State v. Everybodytalksabout

39 P.3d 294, 145 Wash. 2d 456, 2002 Wash. LEXIS 57
CourtWashington Supreme Court
DecidedFebruary 7, 2002
DocketNo. 70700-6
StatusPublished
Cited by101 cases

This text of 39 P.3d 294 (State v. Everybodytalksabout) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Washington 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. Everybodytalksabout, 39 P.3d 294, 145 Wash. 2d 456, 2002 Wash. LEXIS 57 (Wash. 2002).

Opinion

Smith, J.

Petitioner Darrell D. Everybodytalksabout seeks review of an unpublished decision of the Court of Appeals, Division One, which in a divided opinion affirmed his King County Superior Court conviction for first degree murder and second degree murder under RCW 9A.32-.030(l)(b) and (c).1 We reverse the Court of Appeals and remand for a new trial.

QUESTIONS PRESENTED

The questions presented in this case are: (1) whether inadmissible “acts” under ER 404(b) are limited to bad acts, disgraceful acts or unpopular acts; (2) whether evidence was improperly excluded from Petitioner’s second trial following a mistrial because of perjured testimony of the State’s principal witness; and (3) whether Respondent State of Washington mismanaged Petitioner’s case.

STATEMENT OF FACTS 2

Petitioner Darrell D. Everybodytalksabout was jointly charged with Phillip Lara Lopez by information filed in the King County Superior Court on February 17,1997 with the crime of murder in the first degree, the information reading:

[459]*459That the defendants DARRELL EVERYBODYTALKSABOUT and PHILLIP LARA LOPEZ, and each of them, in King County, Washington, during a period of time intervening between February 3rd, 1996 through February 4, 1996, while committing and attempting to commit the crime of Robbery in the First Degree, and in the course of and in furtherance of said crime and in immediate flight therefrom, did cause the death of Rigel Jones, a human being who was not a participant in the crime, and who died on or about February 4, 1996;
Contrary to RCW 9A.32.030(l)(c), and against the peace and dignity of the State of Washington.[3]

On April 11, 1997 the Prosecuting Attorney filed an amended information which added Count II in the alternative charging Darrell [D.] Everybodytalksabout and Phillip Lara Lopez with the crime of murder in the second degree, a crime of the same or similar character as another crime charged in the information, as follows:

That the defendants DARRELL EVERYBODYTALKSABOUT and PHILLIP LARA LOPEZ, and each of them, in King County, Washington, during a period of time intervening between February 3rd, 1996 through February 4, 1996, while committing and attempting to commit the crime of Assault in the Second Degree, and in the course of and in furtherance of said crime and in immediate flight therefrom, did cause the death on or about February 4, 1996, of Rigel Jones, a human being who was not a participant in the crime.
Contrary to RCW 9A.32.050(l)(b), and against the peace and dignity of the State of Washington.[4]

On May 5, 1997 the Prosecuting Attorney filed a second amended information against Petitioner Everybodytalksabout and Phillip Lara Lopez adding to each Count I and Count II previously charged a deadly weapons charge accusing them “at [the time of the offense] of being armed with a deadly weapon, to-wit; a knife, under the authority of RCW 9.94A.125 and 9.94A.310.”3 5

[460]*460The case proceeded to a jury trial against both defendants before the Honorable Larry A. Jordan on May 7, 1997.6 Following discovery that the State’s principal witness, one Richard Prevost, committed blatant perjury when he falsely claimed he was present at the scene at the time of the crime and testified in great and specific detail implicating Petitioner Everybodytalksabout, the court granted a motion for mistrial as to Petitioner Everybodytalksabout on May 22, 1997.7

A second jury trial proceeded against Petitioner Everybodytalksabout alone under the original second amended information before the Honorable Donald D. Haley on July 22, 1997. The jury on July 25, 1997 returned verdicts of “guilty” of murder in the first degree and “guilty” of murder in the second degree, with a special verdict finding that Petitioner was armed with a deadly weapon at the time of each offense.8

On September 12, 1997 Judge Haley, after concluding that Count II merged with Count I for sentencing purposes, sentenced Petitioner to a maximum term of life9 and community placement for two years.10

On September 29,1997 Petitioner gave notice of appeal to the Court of Appeals, Division One.* 11 On November 13, 2000 the Court of Appeals in an unpublished opinion affirmed the conviction. On January 13, 2001 Petitioner sought review by this court which we granted on July 10, 2001.

On February 3, 1996 Rigel Jones, a 24-year-old young man, parked his Toyota pickup truck under the Alaskan [461]*461Way viaduct in downtown Seattle and spent the evening with friends visiting nightclubs in Pioneer Square. Shortly after 4:00 a.m. on February 4, 1996 he was found dead next to his truck in a parking lot. He had been stabbed twice in the chest by a single-edged instrument and his wallet, pager and jacket were missing.

Seattle police authorities were unable to identify any suspects until, approximately one year after Mr. Jones’ death, one Richard Prevost came forth with a purported eyewitness account. In a recorded statement, he told Detective Eugene Ramirez that he was with Phillip Lara Lopez and Petitioner Everybodytalksabout on the night Mr. Jones was killed. He claimed that Mr. Lopez and Petitioner assaulted and robbed Mr. Jones, leaving him on the ground. Mr. Prevost did not say that Mr. Jones was stabbed. However, he did say Petitioner carried a pocket knife with a long blade and that Petitioner admitted he might have killed Mr. Jones. Mr. Prevost’s statement was the basis upon which Mr. Lopez and Petitioner were ultimately charged in the death of Mr. Jones with alternative counts of first degree murder and second degree murder, each with a deadly weapon enhancement.

After their arrests, Mr. Lopez and Petitioner gave separate recorded statements to Seattle police detectives. Mr. Lopez said he and Petitioner were present at the murder scene, but stated that Petitioner stabbed Mr. Jones. When the detectives questioned Petitioner, he first denied having anything to do with the stabbing. Detective Eugene Ramirez then told Petitioner that several people had implicated him in the stabbing and played a portion of Mr. Lopez’ recorded statement to him. Petitioner then responded that on the night of the stabbing, he and Mr. Lopez had engaged in a drug transaction under the viaduct with a buyer who refused to pay. Petitioner said he told Mr. Lopez to get the money from the buyer, that Mr. Lopez returned with money and a jacket he did not have on earlier and that Mr. Lopez also had blood on his shirt. Petitioner in his statement [462]*462insisted he had nothing to do with any altercation and that he did not witness a fight between Mr. Lopez and Mr. Jones.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
39 P.3d 294, 145 Wash. 2d 456, 2002 Wash. LEXIS 57, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-v-everybodytalksabout-wash-2002.