State v. Castro

141 Wash. App. 485
CourtCourt of Appeals of Washington
DecidedOctober 30, 2007
DocketNo. 25533-6-III
StatusPublished
Cited by20 cases

This text of 141 Wash. App. 485 (State v. Castro) 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 v. Castro, 141 Wash. App. 485 (Wash. Ct. App. 2007).

Opinion

Brown, J.

¶1 Alvaro G. Castro appeals his second degree child molestation conviction, contending defense counsel was ineffective and the court violated his public trial rights and erred in imposing sentencing conditions. Finding no error, we affirm.

FACTS

¶2 In 2004, Mr. Castro molested C.S.H., Mr. Castro’s wife’s granddaughter. The State partly charged Mr. Castro with one count of second degree child molestation.

¶3 During jury voir dire, the jurors responded to questionnaires about any past history of sexual abuse and sexual offenses. The court held an in-chambers hearing to discuss Mr. Castro’s decision to waive his right to question the jurors about their answers in open court. The court stated: “These questions that will be asked [of] these individual jurors are private, and the reason we would do it in chambers is to hopefully get a better disclosure from the individuals of the issues that we will question them about.” Report of Proceedings (RP) (Voir Dire) at 2. The court [489]*489specifically referred to our Supreme Court’s decision in In re Personal Restraint of Orange, 152 Wn.2d 795, 100 P.3d 291 (2004), when discussing the waiver issue. Defense counsel stated he discussed the matter with Mr. Castro and he wished to waive his right to open proceedings. When asked if this was correct, Mr. Castro responded, “[y]es.” RP (Voir Dire) at 3.

¶4 The court questioned the jurors in chambers. Juror 5 responded to questions from the judge and defense counsel by explaining her father had molested her 32 years earlier. She stated she could be an impartial juror. Neither party challenged juror 5 for cause. Jury voir dire resumed in open court following the limited closure.

¶5 During trial, Detective Jose Míreles read Mr. Castro’s police statement, in which Mr. Castro told Detective Míreles, “[C.S.H.] spoke to [him] in English, but [he] did not know what she said because [he] d[id] not speak English.” RP (June 28, 2006) at 154. Mr. Castro told the detective he “d[id] not read or write the English language.” RP (June 28, 2006) at 155. Detective Míreles stated he spoke to Mr. Castro in Spanish.

¶6 On direct examination by the defense, C.S.H.’s sister, G.H., testified that she wrote a letter to her grandmother, Cristy Castro, telling her, “ T hope that—I hope you’re happy that you messed up both of our lives.’ ” RP (June 28, 2006) at 168. On cross-examination by the State, she testified she wrote the letter to her grandmother because “[she] felt real hurt” that her grandmother “didn’t believe [her] sister.” RP (June 28, 2006) at 170.

¶7 On direct examination by the defense, Ms. Castro testified she told C.S.H. that “[she] believe[d] [her].” RP (June 28, 2006) at 185. She also testified that Mr. Castro drinks alcohol occasionally, but not regularly, due to a medical condition. C.S.H. testified on cross-examination by the defense that she found liquor bottles in her grandmother’s bedroom and thought Mr. Castro was drinking liquor in the house.

[490]*490¶8 During rebuttal, the State elicited testimony from Michaela Castro, C.S.H.’s aunt, that Mr. Castro would drink, “[n]ot everyday, but he would drink”; that she spoke “Spanglish” with him; and that he could read English. RP (June 26, 2006) at 236.

¶9 The jury convicted Mr. Castro of second degree child molestation. The court sentenced him to 18 months’ confinement and 36 to 48 months of community custody. His community custody conditions included: “enter into and make reasonable progress in sexual deviancy therapy,” “[s]ubmit to polygraph and plethysmograph testing upon the request of your therapist and/or Community Corrections Officer,” and “[d]o not use or have access to the Internet unless approved by [your] sex offender therapist.” Clerk’s Paper’s (CP) at 19-20.

ANALYSIS

A. Public Trial

¶10 The issue is whether Mr. Castro properly waived his right of public trial during in-chambers questioning of a juror. We find no error.

¶11 We review constitutional issues de novo. State v. Jones, 159 Wn.2d 231, 237, 149 P.3d 636 (2006). A criminal defendant has a constitutional right to a “public” trial, which includes the jury selection process, but that right is not absolute. Orange, 152 Wn.2d at 804-05; State v. Bone-Club, 128 Wn.2d 254, 259, 906 P.2d 325 (1995).

¶12 First, a defendant may choose to waive his constitutional rights, in part or in whole, upon a “knowing, intelligent, and voluntary act[ ].” State v. Stegall, 124 Wn.2d 719, 724, 881 P.2d 979 (1994). A defendant may waive his right to a jury trial upon a personal expression of waiver; “no . . . colloquy or on-the-record advice as to the consequences of a waiver is required.” Id. at 725. The requirements for a valid waiver differ based on the nature of the right at issue. Id. at 728-29. The waiver may be oral, [491]*491on the record, with either the judge or counsel in colloquy. Id. at 728-31.

¶13 Second, a court may close the proceedings, in part or in whole, upon a motion by the prosecutor or the court, without the defendant’s assent, after considering the following criteria: a compelling interest, the opportunity for objections, the least restrictive means available to protect the threatened interest, weighing the threatened interest against the public trial right, and tailoring to ensure the narrowest limitation of the threatened interest. Orange, 152 Wn.2d at 801-02, 804-07; Bone-Club, 128 Wn.2d at 256-59. The record must show the court reviewed the factors. Orange, 152 Wn.2d at 811-12; Bone-Club, 128 Wn.2d at 260-61. The factors serve to protect both the defendant’s public trial rights and the public’s constitutional right to open proceedings. Orange, 152 Wn.2d at 804-05; Bone-Club, 128 Wn.2d at 258-59.

¶14 Here, defense counsel clearly stated he discussed the public trial right with Mr. Castro and Mr. Castro wished to waive his right for the limited purpose of questioning jurors in chambers regarding personal sexual matters. Mr. Castro stated he agreed with defense counsel’s statement. Based on this record, Mr. Castro provided a valid limited waiver of his “public” trial rights.

¶15 Further, the court considered the Orange factors as to Mr. Castro’s rights. The court held an in-chambers hearing and indicated a compelling interest for closing the proceedings to gain better disclosure from the jurors regarding personal sexual abuse and sexual offenses. The court allowed Mr. Castro the opportunity to object, whereby Mr. Castro waived his public trial rights. The court then used the least restrictive means to close the voir dire proceedings solely for that limited purpose. The court properly considered Mr. Castro’s public trial rights. Mr. Castro should not be allowed to waive his rights and then appeal an adverse jury verdict, arguing the public was deprived of its right to participate in the hearing; the public has not appealed.

[492]*492B. Assistance of Counsel

¶16 The issue is whether Mr. Castro’s counsel was effective. Mr.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
141 Wash. App. 485, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-v-castro-washctapp-2007.