when the performance of a particular act by an individual is an issue in the case, his intention to perform that act may be offered as circumstantial evidence that the individual later acted in accordance with his intention.)). Applying this standard to the evidence in question, we find the testimony of McInnis relevant. The evidence did more than suggest to the jury that Benjamin was either a bad person or had a propensity to commit violent crimes. Even though Benjamin's trial counsel conceded during his opening statement that Benjamin dismembered and disposed of the bodies of Martha Crutchley and Joshua Ford, the evidence of the earlier conversation between McInnis and Benjamin tended to show that Benjamin's participation in the homicide was not necessarily limited to the disposal of the bodies. Whether the three-year-old conversation was a joke or a serious statement and whether Benjamin participated in the killing as a principal or only as an accessory to homicide, were questions left to the jury for resolution. The trial judge, however, based his decision to admit the evidence of Benjamin's prior statements on Md. Rule 5-404(b). That rule provides: Evidence of other crimes, wrongs, or acts is not admissible to prove the character of a person in order to show action in conformity therewith. It may, however, be admissible for other purposes, such as proof of motive, opportunity, intent, preparation, common scheme or plan, knowledge, identity, or absence of mistake or accident. Md. Rule 5-404(b) is designed to prevent the jury from becoming confused by the evidence, from developing a predisposition of the defendant's guilt, or from prejudicing their minds against the defendant. State v. Faulkner, 314 Md. 630, 633, 552 A.2d 896, 897 (1989) (internal citation omitted). Evidence of other crimes is admissible if it is substantially relevant to some contested issue in the case and if it is not offered to prove the defendant's guilt based on propensity to commit crime or his character as a criminal. Faulkner, 314 Md. at 634, 552 A.2d at 897-98. Before other crimes evidence is admitted, a three-part determination must be made by the trial court. The first required determination is whether the evidence fits within one or more of the stated exceptions to Rule 5-404(b). Faulkner, 314 Md. at 634, 552 A.2d at 898. This is a legal determination that does not involve any exercise of discretion. Id. The second requirement is that the trial court determine whether the defendant's involvement in the other act has been established by clear and convincing evidence. Id. We review the trial court's decision to determine if there is sufficient evidence to support it's finding. Faulkner, 314 Md. at 635, 552 A.2d at 898. Lastly, the trial court must weigh the probative value of the evidence against any undue prejudice that may result from its admission. Id. This determination involves the exercise of discretion by the trial court. Id. As previously discussed, the trial court concluded, based on the testimony offered at the hearing on the motion in limine that the offer to whack McInnis's wife amounted to other crimes evidence. Consequently the court conducted the three part test we recognized in Faulkner. The State and Benjamin agree that the trial court erred in applying the Faulkner analysis. In Klauenberg v. State, 355 Md. 528, 549, 735 A.2d 1061, 1072 (1999) this Court first addressed the issue of what constitutes a wrong or an act under Rule 5-404(b). We began by noting that [a]n act prohibited by the criminal code but which goes uncharged is perhaps easy to identify as a bad act, hence the term `uncharged misconduct.' Id. at 547, 735 A.2d at 1071. We then noted that some acts do not have a negative connotation until placed in context. Id. We have held that mere possession of a knife and walking behind a women are not crimes, but under certain circumstances, `these acts could be construed as misconduct.' Id. (quoting Whittlesey v. State, 340 Md. 30, 58, 665 A.2d 223, 237 (1995)). We have also held that a criminal defendant's plan to leave the State to evade prosecution could constitute a bad act. Klauenberg, 355 Md. at 547, 735 A.2d at 1070 (citing Whittlesey, 340 Md. at 63, 665 A.2d at 239). And we have held that even though solicitation of a prostitute for sex is a crime, testimony that the defendant got a girl and had sex did not amount to a crime or bad act absent an indication that the girl was a prostitute or an unwilling partner. Klauenberg, 355 Md. at 548, 735 A.2d at 1070 (citing Burch v. State, 346 Md. 253, 270-71, 696 A.2d 443, 452, cert. denied, 522 U.S. 1001, 118 S.Ct. 571, 139 L.Ed.2d 410 (1997)). Based on our review of Maryland case law and that of a number of other jurisdictions we concluded that: In reviewing the holdings from other jurisdictions and examples of what those courts construed as bad acts, the general theme running through each is that a bad act is an activity or conduct, not necessarily criminal, that tends to impugn or reflect adversely upon one's character, taking into consideration the facts of the underlying lawsuit. It is from this general proposition that we evaluate whether the evidence to which appellant protests as erroneously admitted were bad acts under Maryland Rule 5-404(b). Klauenberg, 355 Md. at 547, 735 A.2d at 1071. In Klauenberg, we held that evidence that Klauenberg was involved in an underlying estate case with his sister, stood near a location where a gun was stored in a ceiling tile while the house was being searched by police, verbally confronted and poked the opposing attorney in the civil lawsuit, and was found with two guns and ammunition on his person, did not constitute bad acts. We reasoned that none of these actions, as they were presented to the jury, impugn someone's character. Therefore, they were not bad acts within the meaning of 5-404(b). Id. at 550, 735 A.2d at 1072-73. The testimony in question here was that two men, McInnis and Benjamin, were in a strip club one night discussing how Benjamin would dispose of a dead body if he ever killed someone. Although the conversation may appear to be unusual, the conversation neither amounts to a crime nor impugns Benjamin's character to the extent that Rule 5-404(b) is implicated. We hold that the trial court was only required to determine whether the testimony was relevant and whether its probative value was outweighed by its prejudicial effect. By engaging in the three-step analysis approved in Faulkner, the trial judge afforded Benjamin greater protection than was necessary. Furthermore, Benjamin's argument that he was harmed by admission of the testimony of McInnis is tenuous considering his trial counsel's concession in his opening statement. In the present case, trial counsel conceded that Benjamin dismembered the bodies and disposed of them in dumpsters. This admission was not solely relevant to the crime of accessory after the fact. Benjamin's prior conversation was relevant circumstantial evidence of his intent or plan as well as evidence of the identity of the perpetrator. The jury could reasonably infer from the details contained in Benjamin's comments, the specific manner in which he likely would conceal a murder, and that, coupled with other substantial (and indeed conceded) evidence of his involvement in the dismembering and disposition of the bodies, he was also involved in the killing. Moreover, the jury could reasonably conclude from Benjamin's conversation with McInnis that Benjamin either planned or contrived a scheme to murder the victim in this case. Under the circumstances, the jury could reasonably infer that Benjamin's participation in the murder was not impulsive and that the murder was the result of a conscious design to kill. In addition, because Benjamin admitted his involvement as an accessory after the fact, the jury was not precluded from reasonably inferring from the evidence that his role was more extensive than he indicated. The jury was free to believe some, all, or none of the evidence presented in this case. Therefore, the testimony of McInnis was relevant without offering it to show either Benjamin's propensity to commit crime or that Benjamin is a bad person. Thus, we affirm the trial court's decision to admit the evidence of Benjamin's prior statements about dismembering and disposing of bodies. Although we reject the trial judge's conclusion that the evidence amounted to other crimes evidence, we discern no reversible error as a result of that decision.