On Point blog, page 126 of 214

Evidence – Hearsay – Co-Conspirator’s Statement, § 908.01(4)(b)5.

State v. Boon Savanh, 2005 WI App 245
For Savanh: Timothy A. Provis

Issue/Holding: ¶32, n. 4:

A statement made by a coconspirator in furtherance of the conspiracy is not a hearsay “exception”; it expressly is not hearsay. Wis. Stat. § 908.01(4)(b)5. (2003-04). While hearsay “exemption” is a more appropriate term, statements made under this subsection commonly are analyzed as hearsay and termed hearsay “exceptions.” See,

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Confrontation – Hearsay – Impeachment as Exception to Crawford / § 908.06 – Admissibility of Hearsay Statement to Attack Credibility of Declarant

State v. Jermaine Smith, 2005 WI App 152, PFR filed
For Smith: Glen B. Kulkoski

Issue: Whether a co-actor’s in-custody pretrial statements were admissible as impeachment on rebuttal after the defense introduced a different hearsay statement by that declarant.

Holding:

¶10      The State’s rebuttal was solely to impeach Nunn’s credibility under the provisions of Wis. Stat. § 908.06 ….

¶11      A defendant who introduces testimony from an unavailable declarant cannot later claim that he was harmed by his inability to cross-examine that declarant when prior inconsistent statements are introduced to impeach an out-of-court statement introduced by the defendant.

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Videotaped Statements of Children, § 908.08 – Constitutionality

State v. Kevin D. James, 2005 WI App 188
For James: Terry W. Rose

Issue/Holding: The mere fact that § 908.08 imposes a mandatory protocol (videotape admitted into evidence first; child called to testify afterward) violates neither confrontation, ¶¶10-14, nor separation-of-powers, ¶¶15-25, doctrines.This statutory procedure allows the State to introduce a child’s videotaped statement, with the child available for questioning at the defendant’s request. In effect, the videotape stands as the direct examination,

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Rape-Shield, § 972.11 – Semen Swab Not Linked to Defendant

State v. Tyrone Booker, 2005 WI App 182
For Booker: Jeffrey W. Jensen

Issue: Whether the trial court erroneously exercised discretion under the rape-shield law, and denied effective cross-examination, by excluding evidence of semen swabs of the alleged sexual assault victim not linked to Booker, where the allegations against him involved touching not intercourse.

Holding:

¶16      … The statute lists three types of evidence that are exceptions to the rape shield law: (1) evidence of the complainant’s past conduct with the defendant;

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§ 904.01, Relevance – Consciousness of Guilt: Flight

State v. Lionel N. Anderson, 2005 WI App 238
For Anderson: Harry R. Hertel; Steven H. Gibbs

Issue/Holding: Evidence of flight is not other-acts evidence but, rather, “an admission by conduct”; thus, evidence that Anderson fled the state after learning that the police had been contacted was admissible, ¶29, citing, State v. Earl L. Miller, 231 Wis.2d 447, 462, 605 N.W.2d 567 (Ct.

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§ 940.22(2), Sexual Exploitation by Therapist – Clergy as “Therapist,” Jury Instructions

State v. William E. Draughon III, 2005 WI App 162, (AG’s) PFR filed
For Draughton: Stephen L. Miller

Issue/Holding: Draughon, a pastor, was concededly a “clergy” member within § 940.22(2); however, the instructions relieved the State of its burden of proof on the element of whether he performed “therapy” in this capacity, in that they told the jury that a member of the clergy is a “therapist,” without specifically requiring that Draughon in fact performed therapy:

¶13      Jury instructions that have the effect of relieving the State of its burden of proving beyond a reasonable doubt every element of the offense charged are unconstitutional under the Fifth and Sixth Amendments.

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OWI, § 346.63(1)(am) – Elements, Proof of “Impairment” Not Necessary

State v. Joseph L. Smet, 2005 WI App 263
For Smet: Christopher A. Mutschler

Issue/Holding: Proof of “impairment” is not a necessary element of § 346.63, ¶¶12-16.

Section 346.63(1)(am) (driving under influence of detectable amount of THC, regardless of impairment) is constitutional as against police power, due process, and equal protection attack, ¶¶6.

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Defenses – § 948.03(2)(b) (2001-02), Harm to Child – Defense of Parental Privilege, § 939.45(5)

State v. Kimberly B., 2005 WI App 115
For Kimberly B.: Anthony G. Milisauskas

Issue/Holding:

¶30      While Wis. Stat. § 939.45(5) recognizes the right of a parent to inflict corporal punishment to correct or discipline a child, that right of parental discipline has its limits. Kimberly seems to suggest that the statute prohibits only force that is “intended to cause great bodily harm or death” or that “create[s] an unreasonable risk of great bodily harm or death.” However,

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SVP – Qualifying Placement, § 980.02(2)(ag) – Secure Facility, Juvenile Adjudication

State v. Tremaine Y., 2005 WI App 56, PFR filed 3/4/05
For Tremaine: Robert W. Peterson, Samantha Jeanne Humes, SPD, Milwaukee TrialI

Issue: Whether a ch. 980 petition is supported against a juvenile who was not placed in a secured correctional facility following the original adjudication on the qualifying sexually violent offense but was subsequently placed in such a facility as a result of additional offense.

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Evidence, Admissibility – Sufficiency of Objection

State v. Van G. Norwood, 2005 WI App 218
For Norwood: Terry Evans Williams

Issue: Whether objection to admissibility of a defendant’s statement on the ground that it was “an offer of settlement” (which thus raised a § 904.08 bar) sufficed to raise a § 904.10 objection of an inadmissible offer to plead guilty.

Holding:

¶17      First, at the very least, trial counsel’s objection should have led the court to Wis.

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