Opinion ID: 867480
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Eazer's Role in Ex Parte Communication with the Court

Text: ¶ 65 Armstrong claims that Eazer was instrumental in orchestrating an ex parte communication between Armstrong's mother (Mrs. Armstrong) and the court. Specifically, Armstrong contends that Eazer violated the ethical rules when she encouraged Mrs. Armstrong to write directly to the trial judge with her criticism of Armstrong's psychological evaluation performed by Dr. Bradley Johnson, an expert for the defense. Armstrong alleges that Mrs. Armstrong acted as an agent of the State and her letter cast doubt on the expert's credibility, which resulted in prejudice in the sentencing proceedings. [9]
¶ 66 During the aggravation/mitigation phase of the trial, defense counsel submitted directly to the trial court a copy of a psychological evaluation completed by Dr. Johnson. The findings in the report were based in part on interviews with Armstrong, Medina, and Mrs. Armstrong. Eazer gave Mrs. Armstrong a copy of the report as soon as it was made a public record. Mrs. Armstrong took issue with allegations contained within the report, especially Armstrong's reported incidents of emotional and physical abuse, including sexual molestation. ¶ 67 Mrs. Armstrong spoke to Eazer about her concerns and asked if she could write a letter saying that the reports were not true. Eazer assured Mrs. Armstrong that, as a main victim in the case, she was entitled to write a letter to the judge and ask that her views be made part of the record. Eazer told Mrs. Armstrong she could write the letter directly to the judge, or she could send it to her, the prosecutor, who would then disclose it to the judge and the parties. ¶ 68 Mrs. Armstrong submitted a cover letter and a copy of Dr. Johnson's report with her handwritten comments in lieu of a victim [impact] statement directly to the court. She noted three issues she hoped to cover in her statement: the impact the crime had on her family, corrections that needed to be made to Dr. Johnson's report, and the sentence Armstrong should receive. ¶ 69 During the second day of Dr. Johnson's testimony at the aggravation/mitigation hearing, Eazer questioned Dr. Johnson as to whether Mrs. Armstrong had contested Armstrong's report that he was molested as a child. Dr. Johnson admitted that Mrs. Armstrong took issue with the allegations. Eazer then commented to the court that Mrs. Armstrong would be sending the court, with a copy for counsel, a statement of those things she felt were incorrect in the psychological report. The judge replied that he had already received and read Mrs. Armstrong's statement. He assumed the letter had come through the County Attorney and had been disclosed to defense counsel. He stated that the statement would have no impact on what happened in the aggravation/mitigation proceedings. ¶ 70 Defense counsel moved to change the judge for cause under Arizona Rule of Criminal Procedure 10.1, contending that it was improper for the trier of fact to have outside input regarding the credibility of his expert. The following day a hearing was held before Judge Gordon Alley on the defense's motion. Based on the parties' arguments, the pleadings, and the relevant transcripts, Judge Alley found that Armstrong had failed to meet his burden of proving prejudice on the part of the trial judge and denied the motion.
¶ 71 Armstrong contends that Eazer violated numerous ethical rules when she advised Mrs. Armstrong she could send a letter to the court outlining her concerns about Dr. Johnson's report. Armstrong claims that Mrs. Armstrong's associations with Eazer essentially made her an agent of the State and allowed Eazer to do what she could not ethically and legally do herself. ¶ 72 Armstrong's allegations of prosecutorial misconduct in instigating an ex parte communication are meritless. First, Armstrong fails to explain how the ethical rules give guidance in deciding whether a prosecutor engaged in misconduct. [10] Second, Armstrong fails to cite any case law supporting his contention that a victim or witness becomes an agent of the State when she communicates with the court. In fact, this court has explicitly held that the cooperation of a victim or witness does not render her an agent of the prosecutor's office. Rienhardt, 190 Ariz. at 585, 951 P.2d at 460 (witness); State v. Piper, 113 Ariz. 390, 392, 555 P.2d 636, 638 (1976) (victim). Further, nothing in the record supports Armstrong's contention that Eazer instigated Mrs. Armstrong's communication with the court. Cf. Rienhardt, 190 Ariz. at 585, 951 P.2d at 460 ([T]he fact that the prosecution is in a better position to secure a witness's cooperation [does not] mean that the witness is under the prosecution's control.). As a result, we find that Eazer acted appropriately in her communications with Mrs. Armstrong.