Opinion ID: 160217
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 8

Heading: Amended Bill of Particulars

Text: 100 Hale next argues that his due process rights were violated when the State waited until the first day of trial to file an amended Bill of Particulars which added the avoiding arrest aggravating circumstance to the three already alleged in the original Bill of Particulars. 8 Hale also argues that his counsel's failure to object to this addition resulted in ineffective assistance of counsel.
101 The OCCA rejected this claim, finding that it bordered on the frivolous. See Hale I, 750 P.2d at 139. The court went on to state that at the time the Bill of Particulars was amended, Hale was already aware of all of the evidence to be used by the State to prove [the aggravator]; thus defense counsel was not surprised. Id. 102 The Supreme Court has held that the Due Process Clause requires that a defendant receive adequate notice that he could receive the death penalty. Lankford v. Idaho, 500 U.S. 110, 127, 111 S. Ct. 1723, 114 L. Ed. 2d 173 (1991). In addition, a defendant must have a meaningful opportunity to deny or explain the State's evidence used to procure a death sentence. Duvall v. Reynolds, 139 F.3d 768, 797 (10th Cir. 1998) (citing Gardner v. Florida, 430 U.S. 349, 362, 97 S. Ct. 1197, 51 L. Ed. 2d 393 (1977)). 103 In this case, Hale argues that the amendment to the Bill of Particulars on the day of trial, February 27, 1984, deprived him of due process. However, Hale knew from the prior Bill of Particulars that he was subject to the death penalty on the basis of three aggravators. In addition, the State had previously submitted its list of witnesses and did not include any new witnesses when it added the new aggravator, nor did it add any witnesses in the punishment phase. Hale was aware of all of the evidence and witnesses that were going to be presented against him at trial and in the punishment phase prior to the addition of the avoid arrest aggravator. Moreover, Hale's counsel announced that he was ready on the first day of trial, and testified at the state post-conviction hearing that he was not surprised by any evidence presented at trial and was ready when the trial began. Thus, Hale was not subjected to trial by ambush. See Duvall, 139 F.3d at 797. Therefore, Hale has not carried his burden of showing that the OCCA's determination that there was no error was an unreasonable application of federal law.
104 Hale further argues that under Oklahoma law, if Hale's trial counsel had objected to the addition of the avoid arrest aggravator on the morning of the first day of trial, the court would have excluded it. Because the jury found the avoiding arrest aggravator when it reached its decision to impose the death penalty, Hale argues that he suffered prejudice from the failure to object and have the aggravator quashed. The OCCA addressed and rejected this claim, finding that the trial court properly could have admitted the additional aggravator under Oklahoma law, and thus trial counsel was not deficient. See Hale I, 750 P.2d at 141. 105 At the time Hale was tried, Oklahoma had no set time by which the State had to have filed a Bill of Particulars. See Hunter v. State, 829 P.2d 64, 65 (Okla. Crim. App. 1992). 9 Oklahoma courts, however, required that the Bill of Particulars be filed within a reasonable amount of time so that the defense could prepare for trial. See id.; Carpenter v. State, 929 P.2d 988, 994-95 (Okla. Crim. App. 1996). In this case, Hale was not surprised by the fact that the State was seeking the death penalty when the State introduced a fourth aggravator the day of trial, because an original Bill of Particulars had already been filed. In addition, as noted above, Hale was aware of all of the evidence and witnesses that the state was going to use against him prior to the amendment and had time to prepare a defense. 10 106 Because Hale was not surprised by any new evidence or witnesses, or by the fact that the State was seeking the death penalty, and no new evidence was introduced at the sentencing phase, the trial court would not have been required to quash the additional aggravator even if counsel had objected. Hale has failed to show that he was prejudiced under Strickland. Therefore, we cannot find that the OCCA's determination that counsel was not ineffective was an unreasonable application of federal law. II. Double Jeopardy and Liberty Interest 107 Hale next argues that his constitutional rights were violated when the State of Oklahoma prosecuted him for first-degree murder and kidnapping for purposes of extortion following his conviction in federal court for extortion under the Hobbs Act, 18 U.S.C. § 1951. Specifically, Hale argues the state prosecutions were barred by Okla. Stat. tit. 21, § 25 (repealed 1986), and that Oklahoma's failure to enforce that statute amounted to a deprivation of his liberty interest. 