State v. Dieterman

29 P.3d 411, 271 Kan. 975
CourtNorth Dakota Supreme Court
DecidedJuly 20, 2001
DocketNo. 84,449
StatusPublished
Cited by2 cases

This text of 29 P.3d 411 (State v. Dieterman) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering North Dakota Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
State v. Dieterman, 29 P.3d 411, 271 Kan. 975 (N.D. 2001).

Opinion

The opinion of the court was delivered by

Larson, J.;

Frank Deiterman was convicted by jury of capital murder, K.S.A. 21-3439(a)(2), conspiracy to commit capital murder, K.S.A. 21-3302 and K.S.A. 21-3401, and aggravated robbery, K.S.A. 21-3427. He was sentenced to life with the possibility of [976]*976parole in 40 years on the first count, pursuant to K.S.A. 21-4638, 154 months on the second, and 51 months on the third, with each sentence to run consecutively. Deiterman raises 10 issues relating to venue, evidentiaiy matters at trial, and sentencing. He appeals directly to our court pursuant to K.S.A. 22-3601(b)(l).

Factual background

On January 29, 1998, James Patrick Livingston was found dead outside his rural home in Cherokee County, Kansas. He died as a result of two shotgun blasts; one shot was more distant with pellets hitting the head and face, and the second and certainly fatal shot was at close range and to the back of the head.

The State’s evidence showed Livingston’s death was the result of a murder-for-hire scheme, initiated by his wife, Pamela Livingston. The State’s key witnesses were two of the four alleged co-conspirators, Alton Richard Sheffield, Mrs. Livingston’s brother-in-law, and Darrell Wilkerson, the fiance of Sheffield’s daughter.

Sheffield testified Mrs. Livingston asked him to kill her husband. He agreed but demanded money, and she gave him approximately $2,500.

On January 26, 1998, Sheffield was traveling with Deiterman and Wilkerson to retrieve his broken-down vehicle in Texas. While they smoked crack cocaine, the topic of monetary debts arose. Sheffield explained that he knew of a woman who would pay money for her husband to be killed. Once the others agreed to participate, he explained that the woman was Mrs. Livingston. Deiterman volunteered to be the shooter.

The next day they went to Deiterman’s father’s house to pick up guns. They drove from Victoria, Texas, to Joplin, Missouri, stopping overnight in Oklahoma. Drugs were purchased and used during the trip.

Upon arriving in Joplin, Sheffield met Mrs. Livingston alone in a hotel where he was given $300 cash and a $25,000 check. After Wilkerson and Deiterman returned, they bought several items in preparation for the murder and purchased and used more crack cocaine. Sheffield agreed to pay Wilkerson and Deiterman $7,000-[977]*977$7,500 for their roles in the crime. He also gave them $100 apiece from the $300 he received earlier.

Mrs. Livingston called the hotel room around midnight and asked Sheffield to meet her at the hospital. Her son and nephews were taken there after being injured in an automobile accident. Mrs. Livingston explained that the killing would need to happen that night. She gave him a map to her home and told Sheffield the best location to hide. She explained that she would call Mr. Livingston in the early morning to relieve her at the hospital, and when he came out of their house he could be ambushed.

Sheffield picked up Deiterman and Wilkerson, and Sheffield dropped them off at the victim’s house. He heard two shots and then came back to pick them up. Deiterman and Wilkerson had a billfold when they entered the vehicle. In the car, Deiterman stated that it was a “rush” to kill the victim and that he would have done it for free. Deiterman asked Sheffield if he knew the last thing that went through the victim’s mind. Deiterman then stated, “lead.” The three put the guns in a culvert and threw the remaining evidence such as clothing and ammunition out the car window on their drive back.

Although not privy to any of the conversations with Mrs. Livingston, Wilkerson’s testimony confirmed all the above facts and supplemented the version of events as given by Sheffield. Wilkerson testified that Deiterman was the shooter. Deiterman first shot the victim once from a distance of about 10 feet, and after the victim fell face down, Deiterman stood over him and shot him in the head. Deiterman then grabbed the victim’s wallet. The money was taken from the wallet, and the empty wallet was thrown out the car window.

Three other witnesses confirmed that Deiterman, Sheffield, and Wilkerson were gone for several days some time during the end of January 1998. Those witnesses were Meghan Deiterman (the girlfriend and now the wife of Frank Deiterman), Ricki Wilkerson, and Jamie Sheffield (Alton Sheffield’s daughters).

Deiterman testified in his own defense. He admitted to traveling with Sheffield and Wilkerson to pick up and fix Sheffield’s car and that he stayed one evening with the two. He also admitted to smok[978]*978ing crack cocaine with them, although he stated it was his first time using the drug. He claims to have spent the other evenings in question with friends and sleeping at his father’s house.

Other facts will be discussed as they relate to the specific issue raised.

Change of venue

Initially, Deiterman argues that his motion for change of venue was improperly denied by the trial court. He alleged newspaper articles and television reports had presented to the public incompetent and prejudicial evidence, especially two articles which used the phrases “a blood thirsty killer” and “the alleged triggerman.” He contends prospective juror's have been biased and prejudiced to a point where he could not receive a fair trial.

We have recently stated our standard of review for motions to change venue:

“The determination of whether to change venue is entrusted to the sound discretion of the trial court; its decision will not be disturbed on appeal absent a showing of prejudice to the substantial rights of die defendant. [Citation omitted.] The burden is on die defendant to show prejudice exists in the community, not as a matter of speculation, but as a demonstrable reality. The defendant must show that such prejudice exists in the community that it was reasonably certain he or she could not have obtained a fair trial. [Citation omitted.]” State v. Anthony, 257 Kan. 1003, 1013, 898 P.2d 1109 (1995).

The trial court denied the motion for a change of venue, finding that the defense had failed to meet its burden to show that Deiterman’s rights would be substantially prejudiced by not changing the venue.

The defense pointed to articles from newspapers in Joplin, Missouri, and Pittsburg, Kansas, but none were from the local Columbus, Baxter Springs, or Galena newspapers. The articles reflected facts that were shown in the charging documents and during trial proceedings of all the codefendants.

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Related

State v. Bradford
34 P.3d 434 (Supreme Court of Kansas, 2001)
State v. Deiterman
29 P.3d 411 (Supreme Court of Kansas, 2001)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
29 P.3d 411, 271 Kan. 975, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-v-dieterman-nd-2001.