Michael Donnell Maupin v. Commonwealth of Kentucky

• Court: Kentucky Supreme Court
• Decided: March 22, 2018
• Docket: 2016-SC-0448
• Status: Published

Opinion

RENDERED: MARCH 22, 2018 TO BE PUBLISHED

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MICHAEL DONNELL MAUPIN APPELLANT

ON REVIEW FROM COURT OF APPEALS v. ·CASE NO. 2015-CA-000147 FAYETTE CIRCUIT COURT NO. 2014-CR-00037

COMMONWEALTH OF KENTUCKY APPELLEE

OPINION OF THE COURT BY CHIEF JUSTICE MINTON

REVERSING AND REINSTATING

Section 115 of the K;entucky Constitution bars the Commonwealth from

appealing a judgment ()f acquittal in a criminal case. This case is an appeal by

the Commonwealth of Michael Donnell Maupin's judgment .of acquittal on the ·

charge of violating KRS 17.510 for failing· to register a change of address with

the Sex Offe~der Registry. The Commonwealth argues that this appeal was not

barred by Section· 115 bec~use Maupin's judgment of acquittal was based on

the trial court's issuance of a judgment of acquittal and not the jury's verdict. I

1 The trial court here exercised its authority under Kentucky Rule of Criminal Procedure (RCr) 10.24, which allows the trial court, under conditions .specified in this rule, to issue a judgment of acquittal, the jury's guilty verdict notwithstanding. This is sometimes referred to as a judgment notwithstanding the verdict, a judgment n.o.v.. ijudgment non-obstante verdicto), or aj.n.o.v ..

' , A divided panel of the Court of Appeals allowed the Commonwealth's appeal to

proceed, reversed the trial court's judgment of acquittal, remanded the 'case to

the trial court with instructions to reinstate the jury's guilty verdict, and

d!rected the trial court to impose sentence upon Maupin. On discretionary '

review, we reverse the Court of Appeals and reinstate the trial court's

judgment.

I. BACKGROUND.

The grand jury indicted Michael Donnell Maupin for failing to cori:J.pl?"

with the ~,ex Offender Registry during the period from September 18, 2013,

through October 16, 2013, and for being a first-degree persistent felony

offender. During the time period specified in the charge, Maupin was homeless,

·and the Sex Offender Registry reflected that he resided at two shelters-the

Catholic Action Center during the day and the· Community Inn at night. On

October 16, a sheriffs deputy went to the Community Inn and was unable to

find Maupin, whose name was not on the sign-in sheet used to keep track of

patrons at the shelter. But according to testimony provided by the shelter's

director, the sign-:-in process was not formally policed. Because of Maupin's

absence from the shelter at the time of the deputy's visit, the deputy sought a

warrant for Maupin's arrest for failing to comply with the Registry. Maupin was

eventually located and arrested.

At Maupin's jury trial, the director of the Community Inn testified that

homeless patrons secure a room at the Inn by lining up and signing in at a

designat~d hour and are free to come and go as they please. The name "Michael

Maupin" appeared only twice on the sign-in sheet from September 18, 2013,

through October 16, 2013. Maupin claimed that he used his Islamic name, 2

r Michael Aleem Waleed, and signed in ~s "M.A.W.", or had others sign him in to

secure him a place at the s~elter if 4e was not there when it opened, which

would explain the two times "Michael Maupin" appeared on the sign-in sheet.

"M.A.W." did appear on the sign-in sheet every day that "Michael Maupin" did

not; however, "M.A.W." also appeared on the sign-in sheet between October 28

and 31, 2013, days when Maupin was in jail and not at the Inn. Additionally,

Maupin's probation officer testified that he had never provided his Islamic alias

to Probation and Parole, as required by Kentucky law. ·

At the close of l?roof at trial, Maupin moved for a directed verdict on both

charges. The trial cou:1"t expressed reservations regarding the strength of the

· Commonwealth's proof, but ultimately denied the motion. The jury convicted

Maupin of both charges . and recommended an - enhanced sentence of ten years' imprisonment.

