State Of Washington v. Carlos Daniel Huaman

CourtCourt of Appeals of Washington
DecidedAugust 6, 2018
Docket76569-8
StatusUnpublished

This text of State Of Washington v. Carlos Daniel Huaman (State Of Washington v. Carlos Daniel Huaman) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals of Washington primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
State Of Washington v. Carlos Daniel Huaman, (Wash. Ct. App. 2018).

Opinion

t.T;t:InOW COURT OrAPPEALS : OF WASHINGTON SIMI:

2018 IWG -6 MI 8:30

IN THE COURT OF APPEALS OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON

THE STATE OF WASHINGTON, ) No. 76569-8-1 ) Respondent, ) ) DIVISION ONE v. ) ) CARLOS DANIEL HUAMAN, ) UNPUBLISHED OPINION ) Appellant. ) FILED: August 6, 2018 )

MANN, A.C.J. — Carlos Huaman appeals his convictions for assault in the fourth

degree—domestic violence and interfering with domestic violence reporting. He

contends that several State witnesses expressed their opinion as to his guilt and that

the deputy prosecutor committed reversible misconduct during closing argument. But

when their testimony is viewed in context, the witnesses did not express a personal

belief that Huaman was guilty. Huaman's claim of prosecutorial misconduct fails

because the challenged comments are either not misconduct or so minimally prejudicial

that there is no likelihood they affected the jury's verdict. Accordingly, we affirm. No. 76569-8-1/2

FACTS

Shortly after midnight on October 23, 2016, the 9-1-1 operator answered a call

and heard what sounded like a commotion on the line. A woman, later identified as

Alexis Eaton, said "give me my phone right now." The operator heard a scream, and

Eaton then said, "I'm calling cops... Give me the phone! Can you put my phone

down?" At this point, the call was disconnected.

The operator called the cell phone number back and asked,"are you having an

emergency?" Eaton replied, "Yes. I am" before the call was again disconnected.

The 9-1-1 operator determined that Eaton was the registered owner of the cell

phone. Using signals from the cell phone, the operator also determined Eaton's

approximate location near the Swiss House Apartments in Kirkland and dispatched

officers.

Kirkland Police Officer Charles Bussey drove to the reported location and saw

Eaton walking with her neighbor, James Slaght. Eaton flagged Bussey down, and he

got out of his patrol car to talk to her. Eaton was shaking, stammering, and appeared to

have been crying.

Eaton identified herself and told Bussey that her ex-boyfriend, Carlos Huaman,

had broken into her apartment. She said that she had gone upstairs to her apartment to

investigate a noise when she found Huaman inside. Huaman grabbed her by the leg

and arm and threw her around the apartment. He then threw her to the ground when

she tried to call 9-1-1 and tossed her cell phone away. At this point, Huaman jumped

off the balcony and fled. Eaton went downstairs to get help from her neighbors, Slaght

and Elliot Burke.

-2- No. 76569-8-1/3

Bussey broadcast Huaman's description to the other officers in the area. Based

on the description, Kirkland Police Officer Patrick Baxter detained Huaman, who was

riding a bicycle a short distance away. After Eaton identified Huaman, Baxter arrested

him. Bussey then brought Eaton back to her apartment, where she gave a written

statement. Officers removed the cell phone that Huaman was carrying and returned it

to Eaton.

In her statement, Eaton confirmed that Huaman had entered her apartment

without permission. She found him in the bedroom "going through my stuff." Huaman

threw her around the apartment and then onto the floor. Eaton described the pain as

about level 8 on a scale of 1 to 10. Eaton eventually managed to escape and run

downstairs to the neighbors' apartment. Eaton and Slaght then followed Huaman, who

had fled with one of Eaton's cell phones. After catching up to Huaman, Slaght and

Huaman scuffled, and Eaton managed to snatch back her cell phone before the police

arrived.

Bussey smelled alcohol on Eaton's breath before she gave the statement. But

he did not notice any signs of impairment, such as bloodshot, red, or watery eyes.

Eaton had "great spatial awareness" and did not fumble while retrieving identification

from her purse.

The trial court admitted Eaton's written statement at trial.

The State charged Huaman with burglary in the first degree—domestic violence,

assault in the fourth degree—domestic violence, and interfering with domestic violence

reporting.

-3- No. 76569-8-1/4

At trial, Burke testified that he and his roommate Slaght lived in the apartment

below Eaton's. Eaton would occasionally visit and "hang out."

Just after midnight on October 23, 2016, Burke heard a "scuffle upstairs," as

though something might be "slamming into the ground." A short time later, Burke heard

a knock on the door. When Slaght opened the door, Eaton burst into the apartment and

appeared to be "[p]anicked and crying."

After stepping outside, Burke saw Huaman jump down from Eaton's balcony.

Huaman called Eaton a "dumb bitch" and exchanged "a couple of'fuck offs" with

Slaght before running off. Slaght and Eaton then pursued Huaman.

On October 24, 2016, Detective Allan O'Neill called Eaton and informed her that

he had been assigned to the case. Several hours later, Eaton called back and

expressed concern about getting Huaman out of jail.

Two days later, on October 26, Eaton called O'Neill and asked to meet with him

to provide an additional statement. Eaton met with O'Neill on the following day and

claimed that Huaman had permission to be in her apartment on the night of the charged

incident and that he had never assaulted her. Eaton also explained that the cell phone

officers had returned to her was Huaman's own cell phone.

Eaton testified that she met Huaman in a shelter in 2015. The two began dating

in 2016 and became engaged in August 2016. Eaton was 19 at the time of trial.

Although the Swiss House Apartments prohibited overnight guests, Eaton acknowledged that Huaman spent most nights in her apartment. Eaton was concerned

that she could lose the apartment if the management caught her breaking the rules.

-4- No. 76569-8-1/5

Eaton described her relationship with Huaman as Isladomasochistic," meaning

that "[Nasically we hurt each other." Eaton maintained the relationship was "good" for

her.

Eaton claimed that she spent the day before the charged incident visiting her

mother in Everett. While returning on the bus, Eaton sent a text to Huaman suggesting

she was cheating on him. Eaton denied that she found Huaman rummaging through

her bedroom. Rather, upon arriving at her apartment, she found Huaman had been

drinking. The two argued about the text and had sex. Eaton then decided she wanted

to drink with Huaman.

After consuming two or three shots, Eaton went downstairs to the neighbors'

apartment for some "fresh air." When Slaght and Burke asked Eaton to share the

alcohol, Eaton went back upstairs to get the bottle. Huaman was sleeping, and Eaton

tried to wake him up to find out where the alcohol was. After Huaman awoke, Eaton

demanded the bottle. Huaman suddenly grabbed Eaton, and during the ensuing

physical struggle, Eaton claimed that she hit her head on the side of the bed when she

tried to pull herself away. Eaton denied that Huaman threw her to the floor. She

maintained that she fell to the floor when she tried to punch Huaman and missed.

At one point, Eaton entered 9-1-1 on her cell phone and threatened to place the

call if Huaman did not quiet down. Huaman then attempted to grab the phone. After

the two fought over the phone, Eaton noted that the call had gone through. In an

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