State v. Feliciano

115 P.3d 648, 107 Haw. 469, 2005 Haw. LEXIS 351
CourtHawaii Supreme Court
DecidedJuly 5, 2005
Docket26273
StatusPublished
Cited by15 cases

This text of 115 P.3d 648 (State v. Feliciano) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Hawaii 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. Feliciano, 115 P.3d 648, 107 Haw. 469, 2005 Haw. LEXIS 351 (haw 2005).

Opinions

Opinion of the Court by

DUFFY, J.

Defendant-appellant Hal Feliciano appeals from the Circuit Court of the First Circuit’s judgment of conviction filed on November 19, 2003, the Honorable Richard K. Perkins presiding. Feliciano shot his- cousin, Alex Stoes-ser, in the eye with a .22 caliber revolver. The circuit court convicted Feliciano on three counts: (1) attempted murder in the second degree (Hawai'i Revised Statutes (HRS) §§ 705-500, 707-701.5, and 706-656) [hereinafter, attempted murder in the second degree]; (2) place to keep pistol or revolver (HRS § 134-6(e) & (e)) [hereinafter, place to keep]; and (3) carrying, using or threatening to use a firearm in the commission of a separate felony (HRS §§ 134-6(a) & (e)) [hereinafter, use of a firearm], Feliciano was sentenced as follows: (1) life with the possibility of parole and a three-year mandatory minimum term of imprisonment1 for count one; (2) ten years for count two; and (3) twenty years for count three. On appeal, Feliciano argues that the circuit court erred [472]*472by: (1) violating the Hawai'i Constitution’s double jeopardy clause when it (a) punished him for conduct by sentencing him to a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment pursuant to § 706-660.1 and then punishing him a second time for the same conduct with convictions of use of a firearm and place to keep, and (b) convicted him of attempted murder, place to keep, and use of a firearm; and (2) concluding that neither the HRS § 704-400 defense (entitled “Physical or mental disease, disorder, or defect excluding penal responsibility”) or self-defense applied. We disagree with Feliciano, and affirm the circuit court’s final judgment, guilty convictions, and sentences in all respects.

I. BACKGROUND

A. Event

On June 1, 2002, Stoesser (Feliciano’s cousin) went to Delia Feliciano’s (Feliciano’s mother) [hereinafter, Delia2] house and gave her $600 ($100 was owed to Delia and $500 was a loan). Feliciano lived at Delia’s house as well. Later that night Delia claimed that the money Stoesser gave her was missing; Stoesser (who had been drinking) refused to believe Delia and began arguing with her; Feliciano asked Stoesser to leave. The next morning, Stoesser returned to the Feliciano residence.

There was conflicting testimony as to what happened at this point. Delia testified that Feliciano told her that he would pay Stoesser the money and that when Stoesser and Feli-ciano left in Stoesser’s truck they were going to an ATM to withdraw money. Feliciano testified that he went with Stoesser to throw’ away a couch and visit Stoesser’s co-worker Graham3 (who Stoesser also suspected of stealing the money). Stoesser testified that when he arrived at the house that morning Delia asked him to take Feliciano out of the house because they could not handle him. In any event, later that same morning, Feliciano and Stoesser left the Feliciano residence in Stoesser’s truck. Sometime before noon, Feliciano and Stoesser got into an argument (while in Stoesser’s truck) and Stoesser referred to Feliciano as a “stupid mother fucker.” Stoesser saw that Feliciano had a gun and asked him “Why you bring the gun stupid mother fucker, you wanna shoot me?” Stoesser eventually stopped the car and told Feliciano to get out, saying “Get the fuck out stupid. What, you going shoot me? What’s the problem?” A few moments later, Felici-ano shot Stoesser in his right eye. After shooting Stoesser, Feliciano walked approximately two-tenths of a mile west of the shooting until he was disarmed and arrested by police who had been called by a witness to the shooting. After the police arrested Feli-ciano, they brought him to the Pearl City Police Station where his hands were processed for gunshot residue. Police Officer Chase Inamine testified that while the evidence specialist was processing Feliciano’s hands Feliciano said, “I shot with my right.”

B. Feliciano’s History of Mental Illness

In 1979, Feliciano suffered a mental breakdown while he was stationed in Germany with the United States Air Force. Feliciano was diagnosed as suffering from schizophrenia and was discharged from the Air Force in 1981 as 100% disabled due to his mental illness. Feliciano’s mental illness has been characterized as a delusional belief that he possesses the supernatural power to control and transform others through the use of “supernatural devices” that may be invoked by using a television remote control. Felici-ano also believed that he was one of several people: Hal, Halice, and Opel.4 After his discharge from the Air Force, Feliciano received the prescription drug Risperdal to treat his mental illness; Risperdal is designed to control delusions, hallucinations and aggressiveness. During the months pri- or to the shooting Feliciano appeared to be taking less than his prescribed dosage of Risperdal. For some time prior to June 2, 2002, Feliciano was smoking marijuana regu[473]*473larly and using methamphetamine at least once a week.

C. Trial, Convictions, and Sentences

On June 10, 2002, the State of Hawai'i [hereinafter, prosecution] filed a complaint charging Feliciano with three counts: (1) attempted murder in the second degree in violation of HRS §§ 705-500 (1993),5 707-701.5 (1993),6 and 706-656 (1993);7 (2) place to keep in violation of HRS § 134-6(c) and (e) (Supp.2004);8 and (3) use of a firearm in violation of HRS § 134-6(a) and (e).9 The complaint also alleged that, under the attempted murder in the second degree [474]*474charge, Feliciano was subject to sentencing in accordance with HRS § 706-660.1 (1993)10 for use of a firearm while engaged in the commission of a felony.

On September 10, 2002, the circuit court appointed a three-member panel of examiners to determine Feliciano’s fitness to proceed and the extent of Feliciano’s penal responsibility. The appointed examiners were Richard Kappenberg, Ph.D. (a clinical psychologist), David Stein, M.D., Ph.D. (a psychiatrist), and Terence Wade, Ph.D. (a clinical psychologist). Reports from all three doctors were admitted into evidence, but only Dr. Kappenberg and Dr. Stein testified at trial.

On January 2, 2003, Feliciano filed a notice of intention to rely on a defense of mental disease, disorder or defect, pursuant to HRS § 704-400 (1993).11 Feliciano’s jury-waived 12

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State v. Feliciano
115 P.3d 648 (Hawaii Supreme Court, 2005)

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Bluebook (online)
115 P.3d 648, 107 Haw. 469, 2005 Haw. LEXIS 351, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-v-feliciano-haw-2005.