State v. Harvey

129 P.3d 1276, 142 Idaho 527, 2006 Ida. App. LEXIS 17
CourtIdaho Court of Appeals
DecidedFebruary 7, 2006
Docket30608
StatusPublished
Cited by8 cases

This text of 129 P.3d 1276 (State v. Harvey) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Idaho Court of Appeals primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
State v. Harvey, 129 P.3d 1276, 142 Idaho 527, 2006 Ida. App. LEXIS 17 (Idaho Ct. App. 2006).

Opinion

PERRY, Chief Judge.

Dennis Earl Harvey appeals from his judgment of conviction for sexual abuse of a minor under sixteen years of age and misdemeanor indecent exposure. For the reasons set forth below, we affirm.

I.

FACTS AND PROCEDURE

The following facts were revealed at trial through testimony. In the early evening, K.P., an eleven-year-old girl, returned home with her brother to the apartment complex where her family lived. Harvey, who was living in his mother’s apartment next door to K.P.’s family, was sitting outside near the entranceway to both apartments in a chair with a blanket over his lap. K.P. said “Hi,” and Harvey responded in kind and asked her if she was going to come back out. K.P. did come back out after escorting her brother indoors. K.P. then noticed that Harvey had one hand underneath the blanket that was “moving all around.” Harvey asked K.P. to get him a tissue. She did this and, after she gave it to him, he asked her if she knew what it was for. K.P. replied she did not, and Harvey told her it was for the “the top of the penis because when stuff comes out of it.” Harvey then asked K.P. if she had ever had sex and, when she indicated she had not, he asked her when she planned to and told her he had sex at age ten. Harvey commented to • K.P. that there was no reason for him “going to a bar to pick up girls when I can just do it right here.” Harvey asked K.P. to pull the blanket aside, she complied and revealed Harvey’s erect penis. K.P. dropped the blanket. Harvey reached for her chest and stated: “You don’t wanna do anything? You don’t wanna lift up your shirt or anything?” At that point, K.P. left and went back inside her apartment. Moments later, K.P. told her mother what had happened. The police were summoned. After speaking *530 to K.P. and her mother, the police went next door and arrested Harvey.

Harvey was charged with one count of sexual abuse of a child under sixteen for soliciting K.P. to participate in a sexual act, I.C. § 18-1506(l)(a), and one misdemeanor count of indecent exposure committed for willfully exposing his genitals to a minor, I.C. § 18-4116. A jury found Harvey guilty. The district court entered a judgment of conviction and imposed sentences of ten years, with two years fixed, for the felony and a concurrent 180 days for the misdemeanor. Harvey moved the district court for a new trial on the grounds of insufficiency of the evidence. Harvey also moved the district court for a reduction of sentence pursuant to I.C.R. 35. Both motions were denied. Harvey now appeals.

On appeal, Harvey asserts the district court violated his Sixth Amendment right to cross-examine and his Fifth and Fourteenth Amendment rights to due process in prohibiting cross-examination regarding the victim’s potential exposure to pornography and her previous report of an indecent exposure incident. Harvey also asserts the district court abused its discretion in allowing the state to use portions of his prior criminal record as rebuttal evidence during cross-examination of Harvey’s character witnesses. Finally, Harvey challenges the sufficiency of the evidence to support the jury’s guilty verdict of sexual abuse of a minor child under sixteen.

II.

ANALYSIS

A. Evidentiary Issues

Sixth Amendment rights encompass the rights to cross-examination and to present a defense. Michigan v. Lucas, 500 U.S. 145, 149, 111 S.Ct. 1743, 1746, 114 L.Ed.2d 205, 212 (1991); Davis v. Alaska, 415 U.S. 308, 315-16, 94 S.Ct. 1105, 1109-10, 39 L.Ed.2d 347, 353 (1974); State v. Peite, 122 Idaho 809, 814, 839 P.2d 1223, 1228 (Ct.App.1992). A defendant has no constitutional right, however, to present irrelevant evidence. Peite, 122 Idaho at 814, 839 P.2d at 1228. Even if relevant, evidence can be excluded in certain circumstances. Id. Trial judges “retain wide latitude insofar as the Confrontation Clause is concerned to impose reasonable limits on ... cross-examination based on concerns about, among other things, harassment, prejudice, confusion of the issues, the witness’ safety, or interrogation that is repetitive or only marginally relevant.” Delaware v. VanArsdall, 475 U.S. 673, 679, 106 S.Ct. 1431, 1435, 89 L.Ed.2d 674, 683 (1986).

This Court has set forth a two-part inquiry to determine whether a defendant’s Sixth Amendment rights are violated when a trial court denies admission of evidence. State v. Self, 139 Idaho 718, 722, 85 P.3d 1117, 1121 (Ct.App.2003); Peite, 122 Idaho at 814-15, 839 P.2d at 1228-29. First, the trial court must consider whether the evidence proffered is relevant. Self, 139 Idaho at 722, 85 P.3d at 1121. If it is not relevant, the defendant has no constitutional right to present it. Id. If the evidence is relevant, the trial court must ask whether other legitimate interests outweigh the defendant’s interest in presenting the evidence. Id. Because the trial courts have such broad discretion to determine whether prejudicial effect or other concerns outweigh the probative value of the evidence, a defendant’s Sixth Amendment right will only be violated if this Court concludes that the trial court abused its discretion. Id.

When a trial court’s discretionary decision is reviewed on appeal, the appellate court conducts a multi-tiered inquiry to determine: (1) whether the lower court correctly perceived the issue as one of discretion; (2) whether the lower court acted within the boundaries of such discretion and consistently with any legal standards applicable to the specific choices before it; and (3) whether the lower court reached its decision by an exercise of reason. State v. Hedger, 115 Idaho 598, 600, 768 P.2d 1331, 1333 (1989).

a. Evidence of pornography

Prior to trial, the state objected to a proposed defense witness who would testify to seeing pornography in the home of the victim. The state requested a pre-trial rul *531 ing on the admissibility of that testimony. Harvey’s proffered reason for the admissibility of evidence of pornography in K.P.’s home was to provide the jury with an explanation for K.P.’s ability to describe explicit sexual activities other than through her observation of Harvey’s alleged sexual conduct. Harvey admitted that his evidence consisted of statements made by one witness who heard about the pornography in K.P.’s home from discussions with another girl. The identity of the girl who was allegedly the original source of this information was not fully disclosed to the state and, ultimately, never testified at trial. The district court reserved its ruling. During the trial, Harvey did not attempt to introduce the witness, but requested that he be allowed to cross-examine K.P. as to whether she had seen pornographic materials.

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Bluebook (online)
129 P.3d 1276, 142 Idaho 527, 2006 Ida. App. LEXIS 17, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-v-harvey-idahoctapp-2006.