Opinion ID: 2521431
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Issues in Appellate Counsel's Brief

Text: Smith's original appellate counsel briefed 11 issues for our consideration. That lawyer was later permitted to withdraw. After two replacements also withdrew, the lawyer ultimately appointed to represent Smith appeared at oral argument and said she had been specifically instructed by her client to argue none of the issues briefed by original appellate counsel and to focus only on issues raised in Smith's pro se supplemental brief. Although we would generally discourage such a course of action on the part of a criminal defendant, Smith's explicit abandonment of the 11 issues briefed by his first lawyer caused him no legal prejudice in the unique circumstances of this case. None would have led to reversal. Despite the abandonment, the gravity of Smith's crime and the likelihood that he will pursue future collateral challenges to his conviction prompts us to address each of the 11 issues briefly in the following list. (1) The district court did not abuse its discretion by refusing to allow discovery of SRS records on Scott and her son. Smith demonstrated no link between the likely content of the records and his trial claim of self-defense. A reasonable person could easily have taken the position of the district court. See State v. Kessler, 276 Kan. 202, 212, 73 P.3d 761 (2003) (district court's ruling on discovery subject to abuse of discretion standard; such discretion abused only when no reasonable person would take the view adopted by the trial court). (2) The district court did not abuse its discretion in rejecting Smith's Batson challenge. See State v. Bradford, 272 Kan. 523, 529, 34 P.3d 434 (2001). A reasonable person could agree with the district judge's conclusions that the prosecutor met her burden of articulating a race-neutral reason for striking the juror and that Smith failed to establish purposeful discrimination. See Batson, 476 U.S. at 98. Moreover, this court has upheld similar strikes in the past. See State v. Caenen, 270 Kan. 776, 790, 19 P.3d 142 (2001) ( Batson challenge fails; potential juror struck because he was a single man with `limited, little or no contact' with children, not because he was African-American); State v. Gadelkarim, 256 Kan. 671, 691-92, 887 P.2d 88 (1994) (prosecution argues strike supported by juror's unmarried status and inattention; all other single jurors struck; Batson challenge fails). (3) The district court did not abuse its discretion in admitting the photographs of Smith in jail clothing. The photographs constituted direct evidence of whether Smith had visible injuries at the time of his arrest, evidence relevant to his account of the scuffle over the gun and his claim of self-defense. A reasonable person could conclude, as the district court did, that the substantial probative value of this evidence outweighed any minimal prejudicial effect generated by Smith's attire at the time the photographs were taken. We agree with the district judge that most jurors would hardly be shocked to learn that a murder suspect was taken into custody for some period of time, the only information communicated by jail clothing. (4) Smith's argument that the district court erred in permitting evidence of Battle's and Scott's son's statements about an earlier incident in which Smith fired his gun also has no merit. There was no objection to the evidence of Battle's statement; Smith introduced the statement of Scott's son, thereby inviting any error; and neither mention of the incident was covered by the wording of a pretrial motion in limine. (5) There was no error in permitting the medical examiner to characterize certain of Scott's wounds as defensive. The admission of expert testimony lies within the sound discretion of the trial court. Irvin v. Smith, 272 Kan. 112, 125, 31 P.3d 934 (2001). The prosecutor laid the necessary foundation for the doctor's testimony. The doctor thoroughly explained her education, background, and teaching experience. She also explained why defensive wounds would occur on the areas of the body where they appeared on Scott. (6) The district court also did not abuse its discretion by excluding evidence from the medical examiner regarding the amount of cocaine and alcohol in Scott's body and the reaction or behavior such an amount would have caused. A reasonable person could agree with the district court that, because the effects of alcohol and drugs are highly individual, and because the medical examiner had no personal knowledge of Scott's particular reactions on the night of her death or at any other time, the testimony Smith sought would have been speculative and irrelevant. (7) The district court did not err in refusing Smith's request for a voluntary intoxication instruction. The instruction would have been legally inconsistent with Smith's self-defense