FOR PUBLICATION
ATTORNEYS FOR APPELLANT: ATTORNEYS FOR APPELLEE:
KEVIN P. McGOFF STEVE CARTER
MAUREEN T. KEEFE Attorney General of Indiana
DARLENE R. SEYMOUR
Kiefer & McGoff MICHAEL GENE WORDEN
Indianapolis, Indiana Deputy Attorney General
Indianapolis, Indiana
IN THE
COURT OF APPEALS OF INDIANA
CHRISTOPHER M. ALLEN, )
)
Appellant-Defendant, )
)
vs. ) No. 33A04-0305-CR-249
)
STATE OF INDIANA, )
)
Appellee-Plaintiff. )
APPEAL FROM THE HENRY CIRCUIT COURT
The Honorable James Williams, Special Judge
Cause No. 33C01-0005-CF-013
August 9, 2004
OPINION - FOR PUBLICATION
BAKER, Judge
Appellant-defendant Christopher M. Allen appeals his convictions for three counts of Murder,
See footnote a
felony, and one count of Robbery,See footnote a class C felony, raising a number
of alleged errors. Specifically, Allen asserts that the procedures involving the pre-trial
identification of Allen as the suspect were tainted, that the trial court erred
in refusing to allow him to present evidence demonstrating that someone else had
committed the offenses, that he was denied his right to due process of
law because the State unreasonably delayed in bringing charges against him, and that
he was denied the right to a fair trial because the jury verdict
was prejudiced by improper extraneous influences. Allen also asserts that reversible error
occurred when counsel were not notified of ex parte communications between the judge
and the jury, that the results of certain tests performed by the State
prior to trial were improperly admitted, and that the evidence was insufficient to
support the convictions.
In this appeal, we address the issues that amount to reversible error, those
that might recur on retrial if the same is warranted, and Allens sufficiency
of the evidence claim. We conclude that the trial courts exclusion of
a defense witnesss testimony indicating that someone other than Allen had committed the
offenses was reversible error. Similarly, we conclude that the trial court erred
in excluding the results of certain tests that had been conducted as well
as the testimony of an expert witness who had been retained by Allen.
We also find that the trial court did not err in admitting
pretrial and in-court identification evidence, that the trial court did not err in
excluding the testimony of a witness who had died before the trial commenced,
and that Allen was not denied due process as a result of the
States delay in filing the charges against him. Finally, we find the
evidence sufficient to support Allens convictions. Thus, we reverse and remand for
further proceedings consistent with this opinion.
FACTS
On the morning of August 25, 1990, Tracy Holvoet, Connie Zalewski, and Scott
Dick were found shot to death at an Osco Drug Store in South
Bend. The State alleged that the perpetrator left the store in St.
Joseph County at approximately 8:04 a.m. that day. Appellants App. p. 2850.
Prior to the shootings, Allen had resigned as the manager
of the Osco on March 16, 1990, for embezzling money. Specifically, Allen
had been accused of stealing cash, making long distance telephone calls on the
company phone and over-billing for rental equipment. The total loss to the
store amounted to approximately $5400, and Allen eventually made restitution to the store.
When Allen left Osco, his keys to the store were confiscated, and the
locks on the safe were changed. Additionally, Osco personnel rendered the PIN
number that Allen had used to operate the stores alarm system inoperable.
The remaining locks on the front doors, the combination to the lower portion
of the safe and the key to activate the dial on the lower
safe were not changed. It was determined that Oscos safe was one
of dual custody. Appellants Br. p. 22. Specifically, the upper portion
was available for daily use by the stores employees, and the lower section
was for the armored car service. Employees made deposits in the lower
portion of the safe during the day by dropping the money in a
slot in the upper portion of the safe. There was to be
no key to the combination dial for the lower portion of the safe
in the store. Hence, the armored car driver would enter the store, unlock
the dial allowing it to be spun, and the store manager would enter
the combination to open the bottom portion of the safe so the driver
could take the money.
The lower half of the safe had been accessed on Friday, August 24,
when the armored car driver, Richard Andrysiak, came to the store. At
that time, Andrysiak handed the key to the manager so the dial could
be unlocked. The manager then ran the combination to open the bottom
part of the safe. Andrysiak turned the handle, locked the safe, spun
the dial off and then locked the dial with the key. The
bottom part of the safe could not have been opened without a key.
However, it was determined that the dial could be unlocked if the
combination was not cleared from the dial and locked.
It was further revealed that seven or eight individuals had access to the
safe keys at the armored car service. While Allen was employed at
Osco, the store had a staff of forty-five employees. All of the keys to
the lower portion of the safe were accounted for after August 25.
On one occasion, a former Osco employee told Allen that a key to
the bottom of the safe was in the store. While it was
a violation of Oscos store policy to have a key to the safe,
some of the employees saw Allen access the bottom of the safe and
carry some of the keys.
Immediately after the shootings, it was discovered that Oscos safe had been opened,
and $6421 in cash was missing. According to Oscos records, Dick, who
was Oscos assistant manager, deactivated the stores alarm system at 7:36 on the
morning of August 25. Dudeck, who owned a nearby dry cleaning store, saw
Dick alive, just before 8:00 a.m. Dudeck acknowledged that Dick had attempted
to take a dress to the cleaners for his wife, but he was
unable to enter because that business had not yet opened.
It was also revealed that Alicia Ivories, an Osco employee, telephoned the store
early on August 25, 1990, and told Dick that she was not coming
in to work that day. Also, Amy Avery stopped at the store
at approximately 7:30 a.m. on August 25, 1990, to purchase oil for her
car, but she found that the store had not yet opened. When
Avery tried to enter the store again at 8:02 a.m, she found that
it was still closed. However, Avery walked up to the front doors,
peered inside, and pounded on the glass. She briefly caught a glimpse
of a man inside the store whom she thought may have been Allen.
However, it was determined that Avery gave two conflicting statements. Six
days after the murders, she was unable to identify the individual that she
saw in the store. Thereafter, she saw Allen on television and called
the prosecutors office to inform them that the person they arrested was not
the one she saw.
Fred McGill was inside the Osco store on August 25, 1990, around 8:20
a.m. His statement to the police indicated that he saw two women
in the store. Apparently, Holvoet had directed McGill to the section
of the store where the razor blades were displayed and then continued toward
the back of the store. McGill did not buy the blades, so
he left the Osco and went across the street to Kroger. A
receipt from Kroger indicated that McGill made a purchase there at 8:37 a.m.
