Opinion ID: 767895
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Briddle's Trial and Skelton's Continuing Relationship with Fletcher

Text: 22 In May 1981, Briddle was extradited to Texas. While Briddle's case was pending, Skelton closely aligned himself with the interests of the victims' families. Skelton encouraged the Banks and Skeens families to contact Fletcher about the crimes in order to obtain some closure and to explore their theory that there were more than three people involved in the murders. At Skelton's urging and upon his advice, Fletcher spoke with members of the victims' families, including Skeens' grieving mother, who even traveled to California at one point to meet with Fletcher about the crimes. 23 In 1982, when it came time for Briddle's trial, Skelton was instrumental in securing Fletcher's testimony for the state. The state did not subpoena Fletcher. Rather, Skelton strongly encouraged Fletcher to volunteer her testimony against Briddle. Skelton has testified that everyone involved, including Skelton and Fletcher, wanted to see Briddle get the death penalty. Skelton instructed Fletcher that she owed it to her country and to the victims to appear against Briddle. 24 Skelton then represented Fletcher in her negotiations with the state concerning her testimony against Briddle. Although Briddle's individual prosecutors held the view that Fletcher's trial on the lesser included offense of aggravated robbery would preclude her subsequent prosecution on the capital murder charges, Skelton felt this was an open legal question, and insisted that Fletcher be granted immunity in exchange for her testimony against Briddle. 25 The exact type of immunity that Skelton negotiated for Fletcher's testimony against Briddle, whether use immunity or the much broader transactional immunity, remains unclear. See Perillo I, 79 F.3d at 444 (explaining the difference between use immunity and transactional immunity). In a prior appeal of this matter, this Court relied upon a letter from the D.A.'s office that describes Fletcher's immunity at Briddle's trial in a manner suggesting that only use immunity was being granted. That evidence was consistent with the Director's briefing, which stated that Skelton had negotiated only use immunity in exchange for Fletcher's testimony against Briddle. See Perillo I, 79 F.3d at 448. On remand, however, the basic premise that Fletcher had only use immunity at Briddle's trial has been seriously undermined. 26 Briddle's trial record reflects that the state entered into a prosecutorial agreement that Fletcher would receive immunity from further prosecution in exchange for her testimony against Briddle. That immunity is characterized in the record as absolute judicial immunity for any transactions. Although Fletcher testified that an unnamed judge granted the immunity, there is no documentary evidence that the grant of immunity was ever formalized. The record reflects that such grants would need to be (1) approved by District Attorney Johnny Holmes, (2) presented in petition form to the state trial judge, and then (3) enacted by order of the state trialcourt. See Graham v. State, 994 S.W.2d 651, 656 (Tex. Crim. App.) (citing Carlisle v. State, 137 S.W.2d 782 (Tex. Crim. App. 1940) for the proposition that a prosecutorial agreement not to prosecute is not binding absent court approval), cert. denied, 120 S. Ct. 420 (1999). Moreover, it is evident from the questions raised by Briddle's trial judge that the trial court did not have any documentary evidence demonstrating that Fletcher had been judicially granted transactional immunity in exchange for her testimony. 27 The district court found that the evidence clearly and unambiguously established that Fletcher was granted full transactional immunity before her testimony against Briddle. For the foregoing reasons, we conclude that the evidence is insufficient to support that factual determination. The evidence relied upon merely reflects the state's position: (1) that it did not intend to prosecute Fletcher, (2) that Fletcher's prior conviction for the lesser included offense of aggravated robbery would have precluded its further prosecution of Fletcher, and (3) to the extent there was any remaining doubt, that the state had entered into a prosecutorial agreement to provide Fletcher with absolute immunity from prosecution for the underlying offenses, by stating that fact on the record. Despite Skelton's best efforts, the record does not definitively reflect that Fletcher unambiguously enjoyed complete and binding transactional immunity, as opposed to merely a prosecutorial agreement not to prosecute. See Graham, 994 S.W.2d at 654-56. The conclusion that there remained some ambiguity as to Fletcher's status is further supported by Skelton's recollection in this proceeding that the state had granted only use immunity with respect to Fletcher's Briddle testimony. Without regard to whether Fletcher testified against Briddle pursuant to use or transactional immunity, the record is clear and the Director concedes that the agreement Skelton negotiated for Fletcher would not have protected her from perjury charges if her testimony was later proven false. 28 Prior to testifying, and while represented by Skelton, Fletcher gave a lengthy statement to prosecutors recounting her version of the events leading up to and following Banks' and Skeens' murders. At Briddle's trial, Fletcher repeated many of the details contained in her statement, and was the State's chief witness against Briddle. Briddle v. Scott, 63 F.3d 364, 366 (5th Cir. 1995). Fletcher's testimony added otherwise unknown details to the body of evidence which virtually ensured the death sentence. Significantly, Fletcher's testimony also cast Perillo in an equally unfavorable light. Fletcher's testimony highlighted Perillo's criminal history and portrayed Perillo as heartless and completely without remorse. Fletcher testified that it was Perillo who first suggested killing Banks, and that it was Perillo who repeatedly brought the subject up, urging Briddle to help her murder Banks. Fletcher also testified that she was outside in the car when the murders took place, and that she did not participate in the murders of the two men. 29 Skelton appeared at Briddle's trial as Fletcher's lawyer. When Fletcher was called to testify, Briddle's trial counsel sought to have Skelton sworn and excluded under the rule. The prosecution argued that Skelton, as Fletcher's attorney, was exempt from the rule. Alternatively, Briddle's trial counsel wanted Skelton admonished not to discuss the facts of the case with Fletcher. The defense position was that there was no longer any attorney-client relationship between Skelton and Fletcher given the conclusion of Fletcher's own trial. Both Skelton and the prosecutor objected on the record. The prosecutor argued that the attorney-client relationship between Skelton and Fletcher was properly continuing, notwithstanding the fact there were no pending criminal proceedings against Fletcher. Skelton likewise argued that he could not be precluded from discussing the case with Fletcher becauseshe was his client. Although Skelton was at one point asked to remain outside, Briddle's trial judge changedcourse in response to Skelton's and the prosecution's objections, and there is no indication that Skelton left the court room at that time. 30 While Fletcher was in Houston to testify for the state against Briddle, she stayed with Skelton for between seven and ten days in his one bedroom condominium. Fletcher stayed past the time that her testimony was complete, and did not return home until the verdict against Briddle was in. Briddle was sentenced to death and has since been executed. Fletcher has testified that she was pleased with the result of Briddle's trial. 31