Hooker v. State

887 P.2d 1351, 1994 WL 635165
CourtCourt of Criminal Appeals of Oklahoma
DecidedJanuary 23, 1995
DocketF-88-915
StatusPublished
Cited by76 cases

This text of 887 P.2d 1351 (Hooker 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
Hooker v. State, 887 P.2d 1351, 1994 WL 635165 (Okla. Ct. App. 1995).

Opinions

OPINION

CHAPEL, Judge:

John Michael Hooker was charged with two counts of First Degree Murder with Malice Aforethought in violation of 21 O.S.Supp.1982, § 701.7, in the District Court of Oklahoma County, Case No. CRF-88-1939. Count I charged Hooker with the murder of Sylvia Stokes, and Count II charged Hooker with the murder of Drucilla Morgan. The State filed two Bills of Particulars seeking the death penalty on each count.

A jury trial was held October 24-28, 1988, before the Honorable Leamon Freeman, District Judge. At the conclusion of the first stage of the trial, the jury returned a verdict of guilty of first degree murder on both counts. The case then proceeded to the capital sentencing phase of trial. During sentencing, the jury found the existence of four aggravating circumstances: (1) Hooker was previously convicted of a felony involving the use or threat of violence to the person; (2) Hooker knowingly created a great risk of death to more than one person; (3) the murder was especially heinous, atrocious or cruel; and (4) the existence of a probability that [1356]*1356Hooker would commit criminal acts of violence constituting a continuing threat to society. The jury then sentenced Hooker to death on both murder counts. From this Judgment and Sentence, Hooker has perfected this appeal.

FACTS

Sylvia Stokes was John Hooker’s common-law wife. Hooker and Stokes had a violent, turbulent relationship, which was marked by episodes in which Hooker physically attacked Stokes. Several witnesses testified about Hooker’s attacks on Stokes and about threats Hooker had made against Stokes. The State also introduced a Victim’s Protective Order (“VPO”) that Stokes had secured against Hooker approximately seven months before her death. In the spring of 1988, Hooker, Stokes and their three children were living in the Providence Apartments in Oklahoma City. Drucilla Morgan, Stokes’ mother, as well as other members of Stokes’ family, also lived in this apartment complex. Witnesses characterized the apartment complex as one where many residents regularly used drugs, such as PCP, and where violence was not infrequent.

In late March 1988, Stokes and her children moved out of the apartment she shared with Hooker. Several witnesses testified that on Sunday, March 27, 1988, Stokes was at her mother’s apartment drinking beer and talking with friends and family. While Stokes was at her mother’s apartment, Hooker arrived and tried to persuade Stokes to return home with him, but she refused.

Several witnesses testified that later that Sunday afternoon, they observed Stokes and Morgan enter the Hooker-Stokes apartment. Witnesses also testified they saw Hooker enter the apartment. The witnesses’ accounts of these events varied and the times at which these incidents occurred also varied. Some witnesses also testified they noticed Hooker leave the apartment wearing a light colored shirt, blue jeans, tennis shoes and carrying a jacket over his arm or shoulder. They saw blood on Hooker’s clothing. Other witnesses also observed blood on Hooker’s clothing when they saw Hooker that Sunday afternoon or evening.

Two women, who were in the apartment below the Hooker-Stokes apartment on Sunday afternoon, testified they heard loud noises, like furniture moving, in the Hooker-Stokes apartment. Although the witnesses did not hear any arguing or screaming, the loud noises were sufficiently troubling as to cause the women to pray. After five minutes the noises stopped. The women estimated the incident occurred between 4:00 and 5:00 p.m.

Cynthia Stokes, who was Stokes’ sister and Morgan’s daughter, testified she saw Hooker in the Hooker-Stokes apartment on Sunday evening watching “60 Minutes” on television. Cynthia stated neither her sister Sylvia nor her mother were in the apartment with Hooker.

On Monday morning, March 28, Cynthia Stokes grew concerned because she had not seen her mother or sister since Sunday afternoon. Cynthia went to the Hooker-Stokes apartment to see if she could find them. Cynthia was unable to enter the apartment because something was blocking the door. She then managed to push the door open slightly and look in the apartment. Cynthia saw her mother lying on the floor in a pool of blood. She immediately called the police.

The police found both Stokes and Morgan’s bodies in the apartment. The women died from multiple stab wounds. A blood analysis of the women indicated both women were intoxicated at the time of death. The analysis further indicated the presence of PCP in Stokes’ blood.

