State of Missouri v. Nicholas A. Evans

In the Missouri Court of Appeals Eastern District DIVISION THREE STATE OF MISSOURI, ) EDI()OI 10 ) Respondent, ) Appeal from the Circuit Court ) of Lincoln County v. ) l2L6-CROO003-0l ) NICI-IOLAS A. EVANS, ) Honorable Ch1'is K. Meniienieyer ) Appellaiit. ) Filed: Septeniber 30, 2014 introduction Nicholas Evans (Defendant) appeals the judgment entered upon his conviction after a jury found him guilty of assault in the first degree and armed criminal action. 'i`his case, along with another case handed down today, State v. Mtlrph};, ED99942, present the question of whether a hand or a fist can qualify as a "daligerous instrunient" in support of a conviction for the unciassiiied felony of armed criminal action. We conclude that the plain language of the statutory definition does not contemplate a hand or fist as a “dangerotls instrument." Defendant also argues that the trial court abused its discretion in allowing the State to present a prejudicial photograph to the jury, which had an outcome- deterniinative effect on his trial. We reverse in part and affirm in part. Background Viewed in the light most favorable to the verdict, the evidence at trial was the following. During the early morning hours of December 31, 2012, Megali Crawford (Crawford) rode with her cousin, Emily Martin (Maitin), to Georgee’s Bar to pick up Martin’s boyfriend, LJ. Martin drove her compact car, and Crawford rode in the passenger seat. Crawford’s boyfriend went with them as well and rode in the backseat. When they arrived at Georgee’s, Crawford saw her friend James Zemek (Victim) outside, and she got out of the car to go taik to hirn. After a brief conversation, Crawford returned to the car to wait for LJ. Cravvford believed Victim was intoxicated Eventually, L.l came out of the bar vvitli Defendant and two other men. LJ, Defendant, and one other man attempted to get in the backseat of Martin’s car, where Crawford’s boyfriend was seated. Crawford told them there was not enough space for everyone to flt, and she believed they were there to pick up LJ only. Victim approached the car and asked Crawford if she was okay. Defendant asked Victim why he was getting involved because it was not any of Victim’s business, which caused Defendant and Victim to argue. Two other men, one of whom was Crawford’s uncle, Zack Richter (Richter), came over to the car and asked if everyone was all right. Crawford told them everything was fine. After that, Victim walked away with Richter and the other 1nan. As Victim walked away, Defendant’s friends were physically restraining Defendant. Defendant broke away from his friends and ran over to Victim. Defendant punched Victim on the side of Victim’s face, and Victim appeared to become unconscious after the first punch. Defendant continued to punch Victim. Richter unsuccessfully attempted to pull Defendant away from Victim. Aliotliei' man, Alithony Winebarger (Winebarger) did pull Defendant away briefiy, but Defendant broke free and said, "I’m going to get you, white boy. It’s on now." Defendant ran back to Victim and punched him again. After this, LJ and another man ran over to Victirn, and one of them kicked Victim in his upper torso area. Defendant had punched Victim four to five times in totai, but Vietim never moved after the first punch. After the attack was over, Defendant and the men with him ran away. When Crawford and her friends saw that Victim was still not waking up and was bleeding profusely from his face, they put him in the back of a car and took him to the liospital. He regained consciousness at the hospital, but he had to be flown by helicopter to a hospital in St. Charles. Victim sustained severe brain trauma, swelling, and bieeding, as weil as a skull fracture. 