State v. Hickman

191 P.3d 1098, 146 Idaho 178, 2008 Ida. LEXIS 75
CourtIdaho Supreme Court
DecidedApril 25, 2008
Docket33750
StatusPublished
Cited by17 cases

This text of 191 P.3d 1098 (State v. Hickman) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Idaho 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. Hickman, 191 P.3d 1098, 146 Idaho 178, 2008 Ida. LEXIS 75 (Idaho 2008).

Opinions

BURDICK, Justice.

Dean Keith Hickman was convicted of grand theft and sentenced to ten years, one year fixed. Hickman appeals. We affirm.

I. FACTUAL AND PROCEDURAL BACKGROUND

On May 24, 2006, Appellant Dean Keith Hickman was gambling at Fort Hall Casino (the Casino). After another patron, Edward Cain, reported his wallet was missing, the Casino reviewed its video surveillance. The surveillance showed Hickman bending down to pick something up off of the floor near Cain, going to the restroom, and then walking out of the Casino. Hickman returned to the Casino in different clothing about two hours later. He was recognized, detained by security guards, and subsequently arrested for grand theft.

Hickman was convicted by a jury of grand theft. The district court imposed a ten year sentence on Hickman, with one year fixed. Hickman then brought this appeal.

II. ANALYSIS

Hickman argues that the district court abused its discretion by imposing a ten year sentence, that his substantial rights were violated due to the variance existing between the charging document and the jury instructions, and that there was insufficient evidence to support a conviction of grand theft. We will address each issue in turn. First, however, we will discuss the existence of a clerical error as it relates to Hickman’s conviction.

A. Clerical Error

The Amended Information and jury instructions support a conviction of grand theft pursuant to I.C. § 18-2407(1)(b)(3), theft of financial transaction cards. However, the Judgment on Verdict and the Judgment/Order of Commitment state Hickman is convicted of grand theft pursuant to I.C. § 18-2407(1)(b)(1), theft of property having value exceeding one thousand dollars. The reference to I.C. § 18 — 2407(1)(b)(1) appears to be a clerical mistake which may be corrected by the district court. See I.C.R. 36. There is no indication from the record that either party brought this error to the attention of the district court. Nor does Hickman now argue the mistake mandates reversal. Therefore, we conclude the incorrect statutory reference in the Judgment on Verdict and in the Judgment/Order of Commitment is a clerical mistake. On this appeal, we review the case to determine whether a conviction pursuant to I.C. § 18-2407(l)(b)(3) is supported by the record.

B. Jury Instructions

Hickman argues the district court’s sentence was excessive, and as such, an abuse of discretion. Hickman asserts that because the jury was not properly instructed as to the felony charge the jury verdict only supported a conviction and consequently, a sentence, for a misdemeanor. The State asserts that although Hickman is characterizing his claim as a sentencing error, the claim is actually that the jury instructions were erroneous.

We agree Hickman’s argument is a jury instruction issue and not a sentencing issue. The omission of an essential element in a jury instruction is reviewed for harmless error. State v. Lovelace, 140 Idaho 73, 79, 90 P.3d 298, 304 (2004); State v. Nath, 137 Idaho 712, 716-717, 52 P.3d 857, 861-62 (2002); see also Neder v. United States, 527 U.S. 1, 10-11, 119 S.Ct. 1827, 1834, 144 L.Ed.2d 35, 47-48 (1999). Hickman relies heavily on State v. Nunez, 133 Idaho 13, 19-21, 981 P.2d 738, 744-46 (1999), where this Court remanded the case for resentencing as a misdemeanor when the jury instructions only supported a misdemeanor conviction and not a felony conviction. However Nath was decided after Nunez; in Nath the omission of a material element from the jury instructions was reviewed for harmless error and the [181]*181remedy was to vacate the conviction and remand for a new trial. To determine whether the omission of an essential element from the jury instructions is harmless, this Court must determine “whether the record contains evidence that could rationally lead ter a contrary finding with respect to the omitted element.” Lovelace, 140 Idaho at 79, 90 P.3d at 304; see also Neder, 527 U.S. at 19, 119 S.Ct. at 1839, 144 L.Ed.2d at 53.

