State of Washington v. Robert Todd Walker

CourtCourt of Appeals of Washington
DecidedJune 6, 2013
Docket30575-9
StatusUnpublished

This text of State of Washington v. Robert Todd Walker (State of Washington v. Robert Todd Walker) 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 Todd Walker, (Wash. Ct. App. 2013).

Opinion

FILED

JUNE 06, 2013

In the Office of the Clerk of Court W A State Court of Appeals, Division III

IN THE COURT OF APPEALS OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON DIVISION THREE

STATE OF WASHINGTON, ) No. 30575-9-III ) Respondent, ) ) v. ) ) UNPUBLISHED OPINION ROBERT TODD WALKER, ) ) Appellant. )

KORSMO, C.J. - Robert Walker appeals his conviction for manufacturing

methamphetamine and the accompanying exceptional sentence, raising numerous

arguments. Concluding that he has not established any prejudicial error, we affirm.

FACTS

An effort to manufacture methamphetamine caused a fire in Joe Leckenby's

bedroom on September 14, 2003. Robert Walker's cousin observed him jump out of

Leckenby's bedroom window, climb back inside and throw something from the room out

the window, and then jump back outside again. While his cousin called the fire

department, Mr. Walker left the scene. A responding fire fighter saw him depart in a car. No.30575-9-III State v. Walker

Outside the window of the bedroom, investigators found a can of acetone and a

brown liquor bottle with a white substance on the bottle opening. Inside the bedroom,

police found the remnants of a methamphetamine lab, including: dry ice, a propane torch,

a water cooler with two pieces of clear plastic tubing with tape, a one-pint glass mason

jar containing a clear tan liquid that had an I8-inch tube attached to it that was tied at one

end and contained a white granular substance, a plastic Dr. Pepper bottle containing a

yellow liquid and clear granules, a two-quart glass jar containing rock salt and yellow

liquid, small Ziploc "baggies" with residue, a mirror with residue, two glass smoking

pipes, a can of acetone, and a jar containing acetone. The granules, liquid, and residue

were found to be methamphetamine. Ex. 23. The report from the crime laboratory,

Exhibit 23, was entered into evidence at trial without objection; defense counsel

recognized that it was "self-authenticating."

The prosecutor charged Mr. Walker with one count of manufacturing

methamphetamine in June 2004. He subsequently failed to appear for an omnibus

hearing, resulting in the addition of a bail jumping charge. He later failed to appear for a

trial date. I Trial eventually began in July 2007. At that time, the prosecutor removed the

bail jumping charge.

Mr. Walker's sporadic appearances for mandatory court hearings ultimately I became the basis for several bail jumping charges. See State v. Walker, 153 Wn. App. 701,224 P.3d 814 (2009).

2 No.30575-9-Ill State v. Walker

A deputy clerk testified to Mr. Walker's failure to appear for three different court

dates. The trial court, over defense objection, instructed the jury on accomplice liability.

The defense theory of the case was to blame his uncle, Mr. Leckenby, for the

manufacturing. Nonetheless, the jury found Mr. Walker guilty on the manufacturing

count.

The defense successfully moved to consolidate three bail jumping convictions

under two other cause numbers for sentencing with this case. The trial court

subsequently granted a motion to dismiss the manufacturing charge. This court reversed

and remanded for sentencing. See cause no. 27286-9-Ill. On remand, the trial court

imposed an exceptional sentence by running the IOO-month manufacturing sentence

consecutive to the 51-month sentence imposed for three bail jumping convictions.

Mr. Walker then timely appealed to this court.

ANALYSIS

Mr. Walker raises nine issues on appeal. We will address, sometimes quite

briefly, eight of those contentions largely in the order in which they are presented in the

briefing?

2 His final contention is a claim of cumulative error, which we need not discuss at all because we conclude he has failed to establish any prejudicial error.

3 No.30575-9-III State v. Walker

Laboratory Report

Appellant first contends that his Sixth Amendment right of confrontation was

violated when Exhibit 23 was entered at trial. He also contends that his counsel was

ineffective by not requiring the laboratory analyst to testify at trial.

