On Point blog, page 4 of 5
Passing mention of prescription drug didn’t taint OWI trial
State v. Jeffrey M. Halida, 2013AP1298, District 2, 11/13/13; court of appeals decision (1-judge; ineligible for publication); case activity
Halida was arrested for OWI after a motorcycle accident. In response to routine medical questions asked before the blood draw, he told the officer he took two Oxycodone pills earlier that day for a hand injury. (¶¶4-6). The officer’s reference to Halida’s statement at trial was not prejudicial because “[i]n view of the record,
Right to confront and present evidence; probative value of evidence outweighed by prejudicial effect, § 904.03
State v. Damon R. Lowe, 2012AP555-CR, District 2, 9/18/13; court of appeals decision (not recommended for publication); case activity
Lowe, charged with sexual and physical abuse of V.A.L., his adopted daughter, sought to present evidence that she was motivated to fabricate her allegations because she wanted to get away from her overly strict father, who restricted her use of cell phones, her internet use, and her choice of friends.
Ineffective assistance of counsel – failure to object to admission of, and expert opinion based on, autopsy reports prepared by another pathologist; failure to object to evidence of prior felony convictions
State v. Willie M. McDougle, 2013 WI App 43; case activity
Failure to object to admission of, and expert opinion based on, autopsy reports prepared by another pathologist
Trial counsel was not ineffective for failing to object on confrontation clause grounds to either the opinion testimony of the pathologist who did not conduct autopsy or the reports of pathologist who did conduct the autopsy because any failure to object was not prejudicial:
¶17 …[T]rial counsel’s decision not to object to Dr.
Evidence – Ongoing Conflict with Deceased, Hearsay – Residual Exception, 3rd-Party Guilt; Sufficiency of Evidence – Homicide
State v. Kevin M. Moore, 2009AP3167-CR, District 2, 12/15/10
court of appeals decision (3-judge, not recommended for publication); for Moore: Jeffrey W. Jensen; Moore BiC; State Resp.; Reply
Evidence – Frequenting “Gentleman’s Club” as Source of Friction with Deceased
Evidence that Moore spent much time and money at a local “gentleman’s club,” offered by the State to as support for an “ongoing conflict”
Evidence – Disorderly Conduct – Relevance
State v. Salvador Cruz, 2010AP911-CR, District 2, 10/13/10
court of appeals decision (1-judge, not for publication); for Cruz: Matthew S. Pinix; BiC; Resp.; Reply
Evidence of the effect of the defendant’s (alleged disorderly) conduct was relevant, without a showing of “proximity” to that conduct:
¶13 A.S. instructs that “[i]n addition to considering the potential effects of a defendant’s conduct in disorderly conduct cases … prior cases also indicate that the actual effects of a defendant’s conduct are probative.” Id.
Interrogation – Ambiguous Request for Counsel; Joinder/Severance; Evidence – Autopsy Photos
State v. Adamm D.J. Linton, 2010 WI App 129; for Linton: Joseph E. Redding; BiC; Resp.; Reply
Interrogation – Ambiguous Request for Counsel
Initial custodial questioning terminated when Linton invoked his right to silence. During subsequent re-interrogation, Linton said, “when I asked for a lawyer earlier, why wasn’t he appointed to me?” The detective indicated that if Linton was asking for a lawyer then the police would “just stop talking to”
State v. Daniel Perry Oswald, No. 2009AP2455-CR, District I, 7/20/10
court of appeals decision (3-judge, not recommended for publication); for Oswald: Ellen Henak, SPD, Milwaukee Appellate; BiC; Resp.; Reply
Evidence – Consciousness of Guilt
Testimony from the Oswald’s parole agent, that Oswald missed an appointment shortly after the incident in question and that he seemed nervous when they later met, was relevant as “consciousness of guilt.” Admissibility wasn’t substantially outweighed by danger of unfair prejudice,
Unfair Prejudice, § 904.03 – Flight, “Independent Reason” for, as Ground for Inadmissibility
State v. Pablo G. Quiroz, 2009 WI App 120
For Quiroz: Glen B. Kulkoski
Issue/Holding:
¶21 Quiroz claims that under Miller, 231 Wis. 2d at 574, there is an automatic exception to the trial court’s discretionary ability to admit flight evidence whenever a defendant has an independent reason for flight that, if admitted, would unduly prejudice the defendant. Relying on his interpretation of Miller,
Unfair Prejudice, § 904.03 – Computer-Generated Animation – “Surprise” Use
State v. Jeremy Denton, 2009 WI App 78 / State v. Aubrey W. Dahl, 2009 WI App 78
For Denton: Paul G. Bonneson
For Dahl: Patrick M. Donnelly
Issue/Holding:
¶11 The State submits that the computer-generated animation was intended as a demonstrative exhibit. The decision to admit or exclude demonstrative evidence is committed to the trial court’s discretion. [6] State v.
§ 904.03, Unfair Prejudice – Witness’s Reference to Knowing Defendant from Jail as Basis for Ability to Identify Him
State v. Eric D. Cooks, 2006 WI App 262
For Cooks: Joseph E. Redding
Issue/Holding: Failure to object to a witness’s reference to having known the defendant from jail was not deficient performance, because this evidence was admissible anyway:
¶47 Furthermore, Cooks’ ineffective assistance of counsel claim is premised on a correct trial court ruling and cannot succeed. See Ziebart,