State v. Putnam

639 P.2d 858, 31 Wash. App. 156
CourtCourt of Appeals of Washington
DecidedMarch 2, 1982
Docket8728-2-I
StatusPublished
Cited by21 cases

This text of 639 P.2d 858 (State v. Putnam) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals of Washington primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
State v. Putnam, 639 P.2d 858, 31 Wash. App. 156 (Wash. Ct. App. 1982).

Opinion

Ringold, J.

Defendants Patrick Putnam and Calvin Hiatt appeal the judgments and sentences entered upon their convictions by a jury of the crimes of promoting prostitution in the second degree and criminal conspiracy. We reverse the criminal conspiracy convictions and affirm the convictions for promoting prostitution in the second degree.

As the result of a King County Police investigation of two businesses suspected of being fronts for prostitution, the Kinky Korner (Korner) and the American Sexuality Society (Society), Putnam and Hiatt were arrested and charged by second amended information with the crimes of promoting prostitution in the second degree and criminal conspiracy. 1

*158 The investigation began in early 1979 but was impeded by the elaborate customer screening procedures at the Korner. The police found it necessary to employ unorthodox investigatory methods, planting an undercover civilian agent, "Ms. A", as an employee at the Korner and later at the Society. "Ms. A" was told by the police to "do what was necessary" to gather evidence of prostitution. She was specifically authorized to "turn tricks", and engaged in 20 to 25 acts of prostitution over a 3-week period. She also supervised other women at the Society and took part in recruitment activities with the knowledge of the police, who had told her to "go ahead."

At the pretrial hearing the defendants moved for dismissal or suppression of "Ms. A's" testimony at trial because of the police investigatory methods. The court denied the motions. The trials of the four defendants were severed. Hiatt and Putnam were tried together before a jury and found guilty on all counts. Each received a prison sentence of 5 years for promoting prostitution in the second degree and 1 year for criminal conspiracy, to be served concurrently. Thirteen assignments of error are made which present three issues for our consideration.

Conspiracy Charge

Defendants contend that it was improper to charge and convict under both RCW 9A.28.040,* 2 the general conspiracy statute, and RCW 9A.88.080, 3 promoting prostitution in *159 the second degree. They argue that the words "or engages in any other conduct designed to institute, aid, or facilitate an act or enterprise of prostitution", used in defining the crime under RCW 9A.88.080, encompass any and all conspiratorial acts committed. They contend that the existence of the specific prostitution statute excludes application of the general conspiracy statute, and view State v. Cann, 92 Wn.2d 193, 595 P.2d 912 (1979), as controlling. The State responds that Cann is based on specific statutory language dealing with soliciting, and is inapplicable to the offense of conspiracy.

In Cann the defendant invited two police agents posing as prostitutes to join his prostitution enterprise. He was convicted under RCW 9A.88.080 of promoting prostitution in the second degree, and argued on appeal that the statutory scheme was unconstitutional since it gave the prosecutor the option of charging either a misdemeanor (criminal solicitation, RCW 9A.28.030) or a felony (promoting prostitution in the second degree, RCW 9A.88.080) for the same conduct. The court held that RCW 9A.88.080 was a special statute intended to punish conduct relating to prostitution activity, including solicitation for such purposes. Cann, at 197: Applying the rule of statutory construction that where general and special laws are concurrent, the special law applies to the exclusion of the general, the court held that Cann could not have been charged under RCW 9A.28.030 for solicitation of prostitutes, and affirmed the conviction. Id.

We disagree with the State's contention that the Cann court did not rely on the "any other conduct" clause of *160 9A.88.060, but on the express statutory language dealing with "soliciting." That clause reads "solicits customers for prostitution". RCW 9A.88.060(1). Cann did not solicit customers, he solicited prostitutes. The court held that application of the general solicitation statute to prostitution was precluded by the language of RCW 9A.88.060, proscribing "conduct designed to institute, aid, or facilitate an act or enterprise of prostitution."

We hold that Cann likewise precludes the charging of a general conspiracy to promote prostitution under RCW 9A.28.040. Any agreement to engage in or cause the performance of prostitution activity constitutes "conduct designed to institute, aid, or facilitate an act or enterprise of prostitution." Under the rule of Cann, the specific statute excludes the general and "the prosecutor ... is not at liberty to charge under the general statute a person whose conduct brings his offense within the special statute." Cann, at 197. The conspiracy convictions must be reversed.

Entrapment and Due Process

Putnam and Hiatt argue that the police conduct was so outrageous as to constitute either entrapment as a matter of law or a violation of due process.

The entrapment defense has been codified in Washington. 4 The statute articulates the "subjective" theory of entrapment, requiring proof of mental state; if a defendant was otherwise disposed to commit the crime, the defense is not available. State v. Swain, 10 Wn. App. 885, 520 P.2d 950 (1974). Neither appellant has urged that the police misconduct in this investigation induced them to commit *161 the crimes charged; thus no entrapment defense is available.

Putnam and Hiatt claim, however, that "Ms.

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Bluebook (online)
639 P.2d 858, 31 Wash. App. 156, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-v-putnam-washctapp-1982.