Rayquan Bernard Barnes v. Commonwealth of Virginia

Court of Appeals of Virginia

Rayquan Bernard Barnes v. Commonwealth of Virginia

Court of Appeals of Virginia·Decided June 2, 2020·No. 9999991·Published

Opinion

VIRGINIA: In the Court of Appeals of Virginia on 7XHVGD\ the QG day of -XQH

PUBLISHED

5D\TXDQ%HUQDUG%DUQHV $SSHOODQW DJDLQVW &LUFXLW&RXUW1R&- &RPPRQZHDOWKRI9LUJLQLD $SSHOOHH )URPWKH&LUFXLW&RXUWRIWKH&LW\RI1RUIRON

%HIRUH-XGJHV3HWW\2¶%ULHQDQG6HQLRU-XGJH)UDQN 2Q0D\FDPH5D\TXDQ%HUQDUG%DUQHVE\FRXUWDSSRLQWHGFRXQVHODQGILOHGDPRWLRQ

UHTXHVWLQJWKDWWKHFRXUWVHWSUHWULDOERQGLQWKLVFDVH

7KHUHXSRQFDPHWKH&RPPRQZHDOWKE\FRXQVHODQGILOHGDUHVSRQVHLQRSSRVLWLRQWKHUHWR

8SRQFRQVLGHUDWLRQZKHUHRIDQGDUHYLHZRIWKHUHFRUGLQWKLVUHJDUGDVGLVFXVVHGEHORZWKH&RXUW

GHQLHV%DUQHV¶VPRWLRQIRUERQG

%$&.*5281'