11 Appellee contends that Hale failed to exhaust this claim fully with regard to the murder conviction and thus habeas relief should be denied pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 2254(b)(1). 108 On direct appeal Hale argued (1) that he could not be tried for the crime of kidnapping under the Oklahoma Constitution, because he had already been convicted of extortion in federal court under the Hobbs Act, and (2) that the state prosecutions for kidnapping and first degree murder violated the Oklahoma Double Jeopardy Clause. Thus, Hale did not raise a federal constitutional claim on direct appeal. In Hale's second application for post-conviction relief, Hale did raise a federal constitutional claim; however, the claim raised in the second application challenged only the kidnapping conviction and did not challenge the murder conviction. The OCCA did not address this claim on post-conviction review finding that it had been raised on direct appeal and was therefore barred. See Hale III, 934 P.2d at 1102. Thus, the issue as it concerns the murder charge has not been exhausted. 12 See Anderson v. Harless, 459 U.S. 4, 6-7, 103 S. Ct. 276, 74 L. Ed. 2d 3 (1982) (per curiam) (petitioner failed fairly to present federal habeas claim to state courts where, in state court proceedings, he relied only upon state law authority to challenge jury instruction). 109 Nevertheless, the Supreme Court has held that if a petitioner 'failed to exhaust state remedies and the court to which the petitioner would be required to present his claims in order to meet the exhaustion requirement would now find the claims procedurally barred' the claims are considered exhausted and procedurally defaulted for purposes of habeas relief. 110 Thomas v. Gibson, 218 F.3d 1213, 1220-21 (10th Cir. July 18, 2000) (quoting Coleman v. Thompson, 501 U.S. 722, 735 n.1, 111 S. Ct. 2546, 115 L. Ed. 2d. 640 (1991)). Oklahoma bars collateral review of claims actually raised on direct appeal or those that could have been raised on direct appeal but were not. See Brecheen, 41 F.3d at 1349 n.4 (citing Okla. Stat. tit. 22, § 1086). Accordingly, Hale has defaulted his claim with regard to the murder conviction. 111 We cannot consider issues raised in a habeas petition that have been defaulted in a state court on an independent and adequate procedural ground unless the petitioner can demonstrate cause and prejudice or a fundamental miscarriage of justice. Thomas, 218 F.3d 1213, 1221-22 (alteration omitted). This court has held that Oklahoma's procedural bar to most claims not raised on direct appeal (other than ineffective counsel claims) is independent and adequate. See Brecheen, 41 F.3d at 1356. Because Hale has not shown cause and prejudice or that a fundamental miscarriage of justice will occur if we do not address the claim with regard to the murder conviction, this part of his claim is barred. 112 Although Hale also failed to raise his federal claim with regard to the kidnapping conviction on direct appeal, and thus it would seem this part of the claim is also procedurally barred, Appellee has not raised procedural bar with respect to this aspect of Hale's claim. As such, we will consider Hale's kidnapping claim on the merits, see Hooks, 184 F.3d at 1223 (proceeding to merits of claim when state did not raise procedural bar), as did the federal district court, which denied the claim and found that even if section 25 creates a liberty interest, Oklahoma would not find that Hale was entitled to have the state charges dismissed under that statute. Because, as noted above, the Oklahoma courts never addressed Hale's claim that Okla. Stat. tit. 21, § 25 created a federally protected liberty interest preventing the state prosecution of Hale for kidnapping, the claim was not adjudicated on the merits in State court proceedings, as contemplated by 28 U.S.C. § 2254(d). Thus, we must review the claim under pre-AEDPA standards. Prior to AEDPA we reviewed questions of law on habeas de novo. Hooks, 184 F.3d at 1223. 113 Whether an interest created by state law rises to the level of a 'liberty interest' protected by the Due Process Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment is a matter of federal law. Montero v. Meyer, 13 F.3d 1444, 1447 (10th Cir. 1994). It is unnecessary for this court to determine whether section 25 creates a liberty interest cognizable under the United States Constitution, because whether it does or not, Oklahoma would not find that Hale's claim falls within the scope of section 25. Section 25 states: 114 Whenever it appears upon the trial that the accused has already been acquitted or convicted upon any criminal prosecution under the laws of another state, government or country, founded upon the act or omission in respect to which he is upon trial, this is a sufficient defense. 