State v. Fullen

404 P.2d 732, 1 Ariz. App. 466
CourtCourt of Appeals of Arizona
DecidedAugust 9, 1965
Docket1 CA-CR 26
StatusPublished
Cited by7 cases

This text of 404 P.2d 732 (State v. Fullen) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals of Arizona primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
State v. Fullen, 404 P.2d 732, 1 Ariz. App. 466 (Ark. Ct. App. 1965).

Opinion

DONOFRIO, Judge.

This is an appeal by Thomas Gillette Fullen (hereafter also referred to as defendant) from a conviction of the crime of drawing a check on no account and from a denial of his motion for a new trial. Defendant’s sentence was three to five years and took into consideration an admitted prior conviction for the same type of crime.

Defendant filed his notice of appeal in propria persona after which the Supreme Court remanded the case back by minute entry to the Superior Court for further hearing on defendant’s motion for new trial.

The hearing was held by the trial court which heard testimony from the prosecuting witness, Mr. Glen R. Dunning, the investigating officer, Mr. Larry Penrod and the attorney representing defendant. This motion for new trial pursuant to newly discovered evidence was then taken under advisement and later denied. This consolidated appeal followed.

Defendant is urging two main questions on appeal. First, that the trial court abused its discretion in denying the motion for new trial because the newly discovered evidence shows that the two prosecution witnesses by their acts in identifying defendant prior to trial caused a substantial impeachment to exist as to the weight of their testimony; secondly, that the court erred in admitting *468 evidence of an alleged oral confession by-defendant since the manner in which it was elicited was in violation of his constitutional rights.

The first question is based principally upon the contention that the newly discovered evidence would show that Officer Penrod primed or coached the witness Dunning in his identification of defendant. The contention also is that defendant is not guilty of any lack of diligence in discovering or producing this evidence at trial. The second is based on the contention that defendant’s constitutional rights have been violated by not fully advising him prior to the taking of his confession, that he had the right to remain silent and to have the presence and advice of counsel.

Relating to the first question the pertinent facts produced at the trial are as follows :

The prosecuting witness Dunning, who was the manager of the Totem Department Store on West Van Burén Street in Phoenix, testified that he made a sale to defendant on September 4, 1963, at check-out stand number two of the store. The defendant came through the line with a pair of shoes and a check made out for $10.00. In payment of the shoes defendant handed Dunning the check which was for a larger amount than the purchase. Dunning thereupon told him that they were not supposed to take a check for more than the purchase. Defendant indicated he did not have another check with him to make out, whereupon Dunning asked him for his driver’s license which was furnished. The license number was placed on the back of the check and the check accepted. The check was returned “no account”. Dunning testified the store later received a $5.00 cashier’s check from defendant for restitution which it still retained.

Dunning, who was the only witness to the passing of the check, was cross-examined considerably regarding his identification of defendant. Defense brought out that about 500 checks were cashed weekly at the store and that Dunning cashed about 50 of them personally. He testified that it would depend on the circumstances of the case as to whether he would take special notice of the customer. His testimony was that “if the check is written for more than the amount of the purchase I take special notice of the person in my own mind”. The witness was specifically questioned on the subject of his prior identification of defendant.

On the question of diligence in discovering the now asserted new evidence it becomes important to know if counsel had the opportunity of developing the evidence at trial and relinquished it. For if such is the case it cannot be said that the evidence is of such a nature that counsel in the exercise of diligence and ordinary care could not have found it during trial.

Pertinent in this respect is the following cross-examination of the witness Dunning:

“Q. Could you explain to the court and to the jury — let me rephrase the question — or, ask a different question to you, Mr. Dunning. I find it quite admirable that you take notice of these people as they come through. But, do you mean to tell me that the State never requested you to identify the defendant? Were you informed— you were informed, weren’t you when he was arrested?
A. I was informed that he was in and out at that time.
Q. What do you mean by in and out?
A. That’s all I understand. Now, the gentleman came out from— MR. MARTIN: Your Honor, I’m going to object to this line as laying something for — I’d like to discuss in chambers.
THE COURT: I don’t run back to chambers. You tell him your problem and maybe he will — ■
MR. LIND AUER:
Q. Let me see if I can rephrase the question to you, Mr. Dunning.
THE COURT: Very well.”

*469 It would appear that defendant did not pursue questioning which in all probability would have developed the facts he now contends are newly discovered. As later developed at the hearing on the motion for new trial, it was on the occasion of the officers coming out to see Dunning that they mentioned defendant had been in custody and presented Dunning with the pictures and asked him to identify the defendant. The foregoing record shows Dunning gave answers indicating that officers had come out to see him before trial. That he was informed defendant had been “in and out at that time” which no doubt meant he had been in custody. It was at this point that the county attorney made objection (we can assume that it was because they were talking about matters that might impute other crimes, or that unless proper care was used other prejudicial matter might creep in) because he wanted no doubt, to make it clear that it was defendant’s risk as to what evidence might come out. The record bears out that defendant was not prevented from pursuing his questioning in the matter. The trial court could reasonably have believed that the same evidence could have been discovered with reasonable diligence at or before trial.

We next consider defendant’s contention of coaching or priming the witness.

In reading the transcript of the hearing on the motion for new trial, we find the witness Dunning testifying substantially as he did at the trial. He did not vary in his identification of defendant. His examination covered such things as the number of customers at the check stand when defendant was there, the number of checks cashed by Dunning when they were made for more than the amount of the purchase, and how he handled and remembered the customers. Regarding identification, he was examined minutely as to defendant’s clothing, face and features. Questions covered defendant’s hair, teeth, eyes, eyebrows, nose, ears, skin and height. We cannot see where the evidence was different from anything said at trial except that it made the identification more positive.

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Bluebook (online)
404 P.2d 732, 1 Ariz. App. 466, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-v-fullen-arizctapp-1965.