claim and factually inconsistent with his detailed recollection of the evening's events. (8) Smith's argument that the evidence was insufficient to convict him of premeditated first-degree murder also fails. We will not reweigh the credibility of Scott's son on appeal. The jury heard his trial testimony and learned of the inconsistencies between that testimony and his interview with police. It was the jury's function to pass on that credibility, including whether he heard Smith announce his intention to shoot Scott. See State v. Moore, 269 Kan. 27, 30, 4 P.3d 1141 (2000). If that testimony is accepted as true, as our standard of review requires, it is plain the jury had ample evidence to support its finding of premeditation. See State v. Beach, 275 Kan. 603, Syl. ¶ 2, 67 P.3d 121 (2003). (When the sufficiency of the evidence is challenged in a criminal case, the standard of review is whether, after review of all the evidence, viewed in the light most favorable to the prosecution, the appellate court is convinced that a rational factfinder could have found the defendant guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.). (9) The district court did not err in giving an instruction dealing with an aggressor's right to claim self-defense. Some evidence of provocation is enough to support the instruction. See State v. Adam, 257 Kan. 693, 702-03, 896 P.2d 1022 (1995) (instruction justified although evidence of provocation by defendant slim); State v. Hunt, 257 Kan. 388, 394, 894 P.2d 178 (1995) (question of whether the defendant was an aggressor was one for the jury); State v. Beard, 220 Kan. 580, 582, 552 P.2d 900 (1976) ([w]hether defendant was an aggressor remained a question for the jury). Here, one version of events would have supported a finding that Smith retrieved his gun when he became angry with Scott. This justified the instruction given. (10) The district court did not err in holding it lacked jurisdiction to rule on Smith's posttrial motions. Once Smith's appeal was docketed, the district court lost jurisdiction to hear them. See State v. Dedman, 230 Kan. 793, Syl. ¶ 2, 640 P.2d 1266 (1982). No motion for remand to the district court had been filed. (11) Because we find no error, Smith is not entitled to reversal for cumulative error. We now turn to what we understand to be three additional issues Smith raises in his pro se brief. Smith first contends that there was no probable cause for his arrest. This claim is without merit. Scott's son gave officers Smith's name and a description of his appearance and clothing. Scott's son also gave the officers Battle's address, where Smith might be found. Battle, in turn, directed the officers to Loudermilk's house, where they saw a man who matched Smith's description. Loudermilk then identified that man as Smith. Given the step-by-step strength of this evidence, it is no surprise that Smith's counsel did not bother to raise this issue before the district court or this court. Smith next contends the State conspired against him because (1) law enforcement officers improperly coached Scott's son; (2) the prosecutor used trick photography to claim that the bullet entered from the back of Scott's head; (3) the medical examiner lied to support the State's case; (4) the record and transcripts of his trial were changed; and (5) his appointed counsel is subversively working for the State. We find absolutely no support in the record for any of these claims and therefore hold that they neither individually nor collectively entitle Smith to relief. Third, Smith claims that his first appellate attorney provided ineffective assistance of counsel. To establish ineffective assistance of counsel on appeal, defendant must show (1) counsel's performance, based upon the totality of the circumstances, was deficient in that it fell below an objective standard of reasonableness, and (2) the appellant was prejudiced to the extent that there is a reasonable probability that, but for counsel's deficient performance, the appeal would have been successful. Baker v. State, 243 Kan. 1, 7, 755 P.2d 493 (1988); accord Maggard v. State, 27 Kan. App. 2d 1060, 1065, 11 P.3d 89, rev. denied 270 Kan. 899 (2000). Defendant argues his attorney sabotaged his brief, claiming he helped the State cover up alterations to the record and left [hidden] messages that support the lie the [S]tate is telling. Again, Smith has no support for his claim. It was not counsel's deficient or stellar performance that dictated the outcome in this appeal. It was the lack of quality of the issues available for argument. Finally, Smith has also filed a Motion For An Order For The State To Show Cause Why All Charges Shouldn't Be Dismissed. For all of the reasons detailed above, the motion is hereby denied. Conviction and sentence affirmed; Motion For An Order For The State To Show Cause Why All Charges Shouldn't Be Dismissed denied.