State v. Fellers

683 P.2d 209, 37 Wash. App. 613, 1984 Wash. App. LEXIS 2986
CourtCourt of Appeals of Washington
DecidedMay 21, 1984
Docket12726-8-I
StatusPublished
Cited by37 cases

This text of 683 P.2d 209 (State v. Fellers) 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. Fellers, 683 P.2d 209, 37 Wash. App. 613, 1984 Wash. App. LEXIS 2986 (Wash. Ct. App. 1984).

Opinion

Corbett, A.C.J.

Defendant, Craig Fellers, appeals the order of disposition entered in juvenile court after fact-finding and disposition hearings. He was found guilty of possession of stolen property in the third degree. We reverse and dismiss.

About 2 months after the victim reported his bicycle had been stolen, an unidentified man and boy brought a bicycle to the victim's home. The boy, later identified by the victim and his father as the defendant, said that he was returning the victim's bicycle. Because there had been substantial *615 changes in the bike, the victim could only identify the seat and frame. Later that day, the victim's father went to the defendant's home to find out who had given him the bike. According to the victim's father, the defendant replied, "Nobody gave it to me, I ripped it off, I told you that." A mutual acquaintance of the defendant and the victim testified that about a week before the bike was returned, the defendant admitted having stolen it. Defendant denied stealing, possessing, or returning the bike. He also denied saying that he had taken it or that it had been given to him.

Defendant assigns error to the denial of his motion to dismiss at the end of the State's case. He contends that his alleged admissions were uncorroborated and therefore, under the corpus delicti rule, could not be considered in determining his guilt.

Prior to use at trial of an accused's admission, the State must establish the corpus delicti of the crime charged by independent evidence. State v. Mason, 31 Wn. App. 41, 47, 639 P.2d 800 (1982). Proof of the corpus delicti requires evidence that the crime charged has been committed by someone. State v. Hamrick, 19 Wn. App. 417, 418, 576 P.2d 912 (1978). The level of proof necessary to admit the statement is not the same as that necessary to take the case to the jury. State v. Fagundes, 26 Wn. App. 477, 484, 614 P.2d 198, 625 P.2d 179 (1980). The evidence in this case was sufficient to make out a prima facie case. It was undisputed that the bicycle was stolen. In order to establish the corpus delicti of possession of stolen property, the State had only to present evidence that the bicycle had been stolen by someone. See State v. DePriest, 16 Wn. App. 824, 825-26, 560 P.2d 1152 (1977). The fact of theft was established before the admissions of the defendant were considered. The court did not err in denying the motion to dismiss on this basis.

Defendant also contends that without the alleged admissions, the State at most established possession of parts of a stolen bicycle, a crime with which he was not charged. See *616 State v. Valladares, 99 Wn.2d 663, 671, 664 P.2d 508 (1983). The testimony was that the bicycle which was returned contained only the seat and frame from the original bicycle. The question becomes whether there was sufficient evidence to establish a prima facie case that the defendant knowingly possessed a stolen bicycle. State v. Rhinehart, 92 Wn.2d 923, 927-28, 602 P.2d 1188 (1979).

The "written findings" entered at the fact-finding hearing consist of a printed form marked with an "X," apparently filled in by someone other than the judge. The form recites that the evidence which proved the allegations "as charged" was: "reasons set forth in the record." These findings are inadequate; they are not sufficiently specific to permit meaningful appellate review. 1 See State v. Holland, 98 Wn.2d 507, 517, 656 P.2d 1056 (1983). JuCR 7.11(c) and RCW 13.40.130(4) impose a requirement that cannot be ignored. State v. Brown, 30 Wn. App. 344, 350, 633 P.2d 1351 (1981). "The court shall record its findings of fact and shall enter its decision upon the record. Such findings shall set forth the evidence relied upon by the court in reaching its decision." RCW 13.40.130(4). JuCR 7.11(c) contains similar language.

Although this court can read the testimony, it cannot weigh the evidence nor enter findings of fact. Thorndike v. Hesperian Orchards, Inc., 54 Wn.2d 570, 575, 343 P.2d 183 (1959); State v. Bunch, 2 Wn. App. 189, 191, 467 P.2d 212 (1970). The court's oral opinion, which occupies 5 of the 54 pages in the report of proceedings, is not a model of clarity. We cannot determine from the oral decision in this case what facts supported the court's conclusion that the defendant possessed the entire bicycle.

Following the fact-finding hearing, the defendant sought a new trial, pursuant to CrR 7.6(a)(3), to introduce the tes *617 timony of a new witness. He assigns error to the denial of this motion.

A new trial will not be granted on the basis of newly discovered evidence

unless the moving party demonstrates that the evidence (1) will probably change the result of the trial; (2) was discovered since the trial; (3) could not have been discovered before trial by the exercise of due diligence; (4) is material; and (5) is not merely cumulative or impeaching.

State v. Williams, 96 Wn.2d 215, 223, 634 P.2d 868 (1981). Failure to satisfy any one of the five factors is a ground for denial of the motion. The trial court is vested with broad discretion and denial of a motion for a new trial is not reversible absent a manifest abuse of that discretion. State v. Williams, supra at 221.

Here, the trial court denied the motion on the ground that the evidence would be cumulative and so did not reach any of the other factors. Evidence is cumulative if it is of the same kind to the same point as evidence already received. State v. Williams, supra at 223-24. The only purpose of the new testimony would be to corroborate the testimony of the defendant and his father that at all relevant times the defendant was working on his father's roof. Defendant thus sought to add evidence from a nonfamily member to corroborate his alibi. As testimony of the same kind to the same point, it was merely cumulative. See State v. Edwards, 23 Wn. App.

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Related

State Of Washington v. Binh Thai Tran
Court of Appeals of Washington, 2016
In re M.D.D.
2009 SD 94 (South Dakota Supreme Court, 2009)
State v. Mewes
929 P.2d 505 (Court of Appeals of Washington, 1997)
State v. Naranjo
921 P.2d 588 (Court of Appeals of Washington, 1996)
State v. Parker
915 P.2d 1174 (Court of Appeals of Washington, 1996)
State v. Mollichi
914 P.2d 782 (Court of Appeals of Washington, 1996)
State v. Portomene
905 P.2d 1234 (Court of Appeals of Washington, 1995)
State v. Alvarez
904 P.2d 754 (Washington Supreme Court, 1995)
State v. Solomon
870 P.2d 1019 (Court of Appeals of Washington, 1994)
State v. Sanchez
869 P.2d 1133 (Court of Appeals of Washington, 1994)
State v. BJS
864 P.2d 432 (Court of Appeals of Washington, 1994)
State v. Taylor
849 P.2d 692 (Court of Appeals of Washington, 1993)
State v. Smith
842 P.2d 494 (Court of Appeals of Washington, 1992)
State v. Landrum
832 P.2d 1359 (Court of Appeals of Washington, 1992)
State v. Fambrough
831 P.2d 789 (Court of Appeals of Washington, 1992)
State v. Pena
829 P.2d 256 (Court of Appeals of Washington, 1992)
State v. Litts
827 P.2d 304 (Court of Appeals of Washington, 1992)
State v. Bennett
821 P.2d 499 (Court of Appeals of Washington, 1991)
State v. Charlie
815 P.2d 819 (Court of Appeals of Washington, 1991)
State v. Souza
805 P.2d 237 (Court of Appeals of Washington, 1991)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
683 P.2d 209, 37 Wash. App. 613, 1984 Wash. App. LEXIS 2986, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-v-fellers-washctapp-1984.