Maupin then moved for a new trial or judgment of acquittal. 'The trial

court initially granted the motion for a new trial, but later modified its order to

grant the motion for a judgment of acquittal, noting that a judgment of

acquittal was the proper remedy in this case. The trial court reasoned that .

Maupin was entitl~d to a judgment of acquittal as a matter of justice, noting

that the Commonwealth's proof was insufficient for conviction because the

sign-in sheets were equivocal at best, in addition to finding that the deputy's I

single failed attempt to locate Maupin at the Inn on the evening of October 16,

2013, did not justify a criminal conviction and sentence.

After the ~rial court entered a judgment acquitting Maupin, the

Commonwealth appealed. The Commonwealth asserted that the evidence was

sufficient to send the case to the jury and that the trial court improperly 3 invaded the jury's role by weighing the evidence and qeeming it unconvincing. I

The majority of a divided appellate panel agreed with the Commonwealth and

reversed. Maupin th.en appealed to this Court, and this Court took

discretionary review.

II. ANALYSIS.

The central issue requires us to interpret a constitutional provision,

Section 115 of the Kentucky Constitutiori, which we review de novo.2

Section 115 rather plainly states, "In all cases, civil and criminal, there

shall be allowed as a matter of right at least one appeal to another court, except

that the Commonwealth. may not appeal from a judgment of acquittal in a

criminal case, other than for the purpose of securing a certification of law .... "3 In

this case, the Commonwealth is doing exactly what Section 115 proscribes-

appealing a judgment of acquittal in a criminal case, other than for the purpose

of securing a certification of law.

We. accepted discretionary review because this case affords an

opportunity to rectify an erroneous analysis of·Section 115 in this Court's

jurisprudence. In Burris V; Commonwealth, the seminal case applying Section

115, the defendant was convicted of second-degree robbery and moved for both

a new trial and a judgment n.o.v. 4 The trial court denied the motion for a new

trial, but grante,d the judgment n.o.v.s The Court held "that ~he Commonwealt~

was barred from securing appellate review of [a] judgment n.o.v. by [Section

2 Greene v. Commonwealth, 349 S.W.3d 892, 898 (Ky. 2011).

a (emphasis added). 4 590 S.W.2d 878, 878 (Ky. 1979). I s Id. 4 l 15J of our _ConstitutiOn." 6 The Court recognized that a judgment n.o.v.

functions as an acquittal of a criminal defendant's charges, 7 and so the Court

correctly held that the plain language of Section 115 bars the Commonwealth's

appeal of that ruling. I In its discussion, the Burris Court cited the U.S. Supreme Court case of (

Burks v. U.S.B. for its holding "that the Double Jeopardy Clause9 prevents a

secon.d trial for the purpose of affording the prosecution with another

opportunity to supply such evidence it failed to produce in the first trial."10 It

appe~rs that the Burris Court cited Bu~ks and the double-jeopardy rule to

·explain why the trial court, finding insufficient evidence at trial to sustain a r

jury's guilfy verdict, could not grant the defendant's motion for a new trial-

this remedy was inappropriate because jeopardy had attached, 11 and the

defendant could not be re-tried. This appears to be the only reason for the

discussion in Burris of the Double Jeopardy Clause and Burks, having nothing

to do with Section 115 itself.

Seven years later~ in Commonwealth v. Brindley, this Court overruled

Burris and its analysis of Section 115 as it relates to the Commonwealth's

.6 Id. at 879.

1 Id; Commonwealth v. Bailey, 71 S.W.3d 73, 75 (Ky. 2002) ("A JNOV (judgment notwithstanding the verdict) would constitute an acquittal of the charge that would leave nothing to be decided at a subsequent trial .... "). s 437 U.S. 1 (1978). 9-U.S. Const. Amend. V ("No person shall ... be subject for the same offense to be twice put in jeopardy of life or limb."). The Double Jeopardy Clause of the Fifth Amendment was incorporated into state law in Benton v. Maryland, 395 U.S. 784, 794 (1969). io Burris, 590 S.W.2d at 879 (citing Burks, 437 U.S. at 18).

