LeBlanc v. People

56 V.I. 536
CourtSupreme Court of The Virgin Islands
DecidedApril 4, 2012
DocketS. Ct. Crim. No. 2011-0027
StatusPublished
Cited by9 cases

This text of 56 V.I. 536 (LeBlanc v. People) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Supreme Court of The Virgin Islands primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
LeBlanc v. People, 56 V.I. 536 (virginislands 2012).

Opinion

OPINION OF THE COURT

(April 4, 2012)

Hodge, Chief Justice.

Lennox M. LeBlanc appeals his convictions for child abuse pursuant to title 14, section 505 of the Virgin Islands Code and unlawful sexual contact in the second degree pursuant to title 14, section 1709. He argues that section 505, as applied to him, is unconstitutionally vague. LeBlanc also contends that the trial court committed reversible error by allowing the People to introduce inadmissible hearsay into evidence. We conclude that the charging phrase of section 505 under which LeBlanc was prosecuted is unconstitutionally vague, but that the statements LeBlanc complains of do not constitute hearsay. Accordingly, we vacate LeBlanc’s conviction for child abuse and affirm his conviction for unlawful sexual contact in the second degree.

I. STATEMENT OF RELEVANT FACTS AND PROCEDURAL POSTURE

While driving in St. Thomas on August 10, 2009 at approximately 3:00 p.m., Cynthia Al-Arefi saw LeBlanc, a person whom she had met on a [539]*539previous occasion, walking along the road. She stopped to give him a ride. At the time Al-Arefi permitted LeBlanc to enter her vehicle, K.A., Al-Arefi’s minor daughter, was also in the car, and since the front passenger seat was filled with documents and files belonging to Al-Arefi, LeBlanc sat in the back passenger seat next to K.A. K.A. testified that while in the backseat, LeBlanc put his hand on her crotch area. Specifically, she stated that he put four of his fingers on the crotch of her pants, over her vaginal area, and touched her vagina for approximately two to three seconds. In response, K.A. pushed LeBlanc’s hand away.1 A few moments later, Al-Arefi dropped LeBlanc off at a gas station. After LeBlanc had exited the vehicle, K.A. recounted what had transpired between herself and LeBlanc. Al-Arefi immediately pulled her vehicle over and confronted LeBlanc. LeBlanc denied touching K.A. and told Al-Arefi that it was all a misunderstanding. Al-Arefi followed LeBlanc into the lobby of a nearby car dealership and asked Irad Hawley, an employee there, if she could use the phone to call the police. Hawley testified that Al-Arefi and LeBlanc had entered the lobby of the car dealership together, and Al-Arefi asked to use the phone to call the police because LeBlanc had molested her daughter. Hawley further testified that LeBlanc responded to Al-Arefi’s statement by saying that if he had done something like that, it was a mistake, and he was sorry. Al-Arefi then called the police, and kept LeBlanc from leaving the lobby of the dealership until the police arrived.

LeBlanc was arrested and subsequently charged with child abuse under 14 V.I.C. § 505 and unlawful sexual contact in the second degree under 14 V.I.C. § 1709. Following a bench trial on March 15, 2011, LeBlanc was found guilty of both counts. In a Judgment and Commitment that was entered on April 20, 2011, the Superior Court sentenced LeBlanc to three years incarceration for child abuse and one year incarceration for unlawful sexual contact in the second degree, with the sentences to run [540]*540concurrently.2 LeBlanc, although represented by counsel, timely filed a pro se notice of appeal.3

II. DISCUSSION

A. Jurisdiction and Standard of Review

Title 4, section 32(a) of the Virgin Islands Code gives this Court jurisdiction “over all appeals arising from final judgments, final decrees or final orders of the Superior Court, or as otherwise provided by law.” 4 V.I.C. § 32(a). Since the Superior Court’s April 20, 2011 Judgment and Commitment constitutes a final judgment, this Court possesses jurisdiction over LeBlanc’s appeal.

Our standard of review in examining the Superior Court’s application of law is plenary, while findings of fact are reviewed only for clear error. St. Thomas-St. John Bd. of Elections v. Daniel, 49 V.I. 322, 329 (V.I. 2007). Likewise, this Court’s review of the trial court’s construction of a statute is plenary. V.I. Pub. Serv. Comm’n v. V.I. Water & Power Auth., 49 V.I. 478, 482 (V.I. 2008), cert. denied, No. 08-3398, slip op. at 1 (3d Cir. April 6, 2009).

B. 14 V.I.C. §505

LeBlanc first argues that 14 V.I.C. § 505, as applied in this case, is unconstitutionally vague and that, as a result, his conviction under the statute violated due process. He contends that the portion of the statute under which he was charged fails to establish standards that distinguish lawful from unlawful conduct. LeBlanc thus argues that this lack of standards renders section 505 unconstitutionally vague. We agree.

“To satisfy due process, a penal statute [must] define the criminal offense [1] with sufficient definiteness that ordinary people can [541]*541understand what conduct is prohibited and [2] in a manner that does not encourage arbitrary and discriminatory enforcement.” Skilling v. United States, 561 U.S._, 130 S. Ct. 2896, 2927-28, 177 L. Ed. 2d 619 (2010). The United States Supreme Court has held that a statute is unconstitutionally vague if it “fails to provide a person of ordinary intelligence fair notice of what is prohibited, or is so standardless that it authorizes or encourages seriously discriminatory enforcement.” United States v. Williams, 553 U.S. 285, 304, 128 S. Ct. 1830, 170 L. Ed. 2d 650 (2008). Before we determine whether section 505 is unconstitutionally vague, however, this Court will satisfy itself that the appellant has standing to challenge the statute.4 See Government of the V.I. v. John, 159 F. Supp. 2d 201, 204-05 (D.V.I. App. Div. 1999). Namely, we must analyze the specific allegations against LeBlanc and determine whether this statute is vague as applied to the facts of the particular charge against LeBlanc. See United States v. Mazurie, 419 U.S. 544, 550, 95 S. Ct. 710, 42 L. Ed. 2d 706 (1975) (“It is well established that vagueness challenges to statutes which do not involve First Amendment freedoms must be examined in the light of the facts of the case at hand.”). “If [LeBlanc]’s conduct fell within the bounds of what was clearly proscribed by the statute, [he] did not have standing to challenge the vagueness of the statute, whether or not it may turn out to be vague as applied in other situations.” John, 159 F. Supp. 2d at 205. See Hightree v. People, 55 V.I. 947, 952 n.1 (V.I. Dec. 13, 2011) (holding that to assert standing to challenge a statute as unconstitutional, a litigant must show that he suffered an actual or threatened injury).

The charging phrase of section 505, which LeBlanc was prosecuted under, states:

[542]

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Bluebook (online)
56 V.I. 536, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/leblanc-v-people-virginislands-2012.