Roy Morgan v. State of Indiana (mem. dec.)

• Court: Indiana Court of Appeals
• Decided: November 5, 2015
• Docket: 49A02-1409-CR-654
• Status: Published

Opinion

MEMORANDUM DECISION Pursuant to Ind. Appellate Rule 65(D), this Nov 05 2015, 8:01 am Memorandum Decision shall not be regarded as precedent or cited before any court except for the purpose of establishing the defense of res judicata, collateral estoppel, or the law of the case.

ATTORNEYS FOR APPELLANT ATTORNEYS FOR APPELLEE Jennifer M. Lukemeyer Gregory F. Zoeller Tyler D. Helmond Attorney General of Indiana Voyles Zahn & Paul Jesse R. Drum Indianapolis, Indiana Deputy Attorney General Indianapolis, Indiana

IN THE COURT OF APPEALS OF INDIANA

Roy Morgan, November 5, 2015

Appellant-Defendant, Court of Appeals Case No. 49A02-1409-CR-654 v. Appeal from the Marion Superior Court. The Honorable Shatrese Flowers, State of Indiana, Judge. Appellee-Plaintiff. Cause No. 49F09-1205-FD-33565

Darden, Senior Judge

Statement of the Case [1] Roy Morgan appeals his conviction of intimidation, a Class D felony. Ind.

Code § 35-45-2-1 (2006). We affirm.

Court of Appeals of Indiana | Memorandum Decision 49A02-1409-CR-654 | November 5, 2015 Page 1 of 13 Issue [2] Morgan presents one issue for our review, which we restate as: whether

Morgan’s second trial on the charge of intimidation was barred by Indiana’s

Double Jeopardy Clause.

Facts and Procedural History [3] The facts most favorable to the verdict are as follows. On May 7, 2012,

Morgan’s wife, Angela, placed a $1,000.00 deposit on a car at Auto Pass car

dealership in Indianapolis. The deposit was non-refundable and was to hold

the car for forty-eight to seventy-two hours. Auto Pass gave Angela a receipt

stating that deposits are non-refundable. When Auto Pass receives a deposit on

a car, the car is locked, a sold tag is placed on the car, and the car is not

available for sale or opened for anyone until the person who placed the deposit

comes back to pick up the car. In this case, Auto Pass held the car for Morgan

and his wife for almost two weeks.

[4] On May 19, 2012, Morgan and Angela went to Auto Pass’ office where they

asked Randy Pulliam, owner and president of Auto Pass, for the key to the car

upon which they had paid the deposit. The Morgans went out to the lot, started

up the car, and then returned to the office and told Pulliam they no longer

wanted the car. In addition, Morgan requested the return of his full deposit.

Initially, Pulliam refused to return the deposit money. As the discussion

between the two men ensued, Pulliam offered to return half the deposit money

to Morgan. However, Morgan was not satisfied with Pulliam’s offer, and the

Court of Appeals of Indiana | Memorandum Decision 49A02-1409-CR-654 | November 5, 2015 Page 2 of 13 discussion between the two men became heated. Pulliam told Morgan to leave,

but he refused and became louder and angrier. Morgan made several threats to

Pulliam, causing Barry Teague, Auto Pass Finance Manager, to call 911. The

police arrived, and, after speaking with everyone involved, they arrested

Morgan. Based upon this incident, Morgan was charged with intimidation, as 1 a Class D felony, and criminal confinement, as a Class D felony.

[5] On November 20, 2013, a jury trial was held on both charges. The jury found

Morgan not guilty as to the charge of criminal confinement and was unable to

reach a verdict on the charge of intimidation. A second jury trial was held on

the charge of intimidation on May 28, 2014. At that trial, the jury found

Morgan guilty. The trial court imposed a sentence of 730 days with 550 days to

be served on home detention with GPS monitoring, and 180 days suspended to

probation. Morgan now appeals his conviction of intimidation.

