OPINION
Gаbriel Hurtado Nieto, Jr. (“defendant”) appeals his conviction and sentence for one count of second-degree murder and two counts of aggravated assault. Defendant makes eight claims of error. For the reasons given below, we affirm.
I. FACTS AND PROCEDURAL BACKGROUND
On the night of December 5, 1992, teenagers Brent Lorentz, Kevin Klammer and Clinton Hill, were walking east on Thomas Road. A vehicle, driven by Angel Mendiola, Jr., who had a shotgun in his possession, approached
In June 1993, defendant was arrested at his home. He was taken to the police station, given his Miranda warnings and voluntarily agreed to talk to the police. Although defendant initially denied involvement in the shooting, he later confessed on tape to having shot at the three boys. He claimed, however, it was an accident. He said that he was drunk at the time, that he had no reason to shoot at the boys, that he did not think the gun was loaded, and that he only intended to scare them. The police contacted Mendiola later that afternoon. In a tape-recorded statement, Mеndiola corroborated defendant’s account of his own and' defendant’s involvement in the shooting.
Defendant was indicted on one count of first-degree murder, a class 1 felony, and two counts of aggravated assault, class 3 felonies. He was found guilty of the lesser-ineluded offense of second-degree murder and of the aggravated assault counts. The jury found these crimes to be dangerous. Defendant was sentenced to an aggravated tеrm of 18 years for second-degree murder and presumptive terms of 7.5 years on each count of aggravated assault, those sentences to run concurrently to each other, but consecutively to the sentence for second-degree murder. He was credited with 397 days of presen-tence incarceration and ordered to pay $80,-237.60 in restitution and $300 in felony assessment fees. This appeal followed.
II. DISCUSSION
On appeal, defendant argues that:
1. Defendant’s federal and state constitutional rights to confront witnesses against him were violated when the court permitted introduction at trial of Mendiola’s tape-recorded interview with police.
2. The trial court committed reversible error by refusing to instruct the jury on negligent homicide.
3. The trial court violated Rule 22.2, Arizona Rules of Criminal Procedure, by giving the jurors a copy of the indictment to use during their deliberations.
4. The trial court abused its discretion by admitting photographs of the crime scene taken several months later which showed gang graffiti on the curb, although such graffiti was not present at the time of the crimes.
5. The trial court violated Rule 19.1, Arizona Rules of Criminal Procedure, by varying the order of proceedings and reading the jury instructions prior to closing arguments.
6. There was prosecutorial misconduct because the state did not maintain contact with two potential witnesses.
7. The trial court erred by instructing the jury that punishment is the sole concern of the judge.
8. The trial court erred by denying a motion for judgment of acquittal on the first-degree murder charge as there was insufficient evidence of premeditation.
A. Violation of Right to Confront Witnesses
Defendant first contends that the trial court violated his constitutional right to confront witnesses against him by admitting in evidence the tape-recorded statement of Mendiola. Mendiola was called as a witness, but asserted his Fifth Amendment right against seff-incrimination. Despite thе prosecutor’s offer of use immunity pursuant to Ariz.Rev.Stat.Ann. (“A.R.S.”) section 13-4064 (1989), Mendiola refused to testify. The trial court held him in contempt and jailed him for the duration of the trial. The court admitted the taped interview under Rule 804(b)(3), finding that the statements were against Mendiola’s penal interest, otherwise had an adequate indicia of reliability, and were corroborated by other witnesses. Defendant claims this violated his constitutional rights to confront witnesses.
See Lee v. Illinois,
Although the сonfrontation clause of the Sixth Amendment guarantees criminal defendants the right to confront their accusers, this right is not absolute and must sometimes give way to considerations of public policy.
State v. Ruelas,
Mendiola was unavailable because he asserted his Fifth Amendment right not to testify.
State v. Henry,
Arizona Rule of Evidence 804(b)(3) creates an exception to the hearsay rule for a declaration against interest made by an unavailable declarant. That rule defines a deсlaration against interest as, “[a] statement which was at the time of its making is ... so far tended to subject [the declarant] to civil or criminal liability ... that a reasonable man in his position would not have made the statement unless he believed it to be true.”
“Subjecting oneself to criminal liability qualifies as a declaration against interest.”
