Opinion ID: 1211257
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Admissibility of Evidence of Buchanan Murder and Sufficiency of Evidence of Dangerousness.

Text: During the sentencing phase of the Barker murder trial, the Commonwealth introduced detailed evidence of the Buchanan murder, for which Watkins had yet to be tried and convicted. The evidence included testimony of the Fast Fare manager, the medical examiner, the forensic scientist, and four law enforcement officers, all of whom later testified in Watkins's trial for the Buchanan murder. The Commonwealth introduced Watkins's statement of November 28 and photographs of the store and the second victim's body. Moreover, Nash testified without objection that, as he and Watkins proceeded to the Kwik Stop, Watkins assured him that there was nothing to the proposed robbery, that Watkins with others had committed robbery before. There was no evidence that Watkins had been charged or convicted of an earlier robbery. Watkins contends that admission of evidence of the second murder in the first trial violated his presumption of innocence of the second offense; he says he was, in effect, tried and convicted of the Buchanan murder in the sentencing phase of the Barker murder trial. He also argues that use of evidence of unadjudicated criminal activity is restricted by statute. See Code § 19.2-264.2. Code § 19.2-264.2 provides that a jury may impose a sentence of death upon finding that the defendant poses a continuing serious threat to society after considering his prior criminal record of convictions. Under Code § 19.2-264.4, however, the Commonwealth is expressly authorized to introduce evidence of the prior history of the defendant to establish his future dangerousness. In LeVasseur, we resolved any conflict in the statutory terminology and held that the difference in the language of the two provisions did not render the capital-murder sentencing scheme unconstitutionally vague. 225 Va. at 593-94, 304 S.E.2d at 660. We noted that, in determining the probability of a defendant's future criminal conduct, it is essential... that the jury have before it all possible relevant information about the individual defendant whose fate it must determine. Id. at 594, 304 S.E.2d at 660, quoting Jurek v. Texas, 428 U.S. 262, 275-76, 96 S.Ct. 2950, 2957-58, 49 L.Ed.2d 929 (1976) (emphasis added in LeVasseur ). Admissible evidence in the sentencing phase is not limited to the defendant's record of convictions. Peterson, 225 Va. at 298, 302 S.E.2d at 526. We have repeatedly approved the use of testimonial evidence relating to a defendant's commission of other crimes of which he has been convicted. See Coleman v. Commonwealth, 226 Va. 31, 43-44, 307 S.E.2d 864, 870-71 (1983), cert. denied, 465 U.S. ___, 104 S.Ct. 1617, 80 L.Ed.2d 145 (1984); Peterson, 225 Va. at 298, 302 S.E.2d at 526; Quintana, 224 Va. at 147-48, 295 S.E.2d at 653-54; Stamper, 220 Va. at 275-77, 257 S.E.2d at 819-20. In Stamper we said, In determining his proclivity for violence, the jury may obtain from the mere record of previous convictions an inaccurate or incomplete impression of the defendant's temperament and disposition. 220 Va. at 276, 257 S.E.2d at 819. We have also held to be admissible in the sentencing phase evidence of other crimes for which a defendant has not been convicted. See Poyner, 229 Va. at ___, 329 S.E.2d at 827; Stockton, 227 Va. at 147, 314 S.E.2d at 385. In Poyner, the Commonwealth was permitted to introduce the defendant's video-taped confession to five murders in the sentencing phases of three capital-murder trials (Williamsburg and Newport News cases), although he had not yet been tried and convicted of all five offenses. 229 Va. at ___, ___, 329 S.E.2d at 827, 837. The confession was deemed highly reliable and wholly relevant to the issue of future dangerousness. 229 Va. at ___, 329 S.E.2d at 828. The Commonwealth also was permitted to introduce the testimony of the victim of assault and battery, although there was no evidence that Poyner was tried or convicted of the offense which she described. 229 Va. at ___, 329 S.E.2d at 827. In Stockton, a witness had testified to Stockton's murder of a second victim. That evidence, admissible in the guilt phase because the two offenses were interrelated and because the second murder demonstrated Stockton's guilty knowledge of the first and his attempt to conceal his guilt, we also deemed relevant to establish the defendant's propensity for future crimes of violence. 227 Va. at 143, 147, 314 S.E.2d at 383, 385. Adhering to these rulings, we hold that evidence of prior unadjudicated criminal conduct, while generally not admissible in the guilt phase of a capital-murder trial, may be used in the penalty phase to prove the defendant's propensity to commit criminal acts of violence in the future. See Clines v. State, 280 Ark. 77, 91-92, 656 S.W.2d 684, 690 (1983), cert. denied, ___ U.S. ___, 104 S.Ct. 1328, 79 L.Ed.2d 723 (1984); State v. Rault, 445 So.2d 1203, 1214-15 (La.), cert. denied, ___ U.S. ___, 105 S.Ct. 225, 83 L.Ed.2d 154 (1984); Williams v. State, 668 S.W.2d 692, 694 (Tex. Crim.App.1983) (evidence of unadjudicated criminal activity admitted in sentencing phase of capital-murder proceedings). Here, in his statement introduced in evidence, Watkins claimed he shot Buchanan, an unarmed man who he thought was reaching for a weapon, four times in self-defense. The jury could find this explanation incredible. The evidence of Watkins's involvement in the Buchanan murder and commission of an earlier robbery, together with his prior convictions for assault and battery and possession of a concealed weapon, was sufficient to support a jury finding of his future dangerousness.