Officer Gilbert Riggs testified that Stokes’ body was blocking the only door to the apartment. The police investigation revealed that Stokes and Morgan’s murderer left the apartment through a back window. The police also uncovered a partial bloody footprint in the apartment that was consistent with tennis shoes worn by Hooker. Hooker’s shoe is a common brand and the print could have matched other similar shoes.

[1357]*1357Over a week after the bodies of Stokes and Morgan were found, Hooker was arrested. Blood found on his blue jeans was analyzed as type B. Hooker’s blood type is 0; Stokes and Morgan were blood type B. Twenty-two per cent of African-Americans have blood type B. Hooker, Stokes and Morgan are African-American.

PRO SE PROPOSITION OF ERROR

On November 13, 1993, Hooker filed with this Court a pro se proposition of error contending he was denied effective assistance of counsel at his arraignment. Hooker contends that at his initial appearance, where he entered a plea of not guilty, counsel was not present. Although the arraignment minute for this initial appearance does indicate at one point that counsel was not present, the document also contains the following notation:

PD

appears

DA

Even assuming counsel was not present at Hooker’s initial appearance (which is not completely clear from the record) counsel subsequently represented Hooker at the preliminary hearing, at the arraignment held following the preliminary hearing, at all pretrial motions hearings and at trial. Hooker did not object to the lack of counsel at the initial appearance nor was he in any way prejudiced by this alleged error.1 Aecord-ingly, relief is not warranted under this proposition of error.

JURY SELECTION ISSUES

In Propositions XVII and XXIII, Hooker urges that alleged errors in the jury selection process warrant overturning his convictions and sentences. We disagree.

In Proposition XVII, Hooker contends that the State’s use of its peremptory challenges to excuse certain jurors who expressed some hesitation about their ability to impose the death penalty violated the Sixth, Eighth and Fourteenth Amendments. This proposition is without merit.

The trial court, at the request of the prosecutor, excused for cause two jurors who said they would be unable or unwilling to impose the death penalty. Hooker did not challenge or object to the prosecutor excusing these two potential jurors. The statements of these two prospective jurors made clear that they were unable to consider death as a penalty, and they were properly excused for cause.2

On appeal, Hooker does not appear to challenge the trial court’s ruling excusing for cause the two prospective jurors discussed above;3

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Related

Robinson v. Harvanek
N.D. Oklahoma, 2023
Simpson v. Carpenter
Tenth Circuit, 2018
Davis v. State
2011 OK CR 29 (Court of Criminal Appeals of Oklahoma, 2011)
Harney v. State
2011 OK CR 10 (Court of Criminal Appeals of Oklahoma, 2011)
Cuesta-Rodriguez v. State
2010 OK CR 23 (Court of Criminal Appeals of Oklahoma, 2010)
Sanchez v. State
2009 OK CR 31 (Court of Criminal Appeals of Oklahoma, 2009)
Gilson v. Sirmons
520 F.3d 1196 (Tenth Circuit, 2008)
Eizember v. State
2007 OK CR 29 (Court of Criminal Appeals of Oklahoma, 2007)
Cole v. State
2007 OK CR 27 (Court of Criminal Appeals of Oklahoma, 2007)
Welch v. Sirmons
451 F.3d 675 (Tenth Circuit, 2006)
Rojem v. State
2006 OK CR 7 (Court of Criminal Appeals of Oklahoma, 2006)
Turrentine v. Mullin
390 F.3d 1181 (Tenth Circuit, 2004)
Thacker v. State
2004 OK CR 32 (Court of Criminal Appeals of Oklahoma, 2004)
Harris v. State
2004 OK CR 1 (Court of Criminal Appeals of Oklahoma, 2004)
Hanson v. State
2003 OK CR 12 (Court of Criminal Appeals of Oklahoma, 2003)
Hung Thanh Le v. Mullin
311 F.3d 1002 (Tenth Circuit, 2002)
Fitzgerald v. State
2002 OK CR 31 (Court of Criminal Appeals of Oklahoma, 2002)
Lockett v. State
2002 OK CR 30 (Court of Criminal Appeals of Oklahoma, 2002)
Hooker v. Mullin
293 F.3d 1232 (Tenth Circuit, 2002)
Young v. State
2000 OK CR 17 (Court of Criminal Appeals of Oklahoma, 2000)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
887 P.2d 1351, 1994 WL 635165, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/hooker-v-state-oklacrimapp-1995.