Discussion and Decision [6] Morgan challenges his conviction of intimidation on Indiana’s double jeopardy

principles. Particularly, he argues that the jury relied upon the same evidence

in finding him guilty of intimidation in his second trial as it did in acquitting

him of criminal confinement in his first trial.

1 Ind. Code § 35-42-3-3 (2006).

Court of Appeals of Indiana | Memorandum Decision 49A02-1409-CR-654 | November 5, 2015 Page 3 of 13 [7] The Double Jeopardy Clause of the Indiana Constitution provides that “[n]o

person shall be put in jeopardy twice for the same offense.” IND. CONST. art.

I, § 14. Two or more offenses are the same offense in violation of article I,

section 14 if, with respect to either the statutory elements of the challenged

crimes or the actual evidence used to convict, the essential elements of one

challenged offense also establish the essential elements of another challenged

offense. Richardson v. State, 717 N.E.2d 32, 49 (Ind. 1999). In the present case,

Morgan claims a violation of the Indiana Double Jeopardy Clause under the

actual evidence test only.

[8] With regard to the actual evidence test, upon review, we examine the actual

evidence presented at trial in order to determine whether each challenged

offense was established by separate and distinct facts. Id. at 53. To show that

two challenged offenses constitute the same offense under the actual evidence

test, a defendant must demonstrate a reasonable possibility that the evidentiary

facts used by the fact-finder to establish the essential elements of one offense

may also have been used to establish the essential elements of a second offense.

Id. A “reasonable possibility” requires “substantially more than a logical

possibility” and involves a practical assessment of whether the fact-finder “may

have latched on to exactly the same facts for both convictions.” Lee v. State, 892

N.E.2d 1231, 1236 (Ind. 2008). Further, the Indiana Double Jeopardy Clause

is not violated when the evidentiary facts establishing the essential elements of

one offense also establish only one, or even several, but not all, of the essential

elements of a second offense. Spivey v. State, 761 N.E.2d 831, 833 (Ind. 2002).

Court of Appeals of Indiana | Memorandum Decision 49A02-1409-CR-654 | November 5, 2015 Page 4 of 13 In applying the actual evidence test, we evaluate the evidence from the fact-

finder’s perspective, and we may consider the charging information, jury

instructions, and arguments of counsel. Newgent v. State, 897 N.E.2d 520, 525

(Ind. Ct. App. 2008).

[9] Moreover, particularly relevant to the instant case, our Supreme Court, in

Garrett v. State, 992 N.E.2d 710 (Ind. 2013), held that the actual evidence test

may be applicable to cases in which there has been an acquittal on one charge

and retrial on another charge after a hung jury. Id. at 714. Thus, a double

jeopardy violation may occur under the actual evidence test when there is a

reasonable possibility that the evidentiary facts used by the fact-finder to

establish the essential elements of the offense for which the defendant was

acquitted may also have been used to establish the essential elements of the

offense for which the defendant was convicted. Id. at 723.

First Trial

[10] In addition to the foregoing facts, the following are further evidentiary facts of

what occurred at the first trial. At Morgan’s first trial on November 20, 2013,

he was tried on both the charge of criminal confinement and the charge of

intimidation. As to these charges, the jury was instructed as follows:

The [crime of] criminal confinement is defined by law as follows: A person who knowingly confines another person without the other person’s consent commits criminal confinement, a Class D felony. Before you may convict the defendant, the State must have proved each of the following beyond a reasonable doubt: Court of Appeals of Indiana | Memorandum Decision 49A02-1409-CR-654 | November 5, 2015 Page 5 of 13 1. The Defendant, Roy Morgan; 2. Knowingly; 3. Confined Randy Pulliam without his consent. Appellant’s App. p. 137.