115 Russell v. State, 654 P.2d 1058, 1061 (Okla. Crim. App. 1982) (quoting Okla. Stat. tit. 21, 21 O.S. § 25). Hale's conviction in federal court under the Hobbs Act constituted a conviction under the laws of another government for purposes of section 25. See Russell, 654 P.2d at 1061. Under the decisions of Oklahoma courts addressing the interpretation of this statute, the question then becomes whether the federal and subsequent State prosecutions were founded upon the same offense or 'acts' as provided in the statute. Id. 13 To make this determination, the Oklahoma courts look to the language of the different statutes under which the defendant was convicted. If evidence necessary to prove the federal charges would not be sufficient to prove the state charges, and vice versa, then section 25 has not been violated. Russell, 654 P.2d at 1062-63; Hubbell v. State, 585 P.2d 369, 374 (Okla. Crim. App. 1978) (same). Thus, if the evidence used to prove the federal crime is insufficient to prove the state crime and vice versa, the trial in the federal court would not bar a subsequent prosecution in state court, even though the underlying facts are the same. Russell, 654 P.2d at 1063. 116 In the federal prosecution, Hale was charged with violating the Hobbs Act, 18 U.S.C. § 1951. That statute provides that: 117 (a) Whoever in any way or degree obstructs, delays, or affects commerce or the movement of any article or commodity in commerce, by robbery or extortion or attempts or conspires so to do, or commits or threatens physical violence to any person or property in furtherance of a plan or purpose to do anything in violation of this section shall be fined not more than $10,000 or imprisoned not more than twenty years, or both. 118 The Supreme Court has found that there are two essential elements of a Hobbs Act crime: interference with commerce, and extortion. Stirone v. United States, 361 U.S. 212, 218, 80 S. Ct. 270, 4 L. Ed. 2d 252 (1960). 119 Hale was prosecuted in state court in Oklahoma for kidnapping for extortion, Okla. Stat. tit. 21, § 745. The kidnapping statute reads as follows: 120 A. Every person who, without lawful authority, forcibly seizes and confines another, or inveigles or kidnaps another, for the purpose of extorting any money, property or thing of value or advantage from the person so seized, confined, inveigled or kidnapped, or from any other person, or in any manner threatens either by written instrument, word of mouth, message, telegraph, telephone, by placing an ad in a newspaper, or by messenger, demands money or other thing of value, shall be guilty of a felony, and upon conviction shall suffer death or imprisonment in the penitentiary, not less than ten (10) years. 121 Oklahoma has stated that this statute requires that a jury find four essential elements: (1) an unlawful, (2) forcible seizure and confinement (3) of another (4) with the intent to extort a valuable thing or advantage from any person. Turner v. State, 786 P.2d 1251, 1254 (Okla. Crim. App. 1990). 122 Upon looking at the elements that need to be proven by the State, it becomes clear that under each statute the state or federal government must prove an element not necessary to any other charge. In the Hobbs Act case, the federal prosecutor had to show that Hale's actions interfered with commerce. This evidence was not necessary to prove the state crime of kidnapping. Likewise, in the kidnapping charge the state prosecutor had to prove forcible seizure and confinement of another. This was not an element of the Hobbs Act. As the Oklahoma court stated in Hubbell: 123 [A]lthough it appears that the same exhibits . . . were introduced in both federal and state courts, it does not follow that [Hale] was being tried twice for the same offense. . . . The evidence necessary to prove the federal offense would be insufficient to prove the state offense and vice versa. Therefore, the trial in federal court did not bar a subsequent prosecution in state court. 124 Hubbell, 585 P.2d at 374. 125 Therefore, it is clear that Oklahoma did not violate Okla. Stat. tit. 21, § 25 when it prosecuted Hale for kidnapping following the federal prosecution under the Hobbs Act. Since there was no violation of section 25, there can be no denial of a liberty interest predicated upon section 25. Thus, we deny relief under this claim. III. Brady claim 126 Hale next argues that he is entitled to habeas relief because the F.B.I. has continued to suppress evidence in its possession after Hale requested it pursuant to the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), in violation of Brady v. Maryland, 373 U.S. 83, 83 S. Ct. 1194, 10 L. Ed. 2d. 215 (1963). Appellee counters that this claim is procedurally barred. 