Opinion ID: 2576140
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Trial, Convictions, and Sentences

Text: On June 10, 2002, the State of Hawai`i [hereinafter, prosecution] filed a complaint charging Feliciano with three counts: (1) attempted murder in the second degree in violation of HRS §§ 705-500 (1993), [5] 707-701.5 (1993), [6] and 706-656 (1993); [7] (2) place to keep in violation of HRS § 134-6(c) and (e) (Supp.2004); [8] and (3) use of a firearm in violation of HRS § 134-6(a) and (e). [9] The complaint also alleged that, under the attempted murder in the second degree charge, Feliciano was subject to sentencing in accordance with HRS § 706-660.1 (1993) [10] for use of a firearm while engaged in the commission of a felony. On September 10, 2002, the circuit court appointed a three-member panel of examiners to determine Feliciano's fitness to proceed and the extent of Feliciano's penal responsibility. The appointed examiners were Richard Kappenberg, Ph.D. (a clinical psychologist), David Stein, M.D., Ph.D. (a psychiatrist), and Terence Wade, Ph.D. (a clinical psychologist). Reports from all three doctors were admitted into evidence, but only Dr. Kappenberg and Dr. Stein testified at trial. On January 2, 2003, Feliciano filed a notice of intention to rely on a defense of mental disease, disorder or defect, pursuant to HRS § 704-400 (1993). [11] Feliciano's jury-waived [12] trial commenced on February 27, 2003 and concluded on March 6, 2003. Dr. Kappenberg testified that he reviewed Feliciano's Oahu Community Correctional Center (OCCC) records and his records at Adult Probation (which provide information about past hospitalizations, police reports and Veterans' Administration records) and conducted a one and a half hour examination of Feliciano at OCCC. Based on the records and his examination, Dr. Kappenberg opined that Feliciano was suffering from a paranoid type of schizophrenia and polysubstance dependence at the time of the alleged offense. Dr. Kappenberg further opined that at the time of the offense, Feliciano's cognitive capacity was not impaired and that he was able to understand the difference between right and wrong. Dr. Kappenberg based his opinion on Feliciano's description of the event (which comported with the description given by other witnesses) and the fact that Feliciano specifically indicated that there was no connection between his beliefs (his supernatural ability to control others with a secret device) and his behavior that day. When asked about Feliciano's behavior when he was arrested by the police, i.e., telling the police to take care of his gun and that he shot with his right hand, Dr. Kappenberg stated that this showed that Feliciano was aware of what happened, that he participated, and that he was oriented and responding to his environment. Dr. Kappenberg was also asked about Feliciano's behavior when he was being questioned by the police, i.e., identifying himself as Opel and believing that he was in Germany; Dr. Kappenberg stated that this showed that Feliciano's mental functions had decreased significantly. Dr. Kappenberg opined that this decrease may have been caused by the stress of being arrested and placed in jail. On cross-examination, Dr. Kappenberg was questioned as to why he did not conduct a further examination of Feliciano after reading the report about Feliciano's interview with the police. Dr. Kappenberg replied that there was no need for a further examination because there was no apparent connection between what Feliciano said at his police interview and his description of Feliciano's behavior at the time of the alleged offense. Dr. Kappenberg was further questioned as to whether Feliciano was taking his medication at the time of the incident; he responded that the records were unclear, but that Delia said that he would sometimes slip in taking his medications and Feliciano stated that he had not taken his medication for a long time, but was not clear as to how long this was. Dr. Kappenberg also testified that he was aware of Feliciano's history of mental illness dating back to 1979 and 1980. Dr. Stein testified that he reviewed Feliciano's records [13] and examined Feliciano at OCCC for about an hour; based on his examination and review of records, Dr. Stein believed that Feliciano was psychotic at the time of the offense and that the psychosis was most probably amphetamine-induced psychosis. Dr. Stein opined that the defendant's appreciation of the wrongfulness of his conduct was not substantially impaired at the time of the alleged offense. Dr. Stein's opinion was based on: his examination of Feliciano, where Feliciano told him that it was wrong to shoot people; Feliciano's statements to the police that he used his right hand to shoot Stoesser, demonstrating that he knew what he had done; and Feliciano's statement (during Dr. Stein's examination) that he would not have shot Stoesser if a police officer was standing there, showing that Feliciano knew that shooting Stoesser was wrong, and also demonstrating that Feliciano had the ability to control his behavior. Dr. Stein also testified that he was aware of Feliciano's long history of mental illness, anti-psychotic medication use, and substance abuse. [14] On November 19, 2003, the circuit court entered its judgment, guilty convictions, and sentences. The circuit court convicted and found Feliciano guilty on all three counts and sentenced him as follows: Count 1, life with the possibility of parole; Count 2, ten years; and Count 3, twenty years. The circuit court also granted the prosecution's motion to sentence Feliciano to a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment pursuant to HRS § 706-660.1 for Count 1 and accordingly sentenced Feliciano to a mandatory minimum of three years. Feliciano is currently incarcerated; he filed a timely appeal.