The crime of intimidation is defined by statute as follows: A person who communicates a threat to another person, with the intent the other person be placed in fear of retaliation for a prior lawful act commits intimidation, a Class A misdemeanor. The offense is a Class D felony if the threat is to commit a forcible felony. Before you may convict the defendant of intimidation, a Class D felony as charged in Count II of the information, the State must have proved each of the following elements beyond a reasonable doubt: 1. The Defendant, Roy Morgan; 2. Communicated a threat to Randy Pulliam; 3. With the intent that Randy Pulliam be placed in fear of retaliation for a prior lawful act; 4. And the threat was to commit a forcible felony. Id. at 138.

[11] The State presented evidence at the first trial that once Pulliam refused to return

Morgan’s full deposit, Morgan yelled at Pulliam, “You will never sell cars

again. I’[ll] make sure of it. You don’t know who you’re messin’ with.” Tr. 1 2 p. 52. Morgan then stated, “The next [time] you see me, I’ll be in your livin’

2 Because this case involves two trials, on appeal we have been given two separate trial transcripts. For clarity, we will cite to the transcripts as “Tr. 1” for Morgan’s first trial and “Tr. 2” for Morgan’s second trial.

Court of Appeals of Indiana | Memorandum Decision 49A02-1409-CR-654 | November 5, 2015 Page 6 of 13 room with a gun over your head.” Id. Pulliam also testified that Morgan’s

threats were laced with profanity. When Morgan made these threats, he stood

near the doorway of the office while Pulliam was behind his desk several feet

away. Pulliam testified that he felt trapped and unsure of whether Morgan

would let him leave. Pulliam was asked if Morgan had his consent to trap him

in his office, and Pulliam replied, “No, not at all.” Id. at 54. Several people

asked Morgan to leave the premises, but he refused. The jury also viewed Auto

Pass’ security videotape showing Morgan half leaning/half sitting on the small

table near the door during his heated exchange with Pulliam. There was no

audio to the video. Pulliam additionally testified to certain changes that had

been made to the office after this incident, including switching the office around

so that the employees can see the door and selling his rural, secluded personal

residence and moving into the city.

[12] Auto Pass Finance Manager, Barry Teague, testified that Morgan was standing

at the edge of the table right in front of the door having a heated conversation

with Pulliam. Teague stated that he was concerned for Pulliam’s safety because

there was nowhere for him to go. He called 911. He then placed a second 911

call after Morgan told Pulliam, “You don’t know who you’re f***ing with.

Call the f***ing police.” Id. at 108-09. Morgan further stated to Pulliam, “The

next time you see me, I’m gonna be standing in your room – in your house –

standing over the top of you in your living room with a gun in my hand.” Id. at

109. The 911 calls were played at trial, and Teague identified Morgan in the

background of the second 911 call saying, “You don’t know who you’re f***ing

Court of Appeals of Indiana | Memorandum Decision 49A02-1409-CR-654 | November 5, 2015 Page 7 of 13 with.” Id. at 114. Auto Pass Sales Manager Zach Walton testified to hearing

Morgan’s statements to Pulliam as well.

[13] Further, to prove that Morgan committed the offense of confinement in the first

trial, the State relied on and summarized in its closing argument the evidence of

the security video showing Morgan leaning on a table and lingering by the door

of the office. The State reiterated Pulliam’s testimony that he was too scared of

what Morgan would do if he tried to leave the office and that Pulliam did not

consent to being confined. The evidence is undisputed that there were several

of Pulliam’s co-workers in the office at the time of this incident. There was no

evidence that Pulliam expressed a desire to leave the office or that Morgan

threatened Pulliam if he attempted to leave. Following the presentation of

evidence, the jury found Morgan not guilty as to the charge of criminal

confinement and was unable to reach a verdict on the charge of intimidation.

