Opinion ID: 2632203
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Joinder of the Escape Charge.

Text: {10} While awaiting trial on the first degree murder and related charges, Defendant escaped from custody. In response to a medical complaint, Defendant had been taken from the Bernalillo County Detention Center (BCDC) to the emergency room at the University of New Mexico Hospital. While there, Defendant undid the leg cuffs holding him to a hospital bed and fled from the BCDC corrections officer accompanying him. He was subsequently overtaken by the corrections officer, an Albuquerque police officer, and a hospital security officer. {11} The incident gave rise to an additional indictment charging Defendant with escape from jail under NMSA 1978, § 30-22-8 (1963), or, in the alternative, with escape from a peace officer under NMSA 1978, § 30-22-10 (1963). The State subsequently filed a motion to consolidate the new charges with the original offenses. In its motion, the State argued that the escape attempt would be admissible in the murder trial to show consciousness of guilt and that joinder would promote judicial economy by avoiding two jury trials. Defendant opposed consolidation, arguing that the jury might give the escape evidence improper weight during the penalty phase. After a hearing on the motion, the trial court consolidated the two cases for trial, finding that the escape evidence would be cross-admissible in separate trials, the claim of the possible effect on the jury was speculative, and that any prejudicial effect of the evidence did not substantially outweigh its probative value. See Rule 11-403 NMRA 2000. In response to Defendant's concerns, however, the trial court gave a limiting instruction during the sentencing hearing advising the jury not to consider the escape evidence for any purpose during the penalty phase. {12} Defendant first argues that joinder of the escape charges was improper because it did not meet the criteria for joinder stated in Rule 5-203(A) NMRA 2000. The State argues that this issue was not preserved because at trial Defendant only argued that the jury would misuse the evidence of escape, not that joinder was improper under the rule. We agree that this issue was not preserved. See Rule 12-216(A) NMRA 2000. In order to preserve an issue for appeal, it is essential that a party must make a timely objection that specifically apprises the trial court of the claimed error and invokes an intelligent ruling thereon. State v. Varela, 1999-NMSC-045, ¶¶ 25-26, 128 N.M. 454, 993 P.2d 1280; State v. Gomez, 1997-NMSC-006, ¶ 29, 122 N.M. 777, 932 P.2d 1. This Court held in State v. Clark, 108 N.M. 288, 297, 772 P.2d 322, 331 (1989), that, absent fundamental error, even in a death penalty case issues must be properly preserved. {13} Defendant contends that the escape evidence was prejudicial because the same jury that heard the escape evidence decided whether he should receive the death penalty. The State responds that the jury was given a limiting instruction that it was not to consider Defendant's escape when deliberating on whether to impose the death penalty. Defendant replies that the limiting instruction was insufficient to remove the unfair prejudice and, further, that it conflicted with another jury instruction which instructed the jury that [i]n deciding the sentence you must consider all the evidence admitted during the trial. See UJI 14-7012 NMRA 2000. {14} On appeal, this Court's review is limited to the question of whether the joinder created an appreciable risk that the jury convicted for illegitimate reasons. State v. Duffy, 1998-NMSC-014, ¶ 42, 126 N.M. 132, 967 P.2d 807. The trial court has broad discretion in resolving the question and will not be reversed on appeal absent a showing of abuse of that discretion. Id. To demonstrate error, a defendant must show that his right to a fair trial was prejudiced by the joinder. Id. {15} A defendant might be prejudiced if the joinder of offenses permitted the jury to hear testimony that would have been otherwise inadmissible in separate trials. See State v. Gallegos, 109 N.M. 55, 64, 781 P.2d 783, 792 (Ct.App.1989). In this case, however, as Defendant conceded in his pretrial motion and upon appeal, evidence of the escape, even if uncharged, would have been admissible to show consciousness of guilt. This Court has previously recognized the relevance and admissibility of evidence of flight as tending to show a consciousness of guilt. State v. Trujillo, 95 N.M. 535, 541, 624 P.2d 44, 50 (1981) (holding admissible evidence of planned flight and an escape from jail); State v. Smith, 89 N.M. 777, 783, 558 P.2d 46, 52 (Ct.App.) (holding that evidence of flight, even an aborted plan for flight, tends to show consciousness of guilt), rev'd on other grounds, Smith v. State, 89 N.M. 770, 558 P.2d 39 (1976). Cross-admissibility of evidence dispels any inference of prejudice from the jury having heard improper evidence. See State v. Griffin, 116 N.M. 689, 693, 866 P.2d 1156, 1160 (1993). We conclude that the trial court, having determined properly that the evidence would be cross-admissible in separate trials and having weighed the probative value against the danger of unfair prejudice, did not abuse its discretion in joining the charges. {16} The escape evidence was properly before the jury during the sentencing phase. See § 31-20A-1(C) (allowing all evidence admitted at trial to be considered); cf. Clark v. Tansy, 118 N.M. 486, 492, 882 P.2d 527, 533 (1994) (holding future dangerousness appropriate for consideration by capital sentencing juries as long as the defendant is given an opportunity for rebuttal). Since the jury could properly have considered the escape evidence, we need not address the issue of whether the instruction not to consider the evidence of escape impermissibly conflicted with the instruction to consider all evidence admitted during trial. {17} Defendant also argues for the adoption of a per se reversible error standard in the case of misjoinder. As discussed, we find no misjoinder in this case. Moreover, this Court has previously rejected the adoption of a per se rule requiring reversal. See State v. Gonzales, 113 N.M. 221, 230, 824 P.2d 1023, 1032 (1992) (declining to adopt a per se rule requiring severance and holding that a defendant must show actual prejudice from joinder of charges). Defendant's arguments do not persuade us to change that position.