The information McGill provided to the police concerning the presence of the
Osco store employees was corroborated by Marge Gaertneranother customerwho was also in the
store. McGill died in 1995, and this information was never conveyed to the
jury. Moreover, although Gaertner was on Allens list of witnesses, he elected
not to call her to testify at trial.
Also, there was evidence that Mary Jane Karczewski was waiting in her vehicle
at a grocery store near Osco on the morning of August 25, and
observed Zalewski and Holvoet enter the store just before 8:00 a.m. with a
man that they appeared to know. Additionally, Cheryl Jackson, an Osco
employee, arrived at the store just after 8:00 a.m. and found the front
doors still locked. The locked doors were unusual, as it was customary
for the doors to be unlocked for the employees to enter even though
the store had not yet opened for business. Jackson also heard screeching
tires coming from the back of the store, but she did not see
a vehicle. Another Osco employeeBernadette Claffeynoticed Dicks car parked close to the
store, rather than in its usual location. Claffey then walked from the
grocery store toward Osco at 8:18 a.m. after Jackson expressed concern to her
that the store was still locked.
The two women walked around to the back of the Osco where they
discovered that the rear service doors were open and that the alarm was
sounding. An examination of the doors revealed that the vertical rods, which
operated the top and bottom latches of the doors, were bent and disconnected,
which indicated that the doors would not properly close on the date of
the murders. The women then returned to the grocery store and contacted
Phillip Canoy, a South Bend police officer, who was working security at the
grocery store. Officer Canoy then called for backup, whereupon Officer Joseph Markovick
arrived. They entered the store at approximately 8:20 a.m., where they discovered
the victims bodies.
When the police investigators arrived at the scene, they discovered a bloody note
next to Dicks body that appeared to indicate that the armored car driver
had been the perpetrator of the offenses. The words on this note
indicated white man armor car [sic] uniform & badge. Appellants App. p.
2791. Police investigators examined the note in May 2001. Bonnie Beal,
of the Indiana State Police Laboratory, found it is less than probable that
Allen had written the note, appellants App. p. 2794, although she did
conclude that Allen could have written the words white man on the note.
Appellants App. p. 2795. An expert for Allen also testified that
it was very unlikely that Mr. Allen . . . was responsible for
writing any portion of the questioned bloodied note. Other witnesses, however, acknowledged
that portions of the writing on the note looked like Allens handwriting.
Additionally, the police compared 198 footprints lifted from the crime scene with Allens
shoes, but there were no matches. Fingerprints had also been lifted from
the service doors. Of the 237 lifts that were made, it was
determined that seventy-four fingerprints and thirty-three palm prints were of value. Tr.
p. 315. Two of the fingerprints matched Allens, and a partial
palm print found on the doors crash bar matched Allens. An FBI
analyst testified that he could not state with any certainty whether the prints
had been there for five months, five minutes or five years. Appellants
App. p. 2836, 2837-38. Additionally, the State offered no evidence of fingerprints
found on the safe, the iron bar or the front doors of the
store. It was concluded that the iron bar, which took some two
hands to lift, had to be removed in order to exit the receiving
doors.
Further investigation revealed that on the morning of August 25, Jody Rannells left
her home in Walkerton for a 9:00 a.m. hair appointment in Mishawaka.
Her residence is located approximately twenty miles south of South Bend. She stopped
at her bank shortly before 8:00 a.m., conducted her business, and left.
Shortly thereafter, at about 8:17 a.m., Rannells observed another car fast approaching an
intersection. She noticed that the driver was an African-American male who appeared
to be in his twenties with short hair. Rannels also noticed that
the driver had wide-open wild eyes. Tr. p. 333, 358-61. She
described the vehicle as a two-door Ford Taurus that did a fast roll-through
the intersection. Appellants App. p. 2858. She later identified the driver
of the vehiclewho she had observed for approximately three secondsas Allen. It
was determined that the location where Rannels said she saw Allen was southwest
of Osco and not on a direct route from South Bend to Indianapolis.
It was also learned that Ford had never produced a two-door model
Taurus.
Upon learning of the Osco murders, Rannells was put in contact with South
Bend Police Officer Richard Bishop who met with her on September 12.
Officer Bishop showed her a photo array that contained five mug shot photos,
along with Allens photograph that originated from Oscos personnel file. All six
photographs were of young African-American males. All had mustaches and their faces
and hairstyles were not greatly dissimilar. Only one of the photos depicts
a portion of a chain that holds the jail booking information. Additionally,
two of the subjectsin addition to Allenwere wearing white shirts, although Allen does
appear to be wearing some type of dress shirt. However, there is
no indication from the photograph that suggests Allen was an Osco employee.
In the end, Rannells selected Allens photograph as the man she saw at
the intersection on August 25.
Allen retained William Lumkin, an expert to demonstrate that Rannells could not have
seen the driver of the vehicle that had passed her. Lumpkin performed
various reconstructive tests that were videotaped based upon the statements and the testimony
given by Rannells prior to trial. However, Lumpkin was not permitted to
testify following Allens offer of proof.
On September 11, 1990, Allen was stopped near his home in Indianapolis and
was interrogated by South Bend police regarding the Osco murders. On that
same day, the police questioned Allens wifeSharries Garrettat her place of employment.
Both Allen and Sharries maintained that he was at home throughout the night
and early morning hours on August 24-25, 1990, and that they had attended
a picnic in Indianapolis during the afternoon of August 25.
In November 1991, after the investigation was substantially complete, the police chief wrote
Prosecutor Michael Barnes
See footnote urging him to charge the case. Appellants App. p.
2295-96. Barnes refused, and indicated that at that point he would have
to omit relevant facts and circumstances in the probable cause affidavit, and that
he could not ethically do that. Appellants App. p. 2298.
Thereafter, in 1996, Christopher Toth, as counsel for Phyllis and Maurice Holvoet, the
parents of one of the victims, instituted an action against Barnes. The
lawsuit was an attempt to have the case either assigned to a special
prosecutor orin the alternativepresented to a Grand Jury. Toth sought production of
the entire file relating to the Osco investigation and wanted to conduct additional
discovery. After the trial court ruled against Toth and granted a protective
order in favor of Barnes, the action was appealed to this court and
we affirmed.
Halvoet v. State, 689 N.E.2d 469, 470-71 (Ind. Ct. App.
1997).
