Opinion ID: 2542673
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Motion for New Trial or Judgment of Acquittal

Text: On July 25, 2005, Hicks filed a motion for new trial or judgment of acquittal (motion for new trial), pursuant to, inter alia, Hawai`i Rules of Penal Procedure (HRPP) Rules 29 (motion for judgment of acquittal) and 33 (motion for new trial) (2005). Hicks maintained that the prosecution had not proven every element of the offense; specifically, Hicks argued that the prosecution did not present substantial evidence that Complainant was an imprisoned person. Hicks contended that a juvenile ward of the Department of Human Services is not a prisoner in the custody of the Department of Public Safety: It is not disputed that [a]dult prisons and correctional facilities are under the jurisdiction of the Department of Public Safety. The [HYCF], where [Complainant] was confined, falls under the jurisdiction of the Office of Youth Services within the Department of Human Services. On August 17, 2005, the prosecution filed its memorandum in opposition, arguing that substantial evidence was adduced that Complainant was imprisoned at the HYCF, pointing specifically to Marciel's testimony that the HYCF is a state correctional facility and that Complainant was a minor imprisoned at the HYCF. The prosecution further asserted that: The rules of statutory construction indicate that the undefined phrase, imprisoned person, must be read to bear its common, ordinary or usual meaning. See HRS § 1-14. According to Merriam Webster's Collegiate Dictionary, 9th edition and the American Heritage On-line Dictionary, imprison means to put in or as if in prison; confine. According to Random House Webster's Dictionary, 3rd edition, page 362, imprison means to confine in or as if in a prison. None of these common, ordinary and usual meanings of imprison can be interpreted to exclude juvenile inmates confined in a youth correctional facility. Nor do these common, ordinary and usual meanings of imprison draw a distinction between the confinement of adults under the Department of Public Safety and the Confinement of children under the Department of Human Services. Statutory construction rules also dictate that undefined words should not be given meanings that lead to absurdity or inconsistency. The penetration statute, HRS § 707-731 sexual assault in the second degree, contains the same language in issue. It would be absurd to believe that the legislature intended to punish guards for sexual penetration and sexual contact with adults confined in a correctional facility like [the O`ahu Community Correctional Center] under the supervision of the Department of Public Safety, but to allow guards to have sexual penetration and sexual contact with juveniles confined in a correctional facility like [the] HYCF under the supervision of the Department of Human Services. This absurd result would be inconsistent with the overall statutory scheme for sexual offense, which evidences a strong legislative intent to provide more, not less, protection for minors against sexual offenders. (Citations omitted.) On August 18, 2005, the trial court held a hearing on the motion for new trial, at the conclusion of which the court, persuaded by the prosecution's arguments, orally denied the motion. A written order was filed on September 2, 2005. In so doing, the trial court entered the following findings of fact (FOFs) and conclusions of law (COLs): FINDINGS OF FACT 1. The [p]rosecution, in its case at trial, presented witnesses who testified that the [HYCF] is a state correctional facility and that [Complainant] was a ward, confined and imprisoned at [the] HYCF at the time of the offense. 2. The testimony and evidence presented by the Defense, in its case at trial, did not dispute these facts. CONCLUSIONS OF LAW 1. The specific language of the Indictment alleges that the Defendant, while employed in a state correctional facility, did knowingly subject to sexual contact, [Complainant], an imprisoned person. 2. The phrase imprisoned person is not defined in the statute or in any other relevant part of the Hawai`i Penal Code. 3. Where the statute does not provide a legal definition for a word or phrase, the court must look to its common, ordinary or usual meaning. 4. Merriam Webster's New Collegiate Dictionary, 10th edition, defines the word imprison as to put in or as if in prison; confine. 5. There was ample and substantial evidence that [Complainant] was a confined person at a state correctional facility and was held in or as if in prison. 6. The language on the face of HRS § 707-732(1)(e)(i) does not support the Defendant's legal argument that the phrase imprisoned person applies only to adults confined in a state correctional facility under the jurisdiction of the Department of Public Safety. 7. HRS § 707-732(1)(e)(i) states that a person commits the offense of sexual assault in the third degree if the person, while employed in a state correctional facility, knowing subjects to sexual contact an imprisoned person, a person confined to a detention facility, a person committed to the director of public safety, a person residing in a private correctional facility operating in the State of Hawai`i, or a person in custody, or causes the person to have sexual contact with the actor. 8. There is nothing in the language of HRS § 707-732(1)(e)(i) that indicates a legislative intent to exclude from the meaning of imprisoned person a ward confined or imprisoned in a state correctional facility, like [the] HYCF. 9. Even if the [c]ourt were to accept the Defendant's argument that the distinctions between adult criminal proceedings and juvenile delinquency proceedings create an ambiguity as to whether a juvenile can be considered an imprisoned person, any potential ambiguity is resolved by HRS chapter 352, entitled Hawai`i Youth Correctional Facilities. 10. HRS § 352-2.1(a) states, [t]his chapter creates within the department of human services and to be placed within the office of youth services under the supervision of the director and such other subordinates as the director shall designate, the Hawai`i youth correctional facilities, in order to provide for the incarceration, punishment, and institutional care and services to reintegrate into their communities and families children committed by the courts of the State. 11. Merriam Webster's New Collegiate Dictionary, 10th edition, defines incarceration in essentially the same way it defined imprison, that is, to put in prison; to subject to confinement. 12. It therefore appears clear that notwithstanding any differences between adult criminal and juvenile delinquency proceedings, the legislature views juveniles confined to a youth correctional facility as incarcerated or imprisoned persons. 13. It would also be incongruous to interpret HRS § 707-732(1)(e)(i) in a manner that provides incarcerated adults with protection against sexual assault by correctional officers but denies the same protection to incarcerated children. (Emphasis and brackets in original.)