Opinion ID: 2621432
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 17

Heading: Testimony and Argument Regarding Gregory's Failure to Contact De Vault

Text: ś 132 The State asserted at trial that soon after G.H.'s murder, Detective DeVault asked Mae Hudson, Gregory's grandmother, to have Gregory contact the detective. The State sought to question Hudson about this fact. Defense counsel argued that such testimony would improperly comment on Gregory's Fifth Amendment right to prearrest silence. When Hudson testified, she denied ever having been asked to give such a message to Gregory. Later in the State's case, DeVault testified that although Gregory was not home when he initially canvassed the neighborhood, he left a business card with Hudson and asked her to pass a message to Gregory that the detective wished to talk to him. He also explained that Hudson later reported that she had relayed the message. That testimony drew a hearsay objection which was sustained. Defense counsel did not make any other objection to this portion of DeVault's testimony. DeVault then explained that he contacted Gregory at the Hudson home three days after G.H.'s body was found. Based on this testimony, the prosecutor, during closing, argued: [Gregory] is not there when the detectives go to talk to him. His grandmother is. It's not necessarily suspicious that the defendant isn't there when the detectives go to talk to him. But three days go by after Detective DeVault says to Ms. Hudson, [p]lease have Allen Gregory give us a call. No word. By the time Detective DeVault goes out to Mae Hudson's house to talk to Allen Gregory, the defendant knows that his grandmother has told the police that he was not home when she checked the bedroom at about 1:30 in the morning on the night of the killing. MRP at 6714. ś 133 The only unsuccessful defense objection was to the questioning of Mae Hudson, and that questioning produced only Hudson's denial that DeVault had asked her to pass a message to Gregory. Defense counsel did not object to DeVault's testimony on Fifth Amendment grounds, and he did not object to the prosecutor's closing argument. Without objection at trial, reversal based on either is warranted only if there has been a manifest error affecting a constitutional right. RAP 2.5(a). [T]he appellant has the burden to demonstrate that the alleged error actually affected his or her rights. `[I]t is this showing of actual prejudice that makes the error manifest, allowing appellate review.' State v. McNeal, 145 Wash.2d 352, 357, 37 P.3d 280 (2002) (quoting State v. McFarland, 127 Wash.2d 322, 333, 899 P.2d 1251 (1995)). ś 134 This court has been clear that the State may not comment on the accused's exercise of his Fifth Amendment prearrest right to remain silent. See State v. Sweet, 138 Wash.2d 466, 480-81, 980 P.2d 1223 (1999); Lewis, 130 Wash.2d at 705-06, 927 P.2d 235; Crane, 116 Wash.2d at 331, 804 P.2d 10. However, not all remarks amount to a comment on the exercise of a constitutional right. Sweet, 138 Wash.2d at 481, 980 P.2d 1223; Lewis, 130 Wash.2d at 706, 927 P.2d 235. In Crane, we characterized the issue as whether the prosecutor manifestly intended the remarks to be a comment on that right. Crane, 116 Wash.2d at 331, 804 P.2d 10. The Crane court then noted that a prosecutor's statement will not be considered a comment on a constitutional right to remain silent if standing alone, [it] was `so subtle and so brief that [it] did not naturally and necessarily emphasize defendant's testimonial silence.' Id. (second alteration in original) (quoting State v. Crawford, 21 Wash.App. 146, 152, 584 P.2d 442 (1978)). Then, in Lewis, we concluded that [a] comment on an accused's silence occurs when used to the State's advantage either as substantive evidence of guilt or to suggest to the jury that the silence was an admission of guilt. 130 Wash.2d at 706-07, 927 P.2d 235 (citing Tortolito v. State, 901 P.2d 387, 390 (Wyo.1995)). ś 135 Under Crane and Lewis, DeVault's testimony and the prosecutor's reference in closing argument to the fact that Gregory failed to contact DeVault for three days did not amount to comments on prearrest silence. Gregory did not refuse to talk with police; to the contrary, he freely discussed with DeVault his whereabouts on the night in question. The State explains that DeVault's testimony was offered to explain the investigative process in this case, not to comment on Gregory's delay in contacting police. The prosecutor's argument implies that the delay gave Gregory time to make his story consistent with the statement given by his grandmother, but it does not imply that he was avoiding the police because he was guilty. Furthermore, the prosecutor's argument regarding suspiciousness was so subtle and brief that it did not naturally and necessarily emphasize any testimonial silence. Neither the testimony nor the argument amounted to a comment on Gregory's right to remain silent.