State v. Ashelman

671 P.2d 901, 137 Ariz. 459
CourtArizona Supreme Court
DecidedSeptember 27, 1983
Docket5936-PR
StatusPublished

This text of 671 P.2d 901 (State v. Ashelman) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Arizona Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
State v. Ashelman, 671 P.2d 901, 137 Ariz. 459 (Ark. 1983).

Opinion

137 Ariz. 459 (1983)
671 P.2d 901

STATE of Arizona, Appellee,
v.
Kenneth O. ASHELMAN, aka Steven Douglas Foster, aka David Steven Foster, Appellant.

No. 5936-PR.

Supreme Court of Arizona, In Banc.

September 27, 1983.
Reconsideration Denied November 8, 1983.

*461 Robert K. Corbin, Atty. Gen., Phoenix by Bruce M. Ferg, Asst. Atty. Gen., Tucson, for appellee.

Cary Sandman, Tucson, for appellant.

CAMERON, Justice.

Defendant, Kenneth Ashelman, was charged by indictment with one count of theft, A.R.S. § 13-1802, one count of kidnapping, A.R.S. § 13-1304, and two counts of sexual assault, A.R.S. § 13-1406, committed in a dangerous manner, A.R.S. §§ 13-701-, -702. The defendant was found guilty of all charges, and was sentenced to 21 years for the kidnapping and aggravated assaults and to an additional (consecutive) 7.5 years for the theft charge. A.R.S. § 13-708. The Arizona Court of Appeals, Division Two, affirmed. 137 Ariz. 471, 671 P.2d 912 (App. 1983). We accepted defendant's petition for review, taking jurisdiction pursuant to A.R.S. § 12-120.24 and Rule 31.19(a), Arizona Rules of Criminal Procedure, 17 A.R.S.

We must answer the following questions:

1. Whether defendant's post-arrest statements were properly admitted into evidence.
2. Whether evidence of defendant's bad acts was properly admitted into evidence.
3. Whether the trial court erred in admitting a certain umbrella and knife.
4. Whether the court erred in allowing the testimony of a prosecution witness concerning aspects of her contact with the defendant which the witness revealed only one day before testifying and after the trial began.
5. If error occurred, was it harmless.

The essential facts in this case are as follows. On 21 July 1981, the defendant, representing himself to be David Foster, of the Foster Freeze Ice Cream chain in Oregon, contacted the victim for the purpose of purchasing a home and commercial realty. Between 21 July and 25 July, the victim showed the defendant several properties. During at least two of these outings, the victim testified the defendant tried to kiss her. On 25 July 1981, while viewing a vacant house in a remote area outside Tucson, the defendant threatened the victim with a knife and forced her to participate in two acts of oral sex. He then locked her in the basement of the house and drove off in her car.

On 26 July defendant contacted Ms. A in Phoenix, and arranged to look at properties similar to those he had seen in Tucson. When Ms. A met with the defendant on the 28th, he threatened her with a knife and forced her to perform oral sex.

On 1 August, the defendant contacted Ms. B, another realtor in Lake Havasu. While looking at a house on 3 August, the defendant threatened Ms. B with a knife and attempted to sexually assault her, but she escaped.

The defendant was arrested in late August in Las Vegas. Upon being informed of his Miranda rights, he invoked his right to remain silent and his right to counsel. On 27 August, Detective Whitte of the Pima County Sheriff's Department flew to Las Vegas to interrogate the defendant, but the defendant invoked his right to counsel. Despite that fact, the detective continued to talk to the defendant, and mentioned three facts in particular: that the car had not been found and the victim's insurance company was pressuring her to settle, that warrants of arrest were out for the defendant in two other Arizona counties, and that fingerprint and hair samples would be taken from the defendant.

While the physical evidence was being taken, defendant asked the detective about the facilities of the Pima County Jail. During the conversation, the defendant mentioned that the victim's car could be found within a one mile area of the Tucson house *462 where the defendant had stayed. Evidence of this statement was not offered at trial.

Whitte returned to Tucson for four days, and then went to Las Vegas to bring the defendant to Arizona. The defendant had not yet been provided with counsel. As they prepared to leave, the defendant asked if the car had been found, and when informed that it had not, he offered to show Whitte where the car would be found on a Tucson map. Since the detective did not have a map with him, the defendant offered to take him to the car, which he did early the next day, 2 September.

Later that day, the defendant was given an initial appearance and bond was set at one million dollars. Still later, the detective was told that the defendant wished to speak to him. During this interview the defendant made further incriminating statements, including an admission of sexual contact with the victim, claiming it was consensual.

I

ADMISSION OF STATEMENTS ALLEGEDLY OBTAINED IN VIOLATION OF MIRANDA RIGHTS

At trial, Detective Whitte testified that the defendant had shown him where the victim's car was located, and repeated defendant's admission that there had been sexual contact with the victim. The defendant claims error, since the statements were obtained in violation of his rights under Miranda v. Arizona, 384 U.S. 436, 86 S.Ct. 1602, 16 L.Ed.2d 694 (1966), and its progeny. We agree.

In Edwards v. Arizona, 451 U.S. 477, 101 S.Ct. 1880, 68 L.Ed.2d 378 (1981), the United States Supreme Court held that once a suspect invokes his right to counsel, prosecution claims of voluntary statements must be supported by a showing of a knowing, intelligent waiver of that right. Specifically, the court held that a valid waiver cannot be shown simply by demonstrating that the suspect responded to further police-initiated interrogation. The suspect must initiate any further conversations with the police. Id. at 485, 101 S.Ct. at 1885, 68 L.Ed.2d at 386. In the instant case, Detective Whitte continued to talk with the defendant after he invoked his right to counsel. In determining whether the products of such continued conversation are derived from impermissible police conduct, the United States Supreme Court has held:

[I]t may be said * * * that the respondent was subjected to "subtle compulsion." But that is not the end of the inquiry. It must also be established that a suspect's incriminating response was the product of words or action on the part of the police that they should have known were reasonably likely to elicit an incriminating response. Rhode Island v. Innis, 446 U.S. 291, 303, 100 S.Ct. 1682, 1691, 64 L.Ed.2d 297, 309 (1980). (footnote omitted.)

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

Related

United States v. Bayer
331 U.S. 532 (Supreme Court, 1947)
Miranda v. Arizona
384 U.S. 436 (Supreme Court, 1966)
Brewer v. Williams
430 U.S. 387 (Supreme Court, 1977)
Rhode Island v. Innis
446 U.S. 291 (Supreme Court, 1980)
Edwards v. Arizona
451 U.S. 477 (Supreme Court, 1981)
State v. Spoon
669 P.2d 83 (Arizona Supreme Court, 1983)
State v. McVay
622 P.2d 9 (Arizona Supreme Court, 1980)
State v. Laffoon
610 P.2d 1045 (Arizona Supreme Court, 1980)
State v. Cabrera
560 P.2d 417 (Arizona Supreme Court, 1977)
State v. Tresize
623 P.2d 1 (Arizona Supreme Court, 1980)
State v. Magby
554 P.2d 1272 (Arizona Supreme Court, 1976)
State v. Adamson
665 P.2d 972 (Arizona Supreme Court, 1983)
State v. MacUmber
582 P.2d 162 (Arizona Supreme Court, 1978)
State v. Jackson
603 P.2d 94 (Arizona Supreme Court, 1979)
State v. Ashelman
671 P.2d 901 (Arizona Supreme Court, 1983)
State v. Ashelman
671 P.2d 912 (Court of Appeals of Arizona, 1983)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
671 P.2d 901, 137 Ariz. 459, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-v-ashelman-ariz-1983.