On Point blog, page 22 of 24
Particular Examples of Misconduct, § 904.04(2) — Prior Sexual Assaults — 15-25 Years Earlier, not Remote
State v. Eugene P. Opalewski, 2002 WI App 145, PFR filed 6/6/02
For Opalewski: Lorinne J. Cunningham
Issue/Holding: On charges of first degree sexual assault of a child and incest, evidence of the defendant’s past sexual abuse of his two daughters and the children of a prior girlfriend was admissible under the three-step test of State v. Sullivan, 216 Wis.
Self-Defense – “McMorris” Acts of Prior Violence by Victim – Procedure on Determining Admisssibility
State v. Juan M. Navarro, 2001 WI App 225
For Navarro: Joseph M. Moore, SPD Trial, Juneau
Issue: Whether the trial court is required to conduct an in camera inspection of confidential records of the complaining witness, a correctional officer, relating to his possible abusive treatment of inmates, in a battery-by-prisoner trial where the defendant alleges self-defense.
Holding: The trial court’s denial of in camera inspection without first conducting an evidentiary hearing on materiality was erroneous: Access may not be denied simply because the records aren’t within the state’s possession;
Particular Examples of Misconduct, § 904.04(2) — Prior Child Abuse — Trial on Homicide of Child
State v. Garren G. Gribble, 2001 WI App 227, PFR filed
For Gribble: Charles B. Vetzner, SPD, Madison Appellate
Issue: Whether evidence of prior child abuse, both to the immediate victim and another child, was properly admitted in a trial on homicide of a child.
Holding: There was sufficient evidence for a reasonable jury to find by a preponderance of the evidence that the defendant committed the various prior acts.
Particular Examples of Misconduct, § 904.04(2) — Admissibility — in General
State v. Joseph F. Rizzo, 2001 WI App 57, 241 Wis. 2d 241, 624 N.W.2d 824, reversed and remanded on other grounds, 2002 WI 20
For Rizzo: Franklyn M. Gimbel
Issue: Whether admission of other acts evidence was an erroneous exercise of discretion.
Holding:
¶5 … In a written decision, the trial court properly applied the Sullivan three-step analysis:
The acts which took place some years ago are remarkably similar to the allegations before the Court in this case …
Particular Examples of Misconduct, § 904.04(2) — Prior Sexual Assault of Adult — Relevance to Charge of Child Sexual Assault — Dissimilarities, Including Age Disparity of Victims
State v. Kevin S. Meehan, 2001 WI App 119
For Meehan: Pamela Moorshead, Buting & Williams
Issue: Whether a prior sexual assault of an adult was sufficiently similar to the charged sexual assault of a child to be admissible as other crimes evidence.
Holding:
¶14. The next step is whether the 1992 conviction was relevant; that is, whether under Wis. Stat. § 904.01, it relates to a fact or proposition that is of consequence to the determination of the action and if it has probative value.
§ 904.01, Relevance – Demonstrative Evidence
State v. Garren G. Gribble, 2001 WI App 227, PFR filed
For Gribble: Charles B. Vetzner, SPD, Madison Appellate
Issue: Whether a witness should have been permitted to demonstrate with a doll the force used to cause injuries to the child victim.
Holding: The fact that the experts couldn’t agree on the exact cause of the injuries goes to weight, not admissibility, of the demonstration.
§ 904.01, Relevance – Consciousness of Innocence – Offer to Take DNA Test
State v. Miguel Angel Santana-Lopez, 2000 WI App 122, 237 Wis.2d 332, 613 N.W.2d 918
For Santana-Lopez: Rex Anderegg
Issue: Whether a sexual assault defendant’s pretrial offer to take a DNA test is relevant as consciousness of innocence.
Holding: “(A)n offer to undergo DNA analysis [is] relevant to the state of mind of the person making the offer — so long as the person making the offer believes that the test or analysis is possible,
Cross-examination – Impeachment of Defense Witness with Parole Eligibility Date
State v. Dennis E. Scott, 2000 WI App 51, 234 Wis. 2d 129, 608 N.W.2d 753
For Scott: Joseph E. Redding
Issue: Whether a defense witness was properly impeached with evidence that he was serving life in prison with no prospect for parole.
Holding: The witness’s attempt to admit the crimes and exonerate the defendant would have misled the jury absent revelation of his functional immunity stemming from his parole status: “where no practical,
§ 904.01, Relevance – Consciousness of Guilt — as Distinct from Misconduct Evidence
State v. Michael R. Bauer, 2000 WI App 206, 238 Wis. 2d 6887, 617 N.W.2d 902
For Bauer: Thomas Voss
Issue: Whether evidence that the defendant, while awaiting trial, solicited the murders of people who were going to testify against him was admissible.
Holding:
¶2 Bauer argues that the solicitation evidence was other acts evidence which was improperly admitted pursuant to Wis. Stat.
§ 904.01, Relevance – Silence in Face of Accusation
State v. Ondra Bond, 2000 WI App 118, 237 Wis. 2d 633, 614 N.W.2d 552, affirmed by equally divided court, 2001 WI 56.
For Bond: William Coleman; Janet Barnes, Ellen Henak, SPD, Milwaukee Appellate
Issue/Holding: The prosecution may not use at trial the fact that a defendant stood mute in the face of an accusation. ¶27.