On Point: 46. WI Court of Appeals

State v. Andre L. Miller, 2012 WI App 68 (recommended for publication); for Miller: Jeffrey J. Guerard; case activity

Haseltine “Vouching” Rule 

The anti-vouching rule of State v. Haseltine, 120 Wis. 2d 92, 352 N.W.2d 673 (Ct. App. 1984) (one witness may not comment on the credibility of another witness) isn’t applicable to a pre-trial interrogation during which the detective describes the defendant as lying.

State v. Darryl P. Benson, 2010AP2455-CR, District 1, 5/8/12

court of appeals decision (not recommended for publication); for Benson: Mary Scholle, SPD, Milwaukee Appellate; case activity

Sexual assault charges were not duplicitous, and in any event, potential unanimity problem was resolved by the instructions:

¶17      To begin, we conclude that the amended information properly notified Benson of the charges against him.  The counts were set forth with enough specificity to allow Benson to plead and defend himself and to protect him from being tried twice for the same offense.  

court of appeals decision (not recommended for publication), supreme court review granted 11/14/12; for Alexander: Hans P. Koesser; case activity

Juror Selection / Dismissal – Right to Personal Presence 

A defendant has a non-waivable right to personal presence at voir dire, ¶6 (citing, § 971.04(1)(c); and, State v. Harris, 229 Wis. 2d 832, 839, 601 N.W.2d 682 (Ct.

State v. Christopher Walter Hurns, 2011AP857-CR, District 1, 5/8/12

court of appeals decision (not recommended for publication); for Hurns: Rex Anderegg; case activity

Hurns wasn’t entitled to adduce, as an exception to the rape shield law, evidence of the complainant’s prior untruthful allegation of sexual assault; § 972.11(2)(b), as informed by 3-part test of State v. DeSantis, 155 Wis. 2d 774, 456 N.W.2d 600 (1990),

State v. Dwain M. Staten, 2011AP916-CR, District 1, 5/8/12

court of appeals decision (not recommended for publication); for Staten: Michael J. Steinle; case activity

Postconviction DNA Testing, § 974.07 

Postconviction testing at state expense requires, among other things, that the defendant show a reasonable probability he wouldn’t have been prosecuted or convicted with exculpatory test results. Staten, whose defense to sexual assault was consent rather than misidentification,

State v. William Martin, 2011AP2168, District 1, 5/8/12

court of appeals decision (not recommended for publication); pro se; case activity; prior history: unpublished decision (2007AP1293-CR)

Because the record conclusively demonstrated that Martin wasn’t entitled to relief, State v. Love, 2005 WI 116, ¶26, 284 Wis. 2d 111, 700 N.W.2d 62, the circuit court properly denied without a hearing his claim that postconviction counsel was ineffective (for failing to argue appellate counsel’s ineffectiveness in several respects).

State v. Herbert Ambrose Darden, 2011AP883-CR, District 4, 5/3/12

court of appeals decision (not recommended for publication); for Darden: Angela Conrad Kachelski; case activity

Trial counsel correctly construed the holding of State v. Miller, 231 Wis. 2d 447, 460, 605 N.W.2d 567 (Ct. App. 1999):

¶16      This is not the first time that we have been asked to determine whether or not Miller created a bright-line rule that evidence of flight is inadmissible if there is an independent explanation for the flight that cannot be explained to the jury.  

County of Waukesha v. Thomas C. Groshek, 2011AP001371, District 2/4, 5/3/12

court of appeals decision (1-judge, not for publication); for Groshek: Thomas C. Simon; case activity

¶7        Deputy Smith was dispatched to a semi-rural area to investigate a report  that a motorcycle had been involved in an accident at approximately 1:30 a.m., around “bar time,” in the vicinity of a bar.  Smith was advised that following the accident,

State v. Michael F. Hyzy, 2011AP2503-CR,    District 2, 5/2/12

court of appeals decision (1-judge, not for publication); for Hyzy: Jefren E. Olsen, SPD, Madison Appellate; case activity

Evidence held sufficient to uphold OWI guilty verdict, against argument of failure of proof that roadways of gated community were “held out to the public for use of their motor vehicles.”

¶11      Construing this evidence in the conviction’s favor,

Jessica L. G. v. Gilbert G. J., III, 2011AP3000, District 2, 5/2/12

court of appeals decision (1-judge, not for publication); for Gilbert G.J.: Brian C. Findley; case activity

Jessica sought termination of Gilbert’s parental rights to their child. They divorced shortly after the child was born in 1997, and Gilbert had had contact with the child only once since. Jessica remarried; her new husband wanted to adopt the child,