State Of Washington v. Timothy E. Haag

CourtCourt of Appeals of Washington
DecidedSeptember 10, 2019
Docket51409-5
StatusUnpublished

This text of State Of Washington v. Timothy E. Haag (State Of Washington v. Timothy E. Haag) 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. Timothy E. Haag, (Wash. Ct. App. 2019).

Opinion

Filed Washington State Court of Appeals Division Two

September 10, 2019

IN THE COURT OF APPEALS OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON

DIVISION II STATE OF WASHINGTON, No. 51409-5-II

Respondent, UNPUBLISHED OPINION

v.

TIMOTHY E. HAAG,

Appellant.

GLASGOW, J. — In 1995, a jury found Timothy Haag guilty of aggravated first degree

murder for the death of seven-year-old Rachel Dillard, Haag’s next door neighbor. Haag

committed the crime when he was 17 years old. The trial court imposed a life sentence without

the possibility of early release. In 2018, the trial court conducted a Miller1 resentencing hearing

as required under RCW 10.95.030 and RCW 10.95.035, after which it sentenced Haag to a

minimum term of 46 years and a maximum term of life. Under this sentence, Haag would first

be eligible for release at age 63.

Haag appeals from his sentence, asserting that the trial court’s sentencing decision failed

to comply with RCW 10.95.030 and the constitutional requirements of Miller. He also contends

that the imposed 46-month minimum term was the functional equivalent of a life sentence

1 Miller v. Alabama, 567 U.S. 460, 487, 132 S. Ct. 2455, 183 L. Ed. 2d 407 (2012). No. 51409-5-II

without a meaningful opportunity for release in violation of the Eighth Amendment of the United

States Constitution and article I, section 14 of the Washington Constitution. Finally, he argues

that the jury did not find facts to support the minimum sentence imposed on resentencing.

We hold that the trial court took into account the factors that Miller and the relevant

statutes required. Haag has failed to show that his new sentence is the functional equivalent of a

life sentence. His sentence was within the range that the legislature has set, so the jury was not

required to find facts to support his minimum sentence. We therefore affirm.

FACTS

I. BACKGROUND

In 1994, Rachel Dillard went missing from her backyard while her family was preparing

to attend a barbeque. Haag was at his home alone when Dillard went missing. Later that day,

Haag gave police permission to search his house. The police found Dillard’s body under Haag’s

bed, naked, ankles bound, and with a plastic bag over her head. The State charged Haag with

aggravated first degree murder.

At trial, Haag admitted that he had strangled Dillard with his hands. Haag then stopped

and retrieved a belt from his closet while Dillard cried on his bed. Haag looped the belt around

Dillard’s throat and pulled it tight. Haag said that he choked Dillard with the belt for about three

to five minutes. Haag then held Dillard underwater in his bathtub to make sure she was dead.

Haag explained that he put a plastic bag over Dillard’s head because there was stuff coming out

of her mouth. Testimony at trial established that this indicated she was likely still alive when

Haag put her in the bathtub.

2 No. 51409-5-II

The jury returned a verdict finding Haag guilty of first degree murder. The jury also

returned a special verdict finding the aggravating circumstance that Haag committed the murder

in the course of, in furtherance of, or in immediate flight from the crime of first degree

kidnapping. The trial court sentenced Haag to life without the possibility of early release.

II. RESENTENCING HEARING

While Haag was serving his life sentence, the United States Supreme Court issued its

decision in Miller, which held that a mandatory life sentence without parole for an offender who

was under 18 years old at the time of the offense was unconstitutional. 567 U.S. at 487. The

Washington Legislature responded by adopting the “Miller-fix” in 2014. LAWS OF 2014, ch. 130,

§ 9(3)(b). The new statute amended RCW 10.95.030 to establish new guidelines for sentencing

juveniles convicted of aggravated first degree murder. LAWS OF 2014, ch. 130; see also In re

Pers. Restraint of McNeil, 181 Wn.2d 582, 588-89, 334 P.3d 548 (2014).

Under the new guidelines, sentencing courts are required to “take into account mitigating

factors that account for the diminished culpability of youth” when setting the minimum term of

confinement for juveniles convicted of aggravated first degree murder. RCW 10.95.030(3)(b).

The Legislature also enacted RCW 10.95.035, which requires that juvenile offenders like Haag,

who were sentenced prior to June 1, 2014, to life without the possibility of parole, be resentenced

consistent with RCW 10.95.030.

In 2018, Haag was resentenced under RCW 10.95.030 and RCW 10.95.035. At his

resentencing hearing, Haag presented the expert testimony of Dr. Marty Beyer, Ph.D. and Dr.

3 No. 51409-5-II

Ronald Roesch, Ph.D. Beyer and Roesch submitted reports detailing Haag’s childhood history

based on their interviews with Haag and Haag’s family members.

According to Beyer’s and Roesch’s reports, Haag was the youngest of five children and

had a happy childhood prior to his father leaving the family when Haag was around 5 years old.

Haag’s family struggled financially after his father left. Haag did not have many friends in

school, and his peers often made fun of him because he was obese. Haag had a difficult

relationship with his stepfather, who he described as a “jerk” and “totally self-absorbed.”

Clerk’s Papers (CP) at 64. Haag’s mother reported that Haag’s stepfather was not physically

abusive but that he emotionally abused Haag.

Beyer’s and Roesch’s reports describe Haag’s close friendship with Dillard’s older

brother Alex Dillard.2 Haag considered Alex to be his best friend and saw him nearly every day

that they lived next door to each other. According to Haag, Alex’s stepfather and older sister

physically and emotionally abused Alex. Haag said that he was devastated and became enraged

at Alex’s family after Alex was removed from the home and placed in foster care. Haag

described himself as “a closeted homosexual when he was an adolescent” and said that he had

never had a romantic relationship or confided with anyone about his sexual orientation. CP at

87. Haag said that he was secretly attracted to Alex.

Roesch’s report also describes Haag’s conduct while in prison. Haag had only one major

infraction, which occurred in 1997. Haag’s prison counselor reported that Haag “is a compliant

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