State v. Montes

2007 NMCA 083, 164 P.3d 102, 142 N.M. 221
CourtNew Mexico Court of Appeals
DecidedJune 6, 2007
Docket25,883
StatusPublished
Cited by10 cases

This text of 2007 NMCA 083 (State v. Montes) 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. Montes, 2007 NMCA 083, 164 P.3d 102, 142 N.M. 221 (N.M. Ct. App. 2007).

Opinion

OPINION

FRY, Judge.

{1} Defendant appeals his convictions for distribution of and conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine in a school zone. He challenges the admission on cross-examination of evidence that he had distributed drugs on prior occasions and also contends that his convictions were not based on sufficient evidence. We reverse the trial court’s admission of the prosecutor’s questions of Defendant on cross-examination, and, because we hold there was sufficient evidence on both convictions, we remand for a new trial.

BACKGROUND

{2} On March 31, 2004, four New Mexico State Police officers were working undercover in Las Cruces, New Mexico. Two of the officers, Agents Hartranft and Coburn, posing as construction workers who periodically worked on projects in town, came in contact with Brenda Bustamante at a gas station. The agents knew Bustamante from previous occasions when they relied on her as an “unwitting informant;” that is, she was the “go-between” person who arranged drug transactions without knowing she was dealing with police. There were also two agents serving as backup to Agents Hartranft and Coburn who were conducting mobile surveillance.

{3} On the night in question, Agents Hartranft and Coburn inquired whether Bustamante could get them some methamphetamine. Bustamante said that she could not, but she introduced them to her companion that evening, Apple Davis, as someone from whom the officers could arrange to purchase methamphetamine. Davis testified that she eventually met up with Sammy Meraz, who told Davis that he could find her drugs. Davis testified that she and Meraz left the officers and Bustamante to go to Defendant’s parents’ house and arranged to meet the officers at Sierra Middle School. At Defendant’s parents’ house, Davis testified that she stayed in the car while Meraz approached Defendant, who was outside working on his car. She testified that Defendant and Meraz walked back to the car where Davis was waiting and, while in her presence, Defendant stated “$100,” which Davis understood to mean that the price of drugs was $100 per gram. Davis testified that she and Meraz then left Defendant’s house to meet the officers to confirm that the price was acceptable. Davis testified that after confirming the price was acceptable, she and Meraz returned to Defendant’s mother’s house for a second time. Davis remained in the car while Meraz got out of the car and knocked on the door and Defendant came out of the house. Davis testified that she did not hear any of the conversation between Defendant and Meraz, nor did she watch the two men when they were talking to each other. Davis also testified that she did not see Defendant give Meraz drugs or Meraz give Defendant money. But Davis did testify that she and Meraz then went to the middle school and gave the drugs, 1.78 grams of methamphetamine, to the officers.

{4} Defendant testified at trial that on March 31, 2004, he was visiting his mother at her house and was outside by his car when Meraz and Davis drove up and called him over to Davis’s car. Defendant testified that they asked him where they could purchase methamphetamine and that he told them he did not know. Defendant testified that Meraz got out of the car, followed Defendant up to his car, and inquired again about where Meraz could get drugs. Defendant said that he again told Meraz that he did not know. Defendant admitted that he used cocaine and methamphetamine, but he denied manufacturing, selling, or dealing drugs.

DISCUSSION

{5} Defendant makes two arguments on appeal. First, he contends that the form of the prosecutor’s questioning of Defendant on cross-examination was improper impeachment and violated Defendant’s right to confrontation. Second, Defendant argues that there was insufficient evidence to convict him on the charges of distribution of methamphetamine in a school zone and conspiracy to do the same. We address each argument in turn and provide more facts as needed.

I. Evidentiary Issues

{6} During the State’s case in chief, Davis testified that she knew Defendant “as a person who could sell or give away methamphetamine.” Defendant objected to this questioning of Davis because it went beyond the scope of the alleged incident and because its prejudicial effect outweighed its probative value. The State responded that Davis’s testimony explained how Davis knew Defendant. The trial court overruled Defendant’s objection. Later, during Defendant’s case in chief, Defendant testified that he was a drug user, but he denied manufacturing or dealing drugs. Then, on cross-examination, the prosecutor asked Defendant the following question: “[Bjack in July of 2003, [if] Cecilia Mata referred to you as her source [for buying drugs], she would just be wrong?” At that point, defense counsel objected and the following conversation occurred at the bench outside the hearing of the jury:

[Defense Counsel]: I object to this line of questioning. In particular, since he is citing to people who are not present in the courtroom who can testify under oath in front of the jury____ None of them are present in the court. So I think, certainly, it violates his right to confrontation. Obviously, I can’t really impeach his statement.
[Prosecutor]: Your Honor, I think all the statements are to the undercover officers];] therefore it is in furtherance of the conspiracy naming this defendant. I think also the defense kicked the door wide open by saying he is known in the community as a drug user, not as a drug dealer. I think they opened it to this line of cross-examination.
The Court: Well, for impeachment purposes you opened the door, [defense counsel]. I am going to allow the questions, but no extrinsic evidence. He either denies it or admits them.

The prosecutor proceeded to ask Defendant, using the same or similar form of question, whether he “would be surprised” that Claudia Padilla, Brenda Bustamante, Anna Tellez, Hope Tellez, and Albert “Birdie” Jimenez had all referred to Defendant as their source for drugs.

{7} On appeal, Defendant challenges the trial court’s decision allowing the State to question Defendant as it did. Defendant claims that the prosecutor’s questions contained inadmissible hearsay and violated Defendant’s confrontation rights, that the questions were improper for the purposes of impeachment, and that the questions amounted to impermissible character evidence. The State responds that the evidentiary rules relied on by Defendant do not apply to questions posed on cross-examination, and that the questions were appropriate to rebut Defendant’s testimony that he was not a drug dealer.

{8} Generally, this Court reviews a trial court’s decision to admit or exclude evidence for abuse of discretion. State v. Elinski, 1997-NMCA-117, ¶ 8,124 N.M. 261, 948 P.2d 1209. We conduct a de novo review of the application of the law to the facts. Id.

A. The Trial Court Erred in Allowing the Prosecutor to Cross-Examine Defendant Using Hearsay Testimony

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
2007 NMCA 083, 164 P.3d 102, 142 N.M. 221, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-v-montes-nmctapp-2007.