%DUQHVZDVDUUHVWHGRQ)HEUXDU\ZKHQKHZDVDMXYHQLOH'XULQJWKDWLQFLGHQWSROLFH

RIILFHUVVDZ%DUQHVZLWKD\RXQJHUPDQDQGVWRSSHGWRLQYHVWLJDWHDEXOJHLQ%DUQHV¶VSRFNHWWKDWORRNHGOLNH

DJXQ7KHWZRPHQIOHGEXWZHUHFDXJKWDVKRUWGLVWDQFHDZD\7KHEXOJHKDGGLVDSSHDUHGIURP%DUQHV¶V

SRFNHWDQGDILUHDUPZDVIRXQGZLWKLQWKURZLQJGLVWDQFHRIZKHUH%DUQHVKDGEHHQ7KHILUHDUPZDVD

ORDGHGFDOLEHUKDQGJXQZLWKDURXQGLQWKHFKDPEHU%DUQHVZDVFKDUJHGZLWKWKUHHPLVGHPHDQRUV

SRVVHVVLRQRIDKDQGJXQUHFNOHVVKDQGOLQJRIDILUHDUPDQGFDUU\LQJDFRQFHDOHGZHDSRQ

2Q)HEUXDU\WKH1RUIRON-XYHQLOHDQG'RPHVWLF5HODWLRQV'LVWULFW&RXUW ³-'5´ RUGHUHG

%DUQHVGHWDLQHGSHQGLQJDQDGMXGLFDWRU\KHDULQJRQ0DUFK2Q0DUFKWKH&RPPRQZHDOWK

UHTXHVWHGDFRQWLQXDQFH-'5JUDQWHGWKHFRQWLQXDQFHDQGDIWHUKROGLQJDGHWHQWLRQKHDULQJRUGHUHG%DUQHV

GHWDLQHGXQWLOWKHQHZDGMXGLFDWLRQGDWHRI0DUFK%DUQHVGLGQRWDSSHDOHLWKHUWKH)HEUXDU\RU

WKH0DUFKGHWHQWLRQRUGHUV'XHWRWKH6XSUHPH&RXUWRI9LUJLQLD¶VGLUHFWLYHVLQUHVSRQVHWRWKH

&29,'MXGLFLDOHPHUJHQF\WKHFDVHZDVFRQWLQXHGRYHU%DUQHV¶VREMHFWLRQWR-XQH2Q0DUFK

DGHWHQWLRQKHDULQJZDVDJDLQKHOGLQ-'5DQG%DUQHVZDVDJDLQRUGHUHGGHWDLQHGXQWLOWKHDGMXGLFDWLRQ

GDWH

%DUQHVDSSHDOHGWKDWRUGHUWRWKH1RUIRON&LUFXLW&RXUW$KHDULQJZDVKHOGLQFLUFXLWFRXUWRQ$SULO

'XULQJWKDWKHDULQJ%DUQHVFDOOHGKLVSDUROHRIILFHUZKRUHFRPPHQGHGKHEHUHOHDVHGWRHOHFWURQLF

KRPHPRQLWRULQJ%DUQHVZDVRQSDUROHIRUDDGMXGLFDWLRQRIGHOLQTXHQF\IRUDWWHPSWHGPDOLFLRXV

ZRXQGLQJFRQVSLUDF\DQGXVHRIDILUHDUPLQWKHFRPPLVVLRQRIDIHORQ\%DUQHVDGGLWLRQDOO\KDGEHHQ

DGMXGLFDWHGGHOLQTXHQWLQ'HFHPEHUIRUEXUJODU\DQGODUFHQ\RIDILUHDUPDQGLQ-XQHIRU

WUHVSDVVLQJDQGGHVWUXFWLRQRISURSHUW\

%DUQHV¶VPRWKHUDOVRWHVWLILHGDWWKHKHDULQJ6KHWHVWLILHGWKDWVKHDQGKHUVRQKDGEHHQVKRWDWLQWKH

QHLJKERUKRRGDQGWKDWVKHKDGPRYHGIURP1RUIRONWR&KHVDSHDNHWRHVFDSHWKHYLROHQFH6KHWHVWLILHGWKDW

ZKHQWKHRIIHQVHVKDGRFFXUUHGRQ)HEUXDU\VKHZDVLQWKHSURFHVVRIPRYLQJWRKHUQHZUHVLGHQFH

LQ&KHVDSHDNHZKHUH%DUQHVZRXOGUHVLGHLIUHOHDVHG0RUHRYHUVKHWHVWLILHGWKDWVKHLV³FXUUHQWO\QRW

ZRUNLQJGXHWRWKH&RYLG´DQGLVWKHUHIRUH³KRPHDOOWKHWLPHQRZ´

