Opinion ID: 874884
Heading Depth: 5
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Black letter

Text: Payne asserts that his counsel was ineffective for agreeing to redactions of one sentence in the black letter. He argues counsel should have argued that the sentence in the black letter was inadmissible in its entirety under Idaho Rule of Evidence 404(b) as evidence of prior bad acts. His argument relies on the contention that reading the black letter and red letter together shows that the rape reference in the black letter was to other rapes occurring at Maple Grove and Barber Park, and not to the rape of Maher. [5] The red letter provides: Don't show this to Teresa please All in Boise To set the record straight, raped the woman at the apartment on Maplegrove raped the girls at barber park kidnapped, killed and stole the mustang body in septic behind barn These are things I have partial memorys [sic] of so I'm pretty sure I did them, I don't remember killing the girl whose car I have but theres is memory of dumping the body in the tank and lots of blood in the back seat, so I must of At trial, this letter was redacted to exclude the references to the two other rapesthe two lines italicized above. The black letter was found in Payne's motel room, and is addressed to his wife, Teresa. Unredacted it provides, in pertinent part: I can't come back, I'm dead either way. This way its quite [sic] and over with quickly. Not drawn out thru [sic] the courts and prison and everything. And they will kill me. I've done terrible things. I'm sure I killed the girl that I have her car. I don't actually remember it but I do remember getting rid of the body. I have some memories of rapes. I don't know why I've lost control. It kills me that I've done this too [sic] you and the boys. I don't deserve to live anymore. And I have no control left. Even feeling this way, on the ride over to the ... I would see a pretty girl and want to go over [and] either expose myself to her or abduct her. You ... I have to do this. But as always, I'm taking the easy way out. I'm so sorry. Prior to trial, Payne moved to suppress the black letter based on marital privilege. This motion was denied. [6] Then during trial Payne's counsel and the prosecution agreed that portions of the black letter needed to be redacted. Payne's counsel wanted the entire sentence, I have memories of rapes redacted or changed to I have memories. The State proposed changing I have some memories of rapes to I have some memories of rape. Payne's counsel was concerned that this changed the meaning of Payne's letter. He argued: Judge, what I'm concerned about, so far everything [opposing counsel] said is accurate. That's the point of contention right there. Is that the actual phrase was referring to the other bad acts. And in its redacted form it sounds like [Payne] is referring to this case, and that's where I have the problem. The district court felt that the of rapes should be left in the sentence, as Payne had been charged with rape. It then proposed changing I have some memories of rapes to I have some memorie of rape. While Payne's counsel pointed out that this still left the problem of leading the jury to believe the sentence referred to the Maher rape as opposed to other rapes, the district court pointed out that its redaction avoid[ed] the other bad acts issue, which I think is even more prejudicial, and perhaps unfairly so, to your client. [7] The black letter was presented to the jury with the redacted sentence reading: I have some memorie of rape. Here, Payne's counsel was not ineffective. Payne now argues that his trial counsel should have cited I.R.E., 404(b).... However, during trial Payne's counsel pointed out to the judge that the letter referenced other bad acts. Indeed, the judge proposed the ultimate redactions as a way to avoid presenting the jury with evidence of prior bad acts and determined that the redaction would not unfairly prejudice Payne. Therefore, although Payne now contends otherwise, his counsel was not ineffective. His counsel brought the prior bad acts problem to the trial court's attention; that they lost the motion does not make them ineffective. Thus, his counsel's performance did not fall below an objectively reasonable standard.