Lead Opinion
OPINION
T1 John Fitzgerald Hanson was tried by jury and convicted of Count I, First Degree Malice Murder in violation of 21 0.8.1991, § 701.7(A), and Count II, First Degree Felony Murder in violation of 21 0.8.1991, § 701.7(B), in the District Court of Tulsa County, Case No. CF-99-4583.
{2 Hanson and Victor Miller took Mary Agnes Bowles from the Promenade Mall in Tulsa sometime between 4:15 p.m. and 5:50 p.m. on August 31, 1999. They had already robbed two liquor stores, and wanted to use Bowles's car in another robbery. Hanson held Bowles down in the back seat while Miller drove to an isolated area near Owasso. He turned down a road leading to a dirt pit. The pit's owner, Mr. Thurman, was there loading a dump truck for a delivery. While speaking to his nephew, Jim Moseby, on his cell phone, Thurman said he saw a car cir-eling through the pit. After this conversation, Miller shot Thurman four times with a chrome .880 revolver. Miller drove a short distance away. He stopped at an overgrown roadside. Hanson got out with Bowles and, using a Imm semiautomatic pistol, shot her between four and six times as she lay on the ground. Before leaving the scene, they partially covered her with branches. Neighbors heard several shots coming from the pit area and saw an unfamiliar car drive by. They found Thurman lying near his dump truck at the entrance to the road. Thurman was taken to the hospital; he never regained consciousness and died on September 14. Bowles's decomposed body was found on September 7.
13 Hanson and Miller drove Bowles's car to the Oasis Motel. Hanson asked the price of a room, then left. He returned shortly, explained that his car wouldn't start, and asked to borrow tools. The desk clerk gave him a serewdriver and followed him out. The clerk saw Hanson and another black man working on Bowles's car. Eventually the two gave up and returned the serewdri-ver and Hanson rented a room. He filled out and signed the registration card, and showed the clerk his driver's license. The clerk never saw either man again, and the car remained parked in the motel lot. Hanson and
ISSUES RELATING TO JURY SELECTION
[4 Hanson raises several issues surrounding voir dire. Propositions VI and VII, concerning jurors' views on the death penalty, have merit and contribute to the accumulation of reversible error in this case.
T5 Hanson's claims in Propositions IV and V do not require relief, In Proposition IV Hanson complains that, although his jury was allowed to take notes, the trial court failed to use the standard Oklahoma Uniform Jury Instructions (OUJT) on note-taking and the use of notes in deliberations.
T6 In Proposition VI Hanson correctly claims he was denied his right to a full and fair examination of prospective jurors' views on automatic imposition of the death penalty for malice murder. The trial court granted Hanson's motion to exelude jurors who were in favor of the death penalty. However, the trial court repeatedly denied Hanson's requests to "life-qualify" the jury by asking whether jurors would automatically impose the death penalty for first degree murder. In Morgan v. Illinois,
T7 The State admits that, upon request, a defendant must be allowed to ask whether jurors would automatically impose the death penalty. However, the State argues this requirement was satisfied by the trial court's general question as to whether jurors could consider all three punishments, along with counsels' questions about jurors' views on the death penalty. Both the United States Supreme Court and this Court have rejected this argument.
The State conflates two very different lines of questioning. It is important that voir dire questions determine whether prospective jurors will consider all three punishments equally. However, asking that question will not satisfy the specific inquiry whether a juror would automatically impose a sentence of death.12
As the Supreme Court noted, "a juror could, in good conscience, swear to uphold the law and yet be unaware that maintaining such dogmatic beliefs about the death penalty would prevent him or her from doing so."
18 Hanson's jury was able to impose a sentence of life without parole for felony murder. This does not answer the question whether any sitting juror would automatically have imposed death for malice murder. The record shows that at least one sitting juror indicated by word and gesture he would support such a conclusion. We have held that it is constitutionally unacceptable for a defendant to be sentenced by a jury without knowing whether it, or members of the prospective jury panel, would automatically impose a death sentence.
T9 In Proposition VII Hanson argues that Juror Fulfaro should have been exeused for cause. Juror Fulfaro stated he could follow the law and consider all three punishments for murder. When questioned by defense counsel, Fulfaro said he believed that defendants had their day in court but victims' rights were forgotten; said he believed in "an eye for an eye"; approved of the strict
110 The decision to exeuse a juror for cause is within the trial court's discretion.
T11 In order to show he was prejudiced by this error, Hanson must show that his peremptory challenges were reduced so he was forced, over objection, to keep an unacceptable juror.
{ 12 The State suggests Hanson had many opportunities to remove MeNeil with a peremptory challenge.
