State v. Stanley

2001 NMSC 037, 37 P.3d 85, 131 N.M. 368
CourtNew Mexico Supreme Court
DecidedDecember 11, 2001
Docket25,664
StatusPublished
Cited by82 cases

This text of 2001 NMSC 037 (State v. Stanley) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering New Mexico Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
State v. Stanley, 2001 NMSC 037, 37 P.3d 85, 131 N.M. 368 (N.M. 2001).

Opinion

OPINION

MAES, Justice.

{1} Defendant, Donald Stanley, was convicted of one count of first-degree murder as well as intimidation of a witness following a jury trial. He was sentenced to life imprisonment plus three years. This Court has original appellate jurisdiction over sentences imposing life imprisonment. See Rule 12-102(A)(1) NMRA 2001.

{2} On appeal, we consider four evidentiary issues raised by Defendant: (1) whether the trial court abused its discretion in excluding expert witness testimony relating to suicidal tendencies of the decedent, Toby Peek; (2) whether the trial court abused its discretion in limiting testimony relating to Peek’s alleged practice of inhalant abuse to reputation and/or opinion evidence, and in not permitting impeachment through prior inconsistent witness statements on this matter; (3) whether the trial court erred in denying the suppression of evidence obtained pursuant to a search warrant; and (4) whether the trial court committed fundamental error in allowing rebuttal testimony concerning the recorded time on a security video showing Defendant in a convenience store on the night of the incident. Defendant also argues sufficiency of the evidence, error in not holding a hearing on his motion for a new trial, ineffective assistance of counsel and cumulative error.

{3} We reverse Defendant’s conviction for first-degree murder and remand for a new trial based on: (1) the erroneous exclusion of expert witness testimony' relating to Peek’s suicidal tendencies; (2) the failure of the trial court to allow impeachment of a witness regarding his statement about Peek’s alleged reputation for inhalant abuse; and (3) the prejudicial effect of the cumulative errors.

Factual Summary

{4} Defendant lived with Peek in a Farmington apartment which had no phone. At approximately 5:00 a.m., on the morning of February 28, 1998, Defendant walked to the home of Pasqual Montafio, Peek’s de facto guardian for the receipt of his disability benefits, and told Montafio that he believed Peek was dead. According to Montafio, Defendant stated he had gone out, returned to find Peek on fire, and made efforts to extinguish the fire with water. Montafio drove Defendant the short distance back to the apartment and called 911 en route. Peek was discovered dead as a result of a small fire which burned primarily his clothes and body and caused little other damage to the apartment. Defendant was questioned both at the scene and at the police station. The following day, he was arrested and charged with murdering Peek. The remaining facts pertinent to the appeal will be set forth as needed in the analysis of the issues.

Evidentiary Issues

Standard of Review

{5} We examine the admission or exclusion of evidence for abuse of discretion, and the trial court’s determination will not be disturbed absent a clear abuse of that discretion. State v. Worley, 100 N.M. 720, 723, 676 P.2d 247, 250 (1984). “An abuse of discretion occurs when the ruling is clearly against the logic and effect of the facts and circumstances of the case. We cannot say the trial court abused its discretion by its ruling unless we can characterize it as clearly untenable or not justified by reason.” State v. Woodward, 121 N.M. 1, 4, 908 P.2d 231, 234 (1995).

{6} All relevant evidence is generally admissible, unless otherwise provided by law, and evidence that is not relevant is not admissible. Rule 11-402 NMRA 2001. Evidence is relevant if it has a tendency to make more or less probable a fact that is of consequence to the determination of the action. Rule 11-401 NMRA 2001. Any doubt should be resolved in favor of admissibility. State v. Stampley, 1999-NMSC-027, ¶ 38, 127 N.M. 426, 982 P.2d 477.

1) Whether the Trial Court Abused its Discretion in Excluding Evidence on the Decedent’s Suicidal Tendencies

{7} Defendant argues the trial court abused its discretion in excluding evidence relating to Peek’s suicidal tendencies and he was prejudiced as a result. In support of his theory that Peek burned himself to death, Defendant sought to introduce evidence of Peek’s mental illness, his suicidal ideations, and prior suicide attempts.

{8} ■ Defendant proffered the testimony of Dr. William Foote, a clinical and forensic psychologist, who reviewed Peek’s extensive psychological and psychiatric history. Dr. Foote would have testified that Peek had been diagnosed as suffering from schizophrenia and bouts of severe depression, and had attempted suicide on at least six occasions since 1987. Five of the attempts occurred by way of an overdose of prescription drugs and the other by slashing himself. Dr. Foote would have also testified that Peek was a substance abuser, consuming mainly alcohol, but also prescription drugs, solvents or whatever else was available. There were indications in his medical records that Peek had sustained brain injury as a result of solvent abuse. According to Dr. Foote, Peek’s behavior tended to follow a consistent pattern in which violent or suicidal behavior would result in hospitalization and stabilization through therapeutic drugs. However, following hospital release, Peek would cease taking his medication and begin abusing alcohol or other substances. That, in turn, would contribute to his suicidal ideations and lead to other violent incidents or suicide attempts.

{9} Peek appeared to be following this pattern at the time of his death. Three weeks prior to his death, he had expressed to his counselor suicidal ideations and that he intended to stop taking his medication. Also, in the weeks leading up to his death, Peek missed several counseling appointments. The absence of therapeutic drugs in his system indicated that Peek had not taken his medication for at least two weeks prior to his death. Finally, Dr. Foote would have testified that, based on studies of people who commit suicide by self-immolation, Peek was more likely than the average person to have ended his life in this manner due to the combined effects of schizophrenia, depression, his history of personality disorder and violent behavior, and intoxication at the time of death.

{10} The trial court determined the evidence of Peek’s mental illness and suicidal propensities was irrelevant under Rules 11-401 and 11-402 and therefore inadmissible. It stated that, even if such evidence had been somewhat relevant, it was more prejudicial than probative and would have inserted a confusing issue, at trial under the balancing test of Rule 11-408 NMRA 2001. As an alternate ground for exclusion, the trial court considered Rule 11-404(A) NMRA 2001, which prohibits the use of character evidence offered to prove conduct. The trial court further noted Defendant had failed to show that Peek’s possible suicide was an essential element of his defense. Finally, the trial court believed there was no physical evidence specifically indicating suicide.

{11} Initially, we note the trial court’s recognition that evidence of suicide is not an element of the defense was correct, given that suicide is not a recognized affirmative defense.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
2001 NMSC 037, 37 P.3d 85, 131 N.M. 368, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-v-stanley-nm-2001.