$IWHUKHDULQJWKHWHVWLPRQ\DQGSURIIHUHGHYLGHQFHWKHFLUFXLWFRXUWDVNHGWKHGHIHQVHDWWRUQH\WR

H[SODLQ-'5¶VEDLOSROLF\LQFDVHVUHJDUGLQJILUHDUPVDQGDVNHGIRUDFRS\RIWKH-XYHQLOH'HWHQWLRQ

$VVHVVPHQW,QVWUXPHQWIRU%DUQHVZKLFKZDVQRWLQWKHILOH7KH&RPPRQZHDOWKWKHQQRWHGWRWKHMXGJH

WKDW%DUQHVKDGKDGWKUHHGHWHQWLRQKHDULQJVEHIRUHWKUHHGLIIHUHQW-'5MXGJHVDQGWKDWHDFKKDGGHQLHG

UHOHDVH$IWHUGHIHQVHFRXQVHO¶VDUJXPHQWWKHMXGJHDVNHG³+RZFRPH\RXZHUHQ¶WDEOHWRFRQYLQFHWKH

MXYHQLOHFRXUWMXGJHDWDQ\RIWKHVHWKUHHGHWHQWLRQKHDULQJV"´7KHMXGJHFRQWLQXHG³0\RQO\SRLQWLVZKDW

PHVVDJHDUHZHJRLQJWRVHQG"'HWHQWLRQKHDULQJVWKH\¶UHJRLQJWREHDSSHDOHGHYHU\VLQJOHWLPH"(YHU\

WZHQW\RQHGD\VZH¶UHJRLQJWRKHDUDQRWKHURQHRIWKHVHXSKHUHLQFLUFXLWFRXUW"´,QUHVSRQVHWRGHIHQVH

FRXQVHO¶VDUJXPHQWWKDWFLUFXLWFRXUWZDVDde novoUHYLHZWKHMXGJHDFNQRZOHGJHGWKDWLWZDVde novo

UHYLHZ³QRGRXEWDERXWLW´+RZHYHUWKHFRXUWWKHQSURPSWO\DVNHG³LIDQ\LVVXHV>KDG@FKDQJHGDWDOO´

VLQFHWKHSULRU-'5GHWHQWLRQKHDULQJV7KHFLUFXLWFRXUWGHQLHGERQGVD\LQJ³,¶PJRLQJWROHDYHLWXSWRWKH

MXYHQLOHFRXUWMXGJHVWRVRUWWKLVRXW$WWKHQH[WGHWHQWLRQKHDULQJ\RXFDQFHUWDLQO\SUHVHQWWKHVDPH

HYLGHQFH´%DUQHVWKHQDVNHGWKLV&RXUWWRUHYLHZWKHGHQLDORIERQGSXUVXDQWWR5XOH$ E

$1$/<6,6

³7KLV&RXUWUHYLHZVDWULDOFRXUW¶VGHFLVLRQZKHWKHUWRJUDQWEDLOIRUDEXVHRIGLVFUHWLRQ´

&RPPRQZHDOWKY'XVH9D 5XOH$ ³$QRUGHUVHWWLQJRUGHQ\LQJEDLORUVHWWLQJWHUPVRI

DERQGRUUHFRJQL]DQFHVKDOOEHUHYLHZDEOHIRUDEXVHRIGLVFUHWLRQ´ ³>7@KHDEXVHRIGLVFUHWLRQVWDQGDUG

UHTXLUHVDUHYLHZLQJFRXUWWRVKRZHQRXJKGHIHUHQFHWRDSULPDU\GHFLVLRQPDNHU¶VMXGJPHQWWKDWWKHFRXUW

GRHVQRWUHYHUVHPHUHO\EHFDXVHWKHUHYLHZLQJFRXUWZRXOGKDYHFRPHWRD>GLIIHUHQW@UHVXOWLQWKHILUVW

LQVWDQFH´'XVH9DDW TXRWLQJ/DZORUY&RPPRQZHDOWK9D

7KLVSULQFLSOHQHFHVVDULO\LPSOLHVWKDWIRUVRPHGHFLVLRQVFRQVFLHQWLRXVMXULVWV FRXOGUHDFKGLIIHUHQWFRQFOXVLRQVEDVHGRQH[DFWO\WKHVDPHIDFWV²\HWVWLOO UHPDLQHQWLUHO\UHDVRQDEOH7KLVEHOOVKDSHGFXUYHRIUHDVRQDELOLW\JRYHUQLQJRXU DSSHOODWHUHYLHZUHVWVRQWKHYHQHUDEOHEHOLHIWKDWWKHMXGJHFORVHVWWRWKHFRQWHVW LVWKHMXGJHEHVWDEOHWRGLVFHUQZKHUHWKHHTXLWLHVOLH 7KRPDVY&RPPRQZHDOWK9D$SS TXRWLQJ+DPDGY+DPDG9D$SS

