State v. Phillips

607 P.2d 56, 227 Kan. 370, 1980 Kan. LEXIS 239
CourtSupreme Court of Kansas
DecidedMarch 1, 1980
DocketNo. 50,890
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 607 P.2d 56 (State v. Phillips) 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. Phillips, 607 P.2d 56, 227 Kan. 370, 1980 Kan. LEXIS 239 (kan 1980).

Opinions

The opinion of the court was delivered by

Herd, J.:

This is an appeal from a jury conviction of aggravated kidnapping (K.S.A. 21-3421) and felony murder (K.S.A. 21-3401). The defendant was sentenced to two life terms. He appeals.

On August 1, 1978, at 5:00 a.m., Leroy Jenkins was awakened by the defendant, Cleophas C. Phillips, Jr., knocking on his door. Phillips asked Jenkins to go fishing. Jenkins agreed and followed Phillips to his truck which was parked outside Jenkins’ home. In the ensuing conversation, Phillips inquired of Jenkins as to the whereabouts of one Michael Mitchell. Phillips displayed an automatic pistol and insisted Jenkins show him where Mitchell lived. There is no evidence Jenkins was threatened by the gun. The two drove the truck to Mitchell’s home. Once there, Phillips went to the door and got Mitchell out of bed, saying the three needed to talk. He did not display the gun to Mitchell at that time. Mitchell and the defendant returned to the truck. As he approached the truck, Mitchell inquired of Jenkins, who was sitting [371]*371in the passenger’s side, what this was all about. Mitchell sat down on the curb with Phillips and the three of them talked a short time, while Jenkins remained in the truck. At this juncture, Phillips said he wanted to talk to Mitchell and they went to the back of the pickup and held a brief conversation. Jenkins stated the two then came around to the driver’s side of the truck. Phillips told Mitchell to get in the pickup and brandished the pistol. Mitchell got in and thereafter, Phillips proceeded to pistol whip him and to hit him about the face and head with a whiskey bottle. Jenkins testified he asked Phillips to leave Mitchell alone but Phillips ordered him out of the truck. Jenkins testified he got out of the pickup on the passenger’s side, walked behind the vehicle and across the street from where he observed Phillips outside of the open door of the pickup on the driver’s side with Mitchell, bent over on the seat, partially out of the truck. Jenkins further testified Cleophas was making comments to the effect that Mitchell was trying to seduce Phillips’ ex-wife and his sister. Jenkins approached the truck and again attempted to tell Phillips to stop hitting Mitchell, but the defendant ordered him away. Cleophas struck one more blow with the pistol to Mitchell’s head and the gun fired the fatal shot. Jenkins testified as the pistol came down and fired it appeared to him the blow was the same as the others and Phillips had no intent to fire the gun. He stated Phillips appeared shocked and held Mitchell’s head up. Phillips propped Mitchell up in the pickup and sped to the hospital to obtain medical treatment; however, Mitchell died.

The shooting was reported to the police, immediately following the shot, by Mitchell’s girl friend, Betty Glenn, who heard gunfire and rushed from her apartment to the pickup to investigate. She was able to see that Mitchell was bleeding and wounded. Phillips hurriedly drove away just as she arrived and was met by the police at the hospital. He again brandished the pistol but later surrendered without a struggle.

The defendant was charged with premeditated murder, felony murder, aggravated assault and aggravated kidnapping. He was convicted of felony murder and aggravated kidnapping.

Defendant’s first issue on appeal is the State’s failure to comply with a court order to produce a prior taped statement of a witness. Leroy Jenkins was the primary witness for the prosecution. He testified about the events which occurred immediately prior to [372]*372and during the time of the alleged murder. Among other things, Jenkins testified at trial that Phillips forced Mitchell at gun point to get into his truck and confined him there for the purpose of inflicting bodily harm on him. He testified defendant had been drinking but his state of intoxication caused no visible change from his normal behavior pattern. On cross-examination, Jenkins referred to a taped statement he gave the police on August 1,1978. The defense requested production of the tape. It had been provided only with a taped statement Jenkins made twelve days after the shooting and knew nothing of a prior statement. The court ordered the tape be furnished to defendant that evening. The order was not complied with.

After both parties had rested, prior to the giving of instructions, the defendant moved to strike the testimony of Jenkins because the State had not produced the August 1 tape as ordered. At that time it was revealed the prosecutor had had the tape in his possession but had not revealed it to the defendant’s attorney because he considered it inaudible and because the tape had not again been requested by the defendant. Defendant was given the opportunity to hear the tape at that time but refused. The trial court overruled the motion to strike.

Defendant contends the unrevealed tape differs significantly from Jenkins’ second statement and his testimony at trial. He contends Jenkins said nothing in his first statement about defendant yelling at Mitchell and ordering him into the truck. Rather, Jenkins said he couldn’t hear what, if anything, was said. On the other hand, at trial Jenkins testified Phillips brandished a gun and ordered Mitchell into the truck. Jenkins admitted in his first statement the defendant was talking out of his head and not making sense, while at trial he testified Phillips was acting normal. Defendant also contends the unproduced tape revealed Jenkins had prior interviews and discussions with the police, notes and writings which were also not produced pursuant to the general discovery order filed before the trial.

Defendant filed a motion for a new trial raising these issues again, and again the court denied the motion, this time because defendant was given an opportunity to listen to the tape prior to submitting the case to the jury. The controversial tape was marked Exhibit # 22 and made a part of the record on appeal. We have listened to it and read the transcription. We find the tape [373]*373completely audible and at variance with Jenkins’ trial testimony and to a lesser degree his second statement. Also, it is apparent from listening to the tape that Leroy Jenkins had talked to the police before he made the August 1 tape. Defendant was not informed of those discussions.

The court ordered all statements of witnesses and police notes of statements delivered to the defendant. None were provided. It is clear defendant spoke with the police prior to making the August 1 statement. If there are any notes of that meeting, they should have been provided pursuant to the general discovery order.

With regard to the production of the first tape for use at cross-examination, we stated in State v. Wilkins, 220 Kan. 735, 741, 556 P.2d 424 (1976):

“A trial court in exercising its discretion in ruling upon a motion to strike the testimony of a witness for failure of the prosecution to produce a statement pursuant to K.S.A. 22-3213

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Related

State v. Tunstall
651 P.2d 19 (Court of Appeals of Kansas, 1982)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
607 P.2d 56, 227 Kan. 370, 1980 Kan. LEXIS 239, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-v-phillips-kan-1980.