State v. Jaramillo

New Mexico Court of Appeals·Decided September 30, 2019·Unpublished

Opinion

This decision of the New Mexico Court of Appeals was not selected for publication in the New Mexico Appellate Reports. Refer to Rule 12-405 NMRA for restrictions on the citation of unpublished decisions. Electronic decisions may contain computer- generated errors or other deviations from the official version filed by the Court of Appeals.

IN THE COURT OF APPEALS OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO

No. A-1-CA-35780

STATE OF NEW MEXICO,

Plaintiff-Appellee,

v.

JEREMY JARAMILLO,

Defendant-Appellant.

APPEAL FROM THE DISTRICT COURT OF BERNALILLO COUNTY Christina P. Argyres, District Judge

Hector H. Balderas, Attorney General Santa Fe, NM Meryl E. Francolini, Assistant Attorney General Albuquerque, NM

for Appellee

The Law Office of Scott M. Davidson, Ph.D., Esq. Scott M. Davidson Albuquerque, NM

for Appellant

MEMORANDUM OPINION

BOGARDUS, Judge.

{1} Defendant Jeremy Jaramillo appeals from his conviction by a jury of two counts of criminal sexual penetration in the first degree (child under thirteen), three counts of criminal sexual contact of a minor in the second degree (child under thirteen),1 three

1These charges stem from incidents involving two children. The counts challenged by Defendant in this appeal relate only to the incidents involving Victim. Therefore, we do not further address the incident involving the other child in this opinion. counts of criminal sexual penetration in the second degree (child thirteen to eighteen) (person in position of authority), and three counts of criminal sexual contact of a minor in the second degree (child thirteen to eighteen) (person in position of authority). On appeal, Defendant raises due process and double jeopardy arguments, challenges three of the district court’s evidentiary rulings, and contends that cumulative error deprived him of a fair trial. For the reasons that follow, we reverse one of Defendant’s convictions for criminal sexual contact of a minor in the second degree (child thirteen to eighteen) (person in position of authority) and otherwise affirm.

BACKGROUND

{2} The following facts are taken from the evidence presented at Defendant’s second 2 trial. Although Defendant was not Victim’s biological father, he took on the role of a father to her. At the time of the incidents that led to Defendant’s charges, Defendant was married to Victim’s mother (Mother). At some point, Defendant and Mother separated and lived apart; however, Defendant still had contact with Victim, spent time at her home, and maintained a parental role with her.

{3} Victim testified that Defendant first abused her when she was eleven or twelve years old. Victim reported that they were living in apartments in Albuquerque at the time and that the abuse occurred in Mother’s room. Victim testified that Defendant stuck his hand in her pants and inserted a finger inside of her. Victim also reported that Defendant touched her breast area at the same time. After that first incident, Victim testified that it happened frequently in other rooms in the apartment. Victim recalled a second specific incident in the apartment that occurred in her bedroom. Victim testified that Defendant put his hand in her shirt and touched her breasts. Victim further testified that Defendant put his hand underneath her clothes and underwear and inserted his fingers inside her again during that incident.

{4} Victim testified that Defendant’s abuse continued after their family had moved to a two-story house on the west side of Albuquerque and testified to three specific incidents that occurred at that house. The first two incidents occurred when she was around thirteen years old and the third incident occurred when she had just turned fourteen. First, Victim testified that Defendant put his fingers inside of her vagina while she was in her bedroom. Second, Victim testified that on Halloween, while she was out of school for teachers’ conferences, Defendant touched her breasts and genitals both on top and under her clothes while she was in Mother’s room. Third, Victim testified that Defendant wanted her to allow Defendant to abuse her in order to allow Victim to get her hair dyed. Victim reported that, while she was in her room, Defendant put his hand under her shirt and touched her breasts. Victim testified that Defendant also touched her vagina and inserted his fingers inside of her.

2Defendant was first tried in August 2011. After the State presented its evidence during the first trial, the parties stipulated to dismissal with prejudice of one count of criminal sexual penetration of a minor in the first degree and one count of criminal sexual contact of a minor in the second degree. A mistrial was declared after the jury was unable to reach a unanimous verdict on the remaining counts, and the State reserved its right to retry Defendant. {5} At the close of the State’s evidence, Defendant moved for a directed verdict on all counts. The district court denied Defendant’s motion. Defendant then testified in his own defense and denied doing the acts Victim testified to.

{6} The jury convicted Defendant on all counts. Defendant appeals.

DISCUSSION

I. There Is Insufficient Evidence to Support One of Defendant’s Convictions of Criminal Sexual Contact of a Minor in the Second Degree

{7} While Defendant has not challenged the sufficiency of the evidence supporting any of his charges, we exercise our discretion to sua sponte address whether substantial evidence supports Defendant’s convictions because such an inquiry implicates fundamental error and Defendant’s fundamental rights. See State v. Clemonts, 2006-NMCA-031, ¶ 10, 139 N.M. 147, 130 P.3d 208 (“We sua sponte raised the question whether there was sufficient evidence presented by the [s]tate to satisfy each element set forth in [the jury instruction] because the [s]tate’s failure to come forward with substantial evidence of the crime charged implicates fundamental error and the fundamental rights of [the d]efendant.”). “The doctrine of fundamental error is to be resorted to in criminal cases only for the protection of those whose innocence appears indisputably, or open to such question that it would shock the conscience to permit the conviction to stand.” State v. Barber, 2004-NMSC-019, ¶ 14, 135 N.M. 621, 92 P.3d 633 (internal quotation marks and citation omitted). Having conducted a full review of the record of his trial, we conclude that one of Defendant’s convictions for criminal sexual contact of a minor in the second degree (child thirteen to eighteen) (person in position of authority) must be reversed. We explain.

{8} In closing arguments, the State argued that Victim testified that on five different occasions Defendant put his fingers inside of her and touched her breasts. However, a review of Victim’s testimony demonstrates that was not the case. When asked about the first incident that occurred in the two-story house when she was thirteen years old, Victim testified that Defendant put his fingers inside of her vagina while she was in her bedroom. When asked if Defendant did anything else on this occasion, Victim responded, “Not that I remember.” Nowhere in the testimony that followed did Victim ever state that Defendant touched her breasts on that occasion. In contrast, Victim testified to four other occasions where Defendant touched her breasts as well as digitally penetrated her. Because Victim’s testimony established four distinct times that Defendant touched her breasts, not five, we conclude that just four of Defendant’s convictions for criminal sexual contact of a minor in the second degree were supported by substantial evidence. Accordingly, we reverse one of Defendant’s convictions for criminal sexual contact of a minor in the second degree (child thirteen to eighteen) (person in position of authority).

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