Opinion ID: 2105313
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 26

Heading: The Trial Court's Rulings Denied Wolfe the Right to Present a Defense

Text: The state frankly concedes that the prosecutor violated Rule 25.03(A)(2) by the six to seven month delay in disclosing Paul Hileman as a witness and in the even later disclosure of letters written by Hileman. The late disclosure of the letters did lead to Phil Dayton, a man who was in jail with Wolfe and Hileman. After its investigation, two days before trial, defense counsel moved for a continuance to pursue what it learned from Daytonthat a Terry Smith had been planning to rob the Walters couple and had asked Dayton to join in the effort. Dayton ultimately was unable to participate in the planned robbery, because he was confined in the Jackson County jail, but burglar Dayton also testified, in an offer of proof, that I'm not a robber, so I wouldn't participate in the crime with Terry. Dayton also linked Terry Smith to a .25 caliber handgun. Testimony of Barbara Reeder was presented by the defense in an offer of proof; the witness, who was acquainted with Ms. Cox and Terry Smith, placed Jessica Cox in the company of Terry Smith near the same time that these murders were committed. All references to Terry Smith apparently were excluded by the trial court's ruling, consistent with the prosecutor's argument that the general law that the sort of evidence that appears to be suggested in this motion is nonadmissible, that is, it is not allowable for the defendant to suggest that someone else did it without some direct evidence of that being correct. In other words, you can't float out a red herring, proposed alternative theories in the midst of a trial without direct evidence that someone else committed this murder. (emphasis added). Dayton testified, but was not questioned about Terry Smith; the record is unclear as to whether this was due to the court's previous ruling. Barbara Reeder did not testify before the jury, presumably because of the court's exclusionary ruling. The defense's other attempt to present its theory was through its subpoena of a former roommate of Ms. Cox, whose affidavit, as noted above, avers that Ms. Cox told her that she was in the company of two men other than Dannie Wolfe who murdered the Walters couple. The former roommate did not appear pursuant to the subpoena, and the trial court denied any continuance for the purpose of locating the witness. The trial court correctly ruled that the affidavit could not be used for impeachment. While the matter of a continuance is within the trial court's discretion, State v. Reece, 505 S.W.2d 50, 52 (Mo.1974), the roommate matter does emphasize that the defense had a supportable theory that others had committed this crime, not Dannie Wolfe. In denying a continuance the trial court may consider the likelihood that the witness will be found. State v. Oliver, 572 S.W.2d 440, 445 (Mo. banc 1978). But where the matter is so important, as in this case, it seems inherently unreasonable to deny even an overnight continuance for an opportunity to find the witness and enforce the subpoena. It was later learned at Wolfe's hearing for a new trial that the roommate's family knew her whereabouts at the time of Wolfe's trial. The right of a defendant to avail himself of any and all defenses is well established and constitutionally protected. State v. Carothers, 743 S.W.2d 489, 491 (Mo.App. 1987); MO. CONST. art. I, section 18(a). To utilize a defense theory of innocence, no matter how unlikely the theory, one must only show that `the most favorable construction of the evidence supports it.' Carothers, 743 S.W.2d at 491 (citing State v. Kinard, 245 S.W.2d 890, 893 (Mo.1952)). Here, Wolfe had evidence to support a theory that someone else was responsible for the murders of the Walters. Under the trial court's rulings, Wolfe was not permitted to present this theory. [9] Dannie Wolfe was convicted of the murders of Lena and Leonard Walters without any physical evidence linking him to these crimes. He was convicted on the testimony of Jessica Cox, after the trial court excluded relevant impeaching evidence. The jury also was precluded from hearing evidence to suggest that persons other than Wolfe committed these murders. These legal errors warrant a new trial. Jurors were chosen from another venue, presumably to get unbiased jurors who had not heard extensive media reports of the official version of these crimes. But the rulings discussed herein show that Wolfe did not receive a fair trial. The American jury trial is a search for truth, not a ceremony to confirm official truth. The limitations on cross-examination and the preclusion of a substantial defense theory thwarted a proper search for the truth. A new trial should be granted.