'fhese injuries created a life-threatening situation, and Victim would likely have died without treatment Victiin spent two weeks in the liospital, and he underwent surgery after that to repair his skull. Since this incident, Victim has been more confused and forgetful, and he struggles with speech. He experiences dizziness regularly and has to lay down and rest during the day. He is not able to play with his kids in the same way he did before. I-Ie has migraine headaches, and his vision is also impaired since this incident lie does not remember the incident at all. Defendant was charged with assault in the first degree and armed criminal action. The State argued that the jury could find Defendant guilty of armed criminal action, because he committed the assault through use of a "daiigerous instrument," in this case, his fists. The jury found Defendant guilty of both counts, and the trial court sentenced Defendant to concurrent terms of ten years in prison for first-degree assault and three years for armed criminal action. This appeal follows. Discussion Defendant raises two points on appeal. In Point I, he argues that the trial court abused its discretion in admitting Exliibit 19, a photograph that a witness had used to identify Defendant, because the photograph was more prejudicial than pi'obative. ln Point Il, Defendant argues that the evidence was insufficient for the jury to find him guilty of armed criminal action because a fist cannot qualify as a "dangerous instrument." Standard of Review Regarding Point I, a trial court has broad discretion in the admission of evidence, and we will reverse a conviction based on an evidentiary error "only if the error was so prejudicial that it deprived the defendant of a fair trial." State v. Tokar, 918 S.W.Zd 753, 761 (Mo. banc 1996). Such prejudice occurs when "the errors are more likely than not to have affected the outcoine." State v. Patton, 419 S.W._°>d 125, 133 (Mo. App. E.D. 2013). in Point II, Defendant challenges the sufficiency of the evidence to support his conviction for arnied criminal action by raising the question of whether a fist can qualify as a "dangerous iiistrtirnent" under the statutory definition Statutory interpretation is a legal question that we review de novo. S. Metro. Fire Protection Dist. v. Citv of Lee’s Summit, 278 S.W.Bd 659, 666 (Mo. banc 2009). Thereafter, we examine the whole record in light of our iiiterpretation, to determine "whetlier the State has introduced sufficient evidence for any reasonable juror to have been convinced of the defendant’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt." State v. Nash, 339 S.W.Bd 500, 509 (Mo. banc 2011). .Plgiil_t_l Defendant argues that the trial court abused its discretion in admitting Exhibit 19 into evidence because it was irrelevant and more prejudicial than probative We agree. However, in light of the other evidence of Defendant’s guilt, we conclude that the error was not outcome-determinative. Exhibit 19 came into evidence during the State’s examination of Wiiiebarger, when the State recalled him after his initial testimony. Prior to that during Defendant’s cross-examination of Wiiiebarger, defense counsel asked Winebarger if he knew LJ, and Winebarger replied that he did not. Winebargei' added that he had learned the names of LJ and Defendant when he saw their pictures on Facebook, which someone had accessed from a cell phone at the hospital. The State recalled Winebargei' to ask about a specific Facebook photograph of Defendant, Exhibit l9. The following colloquy occurred: [STATE:} [W]as this the photograph that you looked at when you were determining whether or not that was the same Nick Evans that you saw at Georgee’s bar the evening in question? [WINEBARGER:] Yes. This was one of thein. This one here is not as good as the other ones. The other ones, we were able to identify him better. [STATE:] [W]ere you able to deteriuine, based on that tag on that individual in the pictui'e, that it was the same individual that you saw at Georgee’s bar? [WINEBARGER:] Not so much with this picture, but there was obviously other pictures that clearly were[,] . . . other pictures where he had a more normal appearance . . . . The State moved for admission of Exhibit 19, and defense counsel argued that it was prejudicial because it pictured a group of people, including Defendant, who were making some kind of finger signs. Defense counsel argued the jury could draw an adverse inference about the signs, possibly that they were gang signs. The trial court decided that based on the fact that the Facebook photographs were first mentioned during cross- examination, the couit would allow Exhibit 19 into evidence. Evidence must be relevant to be admissible. State v. Anderson, 76 S.W.3d 275, 276 (Mo. banc 2002). Logically relevant evidence goes to the question of whether a material fact is true. I_d_. I~lowever, even logically relevant evidence is admissible only if it is legally relevant. l_cL "Legal relevance