State v. Larson

1988 NMCA 019, 752 P.2d 1101, 107 N.M. 85
CourtNew Mexico Court of Appeals
DecidedMarch 3, 1988
Docket9961
StatusPublished
Cited by18 cases

This text of 1988 NMCA 019 (State v. Larson) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering New Mexico 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. Larson, 1988 NMCA 019, 752 P.2d 1101, 107 N.M. 85 (N.M. Ct. App. 1988).

Opinion

OPINION

ALARID, Judge.

Defendant appeals his conviction for multiple counts of criminal sexual offenses involving his daughter and another child. His brief raises five issues. Other issues listed in the docketing statement but not briefed are deemed abandoned. State v. Gattis, 105 N.M. 194, 730 P.2d 497 (Ct.App. 1986). We discuss: (1) whether the information should have been dismissed because the state and defendant had an agreement whereby defendant would not be prosecuted if he fulfilled certain conditions; (2) whether the trial court erred in allowing a videotaped deposition into evidence or in not dismissing the prosecution for violation of the six-month rule; and (3) whether the trial court erred by admitting certain alleged pornographic materials into evidence. Defendant also raises an issue concerning cumulative error, but because we find no error there can be no cumulative error. State v. Shafer, 102 N.M. 629, 698 P.2d 902 (Ct.App.1985). We affirm.

The Agreement Not To Prosecute

After the facts which formed the basis of the prosecution first came to light in February 1986, the state filed a complaint against defendant in magistrate court. However, at the time of the preliminary hearing, defendant’s daughter, under thirteen years old, was unable to testify. Thereafter, in March 1986, defendant and the state entered into an agreement whereby the state promised not to prosecute if defendant would cooperate with the Department of Human Services and “not contact, communicate with, or approach” and not “make unsupervised contacts, directly or indirectly,” with his daughter.

Defendant’s daughter moved to Texas to live with relatives for the rest of the school year and defendant remained in the family home. In June 1986, the daughter moved back to New Mexico and defendant and his oldest son moved out of the home, but remained nearby. In late June, the state refiled the charges that were dropped in March.

Defendant contends that he did not breach his part of the agreement and, therefore, the state was bound to honor its part. Agreements of this nature are governed by due process principles. State v. Doe, 103 N.M. 178, 704 P.2d 432 (Ct.App. 1984). Whether or not a defendant has failed to comply with the terms of an agreement made by the state not to prosecute, must be determined by the totality of the circumstances. State v. Doe; see also State v. Trammel, 100 N.M. 543, 673 P.2d 827 (Ct.App.1983). However, the question of whether a party has complied with his part of the agreement is a factual question governed by substantial evidence principles. See id. When the evidence is conflicting, the trial court’s determination of defendant’s noncompliance will be upheld if it is supported by substantial evidence. Id.

Substantial evidence is defined as such relevant evidence as a reasonable mind would accept as adequate to support a conclusion. Clovis Nat’l Bank v. Harmon, 102 N.M. 166, 692 P.2d 1315 (1984). When reviewing for substantial evidence, this court views the evidence in the light most favorable to the party prevailing below and it resolves all conflicts and indulges in all permissible inferences in favor of the decision. State v. Lankford, 92 N.M. 1, 582 P.2d 378 (1978). Hence, the question here is whether, when viewing the evidence before the trial court in its most favorable light, there was evidence that defendant breached the agreement.

We are satisfied that substantial evidence was presented to support the trial court’s ruling that defendant failed to comply with the bargain which lead to the state’s prior dismissal of charges against him. At that hearing, defendant’s wife testified that defendant had requested on numerous occasions, both orally and in writing, that she persuade the daughter to allow defendant to move back into the house. Although less persuasive, there was also evidence that the son, who was living with defendant, confronted the daughter and told her that it was her fault that he and his father were banished from the family home. Finally, defendant’s wife testified that defendant would drive up and down the street hoping to see the daughter, which caused the daughter to feel she had to stay in the house in order to avoid defendant. Eventually, the situation became so bad that defendant’s wife complained to the district attorney about defendant’s behavior. The foregoing is evidence that defendant attempted to and did have contact, both directly and indirectly, with his daughter in breach of the agreement.

