State Of Washington v. Sebastian Haller

Court of Appeals of Washington·Decided June 27, 2016·No. 75040-2·Unpublished

Opinion

IN THE COURT OF APPEALS OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON

STATE OF WASHINGTON, No. 75040-2-1 Respondent, DIVISION ONE

v.

SEBASTIAN JOSEPH HALLER, UNPUBLISHED Appellant. FILED: June 27, 2016

Cox, J. - Sebastian Haller appeals his judgment and sentence. He claims that insufficient evidence supports his witness tampering convictions. He also claims prosecutorial misconduct and that his counsel was ineffective. Finally, he claims several sentencing errors. In his Statement of Additional Grounds for Review, he argues denial of his right to a speedy trial, prosecutorial misconduct, ineffective assistance of counsel, and insufficient evidence. Because there was no reversible error in all but two of Haller's claims, we affirm his convictions. But we remand for resentencing for the trial court to address certain matters.

In 2014, a confidential informant worked with the Centralia Police Department to purchase controlled substances, including heroin, from Sebastian Haller. The confidential informant contacted Haller through his brother, Arthur Heilman-Haller, and made two separate purchases. Police later searched the residence where the transactions occurred and arrested Haller.

The State charged Haller for multiple offenses including two counts of delivery of controlled substances near a school bus stop, possession, and possession with intent to deliver. The State later charged Haller with three counts of witness tampering, arising from three phone calls he made from jail. The jury found him guilty as charged, and the trial court entered its judgment and sentence on the verdicts.

Haller appeals.

SUFFICIENCY OF EVIDENCE

Haller argues that insufficient evidence supports the witness tampering convictions. We disagree.

Due process requires the State to prove beyond a reasonable doubt every element of a crime.1 An insufficient evidence claim "admits the truth of the State's evidence and all reasonable inferences from that evidence."2 The critical inquiry is "'whether the record evidence could reasonably support a finding of guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.'"3 "[W]e view the 'evidence in the light most favorable to the prosecution and determine whether any rational fact finder could have found the essential elements of the crime beyond a reasonable doubt.'"4

1 State v. Rodriguez. 187 Wn. App. 922, 930, 352 P.3d 200, review denied, 184Wn.2d 1011 (2015).

2Jd

3 jd (quoting Jackson v. Virginia, 443 U.S. 307, 318, 99 S. Ct. 2781, 61 L.

Ed. 2d 560 (1979)).

4 State v. Garcia, 179 Wn.2d 828, 836, 318 P.3d 266 (2014) (quoting State v. Enqel. 166 Wn.2d 572, 576, 210 P.3d 1007 (2009)).

"Circumstantial evidence and direct evidence can be equally reliable."5 We defer to the jury on questions regarding conflicting testimony, witness credibility, and the persuasiveness of evidence.6 Witness Tampering

Haller argues that insufficient evidence supports the witness tampering convictions, claiming that he did not attempt to induce false testimony. The record proves otherwise.

In relevant part, RCW 9A.72.120(1)(a) provides:

A person is guilty of tampering with a witness if he or she attempts to induce a witness or person he or she has reason to believe is about to be called as a witness . . . to . . . [tjestify falsely or, without right or privilege to do so, to withhold any testimony.

Additionally, "an attempt to induce a witness to withhold testimony does not depend only upon the literal meaning of the words used. The State is entitled to rely on the inferential meaning of the words and the context in which they were used."7 Here, there is sufficient evidence that Haller committed witness tampering.

In December 2014, Haller called his grandmother three times to have her relay messages to Arthur regarding Arthur's testimony. The jury heard the recording of the three phone calls. During the first call, Haller stated "I want him to come over

5 Rodriguez. 187 Wn. App. at 930.

7 State v. Rempel, 114 Wn.2d 77, 83-84, 785 P.2d 1134(1990).

and testify that the drugs were his, and ... we might be subpoenaing . .. him."8 Haller then stated "And then of course he wouldn't get in any trouble if he was to say, yeah, they weren't [Haller's]."9 During the second call, Haller's grandfather answered the phone, and Haller spoke with him about the above conversation. In relevant part, Haller stated:

if he just says that. . . everything in the house was not mine, then I have a good chance of winning my case. . . . And of course they can't charge him again.... So if he just says that they weren't mine, then I should be good to go. . . . [A]sk Grandma to relay a message to Arthur.1101

During the third call, Haller spoke with his grandmother again, stating:

I want him to testify for me saying that [it] wasn't mine. . . . [H]e has to testify to say that it wasn't mine, and . . . [tjhere is no way that he can get any more charges.... All he needs to do is say that the drugs were not mine, and then I will not get 12 years.... So you have to talk him into it. You have to tell him, you know, that he can't get in any trouble. He won't get in any trouble at all. . . . [I]f Arthur comes in and says no, that they weren't [Haller's], then . ..

I'll win my case. They can't charge him.[11]

In these calls, Haller never directly states that he wants Arthur to lie, change his testimony, or withhold testimony. But the jury could have inferred beyond a reasonable doubt that Haller was attempting to instruct Arthur, through his grandmother, on how to testify.

8 Trial Exhibit 39 (Transcription of Phone Call Recordings at 5-6).

9 ]d at 6.

10 ]d at 20.

11 Id. at 26-27, 29.

At trial, Haller testified that he did not want Arthur to lie. He also stated that he was concerned that Arthur would be scared of getting into more trouble for telling the truth. Arthur also testified that neither Haller nor anyone Haller spoke with asked him to lie.

The jury was not required to accept this testimony as credible. Thus, viewing the evidence in the light most favorable to the State, a rational fact finder could have found that Haller attempted to induce Arthur to testify falsely.

Witness Tampering Location Haller argues that insufficient evidence supports the witness tampering conviction, claiming that the State failed to prove that the crime occurred in Washington State. We disagree.

In State v. Goble. Kenneth Goble made a similar argument, claiming that insufficient evidence supported the location element for assaulting an officer.12 The instruction required the jury to find that the crime occurred in Lewis County, Washington.13 Division Two of this court concluded there was sufficient evidence, stating "[t]he evidence at trial. . . established that the offense occurred in Morton [Washington], that Goble was charged in Lewis County, and that [the officer] was a Lewis County Sheriff Deputy. And, given that the case was heard in the Lewis County Superior Court, [and that] the jurors were also from Lewis

12 131 Wn. App. 194, 200, 126 P.3d 821 (2005).

13 Id.

Countyt,] [t]he evidence was sufficient to allow a reasonable jury to find this element."14 Similarly, there is sufficient evidence that Haller committed witness tampering in Washington State. First, the jury heard the phone call recordings stating that an inmate was calling from the Lewis County Jail. Second, Haller testified that he wanted Arthur to "come back over to Lewis County" to testify. Third, Haller was charged and incarcerated in Lewis County Washington and the trial occurred there.

Thus, according to Goble and viewing the evidence in the light most favorable to the State, a rational fact finder could have found that Haller committed the crime in Washington.

INEFFECTIVE ASSISTANCE OF COUNSEL Haller argues that his counsel provided ineffective assistance by failing to make certain arguments and objections. We disagree.

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