weighs the probative value of the evidence against its costs_unfair prejudice, confusion of the issues, misleading the jury, undue delay, waste of time, or cuniulativeness." § 'l`hougli a trial court has broad discretion in admitting photograplis, there are limitations on this discretion. State v. Floyd, 360 S.W.Zd 630, 633 (Mo. 1962). "[P]liotographs should not be admitted where their sole purpose is to arouse the emotions of the jury and to prejudice the defendant." Ld. (citation oniitted). Here, Exhibit 19 was one of many photographs that witnesses used to identify Defendant as the man who punched Victim. Thus, it was logically relevant. However, the legal relevance here is lacking. Defendant’s identity was not contested. Defendant conceded he was there but gave a different version of events, arguing essentially self- defense and possible additional unintentional contact.l Moreover, Winebargei' stated that 1 Specifically, Defendant’s counsel stated in his opening statement that he expected the evidence to show that Defendant "s\v[iijng because [he was} trying to defend [liiin]self." Defendant later testified that Victini swung at him twice, and then someone stepped in between Victim and Defendant Shortly after that, Victim came toward Defendant again, and Defendant "siviing out and [] barely tapped his chin," which 6 though he viewed Exliibit 19, it was not the most helpful in identifying Defendant Thus, the probative value of this evidence was minirnal. 'l`he photograph was prejudicial in that the jury saw a group of men, including Defendant, making faces and displaying hand signs. Defendant was sticking out his tongue. The jury could have drawn an adverse inference from this image of Defendant, and Winebargei' testified there were several other Facebook photographs available that he viewed and pictured Defendant with "a more normal appearance.” We are strained to find a reason for the State’s choice of this picture that does not include its prejudicial effect Given the potential for prejudice, in light of the very minimal probative value, we find that the trial court abused its discretion in admitting exhibit 19? _s_@§ iii Finding error, we now must consider whether that error was outco1ne- determinative. § Anderson, 76 S.W.3d at 277. Defendant argues that because the jury had to discern which of the two versions of events to believe, Exhibit 19 led the jury to believe Defendant a bad person, and the conviction was based on this belief. Defendant points out that the jury deliberated for four hours, showing they were contlicted, and Defendant argues this shows Exhibit 19 did affect their ve1'dict. We disagree. The evidence that Defendant punched Victim repeatedly while Victim was unconscious was corroborated by three eyewitnesses, and the doctors who treated Victim made Defendant fall to the ground. Defendant testified that while on the ground, he "received iiuiiieroils blows to the back, to [his] head." As Defendant tried to get up, lie “\vas s\vinging \vildly with [liis] right arm trying to get {him]self free to get up off the ground." Defendant was not sure what he hit when he was swinging and trying to stand up. 2 The State argues such a conclusion is mistaken because the evidentiary rule prohibiting evidence of other crimes or misconduct would only be violated if the evidence sliowed that the Defendant was in a gang § State v. Davidson, 242 S.W.Sd 409, 415 (Mo. App. E.D. 2007). While evidence may not violate an exclusionary rule and be logically relevant, it can still be error to admit such evidence where the prejudicial effect of such evidence outweighs any probative value. In Davidson the couit found letters defendant \vrote "highly probative" and no prejudice from the vague statement in a letter that defendant was "a G," implying gang membership I_d. While we reach a different conclusion as to legal relevance under the facts here, ultimately the Davidson court found, as we do, that the vague reference to gang membership did not "siipport a claim of reversible error." § detailed the extent of Victim’s injuries to the jury. All of this evidence refuted Defendant’s testimony that he merely "tapped" Victim and may have accidently hit Victim additional times when his arms were "swingiiig wildly" as he tried to stand up. The fact that the jury deliberated for four hours does not establish prejudice liere. They could