Thereafter, Toth ran for St. Joseph County Prosecutor in 1998, promising to prosecute
the Osco Murders. Appellants App. p. 2740-44. Toth was elected and
took office on January 1, 1999. A grand jury indictment was then
returned on November 8, 1999, against Allen, but it was dismissed because the
State failed to conduct the process in the proper fashion. Thereafter, Toth
signed an information bringing the charges against Allen which was supported by a
probable cause affidavit signed by Michael Swanson, who Toth had hired as Commander
of the Special Crimes Unit.
Allen then sought a special prosecutor, alleging that Toth had a conflict of
interest, which the trial court denied. Thereafter, on October 11, 2000, Toth
moved for the appointment of a special prosecutor that was granted. Two
deputy prosecutors from Allen County were appointed and assigned to the case.
On April 25, 2000, Allen was charged with the above offenses as well
as additional counts of felony murder. After a jury trial on June
22, 2001, the trial court declared a mistrial because the jurors were unable
to reach a verdict. Thereafter, on June 12, 2002, a second jury
trial commenced.
At some point during the trial, Curtis Crenshaw, an inmate incarcerated at the
Wabash County Correctional Facility, was called as a defense witness. A hearing
was conducted outside the jurys presence for the purpose of determining whether Crenshaw
was available to testify in accordance with Indiana Evidence Rules 804(a) and (b)(3),
which contain exceptions to the hearsay rule. Crenshaw invoked his Fifth Amendment privilege
when asked: if he was at the Osco on August 25; if
he ever told Steven Bethel, another incarcerated inmate, that he was involved in
the crimes that had occurred; his address on August 25; the type of
vehicle he was driving at that time, and if he had ever been
in the Osco store before August 25.
Bethel also gave testimony outside the presence of the jury after Crenshaw had
asserted his privilege. When asked what had occurred at Osco, Bethel responded,
I know that he didnt do it, Allen. I know for sure
of that. Appellants App. p. 2634.
It was revealed that Bethel and Crenshaw had gone to Osco several days
before the murders. At that time, Crenshaw cased the store while Bethel
stayed at the front doors where he purchased some gum from a machine
that was just inside the entrance. Bethel stayed in this area while
Crenshaw walked the store aisles. Together, they observed the back doors.
Crenshaw stated it would be an easy spot because its hidden like .
. . its basically got buildings beside it. Its like in the
blind somewhat, if its at the right time. Appellants App. p. 2635-36.
On the morning of the murders, Bethel was at his sisters home,
only blocks from Osco. Bethel was outside the home when Crenshaw approached
on foot from the direction of Osco. While Bethel was not sure
of the time, he acknowledged that the city buses had started running.
Tr. p. 613. Crenshaw told Bethel he had just got some
money and some people got hurt and got killed in it, and he
had tohe couldnt tell me everything. He had to talk to me
later on. Appellants App. p. 2642. Bethel heard that the Osco
stuff had happened on the news later that morning. Appellants App. p.
2643-44. That evening, Crenshaw told Bethel it was a situation gone bad
. . . Three people ended up dead because of the robbery,
and they really didnt need to end up dead. Appellants App. p.
2645.
That same evening, Bethel offered to buy a handgun that Crenshaw had shown
him. Crenshaw refused to sell it to him, and indicated that the
gun was dirty [and he needed to get] rid of it. Appellants
App. p. 2648-49. Crenshaw had defined a dirty weapon as one having
a body attached to it, or bodies, or somebody knew of the gun.
Appellants App. p. 2647-49. Bethel then saw Crenshaw toss the gun
into the St. Joseph River, and he later approached the authorities with the
information that he had about the Osco crimes after his arrest in March,
1991. Bethel told them where the gun could be located, but he
did not reveal all the information he had learned about the crimes.
Following this hearing, the trial court found Crenshaw unavailable and Bethel was permitted
to testify. During the course of his direct examination, when asked to
recount what Crenshaw told him the morning of the crimes, Bethel stated that
he felt by answering the question he would put his life in danger,
and his testimony was halted. Appellants App. p. 2657. The trial
court characterized this episode as a refusal to cooperate with the query being
put to him by defense counsel, following an in camera inquiry of Bethel.
Appellants App. p. 2658. Thus, Bethels testimony was stricken from the
record, and the jury was admonished not to consider it as part of
the evidence. Appellants App. p. 2659-60. Allen then sought to
have Bethels prior testimony admitted, but the State objected and the trial court
excluded it.
Interestingly, there was no indication that Crenshaws prints hador had not beencompared to
those that had been lifted at the scene. Crenshaw had been implicated
in the crimes, and he would not otherwise have had access to the
bar on the back door of the store. Thus, the jury was
not made aware of whether Crenshaws prints were present at Osco. Also,
no murder weapon was produced at the trial. An FBI laboratory technician
testified that the five projectiles recovered from Osco were .44 caliber cast lead
bullets, and he did not know whether the bullets had been fired from
the same weapon. Tr. p. 413-14. The technician acknowledged that they
could have been fired from a single shot Thompson Contender or a five-shot
Charter Arms Bulldog .44 Special. Tr. p. 415, 417-19. Additionally, several
witnesses acknowledged that Allen had shown them a pistol that he kept in
the compartment behind the passengers seat in his vehicle. In a taped
statement, one of the witnesses told the police that the gun was a
.45. Tr. p. 1387-89.
During the course of the investigation, it was revealed that after Allens father
died, he came into possession of a .38 caliber pistol and a rusty
double-barreled shotgun. Because Allens wife disliked firearms, Allen kept the pistol in
his vehicle. However, at some point, Allen decided to dispose of the
pistol. Hence, in late July or early August 1990, he removed the
cylinder, and wrapped it in paper and tape. Allen then did the
same thing with the gun and tossed them both in an Indianapolis
apartment complex dumpster.
Allen testified at the trial that he had gone fishing on August 24.
When he returned to his Indianapolis home, Sharries was not there, but
Allen eventually located her at a nearby video store around midnight. Allen
testified that he went to bed around 2:00 or 3:00 on Saturday morning,
and Sharries came to bed around 4:30 a.m.
It was also determined that the Allens had planned to attend a picnic
on Saturdaythe 25ththat was to begin around noon. A friend of the
family, Geraldine Blakely, called the Allen residence at 8:00 a.m., and talked with
Sharries to ensure that she would be ready to leave for the
party by 11:00 that morning. Allen was in bed when Blakely called.
Nancy Harris, who was in the house when Blakely called, testified that Allen
was in the house at the time of the call. She first
acknowledged that the telephone conversation between Sharries and Blakely occurred sometime during mid-morning
on August 25. However, Harris subsequently recalled that she woke up around
8 after hearing Sharries talking on the telephone. She also remembered that
at some point that morning, Allen went to Marsh where he purchased some
doughnuts. Tr. p. 1188-89; 1192-96.
