State v. Collier

913 P.2d 597, 259 Kan. 346, 1996 Kan. LEXIS 30
CourtSupreme Court of Kansas
DecidedMarch 8, 1996
DocketNo. 72,240
StatusPublished
Cited by30 cases

This text of 913 P.2d 597 (State v. Collier) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Supreme Court 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. Collier, 913 P.2d 597, 259 Kan. 346, 1996 Kan. LEXIS 30 (kan 1996).

Opinions

The opinion of the court was delivered by

Larson, J.:

Jeffrey Collier appeals his convictions of first-degree murder and aggravated robbery along with his hard 40 life imprisonment sentence.

We have jurisdiction pursuant to K.S.A. 22-3601(b)(l).

Before we consider the trial errors Collier alleges and the propriety of the sentence imposed, we will briefly summarize the. trial' testimony regarding the underlying crimes. More specific facts will be presented as to each of the alleged appellate errors as they are discussed.

[348]*348In October 1993, Collier and his homosexual companion, Benny Watson, had gone to Oak Park in Wichita to “roll some fags.” Collier located a potential victim but decided he was too large. They left the park, picked up their roommate, Sharon Biffle, and attended an auction before they returned to the park.

Upon their return, Collier saw the victim, Michael Hendrix, reading a book and approached him. Watson remembered Hendrix as having tipped him during Watson’s former employment as a female impersonator.

Collier lured Hendrix into a nearby wooded area, where Collier masturbated for Hendrix and convinced him to go to his apartment.

After 30 minutes, Watson went to the apartment and knocked on the door. He was told by Hendrix they were drinking beer and Watson should leave. Watson returned to his car and started honking the horn. Collier came out and said he would get Watson some money because he was “pulling a trick” with Hendrix.

Watson and Biffle went to a nearby tavern where they were located by Collier. Collier had them return to Hendrix’s apartment. There, he obtained a laundry basket of things he had taken from Hendrix’s apartment, including a paint sprayer which he later sold for $20.

After they returned to their apartment, Collier became angry and made several trips back to Hendrix’s apartment, bringing back numerous items each time. Collier told Watson and Biffle the things came from Hendrix’s apartment, where Hendrix was knocked out and tied up. Watson testified at trial that later that night Collier told him he had killed Hendrix and he would kill Watson and Biffle as well if they said anything.

Watson eventually told a third party, who told an additional party who called the police. The police found Hendrix’s nude body with his hands tied tightly and a scarf around his badly bruised neck. The coroner testified the cause of death was strangulation, with evidence of a blunt trauma to the head and other injuries.

Testimony at trial indicated that after Collier was arrested and while he was being processed into jail, he told a police officer that he had just gotten out of jail after serving a 3-year sentence and guessed he could do 15 years. He also told two other officers that [349]*349“I always wondered what it felt like to be a murderer, now I know.” Collier had in his possession a key ring with the initials and one of the keys on the key ring fit the door to Hendrix’s apartment.

Police found various items of clothing and housewares that belonged to the victim in Watson and Collier’s apartment. The victim’s fingerprints, as well as Collier’s, were obtained from several items which belonged to the victim.

Michael Ware, a prisoner awaiting transfer to a federal facility, befriended Collier in jail but testified for the prosecution. Ware testified that Collier would try out different stories based upon the witnesses’ statements to see if they could be reconciled without implicating him. Ware testified that Collier told him the true series of events, which were substantially similar to Watson’s testimony except that Watson was implicated to a much larger degree. In exchange for Ware’s testimony, the prosecution agreed to write a letter to the United States Attorney informing him of Ware’s cooperation which was likely to obtain him a reduced sentence.

It was stipulated that Collier had told Ware that because Hendrix was struggling and making noise, Collier wrapped the scarf around Hendrix’s neck to silence him but that he had no intention of causing his death.

Biffle corroborated Watson’s testimony, although her version varied in minor details. Other witnesses reported seeing Collier and Hendrix together and seeing Watson’s car outside Hendrix’s apartment.

Collier was convicted on theories of both premeditated and felony murder and on an aggravated robbery charge. For the murder conviction, he was sentenced to the hard 40.

Scope of Review

Because a hard 40 sentence was imposed, we review this matter pursuant to the specific directions of K.S.A. 1993 Supp. 21-4627, which states:

“(1) A judgment of conviction resulting in a mandatory term of imprisonment pursuant to K.S.A. 1993 Supp. 21-3401 and 21-3401a, and amendments thereto, shall be subject to automatic review by and appeal to the supreme court of Kansas [350]*350in the manner provided by the applicable statutes and rules of the supreme court governing appellate procedure. The review and appeal shall be expedited in every manner consistent with the proper presentation thereof and given priority pursuant to the statutes and rules of the supreme court governing appellate procedure.
“(2) The supreme court of Kansas shall consider the question of sentence as well as any errors asserted in the review and appeal and shall be authorized to notice unassigned errors appearing of record if the ends of justice would be served thereby.
“(3) With regard to the sentence, the court shall determine:
“(a) Whether the mandatory term of imprisonment was imposed under the influence of passion, prejudice or any other arbitrary factor; and
“(b) whether the evidence supports the findings that an aggravating circumstance or circumstances existed and that any mitigating circumstances were insufficient to outweigh the aggravating circumstances.
“(4) the court shall be authorized to enter such orders as are necessary to effect a proper and complete disposition of the review and appeal.”

Although Collier did not object in the trial court to the manner of imposition of the hard 40 sentence or in every instance make continuing objections to trial errors which he now raises, we will consider each issue raised because of the specific statutory direction that we “shall consider the question of sentence as well as any errors asserted in the review and appeal and shall be authorized to notice unassigned errors appearing of record if the ends of justice would be served thereby.”

Did the trial court abuse its discretion in allowing the State to present evidence that the victim did not engage in sadomasochistic sexual behavior?

A friend of the victim, Scott Curry, was called to testify that articles found in Watson’s house were taken from Hendrix’s apartment but was also allowed to testify as to Hendrix’s reputed sexual practices and preferences regarding sadomasochism.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
913 P.2d 597, 259 Kan. 346, 1996 Kan. LEXIS 30, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-v-collier-kan-1996.