State v. Culver

2018 WI App 55, 918 N.W.2d 103, 384 Wis. 2d 222
CourtCourt of Appeals of Wisconsin
DecidedAugust 29, 2018
DocketAppeal No. 2016AP2160-CR
StatusPublished
Cited by16 cases

This text of 2018 WI App 55 (State v. Culver) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals of Wisconsin primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
State v. Culver, 2018 WI App 55, 918 N.W.2d 103, 384 Wis. 2d 222 (Wis. Ct. App. 2018).

Opinion

NEUBAUER, C.J.

*228¶ 1 Norris W. Culver, Sr., appeals from a judgment convicting him of violating the "post or publish" of a private depiction statute and the felon-in-possession of a firearm statute and from an order rejecting his postconviction claims that those statutes are unconstitutional. Culver argues the "post or publish" statute is overbroad, vague, and violates the Commerce Clause. He also argues the felon-in-possession statute violates his constitutional right to bear arms because the felony he committed was nonviolent. We reject his challenges and affirm.

*229BACKGROUND

¶ 2 Culver posted nude photos of A.A.L. online without her permission.1 Culver admitted he posted the photos out of anger. A.A.L. told police Culver also was a felon who had firearms at his residence. Culver eventually admitted he had moved guns from A.A.L.'s residence to his garage. Three firearms were recovered. Culver was previously convicted of the felony of operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated (OWI) (fourth offense).

¶ 3 In June 2015, Culver was charged with one count of posting or publishing a private depiction of a person, as a repeater, contrary to WIS. STAT. §§ 942.09(3m)(a)2. (2013-14)2 and 939.62(1)(a), and three counts of possession of a firearm by a felon, as a repeater, contrary to WIS. STAT. §§ 941.29(2) and 939.62(1)(b). In August, Culver entered a guilty plea to the "post or publish" count and to one count of felon-in-possession.3

¶ 4 In September 2015, the circuit court held a sentencing hearing. Per the plea agreement, the State did not make a specific recommendation. Culver requested probation or, alternatively, less than eighteen *107months of initial confinement. On the "post or publish" count, a Class A misdemeanor, the circuit court imposed *230nine months in jail. On the felon-in-possession count, the court imposed a three-year and three-month prison sentence (fifteen months of initial confinement and two years of extended supervision). The sentences were to run consecutively.

¶ 5 In July 2016, Culver moved for postconviction relief, asserting that (1) the "post or publish" statute is facially unconstitutional because it is overbroad, vague, and violates the Commerce Clause, and (2) the felon-in-possession statute is unconstitutional as applied to him because his right to bear arms should not be denied on account of a felony (fourth offense OWI) that was nonviolent.4 After a hearing, the circuit court denied the motion. Culver appeals.5

DISCUSSION

The "Post or Publish" Statute

¶ 6 Because Culver challenges the "post or publish" statute on overbreadth grounds, we quote from it at length. WISCONSIN STAT. § 942.09(3m)6 provides as follows:

(3m) (a) Except as provided in par. (am), whoever does any of the following is guilty of a Class A misdemeanor:
....
*2312. Posts, publishes, or causes to be posted or published, a depiction of a person that he or she knows is a private representation, without the consent of the person depicted.
(b) This subsection does not apply to any of the following:
1. The parent, guardian, or legal custodian of the person depicted if the private representation does not violate [ WIS. STAT. §] 948.05 or 948.12 and the posting or publication is not for commercial purposes.
2. A law enforcement officer or agent acting in his or her official capacity in connection with the investigation or prosecution of a crime.
3. A person who posts or publishes a private representation that is newsworthy or of public importance.
4. A provider of electronic communication services that provides Internet access service to customers.

Subsection (1) of the statute defines several terms, including the following:

(bg) "Post or publish" includes posting or publishing on a Web site on the Internet, if the Web site may be viewed by the general public.
(bn) "Private representation" means a representation depicting a nude or partially nude person or depicting a person engaging in sexually explicit conduct that is intended by the person depicted in the representation to be captured, viewed, or possessed only by the person who, with the consent of the person depicted, captured the representation or to whom the person depicted directly and intentionally gave possession of the representation.
(c) "Representation" means a photograph, exposed film, motion picture, videotape, *108other visual representation, or data that represents a visual image.

*232Sec. § 942.09(1). The statute does not define "depiction."

Standard of Review and First Amendment Principles

¶ 7 The constitutionality of a statute is a question of law reviewed de novo. State v. Robert T. , 2008 WI App 22, ¶ 5, 307 Wis.2d 488, 746 N.W.2d 564.

¶ 8 The First Amendment of the United States Constitution states that "Congress shall make no law ... abridging the freedom of speech." Article I, section 3 of the Wisconsin Constitution states that "[e]very person may freely speak, write and publish his [or her] sentiments on all subjects, being responsible for the abuse of that right, and no laws shall be passed to restrain or abridge the liberty of speech or of the press." Despite the varied wording, we have construed our state constitution to provide the same protections as those provided by the federal constitution. Robert T. , 307 Wis.2d 488, ¶ 6, 746 N.W.2d 564. The federal protections also directly apply to the states via the Due Process Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment. Id.

Culver's Claim of Overbreadth

¶ 9 Culver does not contend the "post or publish" statute is unconstitutional as applied to him.7 Rather, he contends it is overbroad and therefore unconstitutional on its face.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
2018 WI App 55, 918 N.W.2d 103, 384 Wis. 2d 222, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-v-culver-wisctapp-2018.