Both of these contentions have been rejected in recent decisions. The right of

confrontation is not violated by the admission of laboratory reports in accordance with

CrR 6.l3(b). State v. Schroeder, 164 Wn. App. 164, 168,262 P.3d 1237 (2011). The

right must be asserted or it is waived. Id.; State v. O'Cain, 169 Wn. App. 228, 247-48,

279 P.3d 926 (2012). Furthermore, the tactical decision whether or not to demand the

presence of the witness is one for trial counsel to make. O'Cain, 169 Wn. App. at 244­

45. Typically, tactical decisions are not subject to an ineffectiveness challenge.

Strickland v. Washington, 466 U.S.668, 689-91, 104 S. Ct. 2052, 80 L. Ed. 2d 674

(1984).

We can see many reasons why defense counsel would not want an analyst to

testify at trial and buttress the conclusions expressed in the report. It is far easier to raise

questions to a jury in closing argument than it is to obtain useful answers from the

opposing side's expert witness. Seldom will there be a need to have the expert testify.

The Sixth Amendment right to confrontation was not violated. Counsel similarly

was not ineffective by declining to demand the analyst testify at trial.

No. 30S7S-9-III State v. Walker

Flight Evidence

Mr. Walker next contends that the trial court erred by permitting evidence at trial

that he fled from the area and that he missed several court dates. This argument was

waived by his failure to object at trial.

RAP 2.S(a) states the general rule-except for manifest constitutional and

jurisdictional matters, a party must object at trial in order to preserve an issue for

appellate review. With respect to evidentiary issues, the rules are even tighter. In order

to present an evidentiary argument on appeal, the party must have challenged the

admission of evidence at trial on the same grounds that it raises on appeal. State v.

Guloy, 104 Wn.2d 412, 422, 705 P.2d 1182 (1985). As explained in Guloy:

As to statement (d), counsel objected but on the basis that it was not proper impeachment nor was it within the scope of redirect. A party may only assign error in the appellate court on the specific ground of the evidentiary objection made at trial. Since the specific objection made at trial is not the basis the defendants are arguing before this court, they have lost their opportunity for review.

Id. (citation omitted).

The admission of other "bad acts" evidence under ER 404(b) does not present a

constitutional issue. Dowling v. United States, 493 U.S. 342,352, 110 S. Ct. 668, 107 L.

Ed. 2d 708 (1990). It likewise does not implicate the jurisdiction of the trial court.

Accordingly, there is no basis for this court to consider the argument. RAP 2.5(a).

No.30575-9-III State v. Walker

The challenge to the flight evidence was waived by the failure to present the

matter to the trial court.

Prosecutor's Closing Argument

Mr. Walker next argues that the prosecutor erred in closing argument by allegedly

commenting on his right to remain silent, telling the jury the right decision was to find

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Related

Jackson v. Virginia
443 U.S. 307 (Supreme Court, 1979)
Strickland v. Washington
466 U.S. 668 (Supreme Court, 1984)
Dowling v. United States
493 U.S. 342 (Supreme Court, 1990)
State v. Guloy
705 P.2d 1182 (Washington Supreme Court, 1985)
State v. Russell
611 P.2d 1320 (Court of Appeals of Washington, 1980)
State Ex Rel. Carroll v. Junker
482 P.2d 775 (Washington Supreme Court, 1971)
Lisle v. State
937 P.2d 473 (Nevada Supreme Court, 1997)
State v. Stenson
940 P.2d 1239 (Washington Supreme Court, 1997)
State v. Norman
808 P.2d 1159 (Court of Appeals of Washington, 1991)
State v. Dana
439 P.2d 403 (Washington Supreme Court, 1968)
State v. Gentry
888 P.2d 1105 (Washington Supreme Court, 1995)
State v. Crane
804 P.2d 10 (Washington Supreme Court, 1991)
Neal v. Green
413 P.2d 339 (Washington Supreme Court, 1966)
State v. McFarland
899 P.2d 1251 (Washington Supreme Court, 1995)
State v. Green
616 P.2d 628 (Washington Supreme Court, 1980)
State v. Musser
721 N.W.2d 734 (Supreme Court of Iowa, 2006)
Impson v. State
721 N.E.2d 1275 (Indiana Court of Appeals, 2000)
State v. Jasper
271 P.3d 876 (Washington Supreme Court, 2012)
State v. Schroeder
262 P.3d 1237 (Court of Appeals of Washington, 2011)
State v. Price
109 P.3d 27 (Court of Appeals of Washington, 2005)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
State of Washington v. Robert Todd Walker, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-of-washington-v-robert-todd-walker-washctapp-2013.