State v. Lopez,
The United States Supreme Court in
Williamson v. United States,
To determine if a statement is truly agаinst interest requires a fact-intensive inquiry of the surrounding circumstances and each declaration must be scrutinized to determine if it is self-inculpatory in light of the totality of circumstances.
Id.
at -,
Many of Mendiola’s statements subject him to criminal liability such that a reasonable person would not have made the statements unless he believed them to be true. Consequently, they are admissible as declarations against interest under
Williamson.
Other statements appear to be non-sеlf-ineulpatory. A few directly inculpate defendant and tend to minimize Mendiola’s role in the crimes. For example, Mendiola told Chapman that defendant had asked him to make a U-turn and drive by the victims, while defendant in his confession said that Mendiola had made a U-turn on his own and had not been asked him to do so. Because Mendiola’s statements were made to a police officer, Mendiola might have had a motive to lie about this partiсular fact in order to shift blame to defendant and diminish his own involvement.
See, e.g., United States v. Ha-zelett,
To the extent that any of Mendiola’s non-self-inculpatory statements were admitted and shоuld have been excluded under
Williamson,
we find their admission harmless. An error is harmless if we can conclude, beyond a reasonable doubt, that the jury would have found the defendant guilty without the evidence.
Ruelas, 174
Ariz. at 44,
The alleged non-self-inculpatory statements made by Mendiola were consistent with the defendant’s own statements about the crime, the testimony of other witnesses, and the physical evidence. Defendant confessed to the crimes and admitted shooting the victim. His confession to the police parallеled the majority of Mendiola’s statement. The only discrepancy between the two stories was regarding who decided to make a U-turn. Mendiola claimed defendant told him to do it. Defendant claimed that Mendiola did it of his own accord. This factual conflict was not material and would not, in our view, have altered the jury’s finding of guilt. Although the admission of some of Mendiola’s statements may have been error under Williamson, we find any error to be harmless beyond a reasonable doubt.
Defendant next contends that the trial cоurt erred in refusing to instruct the jury on negligent homicide. He claims that such an instruction was warranted based on his statements to police that the shooting was an accident. We disagree.
Lesser-included offense instructions must be given if requested and if supported by the evidence. Ariz.R.Crim.P. 23.3;
State v. Detrich,
The only evidence supporting defendant’s assertion that he was unaware of a risk was his bare assertion that the shooting was an accident and statements that he was intoxiсated. When a defendant is unaware of a substantial and unjustifiable risk solely by virtue of his or her voluntary intoxication, however, negligent homicide is not a lesser-included offense of manslaughter. Id. As to defendant’s claim that the shooting was an accident, he also stated, “[w]hen you play with guns, there’s no accident to it.” Additionally, the evidence showed that defendant’s conduct was intentional or at the very least reckless. He stated that he was familiar with guns аnd their danger and that he knew he was shooting in the direction of three people. Clearly, defendant had knowledge of the risk involved in his behavior. It was not error to refuse the negligent homicide instruction.
C. Violation of Rule 22.2 by Giving Jurors Indictment
Defendant argues that the trial court erred in giving the jurors a copy of the indictment for deliberations. He claims that Rule 22.2, Arizona Rules of Criminal Procedure, prohibits jurors from taking copies of the indictment into deliberations with them. He further contends that because an indictment has an aura of respectability attached to it that favors the state, allowing the jury to take a copy of it to deliberations was prejudicial to him. We disagree.
Rule 22.2, Arizona Rules of Criminal Procedure, states:
Upon retiring for deliberation the jurors shall take with them:
a. Forms of verdict approved by the court, which shall not indicate in any manner whether the offense described therein is a felony or misdemeanor unless the statute upon which the charge is based directs that the jury make this determination,
b. All written or recorded instructions given by the court,
c. Their notes, and
d. Such tangible evidence as the court in its discretion shall direct.
“Rule 22.2 only provides what the jury
shall
take with them to the jury room, not what they shall
only
take.”