127 Hale did not raise this Brady claim on direct appeal. On post-conviction review, the OCCA rejected this claim, finding that it could have been raised on direct appeal and was not; thus it was barred from being raised on post-conviction. Hale II, 807 P.2d at 268-69 (citing Okla. Stat. tit. 22, § 1086). We may not consider issues raised in a habeas petition 'that have been defaulted in state court on an independent and adequate procedural ground, unless the petitioner can demonstrate cause and prejudice or a fundamental miscarriage of justice.' Medlock v. Ward, 200 F.3d 1314, 1323 (10th Cir. 2000) (quoting English v. Cody, 146 F.3d 1257, 1259 (10th Cir. 1998) (citing Coleman v. Thompson, 501 U.S. 722, 749-50, 111 S. Ct. 2546, 115 L. Ed. 2d 640 (1991))). We have recently recognized that Oklahoma's bar on raising claims on post-conviction that could have been raised on direct appeal is an independent and adequate state bar with regard to Brady claims. See Clayton v. Gibson, 199 F.3d 1162, 1175 (10th Cir. 1999); see also Okla. Stat. tit. 22, § 1086. 14 As we stated in Brecheen v. Reynolds, 41 F.3d 1343 (10th Cir. 1994), section 1086 precludes state collateral review of . . . issues that could have been raised on direct appeal but were not. Id. at 1349 n.4. 15 Furthermore, Hale has failed to show cause and prejudice, or that a fundamental miscarriage of justice will occur if we do not address this claim. Thus, we conclude Hale is barred from raising this claim. IV. Change of Venue 128 Hale next argues that he was denied a fair trial when the trial judge failed to grant defense counsel's motion for a change of venue. On direct appeal, the OCCA, in a 2-1 decision, rejected this claim. Relying on the Supreme Court's decisions in Irwin v. Dowd, 366 U.S. 717, 81 S. Ct. 1639, 6 L. Ed. 2d 751 (1961), and Murphy v. Florida, 421 U.S. 794, 95 S. Ct. 2031, 44 L. Ed. 2d 589 (1975), the court found that Hale had failed to show that the pretrial publicity created actual or presumed prejudice. See Hale I, 750 P.2d at 134-35. The court noted that each of the jurors finally seated stated that he or she could set aside any opinion held and could be impartial. Id. In addition, every juror challenged for cause was dismissed. Under these circumstances, the court found that the trial court's decision to deny the motion for a change of venue was not an abuse of discretion. Id. at 135. The State argues that this determination was not an unreasonable application of Supreme Court precedent. 129 On February 22, 1984, Hale filed a petition for change of venue. On February, 24, 1984 a hearing was held on Hale's motion, during which time Hale's counsel presented the testimony of two county residents who testified that, in their opinion, based upon pre-trial publicity and conversations with citizens in the area, Hale would not be able to receive a fair trial because people had already decided Hale was guilty. Hale also introduced numerous articles published in the two newspapers with local circulation. At the conclusion of the hearing, the trial judge took the motion under advisement until after voir dire. 130 Prior to Hale's trial, the news coverage of Perry's abduction and murder, as well as the arrest and indictment and federal prosecution, was considerable. The newspaper accounts revealed details of the murder, kidnapping, ransom demand, and Hale's arrest and arraignment on federal charges, and further detailed the cost to the county associated with escorting Hale to court by federal marshals. The articles included pictures of Hale and of the crime scene where Perry's body was eventually found. The paper also reported the impact on the community and the Perry family. One article discussed the fact that Hale had previous dealings with the bank in which he owed money, and also discussed related civil and criminal charges against Hale. The newspapers also reported the incident involving Brenda Allison, who claimed that Hale had told her that her husband was hurt in a car accident and offered her a ride just a day prior to Perry's abduction. When Perry was found guilty on the federal extortion charges, there were more articles in the newspaper. Several papers also reported the testimony of witnesses in the federal extortion case. 131 During voir dire, thirty-seven jurors were called and examined by the trial judge and the attorneys. Of those thirty-seven, only three stated they had no prior knowledge of the case. Twelve potential jurors admitted that they had held some opinion at some point about Hale's guilt. Six of these twelve were seated on Hale's jury. In addition, four potential jurors knew Hale or his family and