Second Trial

[14] On May 28, 2014, Morgan was tried a second time on the charge of

intimidation. Besides the facts as stated above in the Facts and Procedural

History section of this opinion, the following are additional facts of what

transpired at the second trial. The jury was instructed as follows:

In this case, the State of Indiana has charged the Defendant with intimidation, a Class D felony. The charge reads as follows:

On or about May 19, 2012, in Marion County, State of Indiana, the following named Defendant, Roy Morgan, did communicate a threat to Randy Pulliam, another person, said threat being Court of Appeals of Indiana | Memorandum Decision 49A02-1409-CR-654 | November 5, 2015 Page 8 of 13 “You don’t know who you are f[ ]ing with, next time you see me, I’ll be standing in your living room over your head with a gun,” with the intent that the other person be placed in fear of retaliation for a prior lawful act, to wit: not refunding a down payment on a vehicle that was non-refundable; and further that said threat was to commit a forcible felony, to wit: murder. Appellant’s App. p. 69.

The crime of intimidation is defined by statute as follows: A person who communicates a threat to another person, with the intent the other person be placed in fear of retaliation for a prior lawful act commits intimidation, a Class A misdemeanor. The offense is a Class D felony if the threat is to commit a forcible felony. Before you may convict the Defendant of intimidation, a Class D felony as charged in the information, the State must have proved each of the following elements beyond a reasonable doubt: 1. The Defendant, Roy Morgan; 2. Communicated a threat to Randy Pulliam; 3. With the intent that Randy Pulliam be placed in fear of retaliation for a prior lawful act; 4. And the threat was to commit a forcible felony. Id. at 70.

[15] Retrial on the lone charge of intimidation proceeded, and the State presented

evidence that after placing a deposit of $1,000.00 on a car and having the car

held for almost two weeks, Morgan and his wife went to Auto Pass and

requested the full return of their deposit money. Pulliam testified that when he

refused to return Morgan’s full deposit, Morgan became upset and boisterous

out on the car lot. Pulliam returned to the office. Morgan followed Pulliam

Court of Appeals of Indiana | Memorandum Decision 49A02-1409-CR-654 | November 5, 2015 Page 9 of 13 inside and began yelling at Pulliam, “You don’t know who you’re f***ing

with.” Tr. 2 p. 47. Pulliam described Morgan as “irate” and appearing as if

“he was gettin’ ready to hit me.” Id. Morgan was asked to leave several times,

but he refused and instead sat near the door to the office. Morgan continued to

yell and make statements like, “You’re never gonna sell cars in this city. I’ll

make sure of it.” Id. at 49. Pulliam testified that Morgan yelled, “The next

time you see me, I’ll be standin’ in your livin’ room with a [ ] gun over your

head.” Id. at 50. When asked if this statement was in regard to him not

returning Morgan’s $1,000.00 deposit, Pulliam replied affirmatively. The jury

also viewed Auto Pass’ security video showing Morgan and Pulliam’s positions

in the office of Auto Pass. Although there was no audio, the State questioned

Pulliam as follows:

State: But during the video, was the defendant threatening you? Pulliam: A hundred percent, yes. State: And was he yelling with a loud voice? Pulliam: Yes. State: I also notice that you’re pacing around quite a bit in that video. Why is that? Pulliam: Um, well, I was scared probably and nervous and didn’t know what was gonna happen. Id. at 53-54. Pulliam also testified that as a result of this incident they have

added more security cameras at Auto Pass as well as full-time armed security.

In addition, they have rearranged the desks in the office to face the front door;

Court of Appeals of Indiana | Memorandum Decision 49A02-1409-CR-654 | November 5, 2015 Page 10 of 13 have instituted a buddy system so that no employee is at the office alone; and

Pulliam has moved from his secluded, rural home to the city.

[16] Teague also testified at Morgan’s second trial. He became aware of Morgan’s

presence in the office when he heard loud voices and yelling. He testified that

Morgan was demanding his money back and said to Pulliam, “You don’t know

who you’re f***ing with. [ ] you’re gonna give me my money. You don’t

know who I am.” Id. at 95. At that point, Teague called 911. When Teague

ended the 911 call, Morgan was becoming more irate, using more profanity,

and refusing to leave. Teague testified that he placed a second 911 call because

Morgan pointed to Pulliam and said, “The next time you see me, I’m gonna be

in your living room with a gun. I’m gonna kill you.” Id. at 99. Audio tapes of

the two 911 calls were played at trial, and Teague identified Morgan as the

voice in the background of the second of the two calls saying, “Do not f***

around with me.” Id. at 109.