Eventually, Blakely, Allen and Sharries went to the picnic at Allisonville Road and
116th street in Indianapolis, where they spent the afternoon. Blakely had a
video camera that she took to the picnic and both Allen and Sharries
appear in the videotape at this outing. That video had not been
retrieved by police officers until sometime in 2000.
Allen and his wife divorced in 1991. It was not an amicable
breakup and Sharries has not spoken with Allen since the dissolution. Throughout
the course of the investigation, police detectives spoke with Sharries on a number
of occasions and, at some point, they discussed a $100,000 reward for information
about the murders. The investigators told Sharries that if anything changed, they
were offering a reward. Appellants App. p. 2721. The FBI investigators
also discussed the possibility of immunity for Sharries. However, each time Sharries
was questioned by the police, she always maintained that Allen had been in
bed when she retired for the evening, on August 25, and that he
was there when she awoke later that morning.
Throughout the investigation, Detective Michael Swanson of the South Bend Police Department
as well as other law enforcement officers pursued Allen as a suspect in
the crimes. For instance, Detective Swanson would visit Allens residence and place
of employment, and leave his business card on the window of Allens vehicle.
Also, in December 1990, Detective Swanson anonymously sent Allen a Christmas card
that contained the following typewritten message: FROM ALL YOUR FRIENDS AT OSCOS
(sic) PAST, PRESENT AND DECEASED. HAVE A MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A (sic)
WE ALL HOPE TO SEE YOU BACK HERE IN SOUTH BEND REAL SOON.
Appellants App. p. 2731-33, 2734-36.
At the conclusion of the trial on June 22, 2002, Allen was found
guilty on all counts, and was subsequently sentenced to an aggregate term of
144 years. Allen then filed a motion to correct error alleging juror
misconduct, which the trial court denied. Allen now appeals.
DISCUSSION AND DECISION
I. Pre-trial Identification; Photographic Array
Allen argues that the trial court erred in admitting pretrial and in-court identification
evidence purportedly establishing that Allen had committed the offenses. Allen asserts that
the photo array shown to Rannells was unduly suggestive and no independent basis
existed for her in-court identification of Allen.
In resolving this issue, we first note that the admission of evidence is
within the trial courts discretion and the decision is reviewed for an abuse
of discretion. Hyppolite v. State, 774 N.E.2d 584, 592 (Ind. Ct. App.
2002), trans. denied. We also observe that the identification of a defendant
must comport with the standards of due process. Williams v. State, 395
N.E.2d 239, 343 (Ind. 1979). If an out-of-court identification procedure was unduly
suggestive, then the testimony relating to it is inadmissible. Farrell v. State,
622 N.E.2d 488, 493 (Ind. 1993).
In essence, this court must determine whether, under the totality
of the circumstances, the identification process was conducted in such a manner that
it created a substantial likelihood of irreparable misidentification. Id. Our supreme
court has held that a photo array is impermissibly suggestive only where the
array is accompanied by verbal communications or the photographs in the display include
graphic characteristics that distinguish and emphasize the defendants photograph in an unusually suggestive
manner. Bell v. State, 622 N.E.2d 450, 455 (Ind. 1993).
When analyzing the propriety of the pre-trial identification procedure here, the first issue
we must address is whether the out-of-court procedure was conducted in a fashion
that led the witness to make a mistaken identification. Brooks v. State,
560 N.E.2d 49, 55 (Ind. 1990). If it is unduly suggestive, we
then address the second question, which is whether the witness had an independent
basis for the in-court identification so as to make it admissible. Hyppolite,
774 N.E.2d at 594.
As set forth above in the FACTS, Officer Bishop of the South Bend
Police Department met with Rannells and showed her a photo array that included
Allens photograph. While Rannells had learned of the Osco murders, the evidence
showed that Officer Bishop did not provide her with any information regarding the
case. Rather, Officer Bishop asked Rannells whether she recognized anyone from the
six photographs that were displayed to her.
Additionally, the photographs contained in the array were all of African-American males with
mustaches. Their faces and hairstyles were somewhat similar and, contrary to Allens
argument, there is nothing in Allens photograph that identifies him as an Osco
employee. Inasmuch as the array was not accompanied by verbal communications from
the police officers, and there were no graphic characteristics that distinguished or emphasized
Allens photograph in an unusually suggestive manner, we conclude that Rannellss pretrial identification
evidence was properly admitted, and Allens claim with respect to this issue must
fail. Additionally, because we hold that the pretrial identification evidence was properly
admitted, it is not necessary to address whether Rannells had an independent basis
for her in-court identification of Allen. See Harris v. State, 716 N.E.2d
406, 410-11 (Ind. 1999).
See footnote
II. Exclusion of Evidence
Allen next claims that the trial court erred in excluding evidence that was
favorable to his defense. Specifically, Allen maintains that Bethels testimony that Crenshaw
and other individuals had actually committed the crimes should have been admitted at
trial, that the exclusion of Fred McGills testimony indicating that he saw Holvoet
alive at a time that the State asserted she was already deceased was
error, and that the reconstructive and experimental evidence offered by William Lumpkin regarding
Rannellss testimony placing Allen in some proximity to Osco was improperly excluded.
In resolving these issues, we note [w]hether rooted directly in the Due Process
Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment or in the Compulsory Process or Confrontation clauses
of the Sixth Amendment, the Constitution guarantees criminal defendants a meaningful opportunity to
present a complete defense. Kubsch v. State, 784 N.E.2d 905, 924-25 (Ind.
2003) (quoting Crane v. Kentucky, 476 U.S. 683, 690 (1986)). As our
United States Supreme Court has observed:
The right to offer the testimony of witnesses, and to compel their attendance,
if necessary, is in plain terms the right to present a defense, the
right to present the defendants version of the facts as well as the
prosecutions to the jury so it may decide where the truth lies.
Just as an accused has the right to confront the prosecutions witnesses for
the purpose of challenging their testimony, he has the right to present his
own witnesses to establish a defense. This right is a fundamental element
of due process of law.
