Banks v. State

2002 OK CR 9, 43 P.3d 390, 73 O.B.A.J. 681, 2002 Okla. Crim. App. LEXIS 6, 2002 WL 243402
CourtCourt of Criminal Appeals of Oklahoma
DecidedFebruary 21, 2002
DocketD-1999-1483
StatusPublished
Cited by21 cases

This text of 2002 OK CR 9 (Banks v. State) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Criminal Appeals of Oklahoma primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Banks v. State, 2002 OK CR 9, 43 P.3d 390, 73 O.B.A.J. 681, 2002 Okla. Crim. App. LEXIS 6, 2002 WL 243402 (Okla. Ct. App. 2002).

Opinions

OPINION

CHAPEL, Judge:

{1 Anthony Rozelle Banks was tried by jury and convicted of First Degree Murder in violation of 21 0.S.Supp.1979, § 701.7, in the District Court of Tulsa County Case No. CF-97-8715. The jury found three aggravating circumstances: (1) that Banks was previously convicted of a felony involving the use or threat of violence to the person; (2) that the murder was committed to prevent lawful arrest or prosecution; and (8) that the murder was especially heinous, atrocious, or cruel.1 In accordance with the jury's recommendation, the Honorable Thomas C. Gillert sentenced Banks to death.

FACTS

2 At approximately 11:80 p.m. on June 6, 1979, Sun Travis was returning home from work,. As she was driving into her apartment complex on South College Street, her husband (Steve Travis) heard their car muf-filer and peered out the apartment window. He saw Sun drive toward her designated parking spot, and also noticed a light blue or white hatchback automobile following her. A few minutes passed. Concerned, Steve walked outside to the lot, where he discovered the car parked in the wrong space with dome and headlights on. The pillow upon which Sun sat to drive was on the ground next to the car.

13 Steve returned to the apartment and called the police. The next morning, Sun's lifeless and partially clothed body was found in the grass next to a nearby road. Sun had several bruises on her face. She had been killed by a gunshot wound to the head.

1 4 In November 1979, Banks was in custody on unrelated charges when he asked to speak with the Tulsa County District Attorney about the Sun Travis murder. Banks's version of Sun Travis's death begins at approximately 11:00 p.m. on June 6, 1979; I was at a convenience store in my light blue AMC Hornet hatchback when Allen Nelson asked me for a ride. I drove him to what turned out to be Travis's apartment complex; Sun Travis pulled up in her car. Nelson exited my car, began talking to Travis, reentered my car with Travis, and requested that I drive them to the Apache Mamor Apartments. Once there, Nelson and Travis entered the apartments while I drank beer and waited. Nelson and Travis, now shirtless, returned. I drove them around for about ten minutes, when Nelson asked me to stop the car on 86th Street, about three hundred yards from the entrance of the Comanche Apartments.

15 Travis exited to the front of the car, Nelson to the rear, after which he circled around to the front and shot Travis in the head. Nelson returned to the car and asked me not to tell anyone. We drove away, until Nelson noticed a sewer drain and asked me to stop. He discarded Travis's blouse and purse in the drain, then returned to the car. I drove him home.2

16 Despite Banks's statement, made in 1979, the Travis case remained open until 1997, when DNA analysis was performed on sperm samples obtained from the victim and her clothing. DNA analyst David Muniec testified that the sperm found on Travis's clothing was a mixture, matching both Banks's and Nelson's DNA. Muniee also [396]*396testified that the sperm found on a vaginal swab matched Banks and the sperm on an anal swab matched Nelson. Forensic Chemist Julie Kempton also testified that the DNA found on Travis's pants was a mixture of Banks's and Nelson's DNA.

ISSUES RELATING TO PRETRIAL PROCEEDINGS

17 In Proposition VI, Banks argues that the trial court erred in allowing the State to prosecute him pursuant to the Second Amended Information, claiming prejudice in that he had no notice of the State's intent to prosecute him for first degree malice aforethought murder. This claim fails.

T8 On August 6, 1997, Banks was charged by Information with malice aforethought murder. At preliminary hearing on June 5, 1998, the State asked for, and without objection was granted, authority to amend the Information to charge Banks alternatively with malice aforethought murder and felony murder in the commission of the felonies of kidnapping and rape by force or fear. On June 25, 1998, the State mistakenly filed an Amended Information only charging Banks with felony murder, but corrected the error on August 27, 1999, by filing the Second Amended Information alleging malice aforethought murder and felony murder in the commission of kidnapping or rape by foree or fear. Banks was not prejudiced as he was tried and convicted based upon the same evidence and charges that he was given notice of at preliminary hearing.3 This Proposition is denied.

T9 In Proposition II, Banks claims the trial court erred in overruling his motion to quash the search warrant issued to obtain his blood sample and suppress the DNA evidence it revealed. Banks contended that material misstatements existed in the affidavit for the search warrant. The trial court denied the motion, finding first that the misrepresentations were not material and see-ond, that even without the offending language, other sufficient allegations supported a finding of probable cause. We agree.

10 The affidavit correctly stated that semen had been obtained from a victim of sexual assault and murder. Probable cause to obtain Banks's blood was then established by his own admissions as outlined in the affidavit. - Banks admitted accompanying Nelson "when Nelson committed the crimes." Thus, we find that assuming arguendo misrepresentation, the search warrant was supported by probable cause.4

ISSUES RELATING TO FIRST STAGE PROCEEDINGS

{11 In Proposition I, Banks asserts that the evidence was insufficient to convict him of first degree murder. In evaluating evidence sufficiency, this Court considers it in a light most favorable to the State to determine whether "any rational trier of fact could have found the essential elements of the crime charged beyond a reasonable doubt."5 Banks was alternatively charged with malice aforethought and felony murder in the commission of a kidnapping or forcible rape. - The jury verdict form indicates Banks was found guilty of both and the evidence was sufficient to convict him of both 6.

€ 12 In a light most favorable to the State, the evidence established that Banks and Nelson drove in Banks's car to Travis's apartment complex. Upon Travis's arrival, they foreed her into their car, drove to the Apache Manor Apartments, forced her into an apartment, vaginally and anally raped her, re[397]*397turned to the car, and drove to 36th street where one or the other shot Travis in the head.

113 To convict Banks of malice aforethought murder, the jury had to find that he caused the unlawful death of a human with malice aforethought,7 or aided and abetted another in the commission of the murder with the personal intent to kill, and with knowledge of the perpetrator's intent to kills.8 "Aiding and abetting in a crime requires the State to show that the accused procured the crime to be done, or aided, assisted, abetted, advised or encouraged the commission of the crime."9

T 14 Banks argues that the evidence was insufficient because the State did not prove that he either shot Travis or aided and abetted Nelson when he shot her. In his police statement, Banks admitted his presence at all crime scenes, but claimed that Nelson acted unilaterally when he killed Travis.

115 Banks's admitted presence at the crime scenes is consistent with the evidence.

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Bluebook (online)
2002 OK CR 9, 43 P.3d 390, 73 O.B.A.J. 681, 2002 Okla. Crim. App. LEXIS 6, 2002 WL 243402, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/banks-v-state-oklacrimapp-2002.