State Of Washington, V. Quan H. Celestine

Court of Appeals of Washington·Decided July 15, 2025·No. 59800-1·Unpublished

Opinion

Filed

Washington State

Court of Appeals

Division Two

July 15, 2025

IN THE COURT OF APPEALS OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON

DIVISION II

STATE OF WASHINGTON, No. 59800-1-II

Respondent,

v.

UNPUBLISHED OPINION

QUAN HILARIO CELESTINE,

Appellant.

MAXA, J. – Quan Celestine appeals the trial court’s order granting the State’s motion to dismiss a juror for cause and his convictions for witness tampering – domestic violence and five counts of protection order violation – domestic violence.

Celestine was charged with harassing BM, his intimate partner. The court entered a no-

contact order. Celestine then sent several text messages to BM from jail instructing her to tell his attorney that he did not threaten her and that she should not testify against him in court, among other things. The State charged Celestine with witness tampering under RCW 9A.72.120(1) and with five counts of protection order violation.

During voir dire, juror 23, a person of color, said that he was not a big fan of being in court. He shared the negative experiences that he and his family members had with the legal system, including being accused of domestic violence. The State challenged juror 23 for cause

under RCW 4.44.170(2), arguing that he demonstrated actual bias. The trial court granted the State’s motion.

GR 37(h)(i)-(iii) states that having prior contact with law enforcement officers, expressing distrust of law enforcement, and having a close relationship to people who have been stopped, arrested, or convicted of a crime all are presumptively invalid reasons for a peremptory challenge against a juror. Celestine argues that the presumptively invalid reasons in GR 37(h) should be applied to for cause challenges as well.

Celestine also argues that his witness tampering conviction must be dismissed because RCW 9A.72.120(1) defines an alternative means crime and there was insufficient evidence to prove that Celestine induced BM to absent herself from the proceedings under RCW 9A.72.120(1)(b), and that his violation of protection order convictions must be reversed because the protection order was dismissed before trial.

We hold that (1) although the trial court should be mindful of GR 37(h) when addressing for cause challenges, based on the plain language of the rule, GR 37(h) does not create a presumption that the circumstances listed in the rule are invalid reasons to support a for cause challenge; (2) the trial court did not abuse its discretion when it granted the State’s motion to strike juror 23 for cause; (3) regardless of whether RCW 9A.72.120(1) defines an alternative means crime, there was sufficient evidence to prove that Celestine induced BM to absent herself from the proceedings under RCW 9A.72.120(1)(b); (4) Celestine’s argument that his protection order violation convictions should be reversed because the protection order no longer was in effect at the time of trial has no merit; (5) there is a scrivener’s error in the judgment and sentence regarding the no-contact order that must be corrected; and (6) as the State concedes, community custody supervision fees must be stricken.

Accordingly, we affirm Celestine’s convictions, but we remand for the trial court to correct the scrivener’s error and to strike the community custody supervision fee in the judgment and sentence.

FACTS

Background In 2020, the State charged Celestine with harassment against BM and another person named Michael. A bench warrant issued for Celestine’s arrest based on the harassment charge.

On March 13, 2023, Celestine appeared in court for a warrant hearing. The trial court entered a pretrial no-contact order. The order prevented Celestine from contacting BM by phone, mail, or electronic means, among other things. The no-contact order remained in place through the time of sentencing.

On March 17, Celestine sent the following text message to BM.

The State of Washington has a restraining order against me to not talk to or have any contact with you or Michael. They do not know we have kids. These people are trying to mess over me. Only you and Michael can stop this by going to the courthouse and forcing them to remove the restraining order. Talk to the Judge; let them know this charge is three years old and we have had two kids since and that you want them to remove the restraining order and drop the charges.

Report of Proceedings (RP) at 337.

On March 27, Celestine sent BM more text messages, including:

When you talk to that lady, Ms. Townsend [a defense attorney], don’t tell her I threatened you. Tell her you never said that; J.B. Hunt did and then it’s me against J.B. Hunt.

RP at 339-40. Less than two minutes later, Celestine texted the following:

[B]ut don’t tell her that because she gonna try and make you testify against me in court. Tell her you’re not testifying – you or Michael – and that they need to move [sic] the restraining order for both you and Michael and that we all live together.

RP at 340.

In November, the State filed a second amended information charging Celestine with one count witness tampering – domestic violence and five counts of protection order violation – domestic violence. The State stated that it was not proceeding on the harassment charges. Celestine pleaded not guilty. Jury Selection During jury selection, Celestine engaged in the following colloquy with juror 23:

Celestine: All right. So the question is – single thing or event in your life or lifetime that most shapes the way you view the world, your world, or this case.

Juror: Well, okay, there’s some (indiscernible). And I spend most of my days (indiscernible). And but I – I’ve been in a courtroom (indiscernible).

(Indiscernible) I’m not a big fan of it. And recently – not recently, but a few years back, (indiscernible) he was hurt really bad by a family member (indiscernible).

(Indiscernible) handle in the correct way, so (indiscernible). And tried to get custody of my son and didn’t get (indiscernible) did not get involved in the court at all, even though it happened (indiscernible). So I’m not a big fan of coming to court; not a big fan of thinking that things can go your way when things go wrong, even though you know that (indiscernible).

RP at 178 (emphasis added).

I recently lost my brother. His baby mom is (indiscernible) because he broke down the door to get his clothes out of there. He was taking his stuff and he was shot and murdered not too long ago – a few months ago. And she thought it was just because they called him an intruder and that was the way it was put on the news, so I’m not a big fan of being in here; I’m not a big fan of (indiscernible).

RP at 178-79 (emphasis added).

But I like to think there’s still some good things that have come out of the courtroom, just it’s hard to think – I don’t know. Life’s fair sometimes and sometimes things happen to good people and sometimes life doesn’t turn out that way.

Celestine: So I think I said it to someone over here – you’ve had some things happen in your life. Obviously I’m standing in a courtroom and I’m part of the system (indiscernible), so I’m sorry that has transpired that way for you.

How old is your son?

Juror: He’s 13 now.

Celestine: If you don’t mind me asking – what is the current schedule? How often do you get him?

Juror: It’s 50/50, so – but just the way things played out. I wanted full custody of my son, knowing the signs of what could (indiscernible) happen and I told her about it. Nothing happened and what I said was (indiscernible) and she still (indiscernible).

RP at 179. Juror 23 did not say that he could not be an impartial juror. And neither party asked juror 23 if his experience in the court system would affect his ability to be fair.

The State moved to strike juror 23 for cause.

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State Of Washington, V. Quan H. Celestine, (Wash. Ct. App. 2025).

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