11 In a jury trial, jeopardy attaches when the jury is empaneled and sworn. Crist v. Bretz, 437 U.S. 28, 38 (1978). . 5 ability to appeal a judgment n.o.v. 12 The facts of Brindley are almost identical

to Burris-a defendant was convicted by a jury of a crime, the defendant 'filed a

motfon for a new trial and judgment n.o.v., and the trial court denied the

motion for a new triaFbut granted the motion for ajudgment n.o.v.13 This

Court held that "[Section 115] does not prevent an appeal by the

Commonwealth when a jury has returned a verdict of guilty which has been set

aside by a ruling ~flaw to a post-verdict motion."14

Understanding the Court's analysis leading to its conclusion in Brindley

sheds light on. its erroneous interpretation of Section 115 and holding. The

Court in Brindley first began its analysis by discussing the citation of Burks in

Burris and the Double Jeopardy Clause. 15 After this discussion, the Brindley

Court came to the following conclusion-a conclusion unsupported by any

source of law in Kentucky-"It i~ our opinion that Section 115 of the Kentucky

Constitution finds its origin in Section 13 of our constitution, 16 which is

identical in effect as the federal counterpart in the Fifth Amendment.".17

The Brindley Court appears to have read more into the Burris Court's use

of Burks and the Double Jeopardy Clause in its opinion than what was there.

As stated, the Burris Court cited Burks and the Double Jeopardy Clause simply

as rationale for its conclusion that the remedy of a new trial could not be

12 724 S.W.2d 214, 215-16 (Ky. 1986). 13 Id. at 215.

14 Id. at 216. ls Id. at 215.

16 "No person shall, for the same offense, be twice put in jeopardy of his life or limb .... " 17 Id. at 215 (citing Jordan v. Commonwealth, 703 S.W.2d 870 (Ky. 1986) for the proposition that Ky. Const. Section 13.is identical to the U.S. Constitution's Fifth Amendment). !

" · gr~ted because jeopardy had attached.18 Nowhere in its opinion did the Burris

Court state that the Commonwealth could not appeal ajudgment n.o.v.

because such appeal would violate the Double Jeopardy Clause-rather, the

Burris Court stated, "We hold that the Commonwealth was barred from

securing appellate review of the judgment n.o.v. by the express provision.

(referring to Section 115) of o!-lr Constitution."19

Section 115 of the Kentucky ConstitUtion is separate and distinct from

Section 13 and the Fifth Amendment and in no way grounds itself in the

Double Jeopardy Clause. Section 115 is clear on its face: ": .. the

Commonwealth may not appeal from a judgment of acquittal in a criminal

case ... ," subject to one exception not applicable in this case. Any implication of

the Double Jeopardy Clause is not to be found in Section 115, and therefore

any statement that Section 115 grounds itself in Section 13 is erroneous. Not

only is Brindley the sole authority to assert that Section 115 is grounded in the ·

Double Jeopardy Clause, but merging; as the holding in Brindley does, a

Double Jeopardy Clause analysis with Section 115 irripermi~sibly renders a

portion of Section 115 completely superfluous.20 ·

The Do~ble Jeopardy Clause prevents a defendant from being tried for

the same crime twice, and Section 115 prevents the Commonwealth from

appealing a judgment of acquittal. Both provisions seek the same goal:-

protecting a determination of innocence. But these provisions protect a

18 Burris, 590 S.W.2d at 879.

19 Id.

20 "[D]ifferent sections of a Constitutiori ... are to be construed as a whole in an effort to harmonize the various provisions .... " Shamburger v. Duncan, 253 S.W.2d 388, 391 (Ky. 1952). 7 defendant's\innoceri~e in different ways, working in tandem with each other:

The Doub!~ Jeopardy Clause protects a defendant's innocence at the trial court

level by preventing the Commonwealth from retrying a· case in the hopes of

acquiring a guilty verdict the second time, while Section 115 protects a

defendant's innocence at the appellate court level by preventing the

Commonwealth from acquiring a reinstatement of a guilty verdict after the trial

court has found the jury's guilty verdict erroneous.2 1 This distinction supports

the assertion that the Double Jeopardy Clause plays no part in determining

whether Section 115 has been violated.

