Thomas Armendarez Mitchell, Jr. v. Frank A. Eyman, Warden, Arizona State Prison

468 F.2d 856, 1972 U.S. App. LEXIS 6963
CourtCourt of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
DecidedOctober 30, 1972
Docket72-1648
StatusPublished
Cited by5 cases

This text of 468 F.2d 856 (Thomas Armendarez Mitchell, Jr. v. Frank A. Eyman, Warden, Arizona State Prison) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Thomas Armendarez Mitchell, Jr. v. Frank A. Eyman, Warden, Arizona State Prison, 468 F.2d 856, 1972 U.S. App. LEXIS 6963 (9th Cir. 1972).

Opinion

JERTBERG, Circuit Judge:

Appellant, Mitchell, a prisoner of the State of Arizona, appeals from an order of the United States District Court for the District of Arizona denying his petition for a writ of habeas corpus without an evidentiary hearing.

Following a jury trial, appellant was convicted on Count One — attempted kidnapping “while armed with a gun,” and Count Two — assault with a “deadly weapon or instrument, to wit: a gun,” and was sentenced on each count for a term of not less than ten years nor more than fifteen years, both sentences to run concurrently.

On appeal to the Supreme Court of Arizona judgment and sentence was affirmed on Count One, and the judgment and sentence on Count Two was vacated and set aside. State of Arizona v. Mitchell, 106 Ariz. 492, 478 P.2d 517 (1970). Two petitions for writs of habeas corpus presented to the Supreme Court of Arizona were denied without hearing.

The offenses upon which appellant was convicted occurred on November 14, 1968. Counsel was appointed to represent the appellant and on arraignment, pleas of “not guilty”, and “not guilty by reason of insanity” were entered.

On motion of appellant’s counsel the trial court appointed medical experts to examine appellant to determine whether he understood the proceedings against him and was able to assist in his defense, and to ascertain his mental condition at the time of the commission of the offenses charged against him. Hearing was held by the trial court outside the presence of the jury. Following the taking of the expert medical testimony, the court ruled that appellant understood the proceedings against him and was able to assist in his own defense.

The jury trial of appellant was conducted pursuant to the bifurcated trial procedure provided for in A.R.S. § 13-1621.01. 1

This bifurcated procedure was declared unconstitutional by the Arizona Supreme Court on June 18, 1970. State of Arizona v. Shaw, 106 Ariz. 103, 471 P.2d 715 (1970). This decision was not given retroactive effect. State of Arizona ex rel. Berger v. Superior Court, 106 Ariz. 365, 476 P.2d 666 (1970).

*858 At the first phase of the bifurcated trial, testimony was given by the victim who testified to the attempt of appellant to abduct her at the point of a gun during the noon recess, from the playground of the school which she attended. Corroborative testimony was received from several teachers and school employees, and a clip type gun was received in evidence which was found near the appellant’s truck. Certain admissions made by the appellant were also received in evidence following a hearing by the trial judge, without the presence of the jury. At the conclusion of the hearing the trial judge found that the admissions were voluntarily made by appellant, beyond a reasonable doubt, and after appellant had been advised of his constitutional rights.

The only witness offered by appellant was a deputy sheriff who testified that the mere placing of a clip in an automatic pistol did not constitute a loaded weapon.

Following arguments and instructions, the jury returned verdicts of guilty on the guilt or innocence phase of the bifurcated trial procedure.

At the trial on the insanity phase of the bifurcated trial, the State offered the testimony of one of the medical witnesses who had been appointed to examine the mental state of the appellant. He (Dr. Estes) testified that appellant suffered from an illness diagnosed as borderline psychosis, or the more modern definition of schizophrenic latent type. He further testified that in his opinion appellant knew the nature and quality of his acts, and that he knew right from wrong at the time of the commission of the offenses charged.

On direct examination the witness testified to certain statements made by appellant concerning his conduct at the time, and prior to the commission of the offenses charged. No objection was interposed by appellant or his counsel to the eliciting or reception in evidence of such statements.

The State called two lay witnesses who testified as to their observations of appellant, as to his conduct and coherence during the events in question at the school ground, as well as to admissions made by appellant, previously referred to.

In his own defense appellant called as a witness Dr. Jones, an expert, who had been appointed by the court to examine the mental state of the appellant. He testified appellant had an inadequate personality with evidence of psychosis; and that it was his opinion while appellant knew, in terms of facts, the difference between right and wrong, he did not appreciate the quality of his acts.

Appellant testified in his own behalf and related to the jury the major events of his life and peculiar experiences from childhood to adulthood, including his voluntary commitment to the Arizona State Hospital where he was detained but not treated.

Following arguments by counsel, and instructions, the jury returned its verdicts finding that appellant was sane at the time of the commission of the offenses charged.

Upon the filing of the petition for writ of habeas corpus, the District Court issued an order to show cause directed to the appellee who caused to be filed with his answer a complete transcript of the proceedings had in the trial court of Arizona, including the reporter’s transcript.

Following the denial of appellant’s petition the District Court issued its certificate of probable cause and permitted appellant to prosecute this appeal in for-ma pauperis.

Appellant first contends that the bifurcated trial procedure provided for in 5 A.R.S. § 13-1621.01 [set forth in footnote 1, supra] deprived him of due process and the equal protection of the law clauses of the Fourteenth Amendment, in that he was denied the right to offer in the guilt or innocent phase of the' trial, for purposes of negating a criminal intent in the commission of the *859 offenses charged, psychiatric testimony of Dr. Estes and Dr. Jones which was received in evidence in the insanity phase of the trial, and which appellant states in his brief was “available for the first phase of the trial.”

In his memorandum order the District Judge stated:

“A review of the record indicates that neither petitioner nor his counsel attempted to introduce any such testimony into evidence.”

We, too, have reviewed the record and find the record bare of any offer of proof or other attempt on the part of the appellant to offer such testimony on the guilt or innocence phase of the trial. Furthermore, there is nothing in the record to indicate that appellant made any effort to persuade the trial judge that only a single trial should be had, as mentioned in 5 A.R.S.

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Related

Newton v. Superior Court
525 F. Supp. 1040 (N.D. California, 1981)
Commonwealth Ex Rel. Platt v. Platt
404 A.2d 410 (Superior Court of Pennsylvania, 1979)
Flores v. State
572 P.2d 746 (Wyoming Supreme Court, 1977)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
468 F.2d 856, 1972 U.S. App. LEXIS 6963, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/thomas-armendarez-mitchell-jr-v-frank-a-eyman-warden-arizona-state-ca9-1972.