Opinion ID: 1445602
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Miscellaneous Assignments

Text: Appellants have suggested a number of additional possible errors, none of which seem to have sufficient merit to justify extended discussions. In order to indicate that we have considered them, however, we will mention each briefly. 1. During the trial, a witness, Gary Matheis, testified Lucas, in a telephone conversation, threatened to kill him if he testified. Later, on cross-examination, the witness admitted he could not clearly identify Lucas as the caller. Whereupon, the testimony concerning a threat was stricken and the jury was instructed to disregard it. Later, when a prosecutor was making his summation to the jury, he asked: Why was Gary Matheis threatened; who had good cause to want him eliminated? At that point defense counsel objected and reminded that the testimony had been stricken. The prosecutor immediately responded: This is true; I forgot that took place; forget what I just said. Clearly, the prosecutor had made a mistake or slip of the tongue. He himself requested the jury to disregard it. We do not find anything in the record to indicate a deliberate attempt on the part of the prosecutor to poison the minds of the jurors, as counsel for appellants suggests. The mistake appears to have been quickly and adequately remedied; and appellants have failed to show they were prejudiced. 2. Counsel for appellants suggests the trial court erred because it did not grant motions by Lucas and Linn for dismissal and acquittal on the ground that one alleged to be a principal cannot also be an accessory before the fact. We made it clear in Goldsmith v. Cheney, Wyo., 468 P.2d 813, 816, that an accessory before the fact may be tried where the accessorial acts took place and only there. Also, the Tenth Circuit Court, in Goldsmith v. Cheney, 10 Cir.1971, 447 F.2d 624, 627, pointed out that the Wyoming accessory statute creates a separate and distinct offense from that of the principal and the crime is punishable only in the jurisdiction where the accessorial act occurred. Even though the evidence shows that Lucas and Linn actually assisted Lindblad in the murder of Olinger in Nevada, that would not preclude them from being prosecuted in Wyoming for the crime committed by them in Wyoming  that is the making of a deal whereby they encouraged, hired or otherwise procured the murder of Olinger in Nevada. As stated in United States v. Provenzano, 3 Cir.1964, 334 F.2d 678, 691, cert. den. 379 U.S. 947, 85 S.Ct. 440, 13 L.Ed.2d 544, it is not prerequisite to the conviction of the aider and abettor that the principal be tried and convicted. 3. Appellants charge on appeal that they were denied effective assistance of counsel because the trial court denied without argument three motions which were made by counsel for the defendants just prior to trial. It is of course elementary that the presentation of legal argument rests with the discretion of the court, for such is submitted as an aid to the court upon indistinct points of law. United States v. Fujimoto, D.C. Hawaii, 1952, 102 F. Supp. 890, 893. Moreover, we fail to find anything in the record to indicate that argument on the motions in question was requested. 4. Appellants attempt to argue that § 6-14, W.S. 1957, does not provide a penalty which could be applicable in this particular case. It is recognized that the statute provides a person, upon conviction, shall suffer the same punishment and penalties as are prescribed by law for the punishment of the principal. Appellants argue that Lucas, a principal, was acquitted in Nevada; and that the case against Linn, a principal, was dismissed in Nevada. The argument overlooks that Lindblad was also a principal. Unique as the argument is, we cannot accept it. Section 6-14 clearly provides that the person convicted shall suffer the same punishment and penalties as are prescribed by law for the punishment of the principal. The law referred to can only mean Wyoming law. Thus, the meaning of the statute is that one convicted as an accessory before the fact shall suffer the penalty prescribed by Wyoming law for a person convicted of the crime involved. In this case Linn and Lucas were convicted as accessories before the fact to first degree murder. Their penalty is the penalty prescribed by Wyoming law for one who commits first degree murder. 