Alderson v. State

138 P.3d 330, 36 Kan. App. 2d 29, 2006 Kan. App. LEXIS 599
CourtCourt of Appeals of Kansas
DecidedJune 30, 2006
DocketNo. 94,408
StatusPublished
Cited by2 cases

This text of 138 P.3d 330 (Alderson v. State) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals of Kansas primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Alderson v. State, 138 P.3d 330, 36 Kan. App. 2d 29, 2006 Kan. App. LEXIS 599 (kanctapp 2006).

Opinion

Green, J.:

Shawn Alderson appeals from the trial court’s denial of his K.S.A. 60-1507 motion after an evidentiary hearing. Alderson contends that the trial court erred in denying his claims that his trial counsel was ineffective: (1) in failing to call witnesses that would support his self-defense strategy; (2) in failing to impeach a witness with his prior inconsistent statements; and (3) in not proffering evidence of the victim’s prior conviction. Nevertheless, all of the evidence that Alderson claims should have been presented by his trial counsel related to a last-minute, self-defense strategy that Alderson unilaterally decided to present in his testimony at the close of trial. Alderson’s trial counsel cannot be found deficient for her failure to present such evidence when Alderson never provided her with any information that he committed the crime in self-defense until his testimony at trial. Moreover, because Aider-son was still able to present his theory of self-defense to the jury, we are unable to determine that the performance by Alderson’s [31]*31trial counsel denied him the right to a fair trial. Therefore, Alder-son’s ineffective assistance of counsel claim fails. Accordingly, we affirm.

The events in the underlying case took place one evening in June 1994. On the night in question, Alderson was driving a stolen red Chevrolet Blazer with Vernon Harris, Jr., as a passenger when they stopped in a parking lot to watch a fight. Harris got out of the passenger side of the Blazer and fired shots into the rear of a car in which Larry Goodwin was sitting in the driver’s seat. Goodwin then drove his car in a circle. Robert Ross, who was one of the people involved in the initial fight, testified that Alderson fired three or four shots from the driver’s seat of the Blazer at the driver’s side of Goodwin’s car. One of the bullets struck Goodwin and caused his death a few days later. Evidence at trial indicated that the bullet that killed Goodwin entered through the driver’s side and was shot from a 9 mm caliber handgun.

Initially, Alderson gave a statement denying that he was in the parking lot when the shooting occurred. Nevertheless, at trial, Alderson revealed that he was at the scene. Alderson testified that he had fired two or three shots at Goodwin’s car while he was standing outside of the Blazer. Alderson testified that he started shooting after he saw Goodwin’s car going in circles and then coming towards him.

After Goodwin was shot, Alderson and Harris left the parking lot in the Blazer. Alderson testified that as he and Harris were driving to a party later that night, they saw two young people standing on a bridge. Alderson and Harris decided to scare the pedestrians. Alderson testified that he picked up a 9 mm gun that was laying in an area between the seats, stuck the gun out of the window, and fired one shot. As they continued driving down the street, Alderson looked back and saw one of the pedestrians fall.

Tyrone Elam was shot as he was walking along the street on the bridge that evening. Just before he was shot, he saw a red sport utility vehicle pass him and heard someone yell, “You’re as dead as hell.” Elam then fell to the ground. As a result of this incident, Elam suffered extensive injuries. One of his kidneys had to be removed, 52% of his liver was removed, and his lungs collapsed [32]*32twice. Part of the bullet, which could not be removed from Elam, could cause medical complications in the future. Elam testified that he had never seen Alderson before that night.

The jury convicted Alderson of felony murder and severity level 4 aggravated batteiy.

Critical Facts Discussed By Our Supreme Court

Alderson appealed his convictions and sentences to our Supreme Court. A critical fact discussed by our Supreme Court on direct appeal was that Alderson had testified at trial that he shot Goodwin in self-defense which contradicted his previous statement in which he denied being at the scene. See State v. Alderson, 260 Kan. 445, 448-49, 922 P.2d 435 (1996) (Alderson I); State v. Alderson, 266 Kan. 603, 972 P.2d 1112 (1999) (Alderson II). In addition, our Supreme Court stated that the physical evidence indicated that the bullet that killed Goodwin was fired from the side of the car and slightly from the rear. 260 Kan. at 449.

One of the arguments raised by Alderson on direct appeal was that tire trial court’s decision to exclude Goodwin’s prior aggravated battery conviction denied him his constitutional right to present a full and complete defense. Our Supreme Court stated that the record was clear that Alderson had presented his self-defense theory of the case to the jury. Our Supreme Court noted that Alderson had testified that Goodwin’s car almost hit a friend of his and was coming towards him. Furthermore, the jury had been instructed on the self-defense theory. In rejecting Alderson’s argument that the trial court erred in excluding evidence of a prior conviction of the defendant, our Supreme Court stated:

“The court did not exclude all evidence of the defendant’s theory. Thus, a constitutional issue is not at stake, and this court’s standard of review is not unlimited. Instead, we determine whether the district court abused its discretion in excluding evidence of Goodwin’s prior conviction for aggravated battery. [Citation omitted.]” 260 Kan. at 461.

Our Supreme Court determined that the trial court did not abuse its discretion in refusing to admit the previous conviction into evidence. 260 Kan. at 463.

[33]*33Our Supreme Court affirmed Alderson’s convictions but vacated the sentences and remanded for resentencing by a different judge. 260 Kan. at 470. At resentencing, the sentencing court imposed an upward durational departure sentence on the aggravated battery offense, based upon the random act of shooting Elam. Our Supreme Court affirmed his resentencing in Alderson II, 266 Kan. 603.

Ineffective Assistance of Counsel Claims Raised in K.S.A. 60-1507 Motion

Alderson later moved for relief under K.S.A. 60-1507, raising numerous ineffective assistance of counsel claims. On his claims relevant to the instant case, Alderson argued that his trial attorney failed to call witnesses to support his self-defense theory, failed to proffer the nature of Goodwin’s prior conviction for aggravated battery, and failed to impeach Ross’ testimony at trial with his prior inconsistent statements. After conducting a nonevidentiary hearing on Alderson’s 60-1507 motion, the trial court denied Alderson’s claims.

Alderson appealed the trial court’s decision to this court. Alderson v. State, No. 89,220, unpublished opinion filed November 7, 2003 (Alderson III). This court determined that the motion raised substantial issues of fact on several issues.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
138 P.3d 330, 36 Kan. App. 2d 29, 2006 Kan. App. LEXIS 599, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/alderson-v-state-kanctapp-2006.