Washington v. Texas, 388 U.S. 14, 19 (1967). Additionally, it has
been held that a defendant has a right to present evidence tending to
show that someone other than the accused committed the charged crime and that
the exclusion of such evidence by the trial court appears inconsistent with substantial
justice and therefore cannot be deemed harmless error. Joyner v. State, 678
N.E.2d 386, 390 (Ind. 1997). When the State excludes competent, reliable evidence
that is central to the defendants case, this right is abridged. Crane,
476 U.S. at 690.
We also note that the standard of review for admissibility of evidence issues
is whether the trial courts decision was an abuse of discretion. Butler
v. Kokomo Rehabilitation Hosp., Inc., 744 N.E.2d 1041, 1046 (Ind. Ct. App. 2001),
trans. denied. The decision whether to admit evidence will not be reversed
absent a showing of manifest abuse of a trial courts discretion resulting in
the denial of a fair trial. Brand v. State, 766 N.E.2d 772,
778 (Ind. Ct. App. 2002), trans. denied. Generally, errors in the admission
or exclusion of evidence are to be disregarded as harmless unless they affect
the substantial rights of a party. Coleman v. State, 694 N.E.2d 269,
277 (Ind. 1998). In determining whether an evidentiary ruling affected a partys
substantial rights, the court assesses the probable impact of the evidence on the
trier of fact. Id. However, as noted above, if error results
from the exclusion of evidence which indicates that someone else had committed the
crime, the error cannot be deemed harmless. See Joyner, 678
N.E.2d at 390.
A. Exclusion of Bethels Testimony
Here, Allen argues that the trial court erred when it failed to allow
Stephen Bethel to continue to testify, without further inquiry on the record as
to his willingness to testify. Appellants App. p. 2019. In particular,
Allen contends that the trial court erroneously excluded Bethels statement he had given
outside the presence of the jury indicating that Crenshaw and some other individuals
were the actual perpetrators of the murders.
In accordance with Indiana Evidence Rule 802, an out-of-court statement offered to prove
the truth of the matter asserted is typically not admissible into evidence.
However, in accordance with Indiana Evidence Rule 804(b)(2), such testimony is admissible as
an exception to the hearsay rule if the declarant is unavailable as a
witness and gave testimony at another hearing in the proceedings where the opposing
party had the opportunity to examine the witness. A witness is deemed
unavailable if he persists in refusing to testify concerning the subject matter of
his statement, despite a court order to do so. Diggs v. State,
531 N.E.2d 461, 464 (Ind. 1988).
As recounted in the FACTS, Bethel testified outside the presence of the jury
that he and Crenshaw were together and cased the Osco store several days
before the crime. Appellants App. p. 2879-81. Crenshaw communicated to Bethel
that [the Osco] would be an easy spot because of the location so
long as its at the right time. Appellants App. p. 2879-80.
Bethel went on to testify that on the morning of August 25,
1990, after the buses began to run, Crenshaw and two others approached Bethel
coming from the direction of Osco. Bethel had been at his sisters
residence, only blocks from the store. Crenshaw related to Bethel that he
had just got some money and some people got hurt and got killed
in it, and he couldnt tell me everything. He had to talk
to me later on. Appellants App. p. 2884. After Bethel had
heard of the Osco murders on the television news, Crenshaw told him
at some point during the evening of August 25, that the situation had
gone bad and three people ended up dead because of the robbery, and
they didnt really need to end up dead. Tr. p. 621.
Bethel also acknowledged that on the evening of August 25, Crenshaw paid cash
for rooms at a South Bend hotel where he and Bethel stayed with
three women. Tr. p. 618. Crenshaw also showed Bethel a handgun
that resembled a .44 Charter Arms Bulldog. Crenshaw refused to sell it
to Bethel, telling him that it was dirty, meaning it had a body
attached to it, or bodies. Appellants App. p. 2887, 2889. Bethel
then testified that he saw Crenshaw toss the gun into the river.
Appellants App. p. 2887, 2889.
During the course of a statement that Bethel had given to Detective Swanson
on December 9, 1991, Bethel informed him of other crimes that had occurred
in Bloomington. This information was confirmed by Swanson to be accurate.
Appellants App. p. 2419.
When Bethel gave his testimony outside the presence of the jury, he was
under oath and was subject to cross-examination by the prosecutors who were trying
the case. The trial judge also examined Bethel during the course
of this hearing to determine the admissibility of his testimony upon a finding
that Crenshaw was unavailable when he had asserted his Fifth Amendment right against
self-incrimination. After Allen called Bethel as a witness and began to testify, Bethel
balked and professed fear for his safety. Appellants App. p. 2895.
As a result, the trial judge decided that he would not permit Bethel
to appear again before the jury and instead offered that Bethel could testify
by deposition if he would cooperate. However, Bethel refused to do so,
and the trial court struck the testimony.
In response to Allens argument that excluding the testimony given outside the jurys
presence was error, the State first maintains that the issue was waived because
Allen made neither a timely and specific objection on the record to the
trial court striking the testimony, . . . nor an offer of proof
on the record for admitting Bethels testimony. Appellees Br. p. 14.
In addressing this issue, we note that the purpose of an offer to
prove is to preserve for appeal the trial courts allegedly erroneous exclusion of
evidence. Arhelger v. State, 714 N.E.2d 659, 665 (Ind. Ct. App. 1999).
An offer of proof can precede or follow the ruling on the
admissibility of the evidence. Id. Additionally, an offer of proof must
make the substance of the excluded evidence or testimony clear to the court.
It must identify the grounds for admission of the testimony, and it
must identify the relevance of the testimony. Id. at 666. However,
the offer of proof need not be formal. Id.
Allen points out, and we acknowledge, that Bethel was not cross-examined,
and the trial court halted his testimony before the direct examination had concluded.
In essence, there was no basis for an objection to the trial
courts admonishing the jury to disregard Bethels partially elicited testimony, and Allen has
not waived anything by not objecting to the exclusion of this testimony.
In a similar vein, the State goes on to argue that Allen failed
to make an offer of proof on the record for admitting Bethels testimony,
thus further waiving any claim of error predicated on the exclusion of Bethels
prior sworn testimony. Appellees Br. p. 14. Notwithstanding this claim, the
offer to use Bethels testimony was made part of the record by an
order issued by the trial court on January 21, 2004. Appellants App.
p. 2597-99. The order specifically acknowledged that defense counsel requested that the
jury be permitted to hear Bethels testimony taken outside the presence of the
jury at the hearing held on Friday, June 14, 2002. Appellants App.
p. 2599. Moreover, during the course of the hearing that took place
prior to the courts ruling that Bethel could testify before the jury, Allens
legal justification for the introduction of Bethels testimony was set forth as well
as the substance and relevance of that evidence. As a result, there
is no merit to the States argument that Allen has waived the issue.
