Opinion ID: 2544410
Heading Depth: 4
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Sex-violence pairing and rehearsal fantasy categories

Text: Although novel, the prosecution's first two theories of logical relevance  that those drawings and writings pairing sex and violence [1] are relevant to show Defendant's motive, and that those drawings and writings falling into the five categories of rehearsal fantasy [2] are relevant to show deliberation  meet the first two prongs of the Spoto test. Material facts to which the other acts evidence must relate under the first two prongs of the Spoto test can be either ultimate facts  such as whether Defendant committed the crime, whether he possessed the requisite intent, [3] and whether he deliberated upon the murder  or intermediate or evidential facts, themselves probative of ultimate facts. See Rath, 44 P.3d at 1039-40; see also Vialpando v. People, 727 P.2d 1090, 1095 (Colo.1986) ([A] fact of consequence to the determination of the action also includes facts bearing circumstantially upon the weight or probative value to be given other evidence in the case. (internal quotations omitted)). Plan, scheme, design, modus operandi, and motive, while not usually elements or ultimate facts themselves, are among, or closely related to, those examples of permissible reasons enumerated in the rule and are well-accepted methods of proving the ultimate facts necessary to establish the commission of a crime, without reliance upon an impermissible inference from bad character. Rath, 44 P.3d at 1040. Here, Dr. Meloy testified that perpetrators of sexual homicide are often sexually aroused by their violent fantasies, and these fantasies can therefore become the primary drive mechanism, or motive, for a sexual homicide. He further testified that fantasy productions may serve as a rehearsal for a sexual homicide. The trial court found that this testimony was reasonably reliable, and we have held that this conclusion was not manifestly erroneous. Accordingly, pursuant to Dr. Meloy's testimony, those drawings and writings pairing sex and violence, as well as those falling into the five categories of rehearsal fantasy, are logically relevant to whether Defendant had motive to commit the crime, and whether Defendant prepared to commit the crime. Defendant's motive and preparation are themselves relevant to the ultimate issues of whether he committed the actus reus of the crime, and whether he did so with the requisite intent and deliberation. Because they are evidence of motive and deliberation, those drawings and writings pairing sex with violence, as well as those falling into the five categories of rehearsal fantasy identified by Dr. Meloy, are logically relevant to material facts in the case and therefore satisfy the first two prongs of the Spoto test. Willner, 879 P.2d at 26-27 (evidence of prior bad acts admissible under Spoto to prove intent and deliberation). Because the logical relevance of this chain of inference does not rely on Defendant's propensity to act a certain way, the third prong of Spoto is likewise satisfied. [4] Murderers often have bizarre motivations for their conduct  motivations that would not readily occur to most jurors. Edward J. Imwinkelried, People v. Ewoldt: The California Supreme Court's About-Face on the Plan Theory for Admitting Evidence of an Accused's Uncharged Misconduct, 28 Loy. L.A. L.Rev. 473, 483 (1995) (internal footnotes omitted). Accordingly, many acts appearing at first blush to be unrelated character evidence are in actuality elements of a common scheme hatched by a warped criminal mind. Id. (noting that [t]he accused written or oral statements may be evidence that the accused harbored such a plan (internal quotations omitted)). As such, the seemingly unrelated acts are being offered for a relevant noncharacter purpose and thus should be admissible under CRE 404(b). Id. This case is demonstrative of this point. Through Dr. Meloy's testimony, the prosecution established that these drawings and writings actually established Defendant's motive for the crime and may also have served as preparation for the crime. Motive and preparation are the relevant noncharacter purposes for which the drawings and writings were offered. The logical relevance of the drawings and writings to show motive and preparation does not depend on the inference that the defendant committed the crime charged because of the likelihood that he acted in conformity with his bad character. Admission of the writings and drawings to prove motive and preparation therefore satisfies the third prong of the Spoto test.