have been debating any number of issues raised by the law and the evidence, including the elements of armed criminal action, which we will discuss in Point II. Thus, Defendant has not shown that Exhibit 19 had an outcome-determinative effect on his ti'ial. §§ Anderson, 76 S.W.3d at 276. Point denied. BQ_L;§_II Defendant argues that his conviction for armed criminal action, based on the jury finding that he conimitted first»degree assault with a dangerous instruinent, must be reversed because the only evidence was that he hit Victim with his fists, and a list cannot qualify as a "dangerous instrument" under the statutory definition We agi'ee. Section 571.015.13 provides that a person is guilty of the felony of armed criminal action when that person commits another felony "by, with, or through the use, assistance, or aid of a dangerous instrument or deadly weapon." A deadly weapon is something that is inherently dangerous, such as a firearm; whereas a dangerous instrument can be an ordinary or “seeniingly innocuous item" that becomes dangerous under the circumstances in which it is used. State v. Williains, 126 S.W.Bd 377, 384 (Mo. banc 2004). Because Defendant did not use a weapon here, the relevant inquiry is whether lie utilized a "dangerous instrument” when he punched Victim with his fists. "Dangerous instrument" is defined in Section 556.061(9): 3 All statutory references are to RSMO. (Supp. 2013) unless otherwise indicated 8 [A]iiy instruiiient, article or substance, which, under the circumstances in which it is used, is readily capable of causing death or other serious physical iiijury[.] Few courts in Missouri have addressed the issue of whether a body part can fail under this definition, and none have considered the threshold determination required by the statute: whethei‘, in light of tlie plain language of the defiiiitioii, a haiid, iist, or other body part is an “insti'uineiit, article or substaiice," and therefore capable of becoming a ‘°dangerous instrumeiit" as a matter of law. This is the question presented hei'e. ""i`he primary rule of statutory interpretation is to effectuate legislative intent through reference to the plain and ordinary meaning of the statutory language." §t_ai_teL Q_i'_a_ha_i_i_i_, 204 S.W.E)d 655, 656 (Mo. banc 2006). Rather than liyper-technical, statutory construction should be reasonable and logical, and should determine whether the language would be clear to persons of ordinary intelligence in re Boland, 155 S.W.I`)d 65, 67 (Mo. banc 2005); State v. Gi'ahain, 149 S.W.?)d 465, 467 (Mo. App. E.D. 2004). We conclude that a reasoned and common-sense reading of the terms "iiisti'iiinent, article or substance" from the definition of "dangerous iiisti'unient" indicate an external object or iteni, rather than a part of a pei'son’s body. The most relevant dictionary definition of "instruinent” is “a tool or implement, esp. one for delicate or scientific work."" THE OXFORD CoLLEGE DiCTioNARY 701 (Zd ed. 2007); see also Gasli v. Lafayette County, 245 S.W.3d 229, 232 (Mo. banc 2008) (in absence of statutory definition, courts derive plain and ordinary meaning from dictionary definition). In ordinary ianguage, hands, feet, or other body parts are not commonly referred to as 4 Less relevant here, but no more persuasive iii convincing us that body parts are included, are the definitions of "aiticle" and "substance." "Article" is defined in relevant part as “a particular item or object, typically one of a specified type"; and "substaiice" as "a particular kind of rnattei' with iiniform propeities{;] an iiitoxicating, stirnulating, or narcotic clieinical or drug, esp. an illegal one." THE OXFORD COLLEGE DicrioN/\RY 67, 1369 (Zd ed. 2007). instruments, or even as articles or substances. Thus, a plain and ordinary reading of the terms instrument, article, and substance do not iiidicate a body part. Moreover, such a conclusion is consistent with the armed criminal action statute’s context and prior case law. While the current armed criminal action statute has been iii effect since 1979, prior versions of the statute conteinplated additional punishment for felonies committed only through the use of weapons. § Section 559.225.1, RSMo. (Supp. 1976) (same laiiguage as current version save omission of "instrtiment," thus proscribing only use of "dangerotis or deadly weapon"). Before 1976, the statute