Robert J. Frauenberger
297 P.3d 257
Idaho Ct. App.2013Background
- Frauenberger was convicted by a jury of three counts of lewd conduct with a minor under sixteen and one count of delivery of marijuana to a person under eighteen; the district court imposed concurrent ten-year sentences with two years fixed for lewd conduct and a concurrent four-year sentence with one year fixed for marijuana.
- The charging documents used the pseudonym Bonnie Noe for the victim, while the jury instructions used the victim’s true name (B.H.).
- The victim testified at trial under her true name and was believed to be the same person referenced by the pseudonym.
- Frauenberger argued lack of jurisdiction, a fatal variance between charging and jury instructions, and insufficient evidence due to the pseudonym; he also challenged alleged prosecutorial misconduct and the sentences as excessive.
- The appellate court affirmed, holding the pseudonym did not defeat jurisdiction or notice, that any variance and evidentiary issues were not reversible errors, and that sentences were not excessive.
Issues
| Issue | Plaintiff's Argument | Defendant's Argument | Held |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jurisdiction and variance from pseudonym | Jurisdiction and notice defective due to Bonnie Noe | Pseudonym for B.H. did not mislead; information sufficient | No jurisdictional defect; no reversible variance. |
| Sufficiency of the evidence | Evidence insufficient because B.H. and Bonnie Noe are not proven same | Bonnie Noe is B.H.; evidence sufficient | Sufficient evidence; same victim identified. |
| Mistrial for prosecutorial misconduct | Misconduct occurred; mistrial warranted | Mistrial not warranted; errors harmless | Mistrial not warranted; any error harmless. |
| Prosecutorial closing argument misconduct | Closing compounded prejudice; fundamental error | Arguments permissible to draw inferences; not fundamental error | No fundamental error; arguments within prosecutorial latitude. |
| Sentence review | Sentence is excessive | Sentence is within court’s discretion given offenses and history | Not an abuse of discretion; sentences affirmed. |
Key Cases Cited
- State v. Jones, 140 Idaho 755 (Idaho 2004) (jurisdictional sufficiency of charging document; can be raised on appeal)
- State v. Severson, 147 Idaho 694 (Idaho 2009) (information confers jurisdiction; questions reviewable free of jurisdictional doubts)
- State v. Windsor, 110 Idaho 410 (Idaho 1985) (variance analysis; double jeopardy concerns addressed by record of proceedings)
- State v. Smith, 102 Idaho 108 (Idaho 1981) (records of trial preclude second prosecutions for same offense; information sufficiency )
- State v. Perry, 150 Idaho 209 (Idaho 2010) (fundamental error standard for unwaived claims; non-structural standard for reviewing errors)
- State v. Ellington, 151 Idaho 53 (Idaho 2011) (prosecutorial misconduct; gratuitous testimony imputes to state for purposes of misconduct analysis)
- State v. Sherrod, 131 Idaho 56 (Idaho 1998) (variance and fair notice concerns in appellate review)