eight knew the victim or his family. Furthermore, one of the jurors finally seated had discussed the case with one of the key witnesses at trial, Ms. Miller, but stated that she could be impartial. At the conclusion of voir dire, the judge asked the jurors if anyone seated could not be fair and impartial. No one responded. The judge then overruled the motion for a change of venue. This ruling, following the inquiry by the court as to whether the jurors could be impartial, serves as a general finding by the court that the panel selected for the trial was impartial. See Church v. Sullivan, 942 F.2d 1501, 1518 (10th Cir. 1991) (holding that a trial judge's denial of a change of venue in connection with his statement that the court had found twelve impartial jurors and one alternate in two hours, served as a general finding of impartiality). 132 We review the trial court's decision denying a transfer of venue for an abuse of discretion. We give great deference to the trial court's exercise of its discretion, and its decision is entitled to a presumption of correctness and will not be overturned unless there is manifest error. Stafford, 34 F.3d at 1565 (internal quotation marks and citations omitted); see also Mayes v. Gibson, 210 F.3d 1284, 1291 (10th Cir. 2000) (post-AEDPA). Our review of state court findings is limited in part because the state trial judge had the benefit of observing the general demeanor of the jurors as the basis for his general finding [of impartiality]. Brecheen, 41 F.3d at 1350. Thus, a habeas petitioner attempting to show a due process violation because of a state trial judge's failure to grant a change of venue motion must demonstrate either that the trial resulted in actual prejudice or that it gave rise to a presumption of prejudice because it involved 'such a probability that prejudice will result that it is deemed inherently lacking in due process.' Id. at 1350 (quoting Estes v. Texas, 381 U.S. 532, 542-43, 85 S. Ct. 1628, 1633, 14 L. Ed. 2d 543 (1065)); see also Murphy, 421 U.S. at 798-99 (discussing cases in which Supreme Court held due process violations had occurred after finding either actual prejudice or presumed prejudice). 1. Presumed Prejudice 133 The defendant bears the burden of establishing that prejudice should be presumed. See Stafford v. Saffle, 34 F.3d 1557, 1566 (10th Cir. 1994). In order to demonstrate that prejudice should be presumed, the defendant must establish that an irrepressibly hostile attitude pervaded the community. Id. at 1567. Simply showing that all the potential jurors knew about the case and that there was extensive pretrial publicity will not suffice to demonstrate that an irrepressibly hostile attitude pervaded the community. Id. Presumed prejudice is rarely invoked and only in extreme circumstances. Id. 134 The Supreme Court has presumed prejudice in only a small number of cases. In those cases where the Court has presumed prejudice, however, the influence of the news media, either in the community at large or in the courtroom itself, pervaded the proceedings, Murphy, 421 U.S. at 799, and created either a circus atmosphere in the court room or a lynch mob mentality such that it would be impossible to receive a fair trial. See Sheppard v. Maxwell, 384 U.S. 333, 86 S. Ct. 1507, 16 L. Ed. 2d 600 (1966) (finding a due process violation from five volumes of news clippings, accommodation for the press in the courthouse and courtroom, publication of potential juror's names and addresses allowing the public to contact potential jurors pretrial); Rideau v. Louisiana, 373 U.S. 723, 83 S. Ct. 1417, 10 L. Ed. 2d 663 (1963) (finding due process violation after defendant's filmed confession was repeatedly broadcast on the local television news of the small town); Estes 381 U.S. at 545-51 (presuming prejudice based on pretrial and trial media coverage that resulted in a disruptive circus atmosphere that deprived the defendant of the solemnity and sobriety to which a defendant is entitled). 135 The facts of this case do not rise to the level of those in Rideau, Sheppard, or Estes. Although Hale presented evidence of approximately thirty newspaper articles written about the case, these articles alone are not sufficient to show that prejudice should be presumed, particularly given the fact that they were written over a five month period with the largest volume dating from several months before Hale's trial. As the Supreme Court stated in Murphy, a jury's exposure to a defendant's prior convictions or to news accounts of the crime with which he is charged cannot alone demonstrate that the defendant was denied due process. 