Opinion ID: 1867526
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 11

Heading: Spreigl Evidence

Text: On August 2-3, 2000, a hearing was held outside the presence of the jury on whether to admit Spreigl [11] evidence of kidnapping and criminal sexual conduct incidents involving Blom that occurred in 1975, 1982, and 1983. The state proposed presenting this evidence to show identity and common plan or scheme. [12] In support of its request, the state argued that its proof of identity was weak because the surveillance video did not reveal the abductor's identity and because, other than Hanek, the line-up witnesses had been unsure or had identified someone other than Blom. The state asserted that there was a sufficient modus operandi nexus to admit the evidence because the victims in the prior incidents were all young, petite women, they were subdued by Blom grabbing their necks, and they were taken to secluded wooded locations and assaulted. The state noted that the surveillance video showed the abductor holding Poirier at her neck and moving her out of the store. In response, Blom argued that the state's case for identity was strong because of Hanek's identification of Blom as being at the crime scene, Blom's September 8 statement, and the state's two dental experts' identification of the tooth as being Poirier's. The defense, highlighting the prejudicial potential of testimony about sexual assault, argued that there was no criminal sexual conduct alleged in this case and therefore it was dissimilar to the prior incidents. Blom's counsel noted other differences between the 1983 incident and the current case, specifically that in 1983 there were two female victims instead of one, that the victims had picked up Blom who was hitchhiking, that a weapon was used, and that the victims were minors. Blom's counsel also argued that because the 1983 incident occurred almost 16 years before Poirier's abduction, its probative value was small, while its potential for prejudice was great. The district court excluded the 1975 and 1982 incidents, but allowed evidence about the 1983 incident. Blom had pleaded guilty and was subsequently convicted of second-degree criminal sexual conduct and kidnapping for this incident. In making its decision to allow evidence of the 1983 incident, the court concluded that the state's proof on identity was weak because Blom intended to show that he falsely confessed to the crime and would be presenting evidence that the witness identifications were weak. The court found that the state gave proper notice, Blom's conviction was clear and convincing evidence of the 1983 incident, and that Spreigl evidence does not have to be completely identical to the crime at issue, but rather be substantially similar. The court found that the 1983 incident was similar because the victims were of a younger age and were abducted to a remote wooded area. The court also noted that, even though Blom maintained there was no criminal sexual conduct with respect to Poirier, there was no way of knowing if criminal sexual conduct occurred on May 26 and the court was not bound by Blom's description of the events. The court did not address Blom's contention that the conviction was too remote in time to have probative value. As a result of the district court's ruling, the two female victims of the 1983 incident testified. Before each witness's testimony, the court cautioned the jury that the evidence was being offered only for the purpose of assisting the jury in determining whether Blom committed the acts on May 26, 1999, and that the jury was not to convict the defendant on the basis of the 1983 incident because this might result in unjust double punishment. The victims of the 1983 sexual assault testified that they were traveling on a rural road when they drove by Blom, who was walking. After offering him a ride, Blom got in the back seat of their car and they continued to drive. At the time of their abduction, the victims were 15 and 16 years old, 5'2 and 5'6, and each weighed between 110 and 115 pounds. At some point, Blom pulled out a knife, threatened the girls, and told them where to drive. Blom directed the girls to a remote wooded area and instructed them to exit the car, still threatening them with the knife. He then forced them to walk into the woods by holding them by the backs of their shirt collars with the knife in the other hand. Once in the woods, he tied them up, gagged them, and attempted to rape them. During the assault, he began choking one of the girls with his hands to the point that she became very red and it appeared as if she would die. He then began choking the other girl. After a time, the girls were able to escape. Blom then ran away from the scene of the assault, but was subsequently located and arrested.