7KH6XSUHPH&RXUWKDVLGHQWLILHGWKUHHZD\VLQZKLFKDWULDOFRXUWDEXVHVLWVGLVFUHWLRQZKHQ

LWIDLOVWRFRQVLGHUDUHOHYDQWIDFWRUWKDWVKRXOGKDYHEHHQJLYHQVLJQLILFDQWZHLJKW LWFRQVLGHUVDQG

JLYHVVLJQLILFDQWZHLJKWWRDQLUUHOHYDQWRULPSURSHUIDFWRURU LWFRQVLGHUVDOOSURSHUIDFWRUVDQGQR

LPSURSHURQHVEXWLQZHLJKLQJWKRVHIDFWRUVWKHFRXUWFRPPLWVDFOHDUHUURULQMXGJPHQW/DZORU9D

DW

$VWDWXWRU\SUHVXPSWLRQRIUHOHDVHH[LVWVIRUMXYHQLOHVFKDUJHGZLWKRIIHQVHV$MXYHQLOHWDNHQLQWR

FXVWRG\³VKDOOLPPHGLDWHO\EHUHOHDVHGWRWKHFDUHFXVWRG\DQGFRQWURORIVXFKMXYHQLOH¶VSDUHQWRU

RWKHUVXLWDEOHSHUVRQDEOHDQGZLOOLQJWRSURYLGHVXSHUYLVLRQDQGFDUHIRUVXFKMXYHQLOH´&RGH

+RZHYHUDMXYHQLOHPD\EHGHWDLQHGLQDVHFXUHIDFLOLW\³XSRQDILQGLQJE\WKHMXGJHWKDW

WKHUHLVSUREDEOHFDXVHWREHOLHYHWKDWWKHMXYHQLOHFRPPLWWHGWKHDFWDOOHJHG´DQG

7KHMXYHQLOHLVDOOHJHGWRKDYH D YLRODWHGWKHWHUPVRIKLVSUREDWLRQRU SDUROHZKHQWKHFKDUJHIRUZKLFKKHZDVSODFHGRQSUREDWLRQRUSDUROHZRXOG KDYHEHHQDIHORQ\RU&ODVVPLVGHPHDQRULIFRPPLWWHGE\DQDGXOW E FRPPLWWHGDQDFWWKDWZRXOGEHDIHORQ\RU&ODVVPLVGHPHDQRULIFRPPLWWHG E\DQDGXOWRU F YLRODWHGDQ\RIWKHSURYLVLRQVRIDQGWKHUHLV FOHDUDQGFRQYLQFLQJHYLGHQFHWKDW

D&RQVLGHULQJWKHVHULRXVQHVVRIWKHFXUUHQWRIIHQVHRURIIHQVHVDQG RWKHUSHQGLQJFKDUJHVWKHVHULRXVQHVVRISULRUDGMXGLFDWHGRIIHQVHVWKH OHJDOVWDWXVRIWKHMXYHQLOHDQGDQ\DJJUDYDWLQJDQGPLWLJDWLQJ FLUFXPVWDQFHVWKHOLEHUW\RIWKHMXYHQLOHFRQVWLWXWHVDFOHDUDQG VXEVWDQWLDOWKUHDWWRWKHSHUVRQRUSURSHUW\RIRWKHUV E7KHOLEHUW\RIWKHMXYHQLOHZRXOGSUHVHQWDFOHDUDQGVXEVWDQWLDOWKUHDW RIVHULRXVKDUPWRVXFKMXYHQLOH¶VOLIHRUKHDOWK>@

&RGH $ )LQDOO\

7KHFULWHULDIRUFRQWLQXLQJWKHMXYHQLOHLQGHWHQWLRQRUVKHOWHUFDUHDVVHWIRUWKLQ WKLVVHFWLRQVKDOOJRYHUQWKHGHFLVLRQVRIall personsLQYROYHGLQGHWHUPLQLQJ ZKHWKHUWKHFRQWLQXHGGHWHQWLRQRUVKHOWHUFDUHLVZDUUDQWHGSHQGLQJFRXUW GLVSRVLWLRQ6XFKFULWHULDVKDOOEHVXSSRUWHGE\FOHDUDQGFRQYLQFLQJHYLGHQFHLQ VXSSRUWRIWKHGHFLVLRQQRWWRUHOHDVHWKHMXYHQLOH

&RGH ' HPSKDVLVDGGHG

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