However, before we can reach the question of whether the omission was harmless, we must first determine whether we can review the omission at all.

1. Fundamental error

Idaho Criminal Rules 30(b) states that “[n]o party may assign as error the giving of or failure to give an instruction unless the party objects thereto before the jury retires to consider its verdict____” Hickman did not object to the jury instructions at the time of trial. Nonetheless, this Court will review fundamental errors in jury instructions even in the absence of an objection below. State v. Anderson, 144 Idaho 743, 749, 170 P.3d 886, 892 (2007). To determine whether there was fundamental error, the Court must first determine whether there was any error, and, if so, then whether the error is fundamental. Id. at 748, 170 P.3d at 891.

Jury instructions must correctly inform the jury as to the elements of the crime charged. Anderson, 144 Idaho at 749, 170 P.3d at 892 (quoting Middleton v. McNeil, 541 U.S. 433, 437, 124 S.Ct. 1830, 1832, 158 L.Ed.2d 701, 707 (2004)). “When reviewing jury instructions, this Court must determine whether ‘the instructions, as a whole, fairly and adequately present the issues and state the law.’ ” State v. Sheahan, 139 Idaho 267, 281, 77 P.3d 956, 970 (2003) (quoting Silver Creek Computers, Inc. v. Petra, Inc., 136 Idaho 879, 882, 42 P.3d 672, 675 (2002)). An erroneous instruction is reversible error when the instructions, taken as a whole, “misled the jury or prejudiced a party.” Id.

We agree with Hickman that Instruction No. 14 does not contain the elements necessary to prove grand theft. Theft occurs when “with intent to deprive another of property or to appropriate the same to himself or to a third person, he wrongfully takes, obtains or withholds such property from an owner thereof.” I.C. § 18-2403(1). Theft is divided into two degrees: grand theft and petit theft. I.C. § 18-2407. The statutory scheme lists specific actions or circumstances that constitute grand theft; all other theft is petit theft. Id. It is grand theft if the property taken consists of a financial transaction card. I.C. § 18-2407(l)(b)(3).

Jury Instruction No. 14 encompasses the elements of petit theft, but does not include any element which would constitute grand theft.1 Nonetheless, the State argues there is no error because the jury was instructed that the prosecution must “prove every material allegation contained in the Amended Information beyond a reasonable doubt____” The Amended Information was included in the jury instructions and alleges Hickman “wrongfully, took, obtained, or withheld a financial transaction card.... ”

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

Related

State v. McDermott
505 P.3d 678 (Idaho Supreme Court, 2022)
State v. Paulson
Idaho Supreme Court, 2022
State v. Clark
484 P.3d 187 (Idaho Supreme Court, 2021)
State v. Campbell
481 P.3d 118 (Idaho Supreme Court, 2021)
State v. Aman Gas
388 P.3d 912 (Idaho Court of Appeals, 2016)
State v. Michael Jay Freitas
335 P.3d 597 (Idaho Court of Appeals, 2014)
Farmers National Bank v. Green River Dairy, LLC
318 P.3d 622 (Idaho Supreme Court, 2014)
State v. Calver
307 P.3d 1233 (Idaho Court of Appeals, 2013)
State v. Kevin Louis Ormesher
296 P.3d 427 (Idaho Court of Appeals, 2012)
State v. Reid
253 P.3d 754 (Idaho Court of Appeals, 2011)
State v. James Orven Sukraw
Idaho Court of Appeals, 2010
State v. Hickman
191 P.3d 1098 (Idaho Supreme Court, 2008)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
191 P.3d 1098, 146 Idaho 178, 2008 Ida. LEXIS 75, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-v-hickman-idaho-2008.