421 U.S. at 799. The evidence does not demonstrate that the pre-trial publicity had created such a media frenzy or circus atmosphere that Hale could not possibly have received a fair trial. Thus, Hale has failed to meet his burden of showing that an irrepressibly hostile attitude pervaded the community such that prejudice could be presumed. 2. Actual Prejudice 136 Hale also seems to suggest that the voir dire proceedings showed actual prejudice based on responses of actual and potential jurors, almost all of whom had heard about the case and some of whom had formed opinions based on pretrial publicity. We review actual prejudice by examining the totality of the circumstances. Stafford, 34 F.3d at 1567. Due process requires that the accused receive a fair trial by an impartial jury free from outside influences. United States v. Abello-Silva, 948 F.2d 1168, 1177 (10th Cir. 1991) (quoting Sheppard, 384 U.S. at 362). The trial court has broad discretion in gauging the effects of allegedly prejudicial publicity and in taking measures to insure a fair trial. Id. (quotation marks omitted). The trial court in this case made a general finding that the jury was impartial. The Supreme Court has stressed that partiality does not mean: 137 that the jurors be totally ignorant of the facts and issues involved. In these days of swift, widespread and diverse methods of communication, an important case can be expected to arouse the interest of the public in the vicinity, and scarcely any of those best qualified to serve as jurors will not have formed some impression or opinion as to the merits of the case. This is particularly true in criminal cases. To hold that the mere existence of any preconceived notion as to the guilt or innocence of an accused, without more, is sufficient to rebut the presumption of a prospective juror's impartiality would be to establish an impossible standard. It is sufficient if the juror can lay aside his impression or opinion and render a verdict based on the evidence presented in court. 138 Irwin, 366 U.S. at 722-23. 139 In this case, twelve out of thirty-seven jurors questioned had opinions. Six out of those twelve were dismissed and six were seated on the jury. These six all testified that they could put aside their opinions and judge the case on the facts. Moreover, the trial judge asked twice whether there were any jurors who felt they could not be impartial. No juror responded. See Yount, 467 U.S. at 1035 (stating that the relevant inquiry is whether the jurors at the defendant's trial had such fixed opinions that they could not judge impartially the guilt of the defendant); see also Stafford, 34 F.3d at 1567 (finding petitioner had failed to show jury was not impartial despite fact that one juror stated that I will do my best when asked whether he could keep the knowledge of one set of murders for which the defendant had previously been tried and convicted, separate from the current set of murder charges). Furthermore, after reviewing the voir dire proceedings, there is no indication from the jurors' responses that there was an atmosphere of hostility toward the defendant, nor did the trial court have a difficult time in seating the jury. 140 As the OCCA explained, the facts of this case are in contrast to Irwin v. Dowd, in which the Supreme Court found actual prejudice. In Irwin, over ninety percent of the 430 prospective jurors interviewed entertained some opinion as to guilt, 268 were dismissed for cause, and eight out of the twelve jurors actually seated stated they believed the defendant was guilty. Irwin, 366 U.S. at 727. Based on these facts and the obvious hostility towards the defendant revealed during voir dire, the Court determined the defendant could not have received a fair trial. The totality of the circumstances of this case do not compare to the situation presented in Irwin. Here, none of the seated jurors stated unequivocally that they believed Hale was guilty, nor was there a showing that any of the seated jurors had such fixed opinions that they could not judge the case impartially. Moreover, out of 37 jurors called only eight jurors were dismissed for cause. Thus, the trial court did not encounter the same difficulty in seating a jury that the court in Irwin confronted. It is also clear from reading the voir dire in this case, that there was not the vehement hostility present in the jurors' responses that the Supreme Court found important in Irwin. Id. at 726-27. Therefore, viewing the totality of the circumstances present during voir dire, we cannot conclude that the trial court's finding that the jury was impartial was in error. Thus, the OCCA's determination that the trial court did not abuse its discretion in denying the motion to change venue was not an unreasonable application of federal law as interpreted by the Supreme Court. V. Avoid Arrest or Prosecution Aggravator 141 Hale argues there was such a lack of evidence to support the aggravator that the murder was committed to avoid arrest or prosecution that his federal constitutional rights were violated. Jackson v. Virginia, 443 U.S. 307, 99 S. Ct. 2781, 61 L. Ed. 2d 560 (1979). Hale did not raise this claim on direct appeal. On post-conviction review, the OCCA determined that this issue was barred because it could have been raised on direct appeal, but was not. Hale II, 807 P.2d at 269. 