In re the Detention of Strand

139 Wash. App. 904
CourtCourt of Appeals of Washington
DecidedJuly 31, 2007
DocketNo. 34442-4-II
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 139 Wash. App. 904 (In re the Detention of Strand) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals of Washington primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
In re the Detention of Strand, 139 Wash. App. 904 (Wash. Ct. App. 2007).

Opinion

[908]*908¶1 — John Leonard Strand appeals his commitment as a sexually violent predator (SVP)1 arguing that (1) he had a constitutional right to counsel at a chapter 71.09 RCW psychological evaluation conducted before the State filed a petition to have him adjudicated as an SVP and before the required probable cause hearing, (2) his counsel’s failure to object to either the prefiling or the postfiling psychological evaluations constituted ineffective assistance of counsel, and (3) the court’s failure to record the testimony of his expert witness deprived him of an official record of that portion of the proceedings. Finding no error, we affirm.

Van Deren, A.C.J.

FACTS

¶2 In 1992, a jury convicted John Strand of first degree child molestation and the trial court sentenced him to a 150-month exceptional sentence. In January 2004, Dr. Kathleen Longwell interviewed him and completed an evaluation under chapter 71.09 RCW. Longwell informed Strand that the interview was not confidential and that the State could use the information gathered against him in an SVP case. Strand signed a consent form agreeing to an evaluation interview with Longwell.

¶3 During the interview, Strand denied committing any sex crimes, including the child molestation offense for which he was incarcerated. He denied any sexual interest, contact, or fantasies involving children. Based on the interview and a review of his records, Longwell diagnosed Strand with pedophilia, antisocial personality disorder, and alcohol dependence, concluding that these disorders predisposed him to commit violent sex crimes. She determined that he was in the highest risk range for sexual recidivism.

[909]*909¶4 On February 7, 2005, the State filed an SVP commitment petition and a certification for determination of probable cause -under chapter 71.09 RCW. The following day, the trial court appointed an attorney to represent Strand. Thereafter, Strand submitted to a second evaluation on November 8,2005, and to a deposition on December 6,2005.

¶5 Before trial, Strand moved to exclude testimony from the State’s witnesses about prior unadjudicated sex offenses, arguing that the incidents were not relevant because they may not have occurred and he may not have been the perpetrator. But, during his interviews and in his deposition and trial testimony, Strand admitted to having nonsexual contact with the witnesses at the described times and places. The trial court concluded that it was more likely than not that the incidents occurred and allowed the State’s witnesses to testify.

¶6 At trial, consistent with the court’s ruling, the State introduced testimony from six witnesses, including Strand’s sister, about actual and attempted acts of abuse against children. One of the incidents led to a conviction for lewdness; the remaining incidents were either unreported or the charges were dismissed.

¶7 Longwell testified about her conclusions based on interviews with Strand and review of his records. In her opinion, Strand felt no remorse about his behaviors and their consequences did not trouble him. She believed he would likely sexually reoffend in a violent, predatory manner.

¶8 The defense called its own expert, Dr. Theodore Donaldson, who testified that Strand did not meet the SVP criteria. But, due to an error, the trial court did not activate its recording system and Donaldson’s testimony was not preserved. As soon as the error was discovered, Strand moved for a mistrial, arguing that a reconstructed record could not substitute for Donaldson’s complex testimony. The trial court denied his motion for mistrial, ruling that the parties could reconstruct the testimony from Donaldson’s deposition.

¶9 The jury determined that Strand was an SVP. After the jury returned its verdict, the trial court directed the [910]*910parties to reconstruct Donaldson’s testimony. Strand objected to several portions of the State’s proposed narrative and moved for a new trial. After making several changes to incorporate Strand’s objections, the trial court was satisfied that the reconstructed record, with Donaldson’s deposition incorporated, was accurate and sufficient.

¶10 Strand appeals.

ANALYSIS

I. Evaluation Before Filing SVP Petition

¶11 Strand argues that the State violated his rights because Longwell evaluated him before the State filed an SVP petition because RCW 71.09.040 2 provides for evaluation only after the probable cause determination. He claims that under In re Detention of Williams, 147 Wn.2d 476, 491, 55 P.3d 597 (2002), RCW 71.09.040 is the exclusive means of evaluating whether an individual is an SVP and the State failed to follow the statute.

¶12 But Strand consented to the prepetition interview. And to preserve an error for appeal, counsel must call it to the trial court’s attention so the trial court has an opportunity to correct it. State v. Wicke, 91 Wn.2d 638, 642, 591 P.2d 452 (1979). We do not consider errors raised for the first time on appeal except manifest errors affecting a constitutional right.3

[911]*911¶13 Strand makes several arguments claiming that the evaluation process deprived him of his constitutional rights. We consider each in turn.

A. Right to Counsel During SVP Evaluations

¶14 Strand contends that the evaluation procedure was unconstitutional because it deprived him of the right to counsel during his SVP evaluation.

¶15 SVP offenders “have a statutory right to counsel during all stages of a commitment trial.” In re Det. of Stout, 128 Wn. App. 21, 27, 114 P.3d 658 (2005), aff’d, 159 Wn.2d 357, 150 P.3d 86 (2007). But there is no constitutional right to counsel at psychological evaluations conducted in the course of SVP proceedings. In re Det. of Kistenmacher, 134 Wn. App. 72, 73, 138 P.3d 648 (2006), review granted, 159 Wn.2d 1019 (2007). We reject Strand’s request to reconsider our decision in Kistenmacher or to create a new requirement for counsel before an SVP petition is filed.

B. Self-Incrimination

¶16 Strand also asserts that by denying him counsel at the prepetition evaluation, the State violated his Fifth Amendment privilege4 not to incriminate himself because he remains vulnerable to criminal prosecution for the unadjudicated incidents.

¶17 To prevail on a claim of a Fifth Amendment violation, there must be a “ ‘realistic threat of self-incrimination’ ” in a subsequent proceeding. State v. King, 130 Wn.2d 517, 524, 925 P.2d 606 (1996) (quoting Minnesota v. Murphy,

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Related

In Re Detention of Strand
217 P.3d 1159 (Washington Supreme Court, 2009)

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Bluebook (online)
139 Wash. App. 904, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/in-re-the-detention-of-strand-washctapp-2007.