existed not as a separate felony offense, but simply as a means of enhancing the sentence of a person coinrnitting a felony, when that felony was committed using a deadly weapoii. Sectioii 4821 (RSMo. 1939) ("lf any person shall be convicted of committing a felony, or attempting to commit a feloiiy, while armed with a pistol or any deadly weapon[,] the punishment elsewhere prescribed for said offense . . . shall be iiicreased . . . by imprisonment . . . for two years"). The legislature’s intent was to impose an additional punishment to those who cominit felonies "in virtue of [their] having been comniitted through the use of a dangerous or deadly weapon." Sours v. State, 603 S.W.2d 592, 599 (Mo. banc 1980); see also State v. Kane, 629 S.W.2d 372, 374 (Mo. banc 1982) (reciting prior versions of armed criminal action statute§). Thus, the current versioii, allowing conviction for arined criminal action when a felony is committed through the use of a "daiigerous iiistruinent," iii addition to a deadly 5 However, we note that in @, the court quotes the 1976 version from Section 559.225, RSl\/lo. (Supp. 1976), punishing tlie use of a "daiigerous or deadly weapon" in comiiiitting a felony, and the court notes that it is "now [Section] 571.0]5, RSMo 1978." 629 S.W.Zd at 375. Tliis appears to be an oversight, because actually when enacted in l977 (effective iri 1979), Section 571.015 differed from the prior version in that the legislature iiiseited the word “instriiiiieiit," resulting in the phrase “througli the use, assistance, or aid of a dangerous iiistriiiiierif or deadly weapon" {emphasis added), the same version of the statute that is currently in place. Compare Section 559.225.1, RSMo. (Supp. 1976) § Section 571.015.1, RSl\/lo. (Supp. 1977) (curi'eiit as of RSMo. (Supp. 20!3)). 10 weapon, was an expansion by the legislature to include other types of items that can be used to cause the same degree of harm that weapons do. This seems to be an acknowledgement by the legislature that such items were being used as weapons, and that defendants were being convicted under the statute for committing felonies with items that were not technically weapons. C_f. State v. Davis, 611 S.W.Zd 384, 386-87 (Mo. App. S.D. 1981) (noting under previous statute, items such as leather-sole shoes, rocks, hoe liandle, and cliampagne bottle had been declared dangerous weapons). lt also indicates the legislature’s intent to impose greater punishment on those individuals who choose to use an item or weapon to commit a crime than those who do iiot. This is logical when considering that likely a iiiajority of the time, the potential for greater harm is present when persons committing crimes hold sharp, heavy, or otherwise potentially harmful objects, than if they have only their own hands at their disposal.& The title of the aimed criminal action statute itself suggests a person who is "ariiied" with something more than his or her own body. Thus, we believe interpreting “dangeroiis instrument" to include body parts would unduly expand the reach of the armed criminal action statute and result iii a significant departure from the historical intent of this eiilianced ptinishinent.? 6 While of course there may be exceptions to this, it is reasonable to infer that the legislature sought to increase punishment for the general circumstance iii which someone uses an item to inflict a greater degree of harm on a victim than lie or she would liave been able to \vitlioiit the item. 7 Moreover, separate from the ariiied criminal action statute, the term "dangei'ous instrument" is incoiporated into other criminal statutes as well. Exainining those in context also confirms that the legislature did not intend for a "daiigeroiis instrument" to iiiclude a body part. For exainple, Section 565.073(|) defines the crime of domestic assault iii the second degree. That section states, in relevant part, that the crime occurs when a person "{ajtteinpts to cause or knowingly causes physical injury . . . by any meaiis, including but not liniited to, by use of a deadly weapon or dangerous instrunient, or by clioki.=ig or si‘.»‘aiigzi!arioii." Sectioii 565.073(1) (einpliasis added). The definition of "daiigerotis instrumeiit" from Section 556.061(9) applies in this section as \vell. Thus, if we interpreted “dangeroiis instruinent" to include liaiids, that would render the words "cliol