Examining Burks and another U.S. Supreme Court case discussed in

Brindley, U.S. v.· Wilson,22 further identifiei;; Brindley's erroneous .interpretation

of Section 115 and holding.

The U.S. Supreme Court in Wilson analyzed a federal statute, 18 U:S.C. §

3731, a rule of federal law completely different from Section 115, in fashioning

its Double Jeopardy Ciause analysis and holding. Unlike Section 115, Section

3731 places only o:p.e restriction on the feqeral government's right to app~al a

defendant's criminal case: "... except that no appeal shall lie where the double.

jeopardy clause of the United States Constitution prohibits further prosecution;. "2 3

This is exactly why the U.S. Supreme Court in Burks and Wilson couched its

21 As explained in Brindley and U.S. v. Wilson, the Double Jeoparqy Clause only prevents the government from conducting another trial seeking a guilty verdict for the crime of which the defendarit was acquitted of, not simply the reinstatement of the jury's guilty verdict for that crime. Brindley, 724_ S.W.2d at 215-16; U.S. v. Wilson, 420 U.S. 332, 352-53 (1975). Reinstatement of a jury's guilty verdict does not require conducting another trial, so no violation of the Double Jeopardy Clause occurs in this way.ill. · 22 420 U.S. 332 (1975). \ 23 (emphasis added). 8 analysis of the ability of the prosecution· to appeal a judgment n.o.v. in the

Double Jeopardy Clause-this is the only prohibition on the prosecution's right

to appeal in the entirety of federal law and is what drives such an analysis.

· Under Kentucky's Constitution, Section 115 strictly prohibits any right of

the prosecution to ~ppeal ~judgment of acquittal on its face, with no mention

of the Double Jeopardy Clause whatsoever. Therefore the Court's reliance on '~

Wilson, Burks, and the Double Jeopardy Clause in its Brindley decision is .

misplaced-the only restriction on the right of the government to appeal in

federal statutory law is a violation of double jeopardy, but Section 115 acts as a

specific enumeration of the right of the acquitted to be free from government

appeals without reference to double jeopardy. The analysis of appealing a

judgment of acquittal in Kentucky begins with Section 115, and may impute

the Double Jeopardy Clause listed in Section 13 and the Fifth Amendment of

the U.S. Constitution depending on the facts of the case, but does not solely

rely on an analysis of the Double Jeopardy Clause. So the Brindley Court's

imputation of the Douple Jeopardy Clause in Section 115 and its holding are

mistaken.

We do want to make clear that the Brindley Court's analysis of the

Double Jeopardy Clause itself, in both Section 13 and the. Fifth Amendment, is

correct-the reinstatement of a guilty verdict by a jury, as opposed to the

undertaking ofa new trial, does not run afoul of the Double Jeopardy Clause.24

This is what the U.S. Supreme Court in Wilson held to be the case. 25 But

24 Brindley, 724 S.W.2d at 216. 2s Wilson, 420 U.S. at 352. 9 whethet the Commonwealth's actions violate the Double Jeopardy Clause and

whether the Commonwealth's actions violate Section 115 of the Kentucky'

Constitution are two separate and distinct inquiries.

We reject Brindley's arguments that Section 115 derives itself from

Section 13 of the Kentucky Constitution and that the Commonwealth may

appeal the granting of a judgment n.o.v. Simply stated, the grant of a judgment

of acquittal, including the grant of a judgment n.o.v. which is functionally

equivalent to a judgment of acquittal, cannot be appealed by the

Commonwealth, per the plain language of Section 115 of the Kentucky'

Constitution.