In our view, the record supports a conclusion that Bethels testimony was exculpatory,
unique, and critical to Allens defense. There was no other source for
Allen to rely upon to present this part of his defense that another
individual had committed the crimes.
Under these circumstances, we must conclude that Allen had the right to present
evidence that Crenshaw was involved in the commission of the crimes. Such
evidence goes to the very heart of this fundamental right, and the trial
courts exclusion of Bethels testimony made outside the presence of the jury impinged
upon Allens right to present a complete defense. Hence, we reverse Allens
convictions on this basis.
B. McGills Testimony
Allen also contends that excluding evidence that McGill saw Holvoet at a time
the State asserted she was deceased was error. In particular, Allen argues
that the exclusion of McGills testimony denied him the right to present a
defense.
As noted above, McGill provided information in a sworn statementsubstantiated by Swansonthat he
was inside the Osco on the morning of the murders. McGill entered
the store through the unlocked front doors at about 8:15 or 8:20 a.m.
and saw two women inside: a Caucasian that looked like she was
working there, and a black girl about in her late 20s standing behind
a counter in the camera section. Appellants App. p. 2326, 2329.
It was established that the woman working at the store was Holvoet, the
pharmacist. Appellants App. p. 2332. After leaving the store, McGill went
across the street to a Kroger store and purchased some items. A
store receipt indicated that he made his purchase at 8:37 a.m. Appellants App.
p. 2326.
Inasmuch as McGill had died before the trial commenced, Allen attempted to present
the evidence obtained from McGill through the testimony of Detective Swanson. Tr.
p. 1525-30. In accordance with the States objection, the trial court excluded
McGills purported testimony as hearsay and further determined that the probative value of
that evidence was outweighed by its tendency to confuse the issues. Tr.
p. 1525-30.
Indiana Evidence Rule 801(c) defines hearsay as a statement, other than one made
by the declarant while testifying at the trial or hearing, offered in evidence
to prove the truth of the matter asserted. Although there are well-established exceptions
to the hearsay rule that permit the introduction of evidence under some circumstances,
Allen does not claim that the McGill evidence should have been admitted under
some well-defined exception to the rule. To be sure, Allen acknowledges the
following in his reply brief: As the state points out, Det. Swanson
testifying as to what McGill said in his sworn statement would have been
hearsay. This is not in dispute. Appellants Reply Br. p. 9.
See Garner v. State, 777 N.E.2d 721, 724 (Ind. 2002) (recognizing that
deposition testimony of an absent witness offered in court to prove the truth
of the matter asserted constitutes classic hearsay). Inasmuch as Allen has
not argued the admissibility of the evidence in accordance with any of the
well-known exceptions to the hearsay rule, we reject his contention that the evidence
should have been admitted simply because the facts of this case are unique.
Appellants Reply Br. p. 10. Under these circumstances, we cannot say
that the exclusion of the McGill evidence was error.
C. Exclusion of Reconstructive Evidence and Testimony
We go on to address Allens contention that the trial court erred in
excluding certain reconstructive evidence and testimony that had been offered by William Lumpkin,
an expert retained by Allen who challenged Rannellss identification of Allen while she
drove through an intersection on the morning of the murders. In particular,
Allen maintains that the evidence regarding tests, experiments and re-enactments of the scene
relating to his alleged proximity to the crimes should have been admitted because
the conditions that were recreated were substantially similar to those that existed at
the time of the incident.
In resolving this issue, we note that reconstructive evidence has been defined as
evidence offered to recreate conditions substantially similar to those existing at the time
of the issue being litigated. Wise v. State, 719 N.E.2d 1192, 1196
(Ind. 1999). Whether the conditions present at the time of the incident
in question have been sufficiently duplicated is of critical concern for the admission
of reconstructive evidence. Id. However, it is not essential that the conditions
be precisely reproduced in all their details, and any departure goes to the
weight rather than the admissibility of the evidence. Vandalia R. Co. v.
Duling, 60 Ind.App. 332,109 N.E. 70 (1915). This court will reverse a
trial courts decision regarding the admission or exclusion of expert opinion evidence only
for an abuse of discretion. Cook v. State, 734 N.E.2d 563, 570
(Ind. 2000).
In this case, Lumpkin, who had been trained in law enforcement and as
an engineer, essentially recreated the conditions that Rannells described in her pretrial statements.
Those conditions were recreated for purposes of testing whether it was possible
for one individual to identify another when two moving vehicles passed through the
intersection as Rannells had described. Lumpkin interpreted and duplicated the setting, using
Rannellss four pretrial statements to recreate the episode. Appellants App. p. 2920-23.
In particular, Lumpkin conducted and videotaped his on scene investigation on August
25, 2001. The State objected, and the trial court ruled that Lumpkin
could not testify because there was a danger of misleading the jury and
because he had omitted critical variables as testified to by Rannells. Tr.
p. 1277-8.
Allen then made an offer of proof describing the precise methods and procedures
that he used in conducting the tests. Appellants App. p. 2924-37.
Lumpkin used mid-sized vehicles with body styles similar to those described by the
witnesses for use in a reenactment at the intersection of Highway 23 and
Crumstown Road. Appellants App. p. 2921. The vehicles were positioned around
and driven through the intersection in accordance with the derived data. Appellants
App. p. 2921. A video camera was then used to record the
images in each observation. Lumpkin concluded that, based upon these tests, rapid
deceleration prevented the observation from being made safely. Appellants App. p. 2922.
Thus, Lumpkin determined that at no time did [he] find the driver
of the subject vehicle to be clearly visible, discernable or recognizable. Appellants
App. p. 2922.
In these circumstances, it is apparent that Lumpkins testimony, the tests he conducted,
and the video he prepared, were based on particular evidence in the case.
Specifically, Lumpkin used the prior testimony and statements that Rannels had made
to law enforcement personnel to create the video. In essence, Allen sought
to admit expert evidence based upon factors that Lumpkin knew, all of which
were based upon the statements and prior testimony.
That said, the situation here is quite unlike those cases where random hypothetical
questions were posed to a witness, none of which were based upon facts
in evidence. See Krumm v. State, 793 N.E.2d 1170, 1185 (Ind. Ct.
App. 2003) (holding that the trial court properly sustained an objection to a
hypothetical question as to whether the victim could come up with some kind
of sexual history when the question was based upon facts that had not
been established by the evidence). We also note that in Kubsch, a
police detective was permitted to testify that, its been my training that oftentimes
when a victims face is covered, its done to disassociate the victim from
the suspect. It turns the victim from a person to an object.
