State v. Otton

374 P.3d 1108, 185 Wash. 2d 673
Washington Supreme Court·Decided June 9, 2016·No. No. 91669-1·Published·Cited by 51 cases

Opinions

Yu, J.

¶ 1 While ostensibly concerning the interpretation of an evidentiary rule, this is actually a case about stare decisis. Petitioner Nakia Lee Otton seeks reversal of his convictions for second degree assault and felony harassment. The victim testified at Otton’s trial, and because her testimony was inconsistent with her prior sworn statement to police about the incident, the trial court admitted the victim’s prior statement as substantive evidence. Otton acknowledges that the trial court’s decision and the Court of Appeals opinion affirming that decision were proper in accordance with this court’s long-standing precedent. He asks us to reject that precedent. We decline the invitation and affirm the Court of Appeals.

FACTUAL AND PROCEDURAL HISTORY

¶2 Otton and the victim had a romantic relationship and lived in the same household. The victim was disabled due to a history of multiple brain surgeries and sometimes had difficulties with memory and speaking. Late one night in [677] December 2012, Otton and the victim had a confrontation. After Otton left the house, the victim called 911. When the police arrived, the victim gave a written statement, signed under penalty of perjury, alleging that Otton held her on the bed and against the wall by her neck so that she could not breathe and told her he was going to kill her. The State charged Otton with second degree assault and felony harassment.

¶3 At trial, the victim testified that while she would not have intentionally lied to police, her allegations against Otton were false, and that she had called 911 because she was “angry” and “had a couple of drinks.” 2A Verbatim Report of Proceedings (VRP) (Aug. 7, 2013) at 132. At the State’s request and over Otton’s objection, the trial court admitted the victim’s written statement as substantive evidence pursuant to ER 801(d)(1)(i), in accordance with State v. Smith, 97 Wn.2d 856, 651 P.2d 207 (1982), and State v. Binh Thach, 126 Wn. App. 297, 106 P.3d 782 (2005). 2A VRP at 212. The jury convicted Otton as charged, and the Court of Appeals affirmed in an unpublished opinion. State v. Otton, noted at 187 Wn. App. 1001, review granted, 184 Wn.2d 1017, 360 P.3d 819 (2015).

ISSUE

¶4 Should this court reject Smith’s interpretation of ER 801(d)(l)(i)?

ANALYSIS

A. Standard of review and principles of stare decisis

¶5 A decision to admit or exclude evidence is generally reviewed for abuse of discretion. State v. Griffin, 173 Wn.2d 467, 473, 268 P.3d 924 (2012). But in this case, Otton does not challenge the manner in which the trial court exercised its discretion; he challenges the way this court previously interpreted ER 801(d)(1)(i). “‘Interpretation of [678] an evidentiary rule is a question of law, which we review de novo,’” id. (quoting State v. Foxhoven, 161 Wn.2d 168, 174, 163 P.3d 786 (2007)), but we have previously addressed the precise question Otton now raises. We must therefore be mindful of stare decisis.

¶6 “Stare decisis is a doctrine developed by courts to accomplish the requisite element of stability in court-made law, but is not an absolute impediment to change.” In re Rights to Waters of Stranger Creek, 77 Wn.2d 649, 653, 466 P.2d 508 (1970). In order to effectuate the purposes of stare decisis, this court will reject its prior holdings only upon “a clear showing that an established rule is incorrect and harmful.” Id. There are also “ ‘relatively rare’ occasions when a court should eschew prior precedent in deference to intervening authority” where “the legal underpinnings of our precedent have changed or disappeared altogether.” W.G. Clark Constr. Co. v. Pac. Nw. Reg’l Council of Carpenters, 180 Wn.2d 54, 66, 322 P.3d 1207 (2014) (internal quotation marks omitted) (quoting Carpenters Local Union No. 26 v. U.S. Fid. & Guar. Co., 215 F.3d 136, 141 (1st Cir. 2000)).

¶7 When a party asks this court to reject its prior decision, it “is an invitation we do not take lightly.” State v. Barber, 170 Wn.2d 854, 863, 248 P.3d 494 (2011). The question is not whether we would make the same decision if the issue presented were a matter of first impression. Instead, the question is whether the prior decision is so problematic that it must be rejected, despite the many benefits of adhering to precedent—“ ‘promoting] the evenhanded, predictable, and consistent development of legal principles, fosterling] reliance on judicial decisions, and contribuí [ing] to the actual and perceived integrity of the judicial process.’” Keene v. Edie, 131 Wn.2d 822, 831, 935 P.2d 588 (1997) (quoting Payne v. Tennessee, 501 U.S. 808, 827, 111 S. Ct. 2597, 115 L. Ed. 2d 720 (1991)). With these principles in mind, we turn to the precedent Otton asks us to reject—Smith, 97 Wn.2d 856.

[679] B. The Smith decision and its application in this case

¶8 Smith was a case about the proper interpretation of ER 801(d)(l)(i), an evidentiary rule concerning the definition of “hearsay.” “Hearsay” is defined generally as “a statement, other than one made by the declarant while testifying at the trial or hearing, offered in evidence to prove the truth of the matter asserted.” ER 801(c). “Hearsay is not admissible except as provided by these [evidentiary] rules, by other court rules, or by statute.” ER 802. However, ER 801(d)(1) provides that an out-of-court statement is not hearsay if

[t]he declarant testifies at the trial or hearing and is subject to cross examination concerning the statement, and the statement is (i) inconsistent with the declarant’s testimony, and was given under oath subject to the penalty of peijury at a trial, hearing, or other proceeding, or in a deposition.

Because such a statement is not hearsay, it is admissible at trial as substantive evidence, that is, to prove the truth of matter asserted in the statement.1

¶9 As noted, it is undisputed on appeal that the victim in this case testified at Otton’s trial, that she was subject to cross-examination about her prior written statement, that the prior written statement was inconsistent with the victim’s trial testimony, and that the prior written statement was given under oath and subject to the penalty of peijury. The only question is whether her police interview was an “other proceeding” within the meaning of ER 801(d)(l)(i).

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State v. Otton, 374 P.3d 1108, 185 Wash. 2d 673 (Wash. 2016).

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