State of Arizona v. Manuel Jesus Pesqueira

333 P.3d 797, 235 Ariz. 470, 694 Ariz. Adv. Rep. 4, 2014 Ariz. App. LEXIS 169, 2014 WL 4264775
CourtCourt of Appeals of Arizona
DecidedAugust 28, 2014
Docket2 CA-CR 2013-0134
StatusPublished
Cited by7 cases

This text of 333 P.3d 797 (State of Arizona v. Manuel Jesus Pesqueira) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals of Arizona primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
State of Arizona v. Manuel Jesus Pesqueira, 333 P.3d 797, 235 Ariz. 470, 694 Ariz. Adv. Rep. 4, 2014 Ariz. App. LEXIS 169, 2014 WL 4264775 (Ark. Ct. App. 2014).

Opinion

OPINION

HOWARD, Judge.

¶ 1 Following a jury trial, appellant Manuel Pesqueira was convicted of armed robbery, aggravated robbery, two counts of kidnapping, two counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, and first-degree murder. On appeal, he argues the trial court erred by allowing a medical expert witness to rely on an autopsy report created by a non-testifying expert, there was insufficient evidence to support the jury verdict for first-degree murder, the court improperly enhanced some of his sentences, and the court erred in imposing a Criminal Restitution Order (CRO). For the following reasons, we affirm the convictions and sentences, but vacate the CRO.

Factual and Procedural Background

¶2 L.C. and his roommate, R.G., were asleep in a bedroom when they awoke to a “strange noise.” Shortly thereafter, Pes-queira entered the bedroom, pointed a gun at the men, and said he wanted their “money, belongings, [and] drugs.” Pesqueira took money from R.G.’s wallet and a jar of change before leaving the bedroom. He then returned with a machete and again demanded money and drugs. He took L.C.’s and R.G.’s cellular telephones and left the room. Another man, Stephen Williams, then entered the bedroom with a gun, did not say anything, and shot L.C. in the head. Pesqueira and Williams then left the apartment.

¶ 3 L.C. was taken to the University Medical Center (UMC) where doctors performed surgery. But L.C. remained unconscious for the week he stayed at UMC and his estimated chances of recovery were “tv]ery slim,” approximately eight percent. L.C.’s family chose to move him to Mexico and, during the ambulance ride from UMC to Mexico, L.C. died.

¶ 4 Pesqueira was charged with and convicted of various offenses as described above. The trial court sentenced him to a combination of consecutive and concurrent prison terms on counts one through six, totaling thirty years. It also sentenced him to life in prison without the possibility of release for twenty-five years for the first-degree murder charge which was to run concurrently with the sentences for the other six charges. We have jurisdiction over his appeal pursuant to A.R.S. §§ 12-120.21(A)(1) and 13-4033(A)(1).

Dr. Hess’s Testimony

¶ 5 Pesqueira first argues the trial court erred in allowing the state’s medical expert, Dr. Gregory Hess, to base his opinion as to the cause of L.C.’s death on the autopsy report generated in Mexico. He contends both that the testimony was inadmissible under Rule 703, Ariz. R. Evid., because the Mexican autopsy report was unreliable, and that it violated his Confrontation Clause rights.

Rule 703

¶6 Although Pesqueira objected below to the doctor’s reliance on the autopsy report, he did not raise its noncompliance with Rule 703. He has therefore forfeited review for all but fundamental, prejudicial error. See State v. Henderson, 210 Ariz. 561, ¶¶ 19-20, 115 P.3d 601, 607 (2005); State v. Lopez, 217 Ariz. 433, ¶ 4, 175 P.3d 682, 683 (App.2008) (“[A]n objection on one ground does not preserve the issue on another ground.”). Fundamental error is “ ‘error going to the foundation of the case, error that takes from the defendant a right essential to his defense, and error of such magnitude that the defendant could not possibly have received a fair trial.’” Henderson, 210 Ariz. 561, ¶ 19, 115 P.3d at 607, quoting State v. Hunter, 142 Ariz. 88, 90, 688 P.2d 980, 982 (1984). “To prevail on a claim of fundamental error, the [defendant] must first show error and then show that the error is fundamental and prejudicial.” State v. Edmisten, 220 Ariz. 517, ¶ 11, 207 P.3d 770, 775 (App. *474 2009). Pesqueira has failed to argue the alleged error was fundamental, and therefore has waived review of this issue. State v. Moreno-Medrano, 218 Ariz. 349, ¶ 17, 185 P.3d 135, 140 (App.2008).

¶ 7 Moreover, although we will not overlook fundamental error when we see it, State v. Fernandez, 216 Ariz. 545, ¶ 32, 169 P.3d 641, 650 (App.2007), here we find no error, fundamental or otherwise. Henderson, 210 Ariz. 561, ¶ 20, 115 P.3d at 607 (to show fundamental error, defendant must first demonstrate error). Pesqueira contends the autopsy report was insufficiently reliable to provide a basis for Hess’s testimony. Rule 703 provides that an expert may rely on facts or data that are otherwise inadmissible “[i]f experts in the particular field would reasonably rely on those kinds of facts or data in forming an opinion on the subject.” Pesqueira cites Pipher v. Loo for the proposition that “‘[t]he test for admissibility of an expert’s opinion based on facts not in evidence is whether the source relied upon by the expert is reliable.’” 221 Ariz. 399, ¶ 8, 212 P.3d 91, 94 (App.2009), quoting Lynn v. Helitec Corp., 144 Ariz. 564, 568, 698 P.2d 1283, 1287 (App.1984) (alteration in Pipher). As the court in Pipher pointed out, Rule 703 is a “foundational hurdle” to ensure the “data, facts, or methods upon which the expert’s opinion is based exhibit sufficient indicia of reliability.” Id.

¶ 8 The expert in Pipher based his opinion on his own laboratory research, clinical experience, and interviews he conducted, all of which constituted the “legitimate branch of ... epidemiological research.” Id. ¶ 10. No evidence was presented that the sources were “unreliable or untrustworthy” and the court therefore did not err by admitting the testimony. Id.

¶ 9 Conversely, the accident reconstruction expert in Lynn based his opinion solely on the “statements of an eyewitness concerning the event giving rise to the lawsuit,” which had no “external indicia of reliability, such as a routine and customary business record or preparation of a report by a disinterested, expert third party.” 144 Ariz. at 566, 568, 698 P.2d at 1285, 1287. The testimony was therefore inadmissible under Rule 703. Id. at 567-69, 698 P.2d at 1286-88.

¶ 10 Pesqueira contends “there was no evidence presented whatsoever that the autopsy report was reliable,” but similarly no evidence established that it was unreliable, or that Hess’s reliance on it was unreasonable. Hess testified that the autopsy report was “incomplete” by Pima County standards because the examiner only fully examined L.C.’s head and chest. But Hess also stated that type of “limited” autopsy was similar to those done in other parts of the United States and that those examinations were in no way “inaccurate.” He additionally testified that the findings in the report were consistent with the UMC medical records, and it served its purpose of “determining] the cause and manner of death.” The autopsy report thus has “sufficient indicia of reliability” to have properly formed the basis for Hess’s opinion under Rule 703. See Pipher, 221 Ariz. 399, ¶ 8, 212 P.3d at 94.

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333 P.3d 797, 235 Ariz. 470, 694 Ariz. Adv. Rep. 4, 2014 Ariz. App. LEXIS 169, 2014 WL 4264775, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-of-arizona-v-manuel-jesus-pesqueira-arizctapp-2014.