State v. Lichon,
In
State v. Amaya-Ruiz,
Although the issue in Amayar-Ruiz was not decided on the basis of Rule 22.2(d), the same considerations apply. Here, the trial court gave the jury a copy of the indictment prior to trial as part of their orientation materials and another after the close of evidence to use during deliberations. The indictment was sanitized, omitting statutory references, felony designations, and the foreman’s signature. 5 At the beginning of trial, the court told the jury that the indictment “is not evidence of anything, and you should not attach аny significance to it except to inform you of the charges against the defendant.” At the end of the trial, the court again instructed the jury that the charges were not evidence and “[they] must not think the defendant is guilty just because of these charges.” Under the circumstances, we find no violation of the rule.
D. Photographs Showing Graffiti
Defendant claims that the trial court erred in admitting in evidence photographs of the crime scene that showed gang graffiti not present at the time of the shooting. Defendant contends that the photographs were irrelevant, prejudicial, confusing, and misleading. We disagree.
The state introduced photographs of the crime scene taken shortly after the shooting and also photographs taken of the crime scene in May of 1994. These later photographs showed gang graffiti, which was not there at the time of the crimes, on a curb. Defendant objected to the introduction of the photographs, voicing his concern that the jury might erroneously infer the crime was gang-related. The court allowed the photographs to be admitted, but advised the jurors that the graffiti had nothing to do with this case and instructed them to ignore the markings on the curb.
Photographic evidence is admissible if it is relevant to an issue in the case and if its probative value outweighs the danger of unfair prejudice in its admission.
State v. Day,
E. Varying Order of Proceedings
Defendant contends that the trial court erred by giving final instructions to the jury before closing arguments. Rule 19.1, Arizona Rules of Criminal Procedure, sets forth the order of a trial “unless otherwise directed by the court.” The rule states the parties may present closing arguments and “[t]he judge shall then charge the jury.” Ariz.R.Crim.P. 19.1(7) & (8).
The order of conduct of trial is up to the sound discretion of the judge.
State v. Spratt,
F. State’s Failure to Maintain Contact with Witnesses
Defendant claims that the prosecution engaged in misconduct by failing to keep
A defendant has a due process and Sixth Amendment right to obtain the testimony of witnesses and compel their attendance.
Washington v. Texas,
In the absence of a showing that potential witnesses for the defense were made unavailable through the suggestion, procurement, or negligence of the state, the state is under no obligation to look for, or produce, such witnesses.
Ferguson,
Here, nothing in the record suggests that either witness would have given potentially exculpatory testimony for defendant. There is no evidence the state either intentionally or negligently prevented defendant from interviewing or procuring the witnesses for trial, nor is there any evidence of bad faith on the part of the police. Defendant’s constitutional rights have not been violated.
G. Instruction Regarding Judge’s Role in Punishment
Defendant argues that the trial court erred in instructing the jury that punishment was solely for the judge to determine. He claims that the instruction was misleading because if convicted of first-degree murder, the judge had no discretion to sentence defendant and was required to impose the statutorily mandated life sentence. We disagree.
“In Arizona, the trial сourt, not the jury determines matters of punishment.”
State v. Allie,
H. Denial of Judgment of Acquittal on First-Degree Murder
Finally, defendant argues that the trial court erred in denying his motion for judgment of acquittal on first-degree murder. He alleges there was insufficient evidence of premeditation under A.R.S. sections 13-
To prove premeditation, the state must show that the “defendant made a decision to kill prior to the act of killing.”
State v. Kreps,
Moreover, even if the court erred in denying the motion, the error was harmless beyond a reasonable doubt. Our supreme court has held that where a crime is divided into degrees and the evidence is insufficient to convict on the higher degree charged, it is error to deny a motion for judgment of acquittal of the higher offensе.
State v. Franklin,
III. CONCLUSION
We have reviewed the record for fundamental error and find none. A.R.S. § 13-4035. The convictions and sentences are affirmed.
Notes
. Clinton Hill was later killed in an unrelated incident.
. Our analysis under the Sixth Amendment and art. 2, § 24, Ariz. Const. is the same.
See State v. Pereda,
. It is unclear whether the exception under 804(b)(3) is "firmly rooted” for confrontation clause purposes. Compare
United States v. Seeley,
. Although
Williamson
did not specifically address confrontation clause issues, the court did note that hearsay is subject to the constraints of
. The words "A True Bill” were typed on the signature line.
