State v. Wise

148 Wash. App. 425
CourtCourt of Appeals of Washington
DecidedJanuary 27, 2009
DocketNo. 36625-8-II
StatusPublished
Cited by23 cases

This text of 148 Wash. App. 425 (State v. Wise) 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. Wise, 148 Wash. App. 425 (Wash. Ct. App. 2009).

Opinions

Quinn-Brintnall, J.

¶1 A jury found Eric D. Wise guilty of second degree burglary and first degree theft. He argues that the trial court violated his federal and state constitutional right to an open trial, as well as the public’s state right to an open trial, when it conducted portions of voir dire in the trial judge’s chambers without first conducting a Bone-Club1 analysis. Because Wise waived any objection to the questioning of jurors who asked to be questioned privately in the judge’s chambers and because Wise lacks standing to assert the public’s right to an open trial, we affirm.

FACTS

¶2 Wise was charged with second degree burglary and first degree theft in connection with the April 5, 2007 break-in of the Lake Limerick Mini Mart.2 During jury selection, the trial court read a list of potential witnesses and gave the venire an opportunity to raise numbered cards if anyone knew a particular witness. Seven potential jurors were acquainted with at least one witness. As a follow-up question, the trial court asked whether “the fact that you’re acquainted with some of these [potential witnesses] would make it difficult for you to hear this case fairly.” Suppl. Report of Proceedings (RP) (June 26, 2007) at 6. Four venire persons answered affirmatively. The trial court then asked if any potential jurors had been burglarized in the past or knew someone who had been burglarized. Four of the jurors answered affirmatively. The trial court also asked if any jurors had relatives or close friends in law enforcement; 19 answered affirmatively. Three jurors answered affirmatively when asked whether their acquaintance with some[431]*431one in law enforcement would “make it difficult for you to sit as a fair juror in this case.” Suppl. RP (June 26, 2007) at 8.

¶3 The trial court then posed a series of additional questions to the group, with the venire members answering affirmatively by holding up numbered cards. Before this questioning, the trial court stated, “ [I] f there is anything... that is sensitive and you don’t want to speak about it in this group setting!, j]ust let us know. I make a list on my notebook and we take those jurors back into chambers so that we can ask those questions more privately.” Suppl. RP (June 26, 2007) at 11-12. Although there is nothing on the record indicating that either party requested private questioning of jurors, neither the State nor Wise objected to this process.

f 4 After this group questioning, the trial court directly questioned particular venire members. The judge prefaced each question with “are you comfortable telling me . .. here or would you like to go to chambers!?]” Suppl. RP (June 26, 2007) at 13. Juror 43 requested that he be questioned in chambers. The trial court then stated, “At this time, we are going to take a number of jurors into chambers and begin a question - a series of questions there. We’ll start with Juror No. 43 and then, if counsel will approach, I’ll get the numbers for the other jurors.” Suppl. RP (June 26, 2007) at 20-21. The trial judge, Wise, his counsel, the prosecutor, and the court reporter went into chambers to question eight potential jurors who had requested that they be questioned privately.

¶5 In chambers, but on the record, the trial court asked prospective jurors about health problems, time constraints, and their relationships with witnesses and law enforcement officials. Upon returning to the courtroom, voir dire continued and the trial court gave the parties each an opportunity to ask specific questions of the potential jurors. During this questioning, one prospective juror requested to speak in chambers. The trial court also called an additional juror into chambers to ask about a response on her questionnaire concerning her history of criminal convictions. [432]*432The trial court, parties, and court reporter moved to chambers for this questioning as well and returned to the courtroom to complete jury selection.

¶6 All individual questioning took place on the record. Once the trial court and both parties finished questioning the venire, the parties exercised peremptory challenges. At the end of voir dire, the State had one remaining peremptory challenge and Wise had two remaining peremptory challenges.

¶7 The jury found Wise guilty of second degree burglary and first degree theft. The court sentenced him to 57 months and 22 months in prison, respectively. He now appeals.

ANALYSIS

¶8 Wise argues that he is entitled to a new trial because the trial judge failed to sua sponte conduct a Bone-Club analysis before closing the courtroom during jury selection. Wise urges this court to reject Division One’s holding in State v. Momah, 141 Wn. App. 705, 171 P.3d 1064 (2007), review granted in part, 163 Wn.2d 1012 (2008), that only an express order to close the courtroom constitutes a closure requiring application of Bone-Club, and asks that we follow Division Three’s holdings in State v. Frawley, 140 Wn. App. 713, 167 P.3d 593 (2007), and State v. Duckett, 141 Wn. App. 797, 173 P.3d 948 (2007).

¶9 The State argues that the trial court never closed the courtroom and that a Bone-Club analysis was unwarranted. The State also urges us to reject Division Three’s holding in Duckett that “individual juror questioning in-chambers violates a defendant’s public trial rights” and argues that Duckett ignores juror privacy rights and “[Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA), 42 U.S.C. § 1320d] for any jurors that have medical concerns.” Br. of Resp’t at 4-5.

[433]*433Standard of Review

¶10 The Sixth Amendment to the United States Constitution and article I, section 22 of the Washington Constitution guarantee criminal defendants the right to a public trial. State v. Russell, 141 Wn. App. 733, 737-38, 172 P.3d 361 (2007), review denied, 164 Wn.2d 1020 (2008). Additionally, article I, section 10 of the Washington Constitution states, “Justice in all cases shall be administered openly,” giving the public, in addition to the defendant, a right to open proceedings. Seattle Times Co. v. Ishikawa, 97 Wn.2d 30, 36, 640 P.2d 716 (1982).

¶11 We review de novo whether a trial court has violated the right to a public trial. State v. Brightman, 155 Wn.2d 506, 514, 122 P.3d 150 (2005). And we presume prejudice where the court proceedings violate this right. Bone-Club, 128 Wn.2d at 257. The jury selection proceedings fall “within the ambit of the right to a public trial.” State v. Erickson, 146 Wn. App. 200, 208, 189 P.3d 245 (2008) (citing Brightman, 155 Wn.2d at 511, 515; Bone-Club, 128 Wn.2d at 259-60). Therefore, Bone-Club appears to require a finding of necessity on the record before conducting voir dire in chambers just as it does before closure of trial proceedings. Erickson, 146 Wn. App. at 208. The remedy for a trial court’s failure to follow Bone-Club is to reverse and remand for a new trial. In re Pers. Restraint of Orange, 152 Wn.2d 795, 814, 100 P.3d 291 (2004).

Bone-Club Analysis Not Warranted

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Bluebook (online)
148 Wash. App. 425, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-v-wise-washctapp-2009.