Opinion ID: 2570536
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: The Calendar

Text: Baumgartner argues that the calendar is crucial evidence to his defense because it directly contradicts his wife's trial testimony and shows that he could not have been home to commit the alleged offense in June of 1990, the time frame she testified the offense occurred. Baumgartner argues this evidence of an alibi is material evidence warranting a new trial. There is no question that evidence tending to show a defendant could not have been present to commit an alleged crime is material to his defense as evidence of an alibi. Esquibel v. State, 399 P.2d 395, 399 (Wyo.1965). Whether the evidence at issue here can properly be characterized as alibi evidence is questionable given Baumgartner's admission that the event giving rise to the criminal charge in fact occurred. The question we must answer, however, is whether the evidence in this case is so material that it would probably produce a different result if a new trial is ordered. Having carefully reviewed the record before us, we are not persuaded that the calendar satisfies this prong of the newly discovered evidence test. In June of 1996, after the allegations were made by his wife, Baumgartner gave a written statement to the police in which he admitted that his wife came into the bathroom while he was taking a bath with his son and that he had an erection. That statement, along with Baumgartner's testimony to the same effect, was presented at trial. Although there was disagreement about when the incident occurred and differing testimony as to exactly what occurred, there was no dispute that at some time during the 1988 or 1990 time frame, Baumgartner was in the bathtub with his son and had an erection. The question for the jury to decide was whose version of events to believethat of Baumgartner's wife, who testified that she saw her husband masturbating with his son's hands on his erect penis, or that of Baumgartner, who admitted that he was in the bathtub with his son and had an erection, but denied that he was masturbating with his son's hands on his penis. Given Baumgartner's statements that the event in fact occurred, the issue of whether it happened in June of 1990, or July of 1988 as Baumgartner testified, was not crucial to the question whether he committed the offense charged. Although the calendar may have been important in terms of contradicting the wife's testimony, evidence which merely impeaches or contradicts evidence produced at trial is not new evidence warranting a new trial based upon newly discovered evidence. Grable v. State, 664 P.2d 531, 533-34 (Wyo.1983). The calendar also fails to satisfy the test for newly discovered evidence warranting a new trial for the reason that it is cumulative. In his opening statement, Baumgartner's counsel referred to the long hours Baumgartner was working during the time the amended information alleged the incident occurred. Baumgartner testified that in June of 1990 he was working two fulltime jobs, 19 to 20 hours per day, and that on the day in question he only had 30 to 45 minutes at home between jobs. The calendar merely corroborates the testimony and argument already presented that Baumgartner was working long hours during part of the month of June of 1990. It is, therefore, cumulative and fails to satisfy the fourth prong of the test for newly discovered evidence. Citing Derksen v. State, 845 P.2d 1383 (Wyo.1993), Baumgartner also argues that, because the State charged him with an offense occurring in June of 1990, it was error to permit the jury to convict if the evidence proved an offense that could not have occurred at that time. The Sixth Amendment to the Constitution of the United States and Article 1, Section 10 of the Constitution of the State of Wyoming provide that an accused has the right in all criminal prosecutions to be informed of the nature and cause of the charge against him. The purpose of these constitutional requirements is to assure adequate notice of the accusations to the defendant to enable him to prepare a defense. Vernier v. State, 909 P.2d 1344, 1351 (Wyo.1996). The constitutional requirements are implemented in W.R.Cr.P. 3(b)(1), which provides that the information must be a plain, concise and definite written statement of the essential facts constituting the offense charged. Under the constitutional requirements and the criminal rule, an information is sufficient if it: 1) contains the elements of the offense charged; 2) fairly informs a defendant of the charge against which he must defend; and 3) enables a defendant to plead an acquittal or conviction in bar of future prosecutions for the same offense. Vernier, at 1351 (quoting Stewart v. State, 724 P.2d 439, 440 (Wyo.1986)). Applying this test, we have said in a number of cases that where a specific date is not an element of the offense charged, the allegation of a general time period is sufficient to give a defendant notice and allow him to adequately defend. Id. (and cases cited therein). We have also said that a specific date is not essential to the commission of the crime described in Wyo. Stat. Ann. § 14-3-105. Stewart v. State, 724 P.2d 439, 441 (Wyo.1986). We have further said that nonsuit may not be allowed on the ground that the State's evidence fails to fix any definite time for the offense where there is sufficient evidence that the defendant committed each essential act of the offense. Id. Baumgartner admitted that he was in the bathtub with his young son and had an erection. Although he testified that this event occurred in June of 1988, rather than June of 1989 or 1990 as the information and amended information alleged, he did not challenge the fact of the event itself. Under these particular facts and circumstances, we find that the information sufficiently gave notice to Baumgartner. We do not find that the failure to allege the date of June 1990 prior to the day of trial prejudiced Baumgartner or hindered his ability to present a defense.