1. Constitutional Law--right to confrontation_-prior sexual assault--testimonial
evidence_-photo lineup--harmless error
Although the trial court violated defendant's right to confrontation in a double second-degree
rape, first-degree kidnapping, possession of cocaine, possession of drug paraphernalia, and habitual
misdemeanor assault case by allowing the admission of evidence regarding an alleged prior sexual
assault obtained from a detective's testimony that a prior victim identified defendant as her assailant
when the prior victim was unavailable at trial, it was harmless error beyond a reasonable doubt
because: (1) the victim in this case provided sufficient detail of her rape and identified defendant as
her attacker; and (2) the sexual assaults upon two prior victims were properly admitted to show
defendant's modus operandi, common plan or scheme, intent, and knowledge.
2. Evidence--prior crimes or bad acts--sexual assaults--modus operandi--common plan or
scheme--intent--knowledge
The trial court in a prosecution for second-degree rape, kidnapping and other offenses
properly admitted evidence of two alleged prior sexual assaults by defendant under N.C.G.S. § 8C-1,
Rules 403 and 404 for the purpose of showing defendant's modus operandi, common plan or
scheme, intent and knowledge because: (1) in regard to the similarity of this case to one of the prior
victims, in both cases defendant initiated contact with a woman whom he had known for several
years; both women had substance abuse problems and defendant told both of them that he had drugs
they could use; in both cases defendant struggled with the women once they arrived at their
destinations, he removed their clothes, he placed at least one of his hands on their neck, and he
engaged in sexual intercourse; both women indicated they did not believe defendant would harm
them prior to their attacks since they had known defendant for several years, they were friends, and
he had treated them nicely; and a time disparity of seventeen months is not too remote for Rule
404(b) purposes; and (2) in regard to the similarity of this case with another prior victim, although
a rape had not occurred at the time the police arrived, the evidence parallels what happened to the
victim in this case earlier in the same evening.
3. Evidence--pornographic magazines--criminal citation--harmless error
The trial court committed harmless error in a double second-degree rape, first-degree
kidnapping, possession of cocaine, possession of drug paraphernalia, and habitual misdemeanor
assault case by admitting an officer's testimony regarding pornographic magazines and a criminal
citation found in defendant's motel room, because: (1) although the pornographic magazines could
be considered prejudicial, a different outcome would not have resulted if these magazines had not
been presented to the jury; and (2) although the citation indicated defendant illegally possessed acrack pipe and a half ounce of marijuana which was irrelevant to the issues in this case, the State
could prove beyond a reasonable doubt that defendant raped the victim based upon her testimony
alone which was also supported by the N.C.G.S. § 8C-1, Rule 404(b) evidence demonstrating
defendant's modus operandi, common plan or scheme, intent, and knowledge.
4. Sentencing--remand--erroneous use of rape conviction to elevate kidnapping charge
Although defendant neither objected to the sentence he received nor raised his two
constitutional arguments in the trial court in a double second-degree rape, first-degree kidnapping,
possession of cocaine, possession of drug paraphernalia, and habitual misdemeanor assault case, the
Court of Appeals used its inherent authority under N.C. R. App. P. 2 and remanded the case to the
trial court for resentencing, because: (1) the State conceded that one of defendant's rape convictions
was erroneously utilized to elevate second-degree kidnapping to first-degree kidnapping; and (2) the
State acknowledged that this dual use of one of defendant's rapes of the victim is restricted by State
v. Stinson, 127 N.C. App. 252 (1997).
Appeal by defendant from judgments entered 8 August 2003 by
Judge Zoro J. Guice in Buncombe County Superior Court. Heard in
the Court of Appeals 2 March 2005.
Attