Opinion ID: 1443930
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Full and Fair Post-Conviction Hearing

Text: Finally, Kirksey contends that he was denied his due process right to a full and fair hearing by the district court's (1) arbitrary time limitation on the post-conviction evidentiary hearing; (2) failure to consider exhibits submitted in support of the habeas petition; and (3) refusal to recuse itself. We disagree.
Kirksey had subpoenaed ten witnesses to testify at the hearing. The evidentiary hearing began at 10:40 a.m. and concluded at 5:15 p.m., with a lunch break from 11:25 a.m. to 1:35 p.m. During the direct examination of Kirksey's second witness, the district court asked Kirksey's post-conviction counsel to move along because your time is rather limited. Just before Erickson finished the direct examination of her third witness, the district court made it clear that the hearing would conclude at 5:00 p.m. When this witness finished testifying, the district court asked counsel to make an offer of proof as to the testimony of the remaining witnesses. Thereafter, counsel had one hour left and the district court allowed her to continue calling witnesses. Although it would have been preferable in this capital case for the district court to have heard testimony from all of Kirksey's witnesses, we conclude that any error was harmless. The district court allowed Kirksey's attorney to make an offer of proof regarding the proposed testimony of each witness who did not testify, and there is no indication that any witness who did not testify would have made any difference in the outcome of the hearing.
After the district court had denied the petition and Kirksey had filed a notice of appeal, Kirksey filed a motion with this court to supplement the record on appeal to include Exhibits 2-25 and 31-34 that were presented at the evidentiary hearing. [16] This court referred the matter to the district court in order to determine whether the district court had considered the mentioned exhibits. The district court responded that the exhibits in question were irrelevant to the issues before the district court. Subsequently, this court entered an order granting Kirksey's motion and directing the district court clerk to transmit the exhibits. [17] Kirksey v. State, Docket No. 25540, (Order, January 13, 1995). Kirksey does not contend that the district court abused its discretion in refusing to admit the exhibits into evidence. Rather, Kirksey's argument is that he was denied a full and fair hearing because the district court failed to consider the exhibits. Although it is arguable that the district court abused its discretion in refusing to admit the exhibits, [18] it is clear that the district court did not completely ignore the exhibits. When the district court responded to this court's order, it stated that it had only considered exhibits 12, 13, and 14 in reaching its decision. The district court further stated that the other exhibits were irrelevant to the issues before the court. Kirksey v. State, Docket No. 25540 (Order, January 15, 1995). The district court must have at least considered the exhibits in order to determine that they were irrelevant to the issues before it. In any event, our review of the exhibits prompts us to conclude that they contain no basis for granting relief to Kirksey. The district court did not err in finding the exhibits irrelevant.
Kirksey's final substantive contention is that he was denied a fair hearing when the district judge refused to recuse himself. Kirksey sets forth three events requiring the district court's recusal: (1) the district court's ex parte communication with Dr. Masters; (2) the district court's calling of witnesses during the evidentiary hearing; and (3) the district court's knowledge of information about Kirksey which was not part of the record. Kirksey contends that under these circumstances the district court's impartiality might reasonably be questioned. NRS 1.230 specifies grounds for the disqualification of judges other than supreme court justices: 1. A judge shall not act as such in an action or proceeding when he entertains actual bias or prejudice for or against one of the parties to the action. 2. A judge shall not act as such in an action or proceeding when implied bias exists in any of the following respects: (a) When he is a party to or interested in the action or proceeding. (b) When he is related to either party by consanguinity or affinity within the third degree. (c) When he has been attorney or counsel for either of the parties in the particular action or proceeding before the court. (d) When he is related to an attorney or counselor for either of the parties by consanguinity or affinity within the third degree.... 3. A judge, upon his own motion, may disqualify himself from acting in any matter upon the ground of actual or implied bias. A judge has an obligation not to recuse himself where there is no occasion to do so. See Goldman v. Bryan, 104 Nev. 644, 649, 764 P.2d 1296, 1299 (1988). A judge's decision not to recuse himself voluntarily is given substantial weight and will be affirmed absent an abuse of discretion. Id. The burden is on the party asserting the challenge to establish sufficient facts warranting disqualification. Id.
Although Judge Lehman's ex parte communication with Dr. Masters was inappropriate, it is easily distinguishable from the cases cited by Kirksey. The cited cases each held that a sentencing judge who has had ex parte communications with members of the victim's family must recuse himself. The logic is obvious; during such communications the judge may become aware of prejudicial and inadmissible information and may form a bias from being unduly moved by the more intimate presence and statements of a victim's surviving family members. Nothing of the sort happened in this case; rather, Judge Lehman contacted Dr. Masters in order to clarify the doctor's findings as to Kirksey's competency. There is nothing in the record that would indicate that Judge Lehman was prejudiced by the communication or that he improperly influenced Dr. Masters' evaluation.
After Kirksey's fifth witness testified, the district court called a brief recess. Upon return, the district court sua sponte called to the stand his law clerk and secretary to testify as to whether defense counsel had requested more than one day for the evidentiary hearing. The law clerk testified that he had told counsel that the court had planned a one-day hearing and that counsel never requested more time. On cross-examination, the law clerk stated that he told counsel that it was not unusual for Judge Lehman to go past regular court hours when necessary. The secretary testified that it was her understanding, based on discussions with defense counsel, that the hearing would only take one day. On cross-examination, the secretary stated that she never informed counsel how long a day meant. At the conclusion of this testimony, counsel motioned the judge to recuse himself. The recusal motion was denied. NRS 50.145 allows a trial judge to call witnesses on his own motion. Although we disapprove of the procedure followed by the district court in this case, we do not perceive any aspect of bias behind the district court's actions, nor do we see any basis for requiring the recusal of the district court judge.
The final instance of alleged bias involves Judge Lehman's knowledge that on the day set for trial, Kirksey had asked Kelesis the fastest way to get a death sentenceby jury or three-judge panel. The general rule of law is that what a judge learns in his official capacity does not result in disqualification. Goldman, 104 Nev. at 653, 764 P.2d at 1301. In other words, the party asserting the challenge must show that the judge learned prejudicial information from an extrajudicial source. See id. However, an opinion formed by a judge on the basis of facts introduced or events occurring in the course of the current proceedings, or of prior proceedings, constitutes a basis for a bias or partiality motion where the opinion displays a deep-seated favoritism or antagonism that would make fair judgment impossible. See Liteky v. United States, 510 U.S. 540, 555, 114 S.Ct. 1147, 1157, 127 L.Ed.2d 474 (1994). Here, it appears from the record that Judge Lehman's awareness of the information was acquired in the course of judicial proceedings. In any event, Kirksey does not explain how he was prejudiced by Judge Lehman's knowledge of this conversation. In fact, the conversation merely reflects the same information Judge Lehman learned at the penalty hearingKirksey wanted the death penalty. There also is no evidence that Judge Lehman formed an opinion regarding Kirksey based on the information that would display a deep-seated antagonism or make fair judgment impossible. We therefore conclude that the district court did not abuse its discretion in denying the motion to disqualify.