Opinion ID: 1768076
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: THE RCr 11.42 HEARING

Text: Bowling raises a number of arguments that allege deprivation of various constitutional rights at his RCr 11.42 hearing. We address each below.
Bowling argues that the trial judge should have recused himself from presiding over the RCr 11.42 hearing. We disagree. Bowling argues that the trial judge was a material witness at the hearing. The record does not support this claim. Bowling argues that, by questioning certain witnesses at length, the trial judge created the appearance that he was taking sides. The cases Bowling cites in support of his argument all concern jury trials. See, e.g., United States v. Sheldon, 544 F.2d 213 (5th Cir.1976). The core issue in these cases is whether the judge's questions had a prejudicial impact on the jury. But in this case, there was no jury. Thus, no jury impact concerns are present here. Further, we believe that the trial court did not exceed its authorization to interrogate witnesses in this case. The trial court is authorized by KRE 614 to question witnesses. When the trial court acts as the trier of fact, the extent of examination of witnesses by the presiding judge is left to the trial judge's discretion. See, e.g., United States v. McCarthy, 196 F.2d 616, 619 (7th Cir.1952); Jordan v. Guinn, 253 Ark. 315, 485 S.W.2d 715, 719 (1972). Our review of the record does not show that the questions asked of witnesses or the extent of the questioning by the trial judge was an abuse of discretion.
Bowling argues that the trial court erred in denying his motion to disqualify Commonwealth's Attorney, Tom Handy, from representing the Commonwealth in the evidentiary hearing on the RCr 11.42 motion. While we agree with the trial court's ruling, we believe that Handy should have disqualified himself. But, based upon the facts of this case, we can offer Bowling no relief. Prior to the evidentiary hearing on his RCr 11.42 motion, Bowling filed a motion for the trial court to recuse Handy because he was going to be a material witness at the hearing. This motion was based on defense counsel's stated intention to call Handy as a witness in connection with the alleged Brady violations outlined above and additional allegations of prosecutorial misconduct in connection with two witnesses who testified at trial. At a pre-hearing conference, the Commonwealth urged the trial court to deny the motion. The Commonwealth argued that Handy was not the only witness available to testify to the matters alleged in Bowling's RCr 11.42 motion. Further, the Commonwealth argued that to grant the motion would allow Bowling to control who prosecuted his case in the evidentiary hearing. The trial court denied the motion on grounds that Bowling had not established a sufficient basis to disqualify Handy. KRS 15.733(3) provides: Any prosecuting attorney may be disqualified by the court in which the proceeding is presently pending, upon a showing of actual prejudice. We cannot say that the trial court erred in concluding that no actual prejudice had been shown by the defense, especially in light of the Commonwealth's assertion that other witnesses were available to testify about the relevant matters. But KRS 15.733(2)(d) provides in pertinent part: Any prosecuting attorney shall disqualify himself in any proceeding in which he ... [i]s to the prosecuting attorney's knowledge likely to be a material witness in the proceeding. Contrary to the Commonwealth's assurances at the pre-hearing conference, Handy did testify at Bowling's evidentiary hearing about material matters involving Bowling's allegations. At some point, Handy should have disqualified himself, but we do not believe that Handy's failure to disqualify himself unduly prejudiced Bowling. This was an evidentiary hearing in which a judge was the trier of fact, and not a trial by jury. Further, Bowling had the burden of proof at the hearing and not the Commonwealth. The trial judge in this case is a seasoned and able judge. We have no doubt that he was not unduly influenced by Handy's participation as both prosecutor and witness in this case.

