State v. Boclair

878 S.W.2d 462, 1994 Mo. App. LEXIS 829, 1994 WL 199545
CourtMissouri Court of Appeals
DecidedMay 24, 1994
DocketNos. 62223, 64194
StatusPublished
Cited by2 cases

This text of 878 S.W.2d 462 (State v. Boclair) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Missouri Court of Appeals primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
State v. Boclair, 878 S.W.2d 462, 1994 Mo. App. LEXIS 829, 1994 WL 199545 (Mo. Ct. App. 1994).

Opinion

KAROHL, Judge.

Defendant, Herbert Boclair, was jury tried on five felony charges. He was convicted of rape, § 566.030 RSMo 1986; sodomy, § 566.-060 RSMo 1986, robbery in the first degree, § 569.020 RSMo 1986; armed criminal action in the commission of the robbery, § 571.015 RSMo 1986; and, kidnapping, § 565.110 RSMo 1986. He was tried as a prior and persistent offender. The court sentenced defendant as a class X offender to concurrent terms totalling thirty-five years imprisonment. Defendant filed a pro se Rule 29.15 motion. After an amended motion was filed, the court denied relief without an evidentiary hearing. We affirm the convictions and denial of Rule 29.15 relief. The state agrees defendant is entitled to be sentenced as a prior and persistent offender. We remand for that purpose only.

Defendant’s claims of error do not rely on a factual dispute. In late May of 1991, twenty-two year old C.A. was abducted from a check cashing location on Kingshighway and taken to a secluded alley where defendant committed the charged crimes. While C.A. was cashing a cheek, defendant slashed her tire with a knife, flattening the tire and providing defendant with the opportunity to approach C.A. under the guise of fixing her flat tire. He threatened C.A. with a knife placed at her throat. While defendant was with her, she had ample opportunity to observe his face. Defendant has never disputed the fact C.A. had an extended opportunity to observe the face of her attacker. After defendant left her, she immediately flagged down a uniformed police officer. The officer broadcast defendant’s description but he was not found.

C.A. was employed at the Lucas and Hunt Walgreens Drugstore. On August 9, 1991, defendant, not recognizing C.A., came into the store. He asked her to hold his bag while he shopped. C.A. immediately recognized him. She went to the store office where the manager telephoned the police.

The state proved identification by two independent sources, either of which is sufficient to support the conviction. First, C.A. unequivocally identified defendant at the time of arrest, at a lineup, and later at trial. Second, the state offered testimony of fellow prisoners who recalled incriminating statements made by defendant. He described the crimes involving C.A. in some detail, including use of a knife, the meeting at the check cashing place, and that he used a knife to puncture a tire of the vehicle. He disclosed other facts which would have been known only to the actor.

Defendant did not testify. He offered testimony of other inmates to oppose the evidence that he made incriminating statements to the state’s witness. He also offered witnesses who testified that during the relevant period he had facial hair consisting of a mustache, a goatee and stubble on the cheek. C.A. described her attacker as clean shaven.

Defendant’s four claims of error made on direct appeal to obtain a new trial are without merit. He first claims the court erred in refusing to strike for cause a venire-person. That venireperson did not serve on the jury. The case was tried sixteen months before the effective date of § 494.480 RSMo Cum.Supp.1993. That section directs a new trial may not be granted for failure to strike a venireperson who does not serve on the jury. Because the statute is procedural, it controls this claim of error. State v. Rush, 872 S.W.2d 127 (Mo.App.E.D.1994) (citing State v. Wings, 867 S.W.2d 607, 609 (Mo.App.E.D.1993)).

Defendant next argues the court erred in overruling his timely motion to quash the state’s peremptory strikes on the basis of Batson v. Kentucky, 476 U.S. 79, 106 S.Ct. 1712, 90 L.Ed.2d 69 (1986). C.A. and defendant are both African-Americans. The prosecuting attorney explained the reasoning for each peremptory strike. The defendant made no effort to challenge the explanations. Under the circumstances this claim of error is not preserved for appellate review. “If a defendant fails to challenge the state’s explanation in the trial court, the defendant may [465]*465not challenge the state’s explanation on appeal.” State v. Plummer, 860 S.W.2d 340, 346 (Mo.App.E.D.1993).

Defendant’s third claim of error attacks a statement by the prosecuting attorney during closing argument as an indirect reference to defendant’s right not to incriminate himself. Such references are prohibited by both the United States and Missouri Constitutions. They also are prohibited by statute and rule. State v. Chunn, 657 S.W.2d 292, 294 (Mo.App.1983). However, defendant did not challenge the closing argument on that ground during trial. The prosecuting attorney argued, “there is no doubt whatsoever, absolutely no evidence to contradict the fact that [C.A.] was raped.” The objection was, “It’s improper argument. He is shifting the burden of proof.” A subsequent argument of the prosecuting attorney referring to the absence of evidence to discredit or contradict C.A.’s testimony was met with the same objection. The trial court was not asked to, and did not, rule on a constitutional challenge. We deny the claim of error in this case because the proper objection was not made.

Defendant’s final claim of error on direct appeal is the court erred in sentencing defendant as a class X offender. The state agrees the indictment charged defendant as a prior and persistent offender but not as a class X offender. The parties agree this cause must be remanded for re-sentencing within the pleading.

Defendant also appeals denial of Rule 29.15 relief without an evidentiary hearing. He argues two claims of ineffective assistance of counsel. First, trial counsel failed to call defendant’s barber who would have testified he was personally aware that at the time of the criminal acts defendant had facial hair consisting of a mustache, goatee and stubble on his cheeks. This evidence would have contradicted the identification testimony of C.A. Second, counsel failed to advise defendant of his right to testify, and failed to call defendant who would have testified: (a) he customarily wore facial hair; (b) he was a regular customer at the Walgreens store on Lucas and Hunt; and, (c) he had inherited a small sum of money from his brother prior to the events which would rebut evidence the rapist' lived in vacant buildings at the tone.

We review the claims of ineffective assistance in accord with Sanders v. State, 738 S.W.2d 856, 857 (Mo. banc 1987). For a defendant to successfully establish ineffective assistance of counsel, he or she must first show that the attorney did not use the customary skill and diligence that would have been used by a reasonably competent attorney working under similar circumstances. Id. Second, the defendant must establish that because of this alleged deficient representation, he or she was prejudiced. Id. We review a denial of relief without evidentiary hearing in accord with Rule 29.15(g). Finally, we review the findings, conclusions and judgment to determine whether they are clearly erroneous. Rule 29.15(j).

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

Related

Steele v. State
551 S.W.3d 538 (Missouri Court of Appeals, 2018)
State v. Williams
936 S.W.2d 828 (Missouri Court of Appeals, 1996)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
878 S.W.2d 462, 1994 Mo. App. LEXIS 829, 1994 WL 199545, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-v-boclair-moctapp-1994.