Opinion ID: 2499163
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Totality of Evidence

Text: ¶ 32 The majority opinion fails to consider the totality of evidence before the jury and exaggerates the potential prejudice of a late-discovered photo of Stenson's pants with the right pocket pulled out, where some gunshot residue (GSR) evidence was found. ¶ 33 In March 1993, Stenson had arranged for both victims to be at his home at 3:30 a.m. Shortly after the murders, Stenson made a 911 call suggesting that his business partner, Frank Hoerner, murdered Stenson's wife and then committed suicide. However, that account was quickly proven false (and there has never been another viable suspect). The evidence indicated that the murder gun was placed on Hoerner's hand after his death. The evidence at trial also established that Hoerner had been beaten unconscious, dragged into the [Stenson] house from the gravel driveway . . . where he was shot in the head at close range. State v. Stenson, 132 Wash.2d 668, 679, 940 P.2d 1239 (1997). Stenson owed Hoerner $50,000 that he could not pay. Further, Stenson had insured his wife for more than $400,000. She was the second victim. These two crimes solve Stenson's financial problems, a powerful motive. ¶ 34 The weapon used to beat Hoerner unconscious outside before he was dragged inside and shot was consistent with a missing set of nunchaku sticks that were displayed on the wall of Stenson's office. Investigation also uncovered Hoerner's blood in the driveway and laundry room and Stenson's bloody fingerprint on the freezer inside the house. There was blood splatter on Stenson's pants. Some of the blood spatter fit Hoerner's blood profile and could only have been deposited before Hoerner came to his final resting place. This evidence flatly contradicted Stenson's claim to the jury that Hoerner went voluntarily into the house to use the restroom. ¶ 35 Moreover, the reliability of the GSR evidence tangentially challenged here had already been impeached before the jury with other evidence (Stenson had been restrained in the back of a sheriff's car that had been used by gun carrying officers). In light of all these considerations, the new question with respect to the GSR evidence cannot meet the Brady requirement of prejudice. The trial court decision of a sworn jury and two separate reviews by Judge Williams should be upheld.