ISSUES RELATING TO FIRST STAGE PROCEEDINGS
T13 Hanson raises only one claim of error specifically pertaining to the guilt/innocence stage of trial. In Proposition III he complains that prosecutorial misconduct in the first stage deprived him of his right to a fair trial.
114 Hanson preserved only one error during the first stage. Counsel objected twice to the prosecutors' repeated characterizations of the defense case as resembling an octopus's ink bag, and hiding from the facts. These objections were overruled, and the prosecutor continued to similarly de-seribe Hanson's case. Prosecutors should not cast aspersions on opposing counsel or ridicule the defense. The comments to which Hanson objected were inappropriate, but do not require relief,
115 Without objection, the State called Hanson a "gun-totin', trigger-pullin' carjacker" and a "two-time, cold-blooded
116 The prosecutor, describing the crimes, asked rhetorically what might have happened had Bowles's car not broken down, and suggested perhaps there would be a file of dead bodies. He also stated that Miller and Hanson were jackals who traveled in packs and preyed on the weak, and said "we" pay the price. A prosecutor should not encourage jurors to let improper sympathy, sentiment or prejudice influence their decisions.
ISSUES RELATING TO SECOND STAGE PROCEEDINGS
T17 In Proposition I Hanson claims the trial court erred in refusing to permit his expert witness to present testimony discussing the probability of his future dangerousness, to rebut the continuing threat aggravating cireurastance. Hanson argues (a) that this evidence is relevant and admissible; (b) that the trial court erred in summarily excluding the evidence without holding a hearing on its scientific reliability; and (c) that the error was not harmless. The State argues that the evidence was irrelevant so the trial court did not err in refusing to admit it. This Court does not have a sufficient record before it to determine whether Hanson correctly claims this evidence was admissible. However, given the importance of the issue, we have concluded that we must remand the case for capital resentencing.
T18 Hanson filed notice in January, 2001, that he intended to present expert testimony regarding his risk of future dangerousness while incarcerated through Dr. Mark Cunningham. In February, 2001, Hanson filed a supplemental notice substituting Dr. Gilda Kessner as his expert witness in this area. The State made no objection until well into the second stage of trial, after evidence of the aggravating cireumstances had been presented. At that time the State objected to Dr. Kessner's testimony. Defense counsel explained that, in addition to familiarity with the tests, clinical research, literature and analysis regarding future dangerousness in prison, Dr. Kessner had interviewed Hanson and his family, and had reviewed the records of his previous prison stays. Counsel explained Dr. Kessner would testify regarding her conclusions based on her scientific knowledge as applied to her knowledge of the defendant, and would also testify regarding the term "probability". The State claimed this evidence did not meet the standards of scientific reliability set forth in
119 This Court has never held inadmissible evidence of a defendant's propensity for future violence, in or out of prison, to support continuing threat. Both this Court and the Supreme Court have explicitly held that psychiatric evidence is relevant on this issue.
T20 This Court recently discussed "risk assessment" evidence. In Fitzgerald v. State [I]
121 Hanson argues that the trial court abused its discretion by failing to hold a Daubert hearing. Daubert held that trial courts, acting as gatekeepers, review novel expert testimony for reliability.
1 22 The State alleged that Hanson would probably continue to commit acts of violence posing a continuing threat to society. Hanson had a constitutional right to rebut that allegation by presenting expert evidence regarding his future dangerousness. With notice to the State, Hanson offered an expert witness to testify regarding the nature of probability in this context, the scientific literature on this issue, and how that applied to Hanson himself, based on the expert's interviews with Hanson and his family and her
123 Hanson claims in Proposition II that trial counsel was ineffective for failing to press this issue further. The record shows that the trial court would neither entertain further argument on this issue nor reconsider its ruling. We will not say counsel was ineffective for accepting the trial court's ruling and continuing with the trial.
24 In Proposition XI Hanson correctly claims the trial court failed to instruct the jury to consider his proffered list of mitigating cireumstances. The Oklahoma Uniform Jury Instructions, Criminal, contain a model instruction on mitigating evidence, OUJI-CR 4-79, The Notes on Use to that Instruction state: "This list is intended to be illustrative, rather than exclusive, and the trial court should instruct the jury on any
other mitigating circumstances for which evidence has been introduced."
25 This Court will not disturb a trial court's decision regarding instructions absent abuse of discretion, "as long as the instructions, taken as a whole, fairly and accurately state the applicable law."
126 Given the qualitative difference between a death sentence and other punishments, a capital jury must be able to consider in mitigation "any aspect of a defendant's character or record and any of the cireumstances of the offense that the defendant proffers as a basis for a sentence less than death."