16 Because Hale's claim of insufficient evidence was not adjudicated on the merits in state court proceedings, the new standard articulated in § 2254(d) does not govern our review. See Hooks v. Ward, 184 F.3d 1206, 1223 (10th Cir. 1999). 142 On a constitutional claim that there was insufficient evidence, we must determine whether after viewing the evidence in the light most favorable to the prosecution, any rational trier of fact could have found the essential elements of the crime beyond a reasonable doubt. Foster v. Ward, 182 F.3d 1177, 1194 (10th Cir. 1999). To support a finding of the avoid arrest or prosecution aggravator, the focus is on the defendant's intent, whether proved by the defendant's own statement or through circumstantial evidence. Fox v. Ward, 200 F.3d 1286, 1301 (10th Cir. 2000). In addition, Oklahoma courts require the existence of a predicate crime apart from the murder from which the defendant sought to avoid arrest or prosecution. McGregor v. State, 885 P.2d 1366, 1385 (Okla. Crim. App. 1994). In the instant case, there was ample evidence from which a rational fact finder could conclude beyond a reasonable doubt that the aggravating circumstance was present. First, the Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals concluded that there was evidence that Hale knew or was familiar with the victim and his family. We agree, and Hale has presented no evidence to dispute this fact. In addition, there was testimony from a witness at trial that she saw Hale grab the victim, haul him over a fence, and shove him into his car, with no attempt by the defendant to conceal his identity. See Fox, 200 F.3d at 1301 (finding sufficient evidence to support avoid arrest aggravator and noting that defendants failed to conceal their identity to their victims). There was also testimony that Hale stated to a cellmate that he knew how to get rid of witnesses. Furthermore, there was clearly a predicate crime kidnapping for extortion apart from the murder itself from which Hale sought to avoid arrest or prosecution. Based on all of the foregoing circumstantial evidence, we find a rational trier of fact could find the aggravator was present beyond a reasonable doubt. Hale's claim for relief on this ground fails. 143 VI. Heinous, atrocious, or cruel aggravator 144 Hale's final argument is that his death sentence should be set aside because the evidence was constitutionally insufficient to prove that he was personally responsible for inflicting the wounds Perry suffered prior to death. The OCCA reviewed the evidence on direct appeal and found that there was sufficient evidence to support the aggravator. 145 The appropriate standard for reviewing this claim is the rational factfinder standard established in Jackson v. Virginia, 443 U.S. 307 (1979). 17 The especially heinous, atrocious, or cruel aggravator is properly found when the murder was preceded by torture or serious physical abuse. Medlock v. Ward, 200 F.3d 1314, 1321 (10th Cir. 2000) (per curiam). Torture includes the infliction of either great physical anguish or extreme mental cruelty, while physical abuse requires evidence of conscious physical suffering. Id.; Clayton v. Gibson, 199 F.3d 1162, 1177 (10th Cir. 1999). 146 In this case, there is evidence in the record that Perry received at least five gunshot wounds, only two or three of which were fatal two shots to the head, and possibly one shot to the abdomen. In addition, on the morning Perry was abducted, Ms. Miller testified that she saw a man, who appeared to be Perry, bent over holding his side and bleeding in the field crying for help. She then witnessed Hale run towards Perry, pull him over a fence, and push him into his car. The testimony of Ms. Miller was later corroborated by the finding of blood in the location where she saw Perry. This evidence is consistent with conscious physical suffering. 147 Hale argues, however, that there was no evidence that he was the one to inflict the wounds on Perry. First, this assertion flies in the face of the jury verdict of guilty on the first-degree murder charge. The jury found Hale guilty for the murder of Perry. There was more than sufficient evidence for the jury to find that Hale was guilty of Perry's murder. We therefore find that a rational trier of fact could have found the heinous, atrocious, or cruel aggravator beyond a reasonable doubt.