784 N.E.2d at 922. In concluding that allowing such testimony was
error in these circumstances, our supreme court observed that:
Detective Richmonds opinion that when a victims face is covered it is often
done to disassociate the victim from the suspect and that it happens more
in cases where the victim and suspect know or have a relationship with
each other, was not rationally based upon his perceptions. There was nothing
that Detective Richmond either saw or heard at the scene of the crime,
or became aware of through his other senses, that supported the basis for
his opinion. Rather, the detectives opinion was based on his understanding of
a phenomenon which the State in this case has not shown to be
scientifically reliable.
Id. at 922.
Like the circumstances regarding the exclusion of Bethels testimony, it is apparent that
Lumpkins testimony was critical to Allens defense in establishing that he could not
have been the driver of the vehicle she observed on the morning of
August 25. In our view, the trial court abused its discretion in
excluding the admissibility of the tests and Lumpkins testimony regarding the results of
those tests. Such was the type of evidence that prevented Allen from presenting
a meaningful opportunity to present a complete defense. Kubsch, 784 N.E.2d at
924-25. As a result, we also reverse upon this basis.
III. Denial of Due Process
Allen next argues that the trial court erred in denying his motion to
dismiss the charges that were brought against him in light of the States
unreasonable delay in pursing the case against him. Specifically, Allen claims that
the States lengthy delay in bringing him to trial resulted in the denial
of due process because several of the material witnesses were no longer able
to recall relevant details, and two crucial witnesses, Hattie Byerswho was Crenshaws sisterand
Fred McGill, had died before the trial. Allen also asserts that because
various telephone records and motel receipts were no longer available at the time
of trial, and that the prosecutors delay in bringing the charges denied him
the right to due process.
In resolving this issue, we note that a defendant may be afforded relief
in a pre-indictment delay situation. However, that provision has a limited role
in protecting against oppressive delay. United States v. Lovasco, 431 U.S.
783, 789 (1977). To obtain relief, the defendant is required to make
a threshold showing that he suffered actual and substantial prejudice to his right
to a fair trial. Id; see also Plowman v. State, 604 N.E.2d
1219, 1221 (Ind. Ct. App. 1992), trans. denied. Should a defendant
overcome that burden, he must then demonstrate that the State had no justification
for the delay. See Plowman, 604 N.E.2d at1221. The mere passage
of time is not presumed to be prejudicial, and to satisfy the threshold
burden of prejudice, a defendant must make specific and concrete allegations of prejudice
that are supported by the evidence. United States v. Spears, 159 F.3d
1081, 1084 7th Cir. 1998).
Allen alleges that because Crenshaw and Hattie Byers may have been involved in
the crimes and Byers had died in 1994, he was denied due process
because her testimony was unavailable at trial. Notwithstanding this contention, Allen has
failed to show that he was prejudiced by Byerss lack of testimony in
light of her death. To be sure, it is apparent that Allens
only use for Byerss testimony was to establish that she was a perpetrator
of the crimes. In light of these circumstances, it is highly unlikely that
Byers would have testified at the trial admitting her guilt regarding her participation
in the offenses. Hence, Allens claim fails on this basis.
Allen goes on to argue that McGills death before the trial contributed to
the denial of his right to due process. As noted above, Allen
established that McGill would have testified that he was present in the Osco
store conversing with Holvoet at the time that the State alleged the murders
had already occurred. Gaertner, another customer in the store, would have testified
to essentially the same information, but Allen chose not to call her as
a witness at trial. Tr. p. 1527, 1530. Thus, McGills testimony would
have been cumulative of Gaertners testimony had she testified. As the Spears
court observed, the absence of cumulative testimony cannot, as a matter of law,
constitute actual prejudice. 159 F.3d at 1085-86. As a result, Allens
due process claim on this basis may not succeed.
We also note that any prejudice that might have inured to Allen resulting
from the absence of McGills testimony will essentially be cured by the admission
of Bethels testimony upon retrial if, in fact, one is warranted. As
observed above, Bethel testified outside the jurys presence that Crenshaw admitted that he
was directly involved in the commission of the crimes, and that Allen didnt
do it. Appellants App. p. 2634, 2884; Tr. p. 621. In our
view, this evidencealong with the alibi evidence that Allen offered at trialminimizes the
impact of the testimony that McGill would have offered, i.e. that he had
seen Holvoet alive on the morning of August 25.
We also note that while Allen alleges that he was denied due process
because various telephone records and motel receipts regarding Crenshaw and Byerss activities were
not available at the trial, such evidence would only have shown that Crenshaw
paid for a motel room and that telephone calls were made. To
be sure, this evidence would not have demonstrated that Allen did not commit
the crimes. As a result, the lack of such documentation does not
rise to the level of actual and substantial prejudice. See Patterson v.
State, 495 N.E.2d 714, 718 (Ind. 1986) (observing that missing evidence that
would not necessarily prove the defendants innocence does not show actual prejudice).
In further support of his claim that he was denied due process, Allen
argues that had there been less of a delay, three other witnessesNancy Harris,
Geraldine Blakely, and Lisa Ivorieswould have fared better in presenting their testimony at
trial because they could have recalled the events in greater detail. Notwithstanding such
a contention, this court observed in Plowman that the mere allegation that the
passage of time impaired witnesses memories is not sufficient to establish prejudice.
604 N.E.2d at 1221. Moreover, Blakely testified at trial that
she in fact had telephoned Sharries at 8:00 a.m. on August 25.
Tr. p. 1168-69. Hence, the pre-indictment delay in this case had no
effect on her testimony. Additionally, Allens complaint that there was no recorded
statement by Blakely closer in time to the murders does not establish prejudice
from the delay because Allen could have taken a recorded statement from Blakely
at any time.
Similarly, while Nancy Harris may have been somewhat uncertain about the time that
Blakely telephoned and talked with Sharries, she testified that the call had come
in sometime during the morning of August 25. Tr. p. 1188-89, 1192-96,
1199-1202. Thus, even though Harriss memory of the precise time that Blakelys
telephone call was made might have diminished over the years and left her
vulnerable to impeachment, we cannot say that such a circumstance rose to the
level of actual and substantial prejudice. In our view, Allens apparent argument
that Harris would have been a better witness had the trial been held
earlier, is without merit.
Also, Lisa Ivories, one of the employees at the Osco store, testified that
she had spoken with Scott Dick at the Osco store on the morning
of August 25. Ivories informed Dick that she was not going to
come to work that day. Tr. p. 1303-08. As with Harris,
Ivories was not absolutely certain about the time that she talked with Scott
Dick. Again, this claim amounts to nothing more than a claim of
diminished memory that does not amount to actual and substantial prejudice.