Bowling argues that the trial court erred in not granting a continuance because defense counsel wanted to (1) locate and subpoena additional witnesses, (2) investigate the disposition of the Fayette County charges against Chappell, (3) confer further with Bowling prior to the hearing, (4) further investigate the exclusion of disabled jurors claim, and (5) investigate whether there were two different serial numbers for the gun linked to Bowling at trial. Whether to grant a motion for continuance is well within the sound discretion of the trial court. Morris v. Slappy, 461 U.S. 1, 11-12, 103 S.Ct. 1610, 1616-17, 75 L.Ed.2d 610 (1983); Crawford v. Commonwealth, Ky., 824 S.W.2d 847, 850-51 (1992). Thus, a trial court's ruling on a continuance motion will remain undisturbed unless it appears to the appellate court that, in overruling the motion, there was a clear abuse of judicial discretion such as to deny the accused substantial justice. Hunter v. Commonwealth, Ky., 869 S.W.2d 719, 721 (1994). There was no abuse of discretion in this case. An RCr 11.42 motion provides a forum for known grievances. Gilliam v. Commonwealth, Ky., 652 S.W.2d 856, 858 (1983). It does not provide an opportunity to search for or discover new grievances. Id. Therefore, there could be no abuse of discretion for failing to grant a continuance to investigate new claims or search for evidence to support suspected claims. As for any grounds that did not fall into the previous category, there was no clear abuse of discretion for failing to grant Bowling's motion for a continuance.
Bowling argues that the trial court prevented him from putting on avowal testimony concerning his claim of ineffective assistance of appellate counsel. An RCr 11.42 motion cannot be used as a vehicle for relief from ineffective assistance of appellate counsel. Harper v. Commonwealth, Ky., 978 S.W.2d 311, 318 (1998), cert. denied, 526 U.S. 1056, 119 S.Ct. 1367, 143 L.Ed.2d 527 (1999). Thus, there was no cognizable error to preserve and allowing the avowal testimony would have been an act of futility.
The trial court denied Bowling's motion for an in camera review of files from Fayette County concerning the disposition of the charges against Chappell. As discussed above, the Fayette County indictments against Chappell were not admissible at Bowling's trial. Consequently, there was no reason to review the files. There was no error.
Bowling moved the trial court to order the Commonwealth to disclose exculpatory evidence. The motion appears to be nothing more than an attempt to discover new grounds for relief. Therefore, the motion was outside the scope of the purpose of the RCr 11.42 motion.
Bowling moved for the appointment of a neuropsychologist to assist in supporting claims that defense counsel was ineffective for failing to investigate and put on mitigating psychological evidence during the penalty phase of Bowling's trial. The trial court denied the motion stating, There is no evidence that defense counsel was ineffective in investigating [Bowling's] background. Thus, the trial court's ruling was that Bowling failed to show that the expenses for the expert funding were necessary. A needy or indigent person charged with a serious crime is entitled to be provided with the necessary services and facilities of representation including investigation and other preparation. KRS 31.110(1)(b). Necessary services has been construed to mean reasonably necessary. Hicks v. Commonwealth, Ky., 670 S.W.2d 837, 838 (1984), cert. denied, 469 U.S. 1040, 105 S.Ct. 521, 83 L.Ed.2d 409 (1984). In light of our holding concerning defense counsel's investigation and presentation of mitigating evidence in the penalty phase of Bowling's trial, see Part IV, infra, we conclude that the funds for a neuropsychologist were not reasonably necessary. Therefore, we hold that the trial court did not err in denying the motion for funds.
Beverly Lewis was a friend of Chappell's ex-wife. Chappell was charged in Leslie County with assaulting Lewis. As discussed above, the Leslie County charges against Chappell were ultimately dismissed. As explained in Bowling's brief, Lewis would have testified that Chappell hit her over the head with a lead pipe and that she did not know why the charges against Chappell were dismissed. Bowling argues that this testimony would have supported his allegations that defense counsel was ineffective for failing to investigate the dismissal of the Leslie County charges. The trial court ruled that there was no ineffective assistance of counsel in connection with the Leslie County charges and, thus, there was no reason to take Lewis's testimony. Like the trial court, we have strong doubts as to whether Lewis's testimony, as outlined in Bowling's brief, would have been admissible at Bowling's trial. Even if admissible, there is not a reasonable probability that the results of Bowling's trial would have been different had Lewis testified.
Bowling raises a number of additional allegations of trial court error that are unsupported by law or by any argument in his brief, or both. These issues include: denying Bowling's motion to lift the standing order prohibiting contacts with the jury; granting the Commonwealth's motion to prohibit ex parte proceedings; denying Bowling's motion to supplement the record; limitation of defense counsel's questioning of Bowling's trial defense counsel; preventing Bowling from presenting the testimony of Bowling's brother John; and allowing the prosecutor to cross-examine a defense witness before the direct examination of the witness. We see no reason to discuss these issues further.