State v. Fedoruk

339 P.3d 233, 184 Wash. App. 866
CourtCourt of Appeals of Washington
DecidedDecember 9, 2014
DocketNo. 43693-1-II
StatusPublished
Cited by20 cases

This text of 339 P.3d 233 (State v. Fedoruk) 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. Fedoruk, 339 P.3d 233, 184 Wash. App. 866 (Wash. Ct. App. 2014).

Opinion

¶1 A jury found Sergey Fedoruk guilty of second degree murder for the death of Serhiy Ischenko, Fedoruk’s relative by marriage. Fedoruk appeals, arguing that (1) he received ineffective assistance of counsel because his attorney failed to timely pursue a mental health defense and did not object to alleged prosecutorial miscon[871]*871duct, (2) the prosecutor committed flagrant and ill-intentioned misconduct in closing argument by undermining the presumption of innocence, encouraging the jury to decide the case on grounds other than reasoned evaluation of the evidence, expressing personal opinions as to Fedoruk’s guilt, and presenting evidence not admitted at trial, (3) the trial court erroneously admitted incriminating statements Fedoruk made to police, and (4) the trial court erroneously refused to instruct the jury on manslaughter as an included offense.

Bjorgen, A.C. J.

[871]*871¶2 We hold that defense counsel’s failure to timely retain a mental health expert or investigate the possibility of a mental health defense amounted to deficient performance, and Fedoruk has shown a reasonable probability that the deficient performance prejudiced him. Accordingly, we reverse Fedoruk’s conviction and remand for further proceedings.

¶3 We also address the prosecutorial misconduct argument in the published portion of this opinion and the admission of Fedoruk’s statements in the unpublished portion, because. those issues may recur on remand. Because a party’s entitlement to an included offense instruction depends on the facts of the case, and the evidence presented may well differ on remand, we do not decide whether the trial court erroneously declined to instruct the jury on manslaughter.

FACTS

A. Fedoruk’s History of Mental Illness

¶4 Fedoruk has a long history of serious mental illness. He suffered a head injury in a motorcycle accident at the age of 18, was diagnosed with schizophrenia, and was twice admitted to a psychiatric hospital. Doctors have prescribed numerous psychotropic and antipsychotic medications, including Haldol, but Fedoruk has a history of poor compliance with the medication regimens.

[872]*872¶5 In 2002, Fedoruk’s family members reported to police that he had threatened them. Responding officers took Fedoruk to the emergency room, where doctors prescribed antipsychotic medication. During a 2007 competency evaluation, doctors at Western State Hospital diagnosed Fedoruk with “[bjipolar 1 [disorder, [m]ost recent [ejpisode [m]anic, with [pjsychotic features.” Clerk’s Papers (CP) at 39. Fedoruk underwent another mental health evaluation after the State charged him with robbery, assault, theft, and criminal trespass in 2008, and a court ultimately found Fedoruk not guilty by reason of insanity.

¶6 In 2010, a court found Fedoruk gravely disabled and ordered him involuntarily committed, but soon ordered him released on a less restrictive alternative. After Fedoruk violated the terms of the court order, he was again involuntarily committed. Fedoruk had stopped taking his prescribed psychiatric medications and threatened to blow up Ischenko, whom Fedoruk had accused of raping a family member. Fedoruk was again released on a less restrictive alternative in December 2010. At the time of Ischenko’s death, Fedoruk lived at a house with numerous relatives, including Ischenko, and received outpatient care at a local clinic.

B. Fedoruk’s Arrest and Interrogation

¶7 Two community corrections officers (CCO) and three sheriff’s deputies went to the house where Fedoruk and Ischenko lived on August 1, 2011, responding to calls from Fedoruk’s family members. The family members’ concerns arose out of a series of incidents in which Fedoruk engaged in increasingly strange behavior, including angry outbursts directed at Ischenko and others. The family’s concerns increased over the course of the morning because no one could find Ischenko, and they made additional calls to the authorities.

¶8 When the CCOs and deputies approached the house, Fedoruk met them at the front door. Despite repeated [873]*873admonitions to remain outside and keep his hands visible, Fedoruk kept putting his hands in his pockets and turning to go back into the house. The CCOs handcuffed Fedoruk, stating that it was only a safety precaution and Fedoruk was not under arrest.

¶9 After questioning Fedoruk on the porch, the CCOs and a deputy began searching the surrounding grounds. As they walked the perimeter of the property, one of Fedoruk’s brothers-in-law, Richard Dzhumaniyazov, ran toward them from the direction of a small ravine behind the property, yelling, “Arrest him, arrest him. Shoot, shoot.” Verbatim Report of Proceedings (VRP) at 121-22. Dzhumaniyazov led the officers into the ravine, where they found Ischenko’s body.

¶10 Deputy Cory Robinson then placed Fedoruk in a patrol car and read him the Miranda1 advisements. When informed that anything he said could be used against him in court, Fedoruk shouted, “Court, court, court!” VRP at 192. When told he had the right to talk to a lawyer, Fedoruk asked, “Lawyer, why?” VRP at 192. After Deputy Robinson confirmed that Fedoruk understood his rights and asked if Fedoruk wished to speak, Fedoruk replied, “I don’t want to talk to you.” VRP at 193. Deputy Robinson then left Fedoruk alone in the car.

¶11 After Deputy Robinson returned, Fedoruk began speaking without prompting for about three or four minutes. Deputy Robinson took notes and reported Fedoruk’s statement at trial as follows:

My sister, Tatyana [Varyvoda]. I ask — I asked my sister What you want, a big dick or something? And he tell my sister, I want sex. I tell just this. I tell smoke dick, Tatyana. I just telling him it’s not - ... tell just this. I tell smoke dick, Tatyana. I just telling him, it’s not big deal. Christian no talk to for this for sex every time. I tell him, look, is my sister, too. And [m]y sister very, very mad. She get bitchy and say, anybody call [874]*874cops? I never touch him. I not touch him, never. I go to property of Tatyana, get goats.

VRP at 907-08.

¶12 After Deputy Robinson transported Fedoruk to the sheriff’s department, Chief Civil Deputy Marc Gilchrist and Detective Sergeant Joe Reece attempted to interview Fedoruk. They did not readminister the Miranda advisements. Fedoruk, who remained cuffed, pointed at Detective Reece and said, “I don’t want to talk to you.” VRP at 243-44. Detective Reece left the room, but Deputy Gilchrist, who interpreted Fedoruk’s statement to mean that Fedoruk was willing to speak to him, remained.

¶13 Deputy Gilchrist interviewed Fedoruk without an interpreter2 for an hour and a half. After Fedoruk asked for an attorney, Deputy Gilchrist terminated the interview and released Fedoruk to the custody of Officer Chris Napolitano, who detained Fedoruk for community supervision violations.

¶14 After further investigation, the State charged Fedoruk with second degree murder under two alternatives: intentional murder and felony murder predicated on assault.

C. Pretrial Proceedings

¶15 While awaiting trial, Fedoruk was initially uncooperative with jail staff, who frequently used force to restrain him.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
339 P.3d 233, 184 Wash. App. 866, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-v-fedoruk-washctapp-2014.