Opinion ID: 2546081
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Failure to Include the Arraignment Transcript

Text: Hoang contends that he and the prosecution both agree as to the facts of his arraignment, including the fact that he waived the reading of the oral charge and that the prosecution failed to formally charge him. Hoang contends that this court may consider these facts as admissions by both himself and the prosecution in order to address his point of error because both parties treat the failure to formally charge him at his arraignment and trial as true. Moreover, because his point of error is one of first impression in Hawai`i, Hoang contends that this court should vacate its April 17, 2000 order and discuss the alleged error to provide guidance to the trial courts. Relying upon dictum in State v. Apao, 59 Haw. 625, 627-28, 586 P.2d 250, 253-54 (1978), superceded by statute as acknowledged in Briones v. State, 74 Haw. 442, 456 n. 7, 848 P.2d 966, 974 n. 7 (1993), Hoang maintains that the arraignment transcript is unnecessary for this court to review his point of error regarding the oral charge. Hoang's reliance upon Apao, however, is misplaced. In Apao, the defendant alleged that the trial court erred when it failed, inter alia, to dismiss his grand jury indictment. Id. at 627, 586 P.2d at 253. Although the defendant failed to include the transcript of the grand jury hearing that lead to his indictment in the record on appeal, this court stated that the briefs of appellee and appellant agree as to the following facts and we accept the facts as admissions. Id. at 627-28, 586 P.2d at 253-54. This court regarded the following general facts of the grand jury proceeding as admissions: On November 20, 1974, the grand jury heard testimony connecting appellant with the murder of the victim. Three witnesses were called to testify. The first witness, police officer William Ornellas, testified that appellant was involved in a prior murder prosecution as a defendant, and the victim had been a witness against the appellant in the prior case. Following the testimony of Ornellas, two other witnesses, Gilbert Mattos and detective Louis Souza, testified as to the events of July 20, 1974, the day the victim was killed. Id. at 628, 586 P.2d at 254. However, as to the defendant's contention that Officer Ornellas's grand jury testimony biased the grand jury against him, this court stated that  [t]he record is insufficient to show that the alleged improper testimony of Officer Ornellas clearly influenced the jurors[.] Id. at 638, 586 P.2d at 259 (emphasis added). Accordingly, this court affirmed the trial court's ruling that the grand jury indictment was proper. Id. The admissions accepted in Apao, which are distinguishable from the present case, concerned facts, specifically the number and order of testifying witnesses during the grand jury proceedings, that were inconsequential to that defendant's point of error that the trial court erred when it failed to dismiss his indictment. In contrast, whether Hoang was orally charged in the instant case is directly relevant to whether the prosecution failed to formally charge him. Moreover, Hoang fails to recognize that, in Apao, this court affirmed the validity of the grand jury indictment because the defendant in that case had likewise failed to demonstrate the alleged error by not including the relevant transcript. See id. In this regard, Hoang's contention that the prosecution failed to formally charge him is similar to the defendant's argument in Apao that an officer's grand jury testimony biased the grand jury against him. Without the relevant transcript, there is insufficient evidence to review the alleged error, and Hoang carries the burden of demonstrating the alleged error in the record. As expressed in Territory of Hawai`i v. Montgomery, 38 Haw. 561 (1950), Every presumption that a court may rightfully entertain in a criminal cause is in favor of the record and the regularity of the proceedings of the trial court. The duty is incumbent on the petitioner alleging error to make the same manifest by bringing the record before the appellate court so as to disclose either that the things complained of were not done in the manner provided by law or were done in a manner prejudicial to the rights of the petitioner. We cannot presume error in the absence of the record. Oriemon v. Territory of Hawaii, 13 Haw. 413, 415. Id. at 569. Because the factual basis of Hoang's alleged point of error is not part of the record on appeal, this court has no basis upon which to rule on the merits of his claim. See Apao, 59 Haw. at 638, 586 P.2d at 259. Where the record is insufficient to show that the alleged error occurred, the presumption that the arraignment was valid as required by law must prevail. See id. (holding that, where the record was insufficient to show that the alleged improper testimony influenced the grand jury, it will be presumed that the indictment was found as the law directs) (citing State v. Layton, 53 Haw. 513, 516, 497 P.2d 559, 561-62 (1972)). In other words, we will not presume error from a silent record. An appellant's burden of demonstrating error in the record is consistent with Hawaii's case law and court rules. In confession of error cases where the prosecution admits to error, see State v. Wasson, 76 Hawai`i 415, 418, 879 P.2d 520, 523 (1994); Territory v. Kogami, 37 Haw. 174, 175 (1945), this court has stated that, even when the prosecutor concedes error, before a conviction is reversed, `it is incumbent on the appellate court [first] to ascertain ... that the confession of error is supported by the record and well-founded in law and [second] to determine that such error is properly preserved and prejudicial.' Wasson, 76 Hawai`i at 418, 879 P.2d at 523 (quoting Kogami, 37 Haw. at 175). In other words, a confession of error by the prosecution is not binding upon an appellate court, nor may a conviction be reversed on the strength of [the prosecutor's] official action alone. Kogami, 37 Haw. at 175. In the instant case, even if the prosecution confessed error in failing to formally charge Hoang because he waived the reading of the charge, this court must still determine whether the error was properly preserved, was prejudicial to Hoang, and is supported by the record. See Wasson, 76 Hawai`i at 419, 879 P.2d at 523 (noting that the prosecution's confession of error as to the circuit court's denial of the defendant's Rule 48 motion to dismiss was proper). Hoang's failure to include the arraignment transcript in the record effectively precludes this court from determining, as a matter of law, whether the confession of error by the prosecution is justified. See Kogami, 37 Haw. at 175. Additionally, Hoang contends that, because the issue raised in his appeal is one of first impression in Hawai`i, this court should address it in order to provide guidance to the trial courts. We decline to do so. It is ... the prevailing doctrine in our judicial system that an action not founded upon an actual controversy between the parties to it, and brought for the purpose of securing a determination of a point of law, is collusive and will not be entertained[.] Reynolds v. Van Culin, 36 Haw. 556 (1943). Because we cannot verify the alleged error from the record in this case, and we will not presume error based upon a silent record, the presumption that the trial court acted without error must prevail. See Apao, 59 Haw. at 638, 586 P.2d at 259. Accordingly, based upon the foregoing, we deny Hoang's motion for reconsideration as it relates to the arraignment proceedings and sustain our April 17, 2000 order in that respect.