State v. Carter

57 P.3d 825, 30 Kan. App. 2d 1247, 2002 Kan. App. LEXIS 1037
CourtCourt of Appeals of Kansas
DecidedNovember 15, 2002
Docket87,130
StatusPublished
Cited by6 cases

This text of 57 P.3d 825 (State v. Carter) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals of Kansas primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
State v. Carter, 57 P.3d 825, 30 Kan. App. 2d 1247, 2002 Kan. App. LEXIS 1037 (kanctapp 2002).

Opinion

Green, J.:

Following a jury trial, Billy Wayne Carter; II, was convicted of fleeing or attempting to elude a law enforcement officer, obstruction of official duty, and battery on a law enforcement officer. Carter was sentenced to 24 months’ probation with an underlying prison term of 36 months for the convictions. On appeal, Carter contends that the State violated his Fifth Amendment rights by commenting on his post-Miranda silence. In addition, Carter maintains that his conviction for attempting to elude capture under K.S.A. 8-1568(b)(2) was not supported by sufficient evidence. We disagree and affirm.

Just after midnight, on September 30, 2000, Officer Ken Farrar of the Lawrence Police Department was sent to 1951 Miller Drive in Lawrence. The control center told Officer Farrar that a stabbing *1248 had occurred at that address. When Officer Farrar arrived at that location, he was joined by Officer Bruce Elliott, and they both proceeded to speak with the victim of the stabbing, Jason Streeter. Streeter told the officers that Billy Wayne Carter had stabbed him with a pair of scissors. Streeter also gave the officers a description of the car Carter was driving. Officer Farrar tiren relayed the description of the car to other officers on patrol.

Shortly before 1 a.m., Officer Matthew Weidl saw a car that matched the description given by Officer Farrar. Officer Weidl did a registration check and confirmed the car belonged to Carter. Officer Weidl then told other officers that he would need assistance to conduct a felony car stop. When Officer Sam Harvey and Sergeant Mike Pattrick arrived, the three officers stopped the car. Officer Harvey told the driver of the car to stick his hands out the window into plain sight. The driver initially put his hands out the window, then almost immediately pulled them back in the car. The officer repeated the request for the driver to place his hands outside the window of the car. The driver ignored the request and started to drive the car away.

Officers Weidl and Harvey, who were in full uniform, pursued the car in their fully marked patrol cars with lights and sirens activated. Sergeant Pattrick pursued in his unmarked car. The chase eventually ended at 2200 Harper. The driver left the car and ran toward the front porch of a trailer. At this point, Officer Weidl chased after the driver on foot and tackled him. The driver then got to his feet and a struggle ensued as the officers attempted to restrain the driver. After the officers had the suspect under control, Officer Weidl saw a pair of scissors in the suspect’s hands. Officer Weidl used his flashlight to strike the suspect’s hand until he released the scissors. All of the officers on the scene identified the suspect as Carter.

Two of the officers received minor injuries in the struggle. Additionally, Carter received injuries and was taken from the scene in an ambulance. Carter testified that while he was at the hospital an officer asked him if he would like to explain his side of the story. Carter testified that he told the officer he had just received a shot from the nurse, and that while he would like to help in any manner *1249 he could, he did not believe it was in his best interest to say anything while he was under the influence of the drugs.

Carter first argues that during recross-examination the State impermissibly commented on his silence. At trial, Carter s sole defense was his credibility. Carter contends that the State’s comments on his silence gave the jury the impression that he had no explanation for his actions immediately after the incident, but fabricated a story in the interim. It is constitutionally impermissible for the State to elicit evidence at trial of an accused’s post-Miranda silence. Doyle v. Ohio, 426 U.S. 610, 618, 49 L. Ed. 2d 91, 96 S. Ct. 2240 (1976). Claims that the State has impermissibly commented or questioned about a defendant’s post-Miranda silence are measured by the harmless error standard. State v. Fulton, 28 Kan. App. 2d 815, 820, 23 P.3d 167, rev. denied 271 Kan. 1039 (2001). Carter’s argument fails in several respects.

First, defense counsel failed to object to the offending line of questioning. Carter concedes this point; however, he argues that this court must reach this issue to serve the interests of justice and prevent a denial of fundamental rights. See State v. McIver, 257 Kan. 420, 433, 902 P.2d 982 (1995). This argument is unavailing as Kansas law has made it clear that a question or comment challenged under Doyle requires a timely and specific objection to preserve the issue for appeal. K.S.A. 60-404; State v. Haddock, 257 Kan. 964, 973, 897 P.2d 152 (1995); State v. Scott, 28 Kan. App. 2d 418, 426, 17 P.3d 966 (2001).

Second, defense counsel arguably opened the door to the line of questioning conducted by the State. “A defendant cannot open up an issue at the trial and use unrestricted statements to his or her advantage and then on appeal, after an unfavorable result is obtained, contend the trial court’s ruling to be erroneous.” State v. Saleem, 267 Kan. 100, 109, 977 P.2d 921 (1999).

The State argues that its questioning was simply a response to defense counsel asking Carter if the officers gave him an opportunity to explain his side of the story. Specifically, during redirect examination defense counsel asked:

“Q. [Mr. Branson], That’s not like these officers — they didn’t ask you to explain your side of the story at that point in time, did they?
*1250 “A. [Billy Carter]. No, never did.”

On recross-examination the State asked:

“Q. [Ms. Wilson]. Nobody ever asked you your side of the stoiy?
“A. [Billy Carter], Later when I was at the hospital an officer did.
“Q. And you didn’t want to tell them your side of the story then, did you?
“A. Well, one of them nurse ladies had just given me a shot and I had mentioned to her that it was like all my body was just real relaxed and numb and I explained to the officer that I would be more than happy to cooperate in any way that I could, but because I was under the influence of drugs or whatever that the doctor had just given me that I didn’t believe that it was in my best interests to say anything.
“Q. You said you tried — the officers were hurting you at the porch, right?

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
57 P.3d 825, 30 Kan. App. 2d 1247, 2002 Kan. App. LEXIS 1037, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-v-carter-kanctapp-2002.