State Of Washington v. Cameron L. Chudy

Court of Appeals of Washington·Decided December 13, 2016·No. 48175-8·Unpublished

Opinion

Filed

Washington State

Court of Appeals

Division Two

December 13, 2016

IN THE COURT OF APPEALS OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON

DIVISION II

STATE OF WASHINGTON, No. 48175-8-II

Respondent,

v.

CAMERON LEE CHUDY, UNPUBLISHED OPINION Appellant.

JOHANSON, J. — Cameron L. Chudy appeals his convictions for unlawful possession of a stolen vehicle and attempting to elude a pursuing police vehicle. Chudy argues that his counsel was ineffective. Chudy also argues that the trial court erred when it failed to dismiss a sleepy juror, departed from the “reasonable doubt” jury instruction (11 Washington Practice: Washington Pattern Jury Instructions: Criminal 4.01, at 93 (4th ed. 2016) (WPIC)), and admitted surveillance video of the vehicle theft. We conclude that his counsel was not ineffective and the trial court did not commit reversible error. Accordingly, we affirm Chudy’s convictions.

FACTS

I. BACKGROUND FACTS AND CHARGING On April 30, 2015, Officers Zac Wolfe and Kenneth Smith observed a Honda that had been reported as stolen, but after the officers attempted to stop the Honda, it eluded them.

Within minutes, Officer Teresa Antush made contact with Micah Frasu and Chudy—the only pedestrians near where the stolen Honda was found parked. Chudy and Frasu stopped to talk to Officer Antush, but then Chudy attempted to run away and was detained and handcuffed by another officer. Officer Wolfe placed Chudy in the back of his patrol car. Chudy was charged with unlawful possession of a stolen vehicle and attempting to elude a police vehicle.

II. ADMISSIBILITY OF SURVEILLANCE VIDEO The State planned to introduce into evidence a surveillance video that showed the Honda being stolen. The trial court found that the video presented “minimal prejudice” because the driver in the video was “much darker skinned” than Chudy and because the State did not plan to argue that the driver was Chudy. 1 Report of Proceedings (RP) at 110-11. The trial court found that the video was probative to show that the car was stolen, where the stolen car was parked, and that the victim did not know the driver or give him permission to drive her car. The trial court denied Chudy’s motion to exclude the video.

III. TESTIMONY RELATED TO SEIZURE AND THEFT OF THE CAR Trial began in September 2015. The car’s owner, Erica Winscot, and Officers Wolfe, Smith, and Antush testified for the State. Winscot testified that she parked her car on her college campus and later found it gone. The State played the campus surveillance video and Winscot confirmed that her car was featured in the video and that the video showed it was driven away by someone she did not know or give permission to drive her car.

Officer Wolfe testified that he has patrolled the same area during the same time shift for five years. It was approximately 9:39 PM on April 30, when he and Officer Smith were on patrol and saw the stolen Honda in front of their patrol car. He activated his emergency lights and siren,

but the Honda sped up instead of stopping. Officer Wolf observed that the passenger was a white male and the driver appeared to be a white or light-skinned black male wearing a light-colored shirt. Officer Wolfe lost sight of the Honda and notified other officers in the area to look for it.

Officer Wolfe testified that another officer located the Honda, unoccupied, and then was told that another officer found two possible subjects, Chudy and Frasu, in the area. Officer Wolfe stated that the subjects were located two minutes and eight blocks from when and where he last saw the Honda. At the scene, Officer Wolfe noted that Chudy was “sweating profusely,” breathing heavily, and wearing a light-colored shirt. 2 RP at 246. Officer Wolfe issued a Miranda1 warning to Chudy. Chudy expressed that he understood and waived his right to remain silent.

After Officer Wolfe placed Chudy in the patrol car, Chudy made a series of incriminating statements to Officer Wolfe and to Officer Smith. Officer Wolfe testified that he believed Officer Antush contacted Chudy that night because Chudy was walking about a block from where the stolen car was parked and that there was not typically anyone walking in that area at that time of night.

Officer Antush testified that on April 30, she heard over her radio that two white males were in a stolen Honda. When she entered the area where the stolen car was last seen, she noted Chudy and Frasu were the only pedestrians on the street. As she approached, Officer Antush asked the men if they would talk to her; they assented and engaged in a “friendly conversation.” 2 RP at 71. Chudy was sweating profusely and looking side to side, and Frasu was evasive in his answers about what they had been doing that night. Officer Antush confirmed that the suspects’ description

1 Miranda v. Arizona, 384 U.S. 436, 86 S. Ct. 1602, 16 L. Ed. 2d 694 (1966).

she heard on her radio was of two white males, but noted that she contacted Chudy and Frasu because they were in the area near the stolen car.

IV. SLEEPY JUROR

On the trial’s second day, the trial court observed an incident when juror 8 appeared to be sleeping and had a delayed response to the trial court’s recess announcement. During a recess, the trial court asked juror 8 if she could listen to the evidence, and she confirmed that she could and had been taking notes. The trial court also told juror 8 that she could stand or eat as needed to stay awake. After the jury was excused that day, defense counsel noted that he saw juror 8 “nodding” again and moved for her to be excused. 2 RP at 342. Neither the State nor the trial court observed juror 8 sleeping again, but both saw her raise her hand and ask to stand, as directed, in order to stay alert.

The trial court concluded that it would not excuse juror 8, but would reconsider defense counsel’s request if the trial court saw her falling asleep the next morning. Defense counsel did not ask the trial court to reconsider its ruling.

V. JURY INSTRUCTION ON BURDEN OF PROOF Both parties requested that WPIC 4.01 define the State’s burden of proof, but both parties agreed the phrase “as to these elements” should be removed. 3 RP at 371.

The trial court agreed and directed his clerk to white out “just that last sentence.” 3 RP at 371. But the clerk misunderstood the direction and removed the sentence stating, “The defendant has no burden of proving that a reasonable doubt exists as to these elements.” CP at 79. Neither party objected to this instruction even though they were given copies after it had been changed.

VI. CLOSING ARGUMENT

During closing argument, the State acknowledged that it carried the burden to prove the elements of both crimes beyond a reasonable doubt. The State referenced the surveillance video, but clarified that it did not allege Chudy stole the car. Defense counsel told the jury that before their deliberation, his client was presumed not guilty and that the State must prove every element of each count.

VII. CONVICTIONS AND SENTENCE The jury found Chudy guilty of unlawful possession of a stolen vehicle and attempting to elude a pursuing police vehicle with a special enhancement for threatening another person with harm during the eluding. At sentencing, defense counsel noted that Chudy was not employed at the time of his arrest and that he had been in custody since May 2015. Defense counsel also noted that Chudy was 21, had a young son, and had completed the 10th grade.

Chudy was sentenced to 50 months confinement with credit for time served. The trial court ran this time consecutively to two prior 29-month sentences. The trial court did not impose discretionary legal financial obligations (LFOs) because Chudy was indigent. The trial court concluded that Chudy had minimal education and employment skills. And the trial court entered an order of indigency authorizing Chudy to seek an appeal at public expense. Chudy appeals his conviction.

ANALYSIS

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State Of Washington v. Cameron L. Chudy, (Wash. Ct. App. 2016).

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