III. CONCLUSION.

We hold that Section 115 of the Kentucky Constitution bars.the

Commonwealth from appealing a judgment of acquittal, and so we need not

reach the merits of this case. We reverse the Court of Appeals and reinstate the

trial court's judgment. We also overrule any precedent stating that Section 115

derives itself from Section 13 of the Kentucky Constitution and that the

Commonwealth may appeal a judgment n.o.v.

All sitting. Minton, C.J., Keller, Venters, and Wright, JJ., concurl. - Cunningham, J., concurs by separate opi,nion in which Hughes and VanMeter,

JJ., join.

CUNNINGHAM, J., CONCURRING: I concur with the Majority opinion.

The analysis and c_onclusion are unassailable.

But I cannot shake an unsettling concern. Do the Commonwealth of

Kentucky and its people have any safety net in the case of a "rogue judge"?

10 One that abuses all discretion by entering.a finding of acquittal despite a jury

verdict of conviction that is based on solid evidence?

In the case before us, we find a sympathetic defendant, a_ low-grade

felony, and· a very close question of fact. The trial court in this case obviously

acted responsibly and in good faith. But this case will stand as precedent for

all future cases, even those where the crime may be shocklng and the proof

overwhelming. Placing in the hands of one person the ultimate authority to

cast reason to the wind and "let slip the dogs of war" without an appropriate

review is unacceptable to me.

It is an elementary principle of law that a writ is an original action, not

an appeal. See, e.g., Grange Mut. Ins. Co. v. Trude, 151 S.W.3d 803, 809 ·(Ky.

2004) ("The petition for this writ was filed in the Court of Appe~ls, which acted

as a trial court because it heard the matter as an· original action.") (recognizing / that a petition for writ of prohibition is an original action, as opposed to a

~atter of right appeal); see also Sandlin v. Miniard, No. 2014-SC-000322-MR,

2015 WL 737116 (Ky. Feb. 19, 2015) at 1 n.2 ("Kentucky Farm Bureau's

counsel incorrectly describes this action as an 'appeal.' A. writ petition is an

original·action.under Civil Rule 76.36;. it is not an appeal.") (emphasis added).

It would appear that the Commonwealth could seek a writ from the Court

··of Appeals within the time period set for post-judgment motions. I

For the Commonwea:Ith to be granted a writ of prohibition when the

Circuit Court's subject-matter jurisdiction is not challenged, "a petitioner must

show that: (1) he would have no adequate remedy on appeal; and (2) he ·would

suffer great and irreparable ·injury . if the trial court is acting in error and the.

11 writ is denied." Sisters of Charity Health Sys., Inc. v. Raikes, 984 S.W.2d 464,

466 (Ky. 19~8) (quoting Bender v. Eaton, 343 S.W.2d 799, 801 (Ky. 1961)).

However, the showing of great and irreparable injury is not absolutely necessary. "[I]n certain special cases this Court will entertain a petition for 'prohibition in the absence of a showing of specific great and irreparable injury to the petitioner, provided a substantial miscarriage of justice will result if the lower court is proceeding erroneously, and correction of the error is necessary and appropriate in the interest of orderly judicial administration. It may be ,observed that in such a situation the court is recognizing that if it fails to act the administration of justice generally will suffer great and irreparable injury."

Id. (original emphasis).

Speaking as only one justice on this Court, it would appear that if the

post-verdict action of a trial court is shockingly out of line with the evidence

and the law, a writ of prohibition would be appropriate. The reviewing court

would then have to determine if the trial co.urt abused its discretion, causing

"great harm or irreparable injury," or sufficiently interfered with the "interest of

orderly judicial administration."

Will such a procedural posture serve to prevent a grave injustice from

~aking place? Unfortunately, we are likely to find out sometime down the road.

Hughes and VanMeter, JJ., join.

12 COUNSEL FOR APPELLANT:

Susan Jackson Balliet Assistant Public Advocate

EmilYr- Holt Rhorer / Assistant Public advocate

COUNSEL FOR APPELLEE:

Andy Beshear Attorney General of Kentucky

Francisco Villalobos II Special ,Assistant Attorney General I

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