State Of Washington v. Robert Jesse Hill

CourtCourt of Appeals of Washington
DecidedJanuary 23, 2019
Docket50386-7
StatusUnpublished

This text of State Of Washington v. Robert Jesse Hill (State Of Washington v. Robert Jesse Hill) 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. Robert Jesse Hill, (Wash. Ct. App. 2019).

Opinion

Filed Washington State Court of Appeals Division Two

January 23, 2019 IN THE COURT OF APPEALS OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON

DIVISION II STATE OF WASHINGTON, No. 50386-7-II

Respondent,

v.

ROBERT JESSE HILL, UNPUBLISHED OPINION

Appellant.

WORSWICK, J. — A jury found Robert Jesse Hill guilty of three counts of third degree

assault, one count of unlawful possession of a controlled substance, and one count of obstruction

of a law enforcement officer. Hill appeals, arguing that (1) his counsel was ineffective for failing

to request a voluntary intoxication instruction, (2) there was insufficient evidence to convict for

the controlled substance charge, and (3) certain cost provisions in the judgment and sentence are

no longer authorized after enactment of Engrossed Substitute House Bill (ESHB) 1783.

In his statement of additional grounds (SAG) for review, Hill argues that (1) his counsel

was ineffective for failing to request a lesser included offense of unlawful display of a weapon,

and (2) his counsel was ineffective for failing to request a jury instruction on “dominion and

control.”

We hold that (1) Hill’s counsel was not ineffective for failing to request a voluntary

intoxication instruction, (2) there was sufficient evidence to convict for the controlled substance

charge, and (3) the criminal filing fee and interest are no longer authorized, and the DNA

(deoxyribonucleic acid) fee is discretionary. Additionally, we hold that Hill has not raised No. 50386-7-II

reversible error in his SAG. Consequently, we affirm Hill’s convictions and remand to the trial

court to strike the criminal filing fee, the DNA fee, and interest accrual.

FACTS

I. BACKGROUND

Hill had a confrontation with a construction worker on a construction site. Later that day,

Hill drove back to the construction site and parked,1 blocking a cement truck. Hill refused to

move his vehicle. Pierce County Sheriff’s Deputies Charles Roberts, Emily Holznagel, and

Kevin Finnerty responded to calls regarding the dispute.

Deputy Roberts knocked on Hill’s window, stating that he needed to speak with him.

Hill rolled down his window about two to three inches. Deputy Roberts instructed Hill that he

needed to step out of the vehicle. Hill refused, then put his vehicle in reverse and started to back

up. Deputy Roberts instructed him not to back up. Hill put his vehicle into park. Deputy

Roberts instructed him again that he needed to step out of the vehicle. Hill put the vehicle in

reverse and backed up again.

At this point, Deputy Roberts observed that Hill’s speech was slurred and his eyes were

bloodshot. Deputy Roberts instructed Hill to get out of the vehicle so that deputies could

investigate whether Hill was intoxicated. Deputy Roberts slapped the window, and instructed

Hill to stop the vehicle and put it in park. Deputy Roberts instructed Hill to step out of the

1 Hill makes two “clarifications” in his SAG. Hill states that the vehicle he was driving was registered to the trust “The Committee to Support the Blue Boy Brigade, I” during this incident, and not to his mother, as his opening brief states. SAG at 2 (citing Br. of Appellant at 20). Hill also states that the opening brief is incorrect when it said he was the “sole occupant” of the vehicle that day. SAG at 1. The vehicle’s registered owner is irrelevant under the analysis below, and there is no evidence in the record demonstrating someone else was in the vehicle at the time of the incident. Therefore, Hill’s “clarifications” do not change the analysis herein.

2 No. 50386-7-II

vehicle, or he would break the window and forcibly remove Hill. Hill refused, and backed up his

vehicle for a third time. Deputy Finnerty then broke the driver’s side window with his flashlight.

After Deputy Finnerty broke the driver’s side window, Deputy Roberts opened the door

to remove Hill from the vehicle. Hill grabbed a mace gun and pointed it at all three deputies.

Deputy Roberts knocked the mace gun out of Hill’s hand, and the deputies grabbed Hill and

removed him from the vehicle.

The deputies then handcuffed Hill. While being searched for weapons, Hill slammed his

head against the patrol vehicle twice. After Hill was put into a patrol vehicle, he continued to

bang his head.

Hill’s vehicle was taken to a sheriff precinct where Deputy Finnerty found the keys in the

ignition. The key did not work to open Hill’s trunk, and the police had to use force to open the

trunk. During their search of the vehicle, deputies found an orange pill bottle “in a box under a

box.” Verbatim Report of Proceedins (VRP) (June 5, 2017) at 148. The box contained 86 pills

of alprazolam.2 Additionally, Deputy Roberts found “dozens and dozens of alcohol bottles” in

the vehicle.

The State charged Hill with three counts of third degree assault, one count of unlawful

possession of a controlled substance, one count of obstructing a law enforcement officer, and one

count of driving under the influence (DUI) of alcohol. Before trial began, Hill pleaded guilty to

driving under the influence. He went to trial on the remaining charges.

II. TRIAL

2 Alprazolam is schedule IV controlled substance. RCW 69.50.210(b)(1). It is sold under the trade name Xanax. State v. Zillyette, 178 Wn.2d 153, 160, 307 P.3d 712 (2013).

3 No. 50386-7-II

Before trial, Hill made a motion in limine to exclude any photos of alcohol containers

found in Hill’s vehicle. The trial court granted the motion. At trial, the witnesses testified

consistently with the above facts. Additionally, Deputy Roberts testified that he believed the

vehicle was registered to Hill’s mother based on his memory from seeing the registration.

Deputies Roberts and Finnerty testified that Hill’s eyes were bloodshot, his speech was

slurred, and his pupils appeared constricted. Deputy Finnerty testified that Hill smelled of

intoxicants and he appeared disheveled. Although defense counsel did not object to any

testimony regarding Hill’s intoxication, counsel did state that testimony regarding the numerous

alcohol bottles found in the car would be prejudicial to Hill.

The cement truck driver testified that when he approached Hill’s vehicle to talk to him,

Hill hissed at him and was not making any sense. A forensic scientist with the Washington State

Patrol Crime Laboratory testified that the substance found in Hill’s vehicle was alprazolam.

Hill also testified at trial. Hill stated that he blocked the cement truck so he could find

information about the construction worker who he had an earlier confrontation with. He said it

was his intention to have the police called to the construction site. Hill testified that it was not

his intent to have the vehicle engine on, but that he just wanted to listen to the radio. He said that

he believed the engine was off. Hill testified that he then fell asleep in the vehicle and when he

woke up, one of the deputies slapped on his window and told him to get out of the car or “the

window’s going to be broken.” VRP (June 7, 2017) at 400. Hill testified that he then

immediately turned to take his seat belt off, and that is when the window broke. He stated he did

not point the mace gun at the deputies

4 No. 50386-7-II

Defense counsel did not ask Hill about drinking or taking drugs.

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State Of Washington v. Robert Jesse Hill, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-of-washington-v-robert-jesse-hill-washctapp-2019.