Opinion ID: 2585956
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: motion to change judge

Text: In stating his first issue on appeal, Reed asserts the district court erred in failing to conduct a hearing on his pretrial Motion to Change Judge, filed pursuant to K.S.A. 2005 Supp. 20-311d(a). However, Reed does not present arguments or authorities related to the failure to conduct a hearing. An issue not briefed by an appellant is deemed waived or abandoned. State v. Holmes, 278 Kan. 603, 622, 102 P.3d 406 (2004). The issue which Reed does argue and, therefore, preserves is whether the denial of his motion to change judge resulted in a due process violation. A motion for a change of judge is governed by K.S.A. 2005 Supp. 20-311d. The first step of the procedure prescribed by that statute allows a party who believes that the judge to whom an action is assigned cannot afford that party a fair trial in the action to file a motion to change judge. K.S.A. 2005 Supp. 20-311d(a). The motion shall not state the grounds for the party's or attorney's belief. The judge shall promptly hear the motion informally upon reasonable notice to all parties who have appeared in the case. K.S.A. 2005 Supp. 20-311d(a). If the judge refuses to recuse, K.S.A. 2005 Supp. 20-311d(b) and (c)(5) provide that a party may file an affidavit stating the facts supporting the party's belief that the judge possesses bias, prejudice, or interest toward the case. Upon the filing of such an affidavit, the statute requires the Chief Judge to refer the affidavit to another district judge for prompt determination of the legal sufficiency of the affidavit. K.S.A. 2005 Supp. 20-311d(b). Reed filed a motion pursuant to K.S.A. 2005 Supp. 20-311d(a) seeking the recusal of Judge Rawley Dent II. Judge Dent denied the motion. Reed proceeded to the next step of the procedure and filed an affidavit in support of his motion for change of judge. In his affidavit, Reed alleged that Judge Dent was personally acquainted with Reed's family, that the judge was a member of the victims' church, that the judge's daughter was a best friend of one of Reed's daughters, and that Reed's wife had been the school nurse at the school attended by Judge Dent's children. The motion was assigned to Judge Russell Canaday. Judge Canaday examined Reed's affidavit and found there were no grounds sufficient to require a change of judge. As a result, Judge Dent presided over Reed's trial. On appeal, Reed contends Judge Dent's personal associations with the victims and the close-knit atmosphere of the community created reasonable doubt regarding the impartiality of Judge Dent. He argues, therefore, that he was denied a fair trial when his motion to change judge was denied. The standard of review for a claim of error relating to a motion for change of judge is set forth in State v. Alderson, 260 Kan. 445, Syl. ¶ 2, 922 P.2d 435 (1996), as follows: When a district court refuses to recuse itself from a trial upon the defendant's request, this court has promulgated a two-part test to determine whether the defendant received a fair trial or whether the defendant's due process rights were violated: (1) Did the trial judge have a duty to recuse himself or herself from this case because the judge was biased, prejudicial, or partial? (2) If the judge did have a duty to recuse and failed to do so, is there a showing of actual bias or prejudice to warrant setting aside the judgment of the trial court? Regarding the first prong of this test, we have stated a judge should disqualify himself or herself if the circumstances and facts of the case create reasonable doubt concerning the judge's impartiality, not in the mind of the judge himself, or even, necessarily, in the mind of the litigant filing the motion, but rather in the mind of a reasonable person with knowledge of all the circumstances. State v. Logan, 236 Kan. 79, 86, 689 P.2d 778 (1984). Reed argues he created this reasonable doubt. However, even if we were to assume for the purpose of determining legal sufficiency that Reed established this first part of the test, in order to establish a violation of due process, Reed must demonstrate actual bias or prejudice by the judge. Bias refers to the judge's mental attitude toward a party to the lawsuit. Alderson, 260 Kan. at 454, 922 P.2d 435. Bias and prejudice exist if a judge harbors a hostile feeling or spirit of ill will against one of the litigants, or undue friendship or favoritism toward one. State v. Foy, 227 Kan. 405, 411, 607 P.2d 481 (1980); see also State ex rel. v. Sage Stores Co., 157 Kan. 622, 625, 143 P.2d 652 (1943). The record does not show that the judge actually exhibited bias or prejudice at Reed's trial. In a roundabout attempt to argue that actual bias was shown, Reed asserts that the trial court's imposition of a hard 50 life sentence was overly harsh. Reed points out that he was 50 years old at the time of sentencing, had no criminal history, and had cooperated fully with law enforcement during pre-trial proceedings. Reed implies that the trial court improperly refused to consider the mitigating evidence he presented during the sentencing hearing before imposing a hard 50 sentence. He argues that his crimes were motivated by the heat of passion, rather than planned by a cold, calculated criminal mind. Reed, however, does not raise sufficiency of the evidence arguments on appeal. There is clearly overwhelming evidence to support his convictions. As for Reed's hard 50 sentence, K.S.A. 2005 Supp. 21-4635(b) provides that, when a defendant is convicted of first-degree premeditated murder for a crime committed after July 1, 1999, the court shall determine whether the defendant shall be required to serve a mandatory hard 50 term. In making such a determination, if the district court finds that one or more aggravating circumstances exist and are not outweighed by any mitigating circumstances that exist, the court must impose the hard 50 sentence. K.S.A. 2005 Supp. 21-4635(d). Here, the trial court found two aggravating circumstances: (1) the defendant knowingly or purposely killed or created a risk of death to more than one person, and (2) the defendant committed the crime in an especially heinous, atrocious, or cruel manner. K.S.A. 2005 Supp. 21-4636(b), (f). As a basis for the second aggravating circumstance, the trial court specifically found (1) Reed's planning indicated the killing was meant to be especially heinous, atrocious, or cruel in that Shirley suffered 20 gunshot wounds while being pursued through the house and to the closet where she was hiding after already being shot; (2) Reed repeatedly shot Shirley while she was in the closet making a 911 call and while knowing she was going to be shot and killed; (3) Reed inflicted mental anguish or physical abuse upon Shirley by holding a gun to R.R.'s head while threatening to kill the girl if Shirley did not come back into the room from which she had fled to escape the defendant; and (4) continuous acts of violence began before or continued after the killing when Reed shot at Shirley numerous times and then shot R.R. as he was walking out the door. See K.S.A. 2005 Supp. 21-4636(f)(2), (3), (5). With respect to mitigating circumstances, the district court found that only one applied to Reedhis lack of prior criminal history. K.S.A. 21-4637. Reed had also claimed that the crimes were committed while he was under the influence of extreme mental or emotional disturbances and that the court should consider his age of 50. The trial court observed that the mental evaluations undergone by Reed did not support his claim of extreme mental or emotional disturbance. The court noted that the only evidence of such disturbances were self-reported by Reed to the evaluators. As for Reed's age, the court found he was not so old to lack the ability to understand the nature of what he was doing or to appreciate right from wrong. The trial court determined that the aggravating circumstances outweighed any mitigating circumstances. The trial court's findings are supported by the record, and these findings, while adverse to Reed, do not reflect hostility or favoritism on the part of the judge. Reed's claim that the judge actually exhibited bias or prejudice fails. Therefore, Reed has failed to establish a due process violation.