State v. Lolar

914 P.2d 950, 259 Kan. 682, 1996 Kan. LEXIS 50
CourtSupreme Court of Kansas
DecidedApril 19, 1996
DocketNo. 72,762
StatusPublished
Cited by4 cases

This text of 914 P.2d 950 (State v. Lolar) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Supreme Court of Kansas primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
State v. Lolar, 914 P.2d 950, 259 Kan. 682, 1996 Kan. LEXIS 50 (kan 1996).

Opinion

The opinion of the court was delivered by

Lockett, J.:

Defendant was convicted of first-degree premeditated murder (K.S.A; 21-3401), two counts of felony theft (K.S.A. 1993 Supp. 21-3701), and unlawful possession of a firearm (K.S.A. 1993 Supp. 21-4204[a][3]). He appeals, claiming: (1) an improper readback of testimony; (2) failure to give a limiting instruction; and (3) the unconstitutional use of a juvenile adjudication to calculate criminal histoiy for sentencing.

Donnie W. L. Lolar, a/k/a Doni W. L. Hamilton, was charged with first-degree murder, two counts of felony theft, and unlawful possession of a firearm stemming from the killing of Kurt Finuf on October 26,1993. Because the issues on appeal relate to nonfactual issues, the facts are highly summarized.

Hamilton traveled from Topeka to Wichita by bus on October 18, 1993. In the early morning hours of October 20, his uncle, David Towles, refused to drive him to Winfield to see another uncle, Brian Towles. Hamilton told David he would steal a car to get to Winfield. Subsequently, Hamilton stole a car and drove to Winfield.

Hamilton and Brian attended a party at Kurt Finuf’s house in Winfield on October 23, 1993. Finuf had two guns, a .9 mm and a .22 caliber, in a cabinet. An individual observed Finuf give Hamilton the .9 mm gun from the cabinet. Hamilton stuck the gun in the front of his pants. Another witness testified that 2 days after the party, Finuf had both guns.

On the evening of October 25, Hamilton sought a ride from Arkansas City to Wichita. When he was unable to reach Brian, Hamilton called Finuf. Around 11:15 p.m., Finuf and Hamilton purchased some beer at a grocery store. At 11:56 p.m., Hamilton phoned his girlfriend in Topeka from Finuf’s home in Winfield.

Hamilton arrived in Wichita at David Towles’ house around 3 a.m., driving Finuf’s car. Hamilton told David that he had gotten [684]*684into a fight with someone in Winfield and had taken two suitcases full of items and a car from that person. The items were identified at trial as belonging to Finuf. When Hamilton informed Dávid he wanted to get rid of the car, David suggested that Hamilton bum the car. After burning the car near Augusta, they returned to David’s house. Hamilton admitted to David that he had shot the person twice, once with a .9 mm gun and once with a .22 caliber gun.

Finuf was found dead in his home. Finuf had suffered two gunshot wounds to his head, one from a .9 mm gun and one from a :22 caliber gun.

Hamilton testified at his trial that David Towles killed Finuf during a drug transaction Hamilton had arranged between Finuf and David. Hamilton testified that while David and Finuf discussed purchasing cocaine, he drove to a convenience store in Finuf’s car. When he returned to Finuf’s house, Finuf’s body was in the front room. Hamilton testified that he drove David’s car back to Wichita and David drove Finuf’s car. David later set Finuf’s car on fire.

The jury convicted Hamilton of first-degree premeditated murder, two counts of felony theft, and unlawful possession of a firearm. Hamilton received sentences totalling life plus' 32 years. He appeals.

Readback of a Witness’ Testimony

Hamilton’s first claim is that the trial court erred in denying his motion for a new trial based on the court’s improper readback to the jury of David Towles’ trial testimony. When asked what happened when he saw Hamilton on October 20, David testified:

“I went in — I spoke to all the people that was in the house. [Hamilton] told me he wanted to talk to me .... And he was crying, grabbed me, hugged me, cried for a few minutes and told me that he was tired of people messing with him. Said he had got into some trouble in Topeka and almost shot this guy.”

Hamilton’s counsel objected to the testimony’s relevance, argued the response was prejudicial, and requested that the response be stricken. The trial judge sustained the defendant’s objection and instructed the jury that it was to disregard the witness’ answer.

After the jury began deliberations, it requested a readback of the testimony of four witnesses, including David Towles. During [685]*685the readback of David’s testimony, the court reporter read the testimony that was objected to and noted the defendant’s objection. The court reporter did not read the court’s admonition that the jury was to disregard the answer. During a later break in the readback of testimony, Hamilton’s counsel informed the court that its admonition had been omitted from the readback. The judge offered to again admonish the jury. Hamilton’s counsel declined.

In a motion for a new trial, Hamilton claimed that the trial judge’s failure to exclude that evidence or repeat the admonition during the readback of David Towles’ testimony was so prejudicial that it required he be granted a new trial. In response, the trial judge noted that Hamilton’s attorney had declined the judge’s offer to again admonish the jury to disregard the evidence excluded during trial; the judge concluded that because the defendant rejected the court’s offer to again admonish the jury, he could not assert it was error and denied the motion for a new trial.

On appeal, Hamilton claims he did not waive the issue by declining the subsequent admonition to the jury because the judge’s admonition would have highlighted the inadmissible testimony. Further, Hamilton argues that the testimony was highly prejudicial because that testimony implied he had a propensity for violence and to use a gun and portrayed him as capable of murder.

The readback of testimony at a jury’s request is required by K.S.A. 22-3420(3). See State v. Boyd, 257 Kan. 82, 87-88, 891 P.2d 358 (1995). However, the manner and extent of the trial court’s response to a request for a readback lie within the sound discretion of the trial court. 257 Kan. at 87; see State v. Hopkins, 257 Kan. 723, Syl. ¶ 1, 896 P.2d 373 (1995).

The trial court may grant a new trial if required in the interest of justice. K.S.A. 22-3501(1). In State v. Morris, 255 Kan. 964, 880 P.2d 1244 (1994), the defendant claimed that the court erred in refusing to admit certain evidence. In reviewing whether the failure to admit the evidence was error, this court stated:

“Review of the admission or the exclusion of evidence is governed by K.S.A. 60-261, the harmless error rule, which provides that no error in either the admission or the exclusion of evidence by the court is a ground for granting a new trial or for setting aside a verdict unless refusal to take such action appears to the [686]*686court inconsistent with substantial justice.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
914 P.2d 950, 259 Kan. 682, 1996 Kan. LEXIS 50, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-v-lolar-kan-1996.