T27 Hanson correctly claims in Proposition XIII(A) that the jury heard vice-tim impact evidence outside the seope of the capital sentencing statute. Mary Bowles's niece, Sara Mooney, gave evidence as the designated Bowles family representative. Mooney presented evidence of the impact of Bowles's death on Mooney's elderly mother, who was Bowles's sister. This was within the bounds of permissible vietim impact evidence. Mooney also presented evidence of the impact of Bowles's death on herself and her extended family of cousins and their
128 "Immediate family" for the purposes of victim impact evidence is defined as "the spouse, a child by birth or adoption, a stepchild, a parent, or a sibling of each vice-tim."
4 29 In Proposition XV Hanson argues that the accumulation of error in this case deprived him of due process of law and a reliable sentencing proceeding. We have found separate errors in Propositions I, VI, VII, VIII, X1, and XIII. These serious errors affected the sentencing stage. Hanson was not allowed to discover whether potential jurors, including sitting jurors, would automatically impose the death penalty for malice murder. When the trial court refused to excuse just such a biased juror, Hanson used a peremptory challenge to remove him and was foreed to keep an unacceptable juror on the panel. We cannot determine whether Hanson should have been allowed to present his expert witness to present "risk assessment" evidence and rebut the allegation that he would be a continuing threat to society. The jury was not instructed on the elements of the continuing threat aggravating circumstance. As a consequence, the instructions failed to properly guide the jury's discretion. The jury did not hear Hanson's requested instruction on mitigating cireumstances, which were supported by the evidence and were the focus of his case in mitigation; this effectively diminished his ability to present his case in mitigation to the jury. The jury heard improper victim impact evidence. We did not find any of these errors individually harmless beyond a reasonable doubt. Their combination requires reversal and remand for capital resentencing.
Notes
. Hanson was charged in the alternative with malice or felony murder in both counts. The jury acquitted him of malice murder on Count IL.
. OUJI-CR (224) 1-9, 10-84.
. 12 0.8.2001, § 577.2.
. Cohee v. State,
. Wackerly v. State,
. Childress v. State,
.
. Morgan,
. McCarty v. State,
. Jones v. State,
. Jones II,
. Jones II,
. Morgan,
. Jones II,
. Warner v. State,
. Humphreys v. State,
. Warner,
. Wainwright v. Witt,
. Morgan,
. Warner,
. Warner,
. Matthews v. State,
. Hanson used his first peremptory challenge on Fulfaro. His fourth challenge was used for a juror who felt strongly that murder should be taken with a death sentence. [Trial Tr. Vol. 4 589] Hanson's fifth challenge was used for a juror who first said she had a mandatory threshold above which the death penalty must be imposed, then said she would not solely impose the death penalty. [Trial Tr. Vol. 4 649-47] The State's seventh challenge was used against a juror who said the death penalty was appropriate where a life was taken. [Trial Tr. Vol. 5 848] Hanson used his seventh challenge against an African-American juror; he explained the trial court had not allowed him to question this juror about automatically imposing the death penalty but he had shaken his head in agreement with everything Fulfaro said. [Trial Tr. Vol 4 459, Vol. 5 853] Hanson's eighth challenge excused the juror who had stated he believed the entire panel was jaundiced by the voir dire process and thought counsel was not contesting Hanson's guilt. [Trial Tr. Vol. 5 864-65, 885]
. Thompson v. State,
. - Our decision to remand Count I for resentenc-ing renders Hanson's claim of prosecutorial misconduct in the second stage largely moot. Hanson complains the prosecutor engaged in name-calling, referring to Hanson as a jackal who lived a reign of terror, committing armed robbery after armed robbery and murder. While prosecutors should avoid name-calling, the comment about multiple armed robberies and murder is an accurate statement of the facts. Hanson claims the prosecutor impugned counsel's credibility by arguing that "we heard about some third party on some grassy knoll or in the bushes. It's always somebody else. It's the grandma that didn't give him attention." The first sentence, again, suggests that counsel is trying to fool the jurors. However, the remaining sentences are a proper comment on Hanson's mitigating evidence. Malicoat v. State,
. Hooks v. State,
. Malicoat,
. - Hanson incorrectly claims this is vouching for a witness's credibility. Vouching occurs when a prosecutor expresses a personal belief in a witness's credibility, either through explicit assurances or by implying that other evidence, not presented to the jury, supports the witness's testimony. Pickens v. State,
. Robinson v. State,
. Malicoat,
.
. Skipper v. South Carolina,
.
.
.
.
. In Proposition VIII(B) Hanson correctly claims the trial court failed to give OUJI-CR (2nd ) 4-74, defining the evidence necessary to support a finding of continuing threat. This instruction should be given at resentencing.
. Williams v. Taylor,
. - OUJI-CR (2nd) 4-79, Notes on Use {emphasis added).