Finally, Allen asserts that he was denied his right to due process because
the State had some type of impermissible motive for its delay in filing
the charges against him. We note that a prosecutor is vested with broad
discretion in the performance of his duties, and such discretion includes the decision
of whether and when to prosecute a suspect. See Holvoet v. State,
689 N.E.2d 469, 472 (Ind. Ct. App. 1997), trans. denied. Moreover, the
Due Process Clause does not permit courts to abort criminal prosecutions simply because
they disagree with a prosecutors judgment as to when to seek an indictment.
Lovasco, 431 U.S. at 790. Rather, the defendant must demonstrate that
the delay violated fundamental concepts of justice. See id.
Additionally, prosecutors are not under a duty to bring charges as soon as
probable cause exists. Id. at 791. A prosecutors belief that further
investigation is warranted to solidify the case is a reason for a
pre-indictment delay. See United States v. Sowa, 34 F.3d 447,
(7th Cir. 1994). It is proper for a prosecutor to delay filing
charges until he is completely satisfied that he should prosecute and will be
able promptly to establish guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. Lovasco, 431 U.S.
at 795.
In this case, it is evident that Michael Barnesthe St. Joseph County prosecutor
on August 25, 1990was aware that Allen was a suspect in the murders.
Tr. p. 1571. However, it was also apparent that Prosecutor Barnes
believed that the evidence available in this case during his tenure as prosecutor
was not sufficient to obtain a conviction. Appellants App. p. 132, 176-77,
180, 184-85. Even though the evidence may have been enough to establish
probable cause, such is not the determinative factor in deciding whether to bring
charges against a defendant. As discussed in the issues above, the circumstances
here indicate that the delay in the decision to prosecute Allen aided in
the search for the truth, and Allen has failed to make a showing
of any impermissible reason for the pre-indictment delay. Therefore, Allen has failed to
show that his due process rights were violated on this basis, and the
trial court properly denied his motion to dismiss the charges.
IV. Sufficiency of the Evidence
Because we reverse on other grounds we must determine whether there is sufficient
evidence upon which Allan can be retried. Lockhart v. United States, 488 U.S.
33, 40 (1988) (
a reviewing court must consider all of the evidence admitted
by the trial court in deciding whether retrial is permissible under the Double
Jeopardy Clause.) Allen maintains that his convictions may not stand because the
witnesses for the State were not credible, no murder weapon has ever been
recovered, and the remainder of the evidence presented to the jury was merely
speculative and did not establish his guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
In resolving this issue, we initially observe that this court will affirm a
defendants conviction if, considering only the probative evidence and reasonable inferences supporting the
trial court's judgment, and without weighing evidence or assessing witness credibility, a reasonable
trier of fact could conclude the defendant was guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Rogers v. State, 741 N.E.2d 395, 396 (Ind. Ct. App. 2000), trans.
denied. When a conviction is based on circumstantial evidence, this court will
not disturb the verdict if the fact finder could reasonably infer from the
evidence presented that the defendant is guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. Jones
v. State, 783 N.E.2d 1132, 1139 (Ind. 2003); Hawkins v. State,
794 N.E.2d 1158, 1164 (Ind. Ct. App. 2003). Additionally, the circumstantial evidence
need not overcome every reasonable hypothesis of innocence; the evidence is sufficient if
an inference may reasonably be drawn from it to support the verdict.
Hawkins, 794 N.E.2d at 1164. Inconsistencies in the evidence are for the
jury to evaluate, and to determine what evidence to believe. Miller v.
State, 770 N.E.2d 763, 774-75 (Ind. 2002).
In this case, we note that Allen does not dispute that the State
proved the elements of the crimes charged beyond a reasonable doubt. Rather,
he argues that he was not the perpetrator of the offenses, and the
evidence offered by the State failed to prove the same.
The State presented evidence that Allen was seen near South Bend shortly after
the murders. Tr. p. 329-40, 342-48, 357-62. Allen had been angry
and upset when he resigned from Osco for embezzling money. Tr. p.
517-18, 522-23, 536-37. Partial palm prints and fingerprints belonging to Allen were
found on the stores rear service door, and there was testimony that Allenat
one timehad a key to the safe. Tr. p. 246-49, 252-53, 273-80,
487-88, 499-502, 507-08, 659-64, 672-77, 680-81, 694-97, 706-09. It was also revealed
that Allen had owned a handgun similar to the one used in the
murders, and there was evidence that the note found near Dicks body may
have been written by Allen. Tr. p. 159, 167-72, 184-85, 488-91, 543-52,
577-82, 926-27. In light of all the evidence that was before the
jury, Allens alibi evidence did not unequivocally demonstrate that he could not have
committed the crime. Thus, in considering such evidence, and applying our standard
of review, we cannot conclude that no reasonable jury could have found guilt
beyond a reasonable doubt. We therefore reject Allens contention that the evidence
was insufficient to convict.
CONCLUSION
In light of our discussion of the issues set forth above, we conclude
that the trial court committed reversible error in excluding Bethels testimony that was
exculpatory and vital to Allens defense. We also find that it was
error to exclude the reconstructive evidence and testimony from Lumpkin.
On the other hand, we hold that the trial court properly admitted the
pretrial identification evidence with respect to the photo array, and there was no
error in the exclusion of McGills testimony. We also conclude that Allen
was not denied due process of law as a result of the States
pre-indictment delay in bringing the charges against him, and we find that the
evidence was sufficient to support Allens convictions. Given such a conclusion with
regard to Allens sufficiency claim, the State is not barred from retrying Allen.
See Joyner, 678 N.E.2d at 390.
The judgment of the trial court is reversed and remanded for further proceedings
consistent with this opinion.
FRIEDLANDER, J., and BAILEY, J., concur.
Footnote:
Ind. Code § 35-42-1-1.
Footnote: I.C. § 35-42-5-1.
Footnote: Michael Barnes is currently a judge on this court who took
office in May of 2000. While he is a member of our
court, he is not on the panel in this case. Moreover, Judge
Barnes has been excluded and will continue to be excluded from any participation
or consideration of this appeal.
Footnote:
While Allen discusses the substance of Amy Averys identification testimony in
his brief, he does not attack it as unduly suggestive or prejudicial to
the extent that a reversal is warranted, or that an error even occurred.
To the contrary, Allen states that [t]he information provided by Avery was of
no value. The prosecution did not even mention her in its final
argument. Appellants Br. p. 81.