On Point blog, page 10 of 18

Due Process – Exculpatory Evidence — Lenient Treatment of Prosecution Witness

State v. Dale H. Chu, 2002 WI App 98, PFR filed 4/23/02
For Chu: Andrew Shaw

Issue: Whether defendant was denied his right to exculpatory evidence when the state failed to disclose that a prosecution witness had received favorable treatment in another case.

Holding:

¶37. As the State notes, prosecutions that end in dismissal and ordinance violations are not admissible to impeach a witness because they are not evidence that the witness has been convicted of a crime.”

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Enhancer – § 939.62(2m)(d), Persistent Offender — Comparable Crime, Foreign Conviction – Determination

State v. Leonard T. Collins, 2002 WI App 177
For Collins: Paul G. LaZotte, SPD, Madison Appellate

Issue/Holding:

¶2. We agree with Collins that Wis. Stat. § 939.62(2m)(d) requires circuit courts to determine independently whether an out-of-state crime is comparable to a Wisconsin “serious felony,” even if the defendant admits that he or she is a persistent repeater. However, because we can conclude as a matter of law that “second degree murder”

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Enhancers — § 939.62(2m), Persistent Offender — Comparable Crime, Foreign Conviction

State v. Charles J. Burroughs, 2002 WI App 18
For Burroughs: William F. Mross

Issue/Holding: Burroughs’ prior conviction in Alabama for assault with intent to murder is sufficiently comparable to attempted first degree intentional homicide so as to support exposure to persistent offender sentencing, § 939.62(2m)(c). ¶¶23-27.

 

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Due Process – Notice of Charge – Vague Charging Period

State v. James D. Miller, 2002 WI App 197, PFR filed 8/2/02
For Miller: Matthew H. Huppertz, Craig Kuhary, Daniel P. Fay

Issue/Holding: The charging period of March 1, 1989, to March 31, 1993, was not too expansive to provide opportunity to prepare a defense, largely because of the victim’s youthfulness and vulnerable relationship (patient-therapist) to defendant, ¶31; and because the alleged offenses occurred during therapy sessions,

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Equal Protection – Differential, County-Based Sentencing Guidelines

State v. Roland Smart, 2002 WI App 240, PFR filed 9/24/02
For Smart: Donald T. Lang, SPD, Madison Appellate

Issue: Whether sentencing-guideline disparity for driving while intoxicated under guidelines adopted by local counties pursuant to § 346.65(2m) violates equal protection or due process.

Holding: Sentencing guideline disparities need be supported only by rational basis for equal protection purposes, as “(i)t is not a fundamental right to be free from deprivations of liberty as a result of arbitrary distinctions.”

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Enhancers — Applicability — Underlying Crime Required — Violation of Harassment Injunction (§ 813.125(4)) Subject to Enhancement

State v. Michael A. Sveum,  2002 WI App 105, PFR filed 5/10/02
For Sveum: Ian A.J. Pitz

Issue/Holding: A repeater enhancement applies only to a crime, which is an offense prohibited by state law and punishable by fine and/or imprisonment. Violation of harassment injunction fits this definition and therefore supports repeater enhancement. State v. Carpenter, 179 Wis. 2d 838, 508 N.W.2d 69 (Ct.

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Enhancers — Collateral Attack on

State v. Charles J. Burroughs, 2002 WI App 18
For Burroughs: William F. Mross

Issue: Whether the record sufficiently supports Burroughs’ guilty plea on a prior offense supporting his persistent offender status.

Holding: Because Burroughs doesn’t contest the fact that he was represented by counsel when he entered the plea to the prior offense, his right to challenge the plea is barred under State v.

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Enhancers — Multiple Enhancers — Computation of Maximum

State v. Paul Delao Quiroz, 2002 WI App 52
For Quiroz: Chad G. Kerkman

Issue: Whether the maximum penalty for first-degree reckless endangerment of safety, enhanced by while armed and gang-related provisions, was 13 or 14 years.

Holding:

¶13 … [State v. Pernell, 165 Wis. 2d 651, 656, 478 N.W.2d 297 (Ct. App. 1991)] establishes that when two penalty enhancers are applicable to the same crime,

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Reasonable Suspicion – Frisk – Inside Residence

State v. Jeffrey Stout, 2002 WI App 41, PFR filed 2/21/02
For Stout: James L. Fullin, Jr., SPD, Madison Appellate

Issue: Whether the police had reasonable suspicion to frisk inside a residence, based on an anonymous tip of drug activity coupled with corroboration of certain details and a furtive gesture.

Holding: Although investigative stops must be made in public (and not in a residence), the police may frisk occupants after gaining lawful entry to a residence,

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Costs — Travel Expense of State’s Witness

State v. Gary L. Gordon, 2002 WI App 53, reversed on other grounds2003 WI 69
For Gordon: Steven P. Weiss, SPD, Madison Appellate

Issue/Holding: The trial court erroneously exercised discretion in imposing costs for the travel expense of an officer, in that this expense was necessitated by a change in trial date attributable primarily to the prosecution, not the defendant. ¶¶49-51.

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