. (1) Defendant's emotional history; (2) Defendant's family history; (3) Defendant has a five-year-old son; (4) Defendant has never killed anyone before; (5) Defendant had no intention that Jerald Thurman be killed; (6) Co Defendant Miller was the active influence in the crimes and the Thurman murder; (7) Only Rashad Barnes provided direct evidence that Defendant ever pulled the trigger on any gun the day of the murders; (8) Life without parole is a significant punishment; (9) Miller dominated the Defendant; (10) Defendant was a follower. O.R. 295.
. Hanson's mother and sister both testified that Hanson had a S5-year-old son and was a good father. Second stage evidence showed that, unlike his co-defendant, Hanson had not committed murder before these crimes. First and second-stage evidence showed that co-defendant Miller, not Hanson, killed Thurman and Rashad Barnes's testimony suggested Hanson was unaware Miller was going to kill Thurman and did not intend his death; this circumstance is bolstered by the jury's finding that Thurman's death was felony murder. First and second-stage evidence, from State witnesses Rashad Barnes, Pa-rekh, and Mendez, indicated that co-defendant Miller was an active influence in the Thurman murder and two of the additional armed robberies the two committed (as well as telling Hanson to kill Bowles). The whole of the evidence in both stages supports Hanson's claim that Rashad Barnes gave the only testimony that Hanson ever pulled the trigger on any gun the day of the murders. State witnesses Rashad Barnes, Pa-rekh, and Mendez, as well as Hanson's mother, supported Hanson's claim that he was a follower and was dominated by Miller. Hanson's proposed circumstance, that life without parole is a significant punishment, was supported by common sense, argument, and the jury panel's answers in voir dire, but was not supported by any specific evidence at trial.
. Omalza v. State,
. Lockett v. Ohio,
. Gregg v. Georgia,
. Douglas v. State,
. Douglas,
. Ledbetter v. State,
. Hanson also claims this instruction created a reasonable likelihood that the jury applied the challenged instruction in a way that prevented the consideration of constitutionally relevant evidence under Boyde v. California,
. 22 0.9.2001, § 984(2).
. Hooks,
. In Selsor,
. Cargle,
. Fitzgerald v. State,
. Fitzgerald v. State,
Concurrence Opinion
concurs in results.
1 I agree with Judge Lile's separate vote and join in his writing. In addition, I do not find the record factually supports the state
T2 Furthermore, the Opinion's statement that "Hanson need only show that the juror was unacceptable because he was undesirable to his position," supposedly supported by Thompson v. State,
The decision whether to disqualify a prospective juror for cause rests in the trial court's sound discretion. Allen v. State,862 P.2d 487 , 491 (Ok1.Cr.1998), cert. denied,511 U.S. 1075 ,114 S.Ct. 1657 ,128 L.Ed.2d 375 (1994). The trial court's decision will not be overturned unless an abuse of discretion is shown. Id.
Here, the trial court did not abuse its discretion. Even if the challenge for cause should have been granted, Appellant has failed to demonstrate he was forced, over objection, to keep an unacceptable juror. Warner v. State,
T 3 I also disagree with some of the syntax in the discussion of proposition one. The Opinion states, "This Court does not have a sufficient record before us to determine whether Hanson correctly claims this evidence was admissible." From there, the Opinion goes on to discuss the test for admissibility of scientific evidence without pointing out it is the Appellant's duty to provide a sufficient record for this Court to review. If the trial court denies testimony of a witness or admission of an exhibit, it is the responsibility of the party offering the testimony or evidence to ensure a sufficient record is made to allow this Court to review the issue on appeal. This can be accomplished by requesting and conducting an in camera hearing to present the evidence for the ree-ord or through an offer of proof of sufficient specificity to provide this Court with what it needs in order to review the claim of error.
1 4 Furthermore, such evidence or testimony must be specifically applicable to the defendant on trial, not general statistics applicable to some larger, amorphous group of people who are not on trial. Here, the ree-ord is void of how the proposed evidence relates directly to Appellant or is applicable to his individualized sentence. Seq, eg., Fitzgerald v. State,
15 Additionally, I disagree with the Opinion's statement in Proposition XI, concerning the failure of the Court to specifically list proposed mitigating factors, that "consequently, the jury was not instructed on all the mitigating cireumstances supported by the evidence." It is not automatic error when a judge fails to specifically list every possible mitigating factor, even those supported by the evidence. That is why we have OUJI-CR (2d) 4-79.
. This point is made clear in the notes on use to OUJI-CR (2d) 4-79, which says the trial judge "should" instruct in the jury on any other mitigating circumstances for which evidence has been introduced. Obviously, this decision will be discretionary, as different trial judge's would
Concurrence Opinion
concurs in results.
T1 Clearly, the trial court should have allowed defense counsel's questions designed to determine which, if any, prospective jurors would automatically impose the death sentence for intentional murder. Morgan v. Illinois,