[17] Walton testified at the second trial as well. He described a heated argument

between Pulliam and Morgan in the office, where Morgan refused to leave

despite having been asked several times. He affirmed that Morgan made threats

to Pulliam by stating, “You don’t know me. You don’t know who you’re f’ing

with,” and “The next time you see me, I’ll be in your living room standing over

you with a gun.” Id. at 133, 135.

[18] Finally, in its closing argument the State specified which evidence should be

used to find Morgan guilty of intimidation. It emphasized that Morgan

Court of Appeals of Indiana | Memorandum Decision 49A02-1409-CR-654 | November 5, 2015 Page 11 of 13 communicated a threat to commit a forcible felony to Pulliam by stating that

Pulliam didn’t know who he was f***ing with and that the next time Pulliam

saw him, Morgan would be standing in Pulliam’s living room with a gun to

Pulliam’s head. This threat was made by Morgan with the intent that Pulliam

be placed in fear of retaliation for refusing to return Morgan’s $1,000.00

deposit. The jury found Morgan guilty of intimidation.

[19] Morgan seeks support for his argument from our Supreme Court’s decision in

Garrett; however, Garrett presents a very different factual context than the one

before us today. The State charged Garrett with two separate but identically

worded counts of rape. At Garrett’s first trial, evidence was presented of two

separate incidents of rape, but neither the charging information nor the parties’

evidence and argument at trial specifically linked either charged count with a

particular rape event. The jury acquitted Garrett on Count I but was unable to

reach a verdict on Count II. Garrett was retried on Count II, and the State

presented the same evidence of Count I upon which it relied in the first trial and

upon which the jury found Garrett not guilty. With regard to Count II, the

State presented such a paucity of evidence that our Supreme Court concluded

there was a reasonable possibility that the evidentiary facts used by the jury in

the first trial to establish the essential elements of rape in Count I, of which

Garrett was found not guilty, may also have been used on retrial to establish all

of the essential elements of rape in Count II, of which Garrett was found guilty,

thereby constituting a double jeopardy violation.

Court of Appeals of Indiana | Memorandum Decision 49A02-1409-CR-654 | November 5, 2015 Page 12 of 13 [20] In deciding Garrett, our Supreme Court acknowledged the unique character of

the case by stating that “in a different factual context this modified test may

prove challenging in its application.” 992 N.E.2d at 723. Contrary to the facts

in Garrett, here we have the charging information and evidentiary presentation

of two distinct and separate offenses. This fact, in and of itself, distinguishes

the present case from Garrett. Additionally, Morgan points to cases involving a

double jeopardy question where there are charges of both robbery and

confinement in a single trial. These cases are likewise inapplicable to the

analysis of the present case which involves charges of confinement and

intimidation, not robbery, and two separate trials.

[21] Therefore, taking into consideration the charging information, the jury

instructions, the evidence, and the closing arguments, we find the possibility to

be speculative that the jury in Morgan’s first trial used the same evidence to

acquit him of criminal confinement as did the jury in his second trial to convict

him of intimidation. Thus, Morgan’s conviction of intimidation does not

violate the Indiana Double Jeopardy Clause.

Conclusion [22] For the reasons stated, we conclude that Morgan’s second trial on the charge of

intimidation, following his acquittal of the charge of criminal confinement in

his first trial, was not barred by Indiana’s Double Jeopardy Clause.

[23] Affirmed.

[24] Kirsch, J., and Pyle, J., concur. Court of Appeals of Indiana | Memorandum Decision 49A02-1409-CR-654 | November 5, 2015 Page 13 of 13