5. Complaint is made because the trial court refused to allow the prior recorded testimony of a witness who was not present and who was said to be unobtainable. The testimony was so clearly inadmissible that we will not entertain the assignment pertaining to it. 6. In dealing with miscellaneous assignment numbered 1, we referred to testimony of Gary Matheis who testified that Lucas had threatened him in a telephone conversation. A general objection to the testimony was made when it was first offered and the objection was overruled. Even though the testimony was afterwards stricken and the jury instructed to disregard it, when the witness admitted on cross-examination that he could not clearly identify the caller, appellants still claim prejudice. Without deciding whether the testimony would have been admissible if the caller had been clearly identified as Lucas, and without deciding whether the objection thereto was sufficiently specific to exclude such testimony, we will simply say we think no prejudice resulted. As we view the record, it appears unlikely that the jury attached controlling significance to the small bit of evidence concerning the telephone call. [1] 7. Error is claimed because of the allowance into evidence of photographs which are said to have been inflammatory. We have heretofore taken the position that such things are generally left to the discretion of the trial court. [2] We fail to find the photographs here involved unusually inflammatory. That is especially true since the charge is accessory before the fact and not murder. Also, photographs could hardly add to the bizarre details which Lindblad testified to on the stand. 8. In several separate assignments appellants claim error because the trial court denied motions made by the defendants for acquittal. They seem to suggest a change in plans resulted in insufficient proof of the crime charged. All assignments of error pertaining to the denying of a motion for acquittal add up to the same thing  a claim of insufficient evidence. The evidence, however, was overwhelming and we need not review it. The jury was the judge of the weight and sufficiency of the evidence to prove the particular crime charged. Except as we specifically indicate otherwise, findings of the jury will not be disturbed. 9. The court gave an instruction to the jury setting forth the material facts to be proved upon the charge of accessory before the fact. The following was included: 2. That the defendants at some time during the first week in August, 1967, in Teton County, Wyoming knowingly and intentionally counselled, encouraged, hired or otherwise procured said murder to be committed. The defendants offered a substitute instruction which would have made necessary a finding that defendants planned the murder of Olinger at Ted Linn's residence in Jackson, Wyoming, on the first week of August, 1967. Apparently the objective of defendants was to limit the jury, according to the state's bill of particulars, to the plan allegedly made at the Linn home rather than any place in Teton County. There would be several objections to the substitute instruction offered by the defendants. For example, the word planned is not equivalent to counselled, encouraged, hired or otherwise procured said murder to be committed. Be that as it may, however, the distinction made on behalf of the defendants may have had merit as far as the case against Goldsmith is concerned. We have heretofore indicated an inference might be drawn from the testimony of Keith Hanson that Goldsmith spoke of contacting Linn, but nothing was said about when, where or how. Inasmuch as we have decided the case against Goldsmith needs to be reversed, we need not pursue the matter of this instruction, as to him. As far as Linn and Lucas are concerned, the only evidence of counselling, encouraging, hiring or otherwise procuring the murder of Olinger had to do with acts which took place at Linn's home. Therefore, as far as Linn and Lucas are concerned, it makes no difference if the court merely said in Teton County. They were not prejudiced. 10. At trial, the defendants objected to the court's instruction on presumption of innocence because of the language which states the presumption is not intended to aid anyone who is in fact guilty beyond a reasonable doubt to escape, but is a humane provision of the law. We have dealt with this instruction several times and have never held it to be erroneous. In fact, we have held the instruction not to be an improper one. [3] It is true that we said, in Lofton v. State, Wyo., 489 P.2d 1169, 1174, in order to avoid future contentions, the instruction might well be avoided. Also, in Bentley v. State, Wyo., 502 P.2d 203, 207, a majority of the court said the questionable portion of the instruction should not be given in the future. However, trial of the instant case took place April 19 to May 9, 1971; the Lofton opinion was rendered subsequently, October 28, 1971; and the Bentley opinion was rendered after that, October 24, 1972. Thus, such caveats as were expressed in Lofton and Bentley have no application in the present case.