The record shows that defendant was not charged again with the sexual offenses until he was arrested in late June 1986 for damaging a vehicle owned by a gentleman friend of his wife. This friend was visiting defendant’s wife that evening and defendant and his son repeatedly drove by the house. Defendant telephoned asking to speak to the friend, but was refused access. Later, there was a hard banging at wife’s door. Defendant testified that he had sent his son to pick up something. Defendant’s wife-testified that the banging appeared increasingly insistent and she had never known her son to behave that way. After the person at the door was denied entrance, defendant went to the friend’s house and damaged his vehicle. Defendant was subsequently arrested for the offenses arising out of the damage to the vehicle.

Defendant contends that he was charged again with the sexual offenses because of the incident involving the vehicle and his wife’s friend. Hence, he argues that the incident did not consist of a breach of the agreement. We disagree that the only interpretation of the evidence before the trial court was that defendant was charged because of the incident involving his wife’s friend. The evidence would have allowed the trial court to infer either that defendant was charged again because of this incident or that defendant was charged again because of his behavior in contacting and approaching his daughter. It was for the trial court to decide which inference was more reasonable. See State v. Lankford. Accordingly, we cannot say that the trial court’s decision that defendant breached the agreement was unsupported by substantial evidence. See State v. Doe.

Implicit in the promise sought to be enforced by defendant was his agreement that defendant would abide by the terms of the agreement and that he would not commit any additional criminal offenses during the period of the agreement. See NMSA 1978, § 31-16A-2; see also People v. Gossage, 128 Ill.App.3d 188, 83 Ill.Dec. 422, 470 N.E.2d 548 (1984). Defendant was charged and convicted of burglary of an automobile owned by Charles Van Dien, contrary to NMSA 1978, Section 30-16-3; larceny of a firearm, contrary to Section 30-16-1; and criminal damage to property in an amount less than $1,000, contrary to Section 30-15-1. See State v. Larson, Ct.App. No. 10, 144 (Filed January 14, 1988).

The Videotape and Six-Month Rule

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

Related

State v. Johnson
New Mexico Court of Appeals, 2019
State v. J Trujillo
New Mexico Court of Appeals, 2009
State v. Ashley
1997 NMSC 049 (New Mexico Supreme Court, 1997)
State v. Armijo
1997 NMCA 080 (New Mexico Court of Appeals, 1997)
State v. Vallejos
924 P.2d 727 (New Mexico Court of Appeals, 1996)
State v. Niewiadowski
901 P.2d 779 (New Mexico Court of Appeals, 1995)
State v. Trujillo
895 P.2d 672 (New Mexico Court of Appeals, 1995)
State v. Ruiz
892 P.2d 962 (New Mexico Court of Appeals, 1995)
State v. Jacquez
888 P.2d 1009 (New Mexico Court of Appeals, 1994)
State v. Chavez
867 P.2d 1189 (New Mexico Court of Appeals, 1993)
Richard L. Larson v. Donald A. Dorsey, Warden
989 F.2d 507 (Tenth Circuit, 1993)
State v. Rivera
853 P.2d 126 (New Mexico Court of Appeals, 1993)
State v. Swavola
840 P.2d 1238 (New Mexico Court of Appeals, 1992)
State v. Scott
828 P.2d 958 (New Mexico Court of Appeals, 1992)
State v. Jimenez
794 P.2d 355 (New Mexico Court of Appeals, 1990)
State v. Sacoman
762 P.2d 250 (New Mexico Supreme Court, 1988)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
1988 NMCA 019, 752 P.2d 1101, 107 N.M. 85, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-v-larson-nmctapp-1988.