Evans v. Takao

842 P.2d 255, 74 Haw. 267, 1992 Haw. LEXIS 115
CourtHawaii Supreme Court
DecidedDecember 16, 1992
DocketNO. 16361
StatusPublished
Cited by14 cases

This text of 842 P.2d 255 (Evans v. Takao) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Hawaii Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Evans v. Takao, 842 P.2d 255, 74 Haw. 267, 1992 Haw. LEXIS 115 (haw 1992).

Opinion

*270 OPINION OF THE COURT BY

LEVINSON, J.

The petitioner Christopher Evans (Evans) moves this court for writs of prohibition and mandamus prohibiting the respondent, the Honorable Frank T. Takao (Takao), judge of the Circuit Court of the First Circuit, State of Hawaii, from pursuing a criminal contempt of court *271 charge against Evans. In the alternative, Evans moves this court for an order transferring Evans’s hearing on the charge to another judge. For the reasons set forth below, we decline to grant the petition for writs of prohibition and mandamus.

I.

The present petition arises out of Evans’s representation of Shane Ahlo (Ahlo) in a criminal prosecution tried before Takao. Ahlo was charged with one count of burglary in the first degree and two counts of terroristic threatening in the first degree for allegedly breaking into Sherryl Santiago’s (Santiago) home and threatening Santiago and Annette DeMello (DeMello) with a gun. Santiago lived a few houses away from the residence that Ahlo shared with DeMello. Ahlo’s defense to the charges was that the gun allegedly used in committing the offense was not a real gun, but was rather a cigarette lighter shaped like a gun.

On June 30,1992, the first day of trial, Ahlo informed Takao that he wanted his current attorney to be replaced by Evans. The court acceded to Ahlo’s request and trial commenced the same day by agreement of the parties.

On July 7, 1992, Santiago testified on behalf of the prosecution. On direct examination, Santiago testified, inter alia, that when Ahlo entered her home, Ahlo was holding an object that appeared to her to be a gun, pointed it at DeMello and Santiago, and endeavored to convince DeMello to come home with him. When this strategy failed, Ahlo reached behind Santiago, grabbed DeMello by the hair, dragged her to the floor, and placed the object to DeMello’s head. Ahlo eventually left Santiago’s house with DeMello, who was crying.

*272 Immediately upon completion of direct examination, Evans handed an object, enclosed in a manila envelope, to the deputy prosecuting attorney (DPA) trying the case for the State. The DPA asked to approach the bench, where, out of the jury’s hearing, he noted that he had not seen the object, which Evans identified for the first time as “a cigarette lighter.” The DPA advised Takao that the defense had not produced the lighter in discovery. Evans responded that the prosecution had “never asked for it” and that the DPA “[knew] all along, because I said it in my opening argument.” Takao sustained the DPA’s “objection” on the basis that the object should have been produced in discovery 1 and directed Evans to proceed with his examination.

Evans then began his cross-examination of Santiago by asking her to examine the object. The DPA objected to Santiago being permitted to examine any object that had not been disclosed to the prosecution in discovery. Takao sustained the objection and again directed Evans to proceed with his examination. The following colloquy ensued:

Q. (By Mr. Evans:) Do you recognize that object?
A. [By Santiago] Yes.
Q. Is that the object you saw?
[DPA]: Your Honor —
THE COURT: Just a moment. All right, I will sustain the objection.
*273 MR. EVANS: Is that the object you saw?
[DPA]: Your Honor —
THE COURT: Just a moment. The objection is sustained. The Court has made its ruling, Mr. Evans.
MR. EVANS: Your Honor, I’ve disclosed to the jury and the Court and the Prosecution on Tuesday what the object would be that this witness would identify.
THE COURT: Objection is sustained.
MR. EVANS: Since that time, the Prosecution has never asked to view that object. Furthermore, Your Honor —
THE COURT: Counsel will approach the bench.
(At the bench)
THE COURT: Mr. Evans, the Court has made its ruling. You have a continuing obligation as counsel to —
MR. EVANS: Your Honor, the remedy is not to prevent Defense from using an exhibit which is clearly relevant to this case. That’s not the remedy.
THE COURT: Why didn’t you show —
MR. EVANS: The remedy is to take a recess, and allow the Prosecution to —
THE COURT: This is a trial.
MR. EVANS: I understand.
THE COURT: Okay, I’ll sustain the objection.
MR. EVANS: Your Honor —
*274 THE COURT: Mr. Evans, the Court has made its ruling. If you keep persisting, we’re going to have to continue this case for a couple of days.
MR. EVANS: Your Honor, then that’s what I’m asking for, a recess to allow the Prosecution —you’re trying to prevent the defendant from having a fair trial in this case, Your Honor, and I object.
[DPA]: Excuse me, Your Honor.
MR. EVANS: I told the Prosecution what the object was going to be.
THE COURT: Mr. Evans —
MR. EVANS: I’m sorry, Your Honor.
THE COURT: Mr. Evans.
MR. EVANS: Yes.
THE COURT: Do not raise your voice.
MR. EVANS: I’m sorry, Your Honor, I cannot stand here and allow my client not to have a fair trial. That’s the object the witness saw.
[DPA]: Your Honor —
THE COURT: Mr. Evans, I’m going to hold you in contempt of court.
MR. EVANS: Fine.
THE COURT: All right, then I will excuse the jury. The jury is excused. Just wait outside, please.
(The jury was excused.)
THE COURT: I will excuse the witness, too. Will you step outside and wait.
(The witness was excused.)
THE COURT: Mr. Evans, the Court will make the finding notwithstanding the ruling, the *275 Court’s ruling. You have raised your voice to the Court not only once, but I’ve asked you to keep quiet, and you continue to raise your voice.

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Bluebook (online)
842 P.2d 255, 74 Haw. 267, 1992 Haw. LEXIS 115, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/evans-v-takao-haw-1992.