Opinion ID: 771185
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Exclusion of the Blanket

Text: 67 Whelchel argues that he was denied the due process right to present his defense when the trial court refused his request to introduce a bloodstained blanket. The blanket was found by investigators several months after the murder, near the crime scene. The blanket had a large bloodstain on it as well as two human hairs. One hair was naturally blond and the other bleached blond. Because of its exposure to the elements for several months, a blood-type analysis could not be performed on the blanket. Thus, it could not even be determined whether the blood on the blanket was human, much less to whom it might have belonged. 68 Whelchel maintains that the presence of the hairs, which match the general hair colors of McKee and Margo, and the absence of any hair matching his hair color, support his testimony that he was not present at the murder. Whelchel also argues that the blanket confirms Whelchel's testimony that Flota told him he threw a sheet or blanket over Margo when he choked her. The trial court excluded the blanket on the grounds that it did not have sufficient relevancy to the case. 69 Incorrect state court evidentiary rulings cannot serve as a basis for habeas relief unless federal constitutional rights are affected. Lincoln v. Sunn, 807 F.2d 805, 816 (9th Cir. 1987). The state court's decision to exclude certain evidence must be so prejudicial as to jeopardize the defendant's due process rights. See Miller v. Stagner, 757 F.2d 988, 994 (9th Cir. 1985), amended on other grounds, 768 F.2d 1090 (9th Cir. 1985). To evaluate whether exclusion of evidence reaches constitutional proportions, this court considers five factors: 70 (1) the probative value of the excluded evidence on the central issue; (2) its reliability; (3) whether it is capable of evaluation by the trier of fact; (4) whether it is the sole evidence on the issue or merely cumula tive; and (5) whether it constitutes a major part of the attempted defense. 71 Tinsely v. Borg, 895 F.2d 520, 530 (9th Cir. 1990) (internal citations omitted). This court must then balance the importance of the evidence against the state interest in exclusion. 72 Id. 73 The trial court did not err in excluding the blanket. The reliability of the blanket was questionable due to its exposure. The blood could not be identified as human and the hair fibers could not establish anything more than similarity to the hair colors of Margo and McKee. Because the reliability of the evidence was suspect, its probative value to Whelchel's alibi was minimal. Moreover, the absence of Whelchel's hair on the blanket does not necessarily mean that he did not murder Margo, as the blanket may not have been used by Whelchel even if he did participate in the murder. 74 Though the blanket could be evaluated by the jury, it was not the sole piece of evidence presented by Whelchel in support of his alibi, nor did the blanket present a major part of Whelchel's defense. Accordingly, there was no constitutional error in excluding the blanket and the district court correctly rejected Whelchel's petition for habeas corpus relief on this ground.