State v. Sunday

609 P.2d 1188, 187 Mont. 292, 1980 Mont. LEXIS 751
Montana Supreme Court·Decided May 5, 1980·No. 14591·Published·Cited by 58 cases

Opinions

MR. JUSTICE SHEEHY

delivered the opinion of the Court.

Andrew C. Sunday appeals from convictions entered in the District Court, First Judicial District, Lewis and Clark County, on [296]*296charges of deliberate homicide, burglary and theft, in violation of sections 45-5-102, 45-6-204 and 45-6-301, MCA, respectively.

Sunday came to Montana in early September 1977 with James Wilson, Donna Mitchell and Mitchell’s three year old daughter. On September 4, 1977, they stopped their car at a rest area on Highway 200, east of the continental divide near Lincoln, Montana. Desiring to “get away from all the hassles” and “live off the land”, they packed up supplies and walked into the wilderness along the continental divide.

It soon became apparent they could not go far on foot. So, in the early morning hours of September 5, 1977, Sunday and Wilson took three horses from the Evergreen resort owned and operated by Kenneth and Marion McLean. Additionally, they broke into a tack shed which was used for storing horse tack used in the McLeans’ horse-renting business. They took three saddles and three bridles. The tack shed was eight feet by twenty feet and was made out of rough lumber. It contained no living facilities.

Sunday, Wilson and the Mitchells spent the next two days riding the horses along the continental divide. On the afternoon of September 6, 1977, they saw a pickup truck rapidly approaching. They tried to escape into the trees but were cut off by the pickup. The pickup was driven by Kenneth McLean. His wife was also in the pickup. Kenneth McLean stopped the pickup about sixty-five feet from Sunday, Wilson and the Mitchells.

Kenneth McLean got out of the pickup carrying a .308 caliber bolt action revolver. His wife got out carrying a .38 caliber revolver. Sunday dismounted from his horse holding a 30.30 caliber rifle. Wilson testified Sunday asked Wilson if he wanted the privilege of shooting the McLeans. Wilson had a 22.250 caliber bolt action rifle, and Mitchell had a .410 gauge single shot shotgun.

As Kenneth McLean approached, he said, “What the God damn hell is going on? What kind of prank is this? Give us our horses, or we will shoot you.” Mrs. McLean added, “Your God damn right we will.” Immediately after his threat, McLean operated the bolt [297]*297mechanism to his gun and inserted a cartridge. According to Sunday, Kenneth McLean pointed the gun directly at Sunday. Wilson and Mitchell testified the gun was pointed at the ground.

A shooting spree followed. Sunday shot Kenneth McLean in the leg. Then, Marion McLean began shooting at Sunday. Sunday returned the fire hitting Marion McLean in her abdomen and thoracic area. Sunday next approached Marion McLean. Noticing Kenneth McLean rise from the ground, Sunday turned and fired two fatal shots at Kenneth McLean. Meanwhile, Wilson who was approaching Kenneth McLean noticed Marion McLean rise. Wilson shot Marion McLean in the head killing her instantly.

Sunday then took $25 from Kenneth McLean’s wallet. Wilson took approximately $100 from Marion McLean. Sunday, Wilson and Mitchell picked up the McLeans’ weapons and left the area in the McLeans’ pickup. They were eventually arrested in Oregon.

On September 26, 1977, Sunday was charged in an amended information with two counts of deliberate homicide, two counts of felony theft and one count of burglary.

In October 1977, Sunday gave notice of his intent to rely on self-defense. On January 9, 1978, Sunday moved for a change of venue. The motion was denied on April 12, 1978, on the ground any possible prejudice was “speculation at this point.”

On July 6, 1978, Sunday moved for permission to conduct individual voir dire of the prospective jurors. The motion was denied, but the District Court said the motion might be renewed during voir dire if necessary. Sunday renewed the motion during voir dire with respect to one prospective juror, Mrs. Garrett. The District Court again denied the motion saying it would guide Mrs. Garrett. Sunday passed the panel without challenging Mrs. Garrett for cause. Later, both the State and Sunday exercised all eight of their preemptory challenges.

In July 1978, a jury verdict was rendered finding Sunday guilty of all the charges. Sunday was sentenced to a total of 240 years in the state penitentiary.

[298]*298Sunday presents eleven issues for review. These issues may be grouped as follows:

1. Whether it was error to deny Sunday’s motions for change of venue and individual voir dire of jurors;
2. Whether the State failed to prove the crimes charged against Sunday;
3. Whether the District Court failed to properly instruct the jury; and
4. Whether the sentences imposed on Sunday were erroneous.

ISSUE NO. L Change of Venue and Individual Voir Dire.

Sunday contends it was error to deny his motions for change of venue and individual voir dire. The contention is without merit.

A denial of a motion for change of venue or a motion for individual voir dire will be reversed only upon a showing of an abuse of discretion. State v. Olson (1971), 156 Mont. 339, 480 P.2d 822. Sunday has not made such a showing.

A change of venue must be based on more than an affiant’s unsupported opinions and the mere fact of pretrial publicity. The published accounts must be so passionate as to excite undue prejudice, to the extent of rendering it impossible for the accused to have a jury free from prejudice. State v. Corliss (1967), 150 Mont. 40, 49, 430 P.2d 632, 637.

Sunday’s motion for change of venue was not adequately supported. The motion was supported by the single affidavit of defense counsel. The affidavit stated defense counsel believed Sunday could not receive a fair trial due to inflammatory county-wide publicity. The affidavit was unsupported by any evidence of the number or inflammatory nature of the publications. Also, Sunday never renewed his motion for a change of venue at any time during or after jury selection.

Sunday also did not adequately support his motion for individual voir dire. Sunday never demonstrated the extent of the pretrial publicity, its inflammatory nature or whether it had any prejudicial effect on the prospective jurors. Moreover, Sunday [299]*299passed the jury panel, including Mrs. Garrett, the main object of Sunday’s concern, without challenging any potential juror for cause due to bias or prejudice. See, section 46-16-304(2)(j), MCA.

ISSUE NO. 2: Failure to Prove the Crimes Charged.

Sunday maintains the State failed to prove Sunday committed burglary since the tack shed is not an “occupied structure” as required by section 45-6-204, MCA.

A fundamental rule of statutory construction is the intent of the legislature controls. Dodd v. City of East Helena (1979), 180 Mont. 518, 591 P.2d 241, 243. In construing legislative intent, this Court construes criminal statutes according to the fair import of their terms with a view to effect their object and to promote justice. State v. Shannon (1976), 171 Mont.

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State v. Sunday, 609 P.2d 1188, 187 Mont. 292, 1980 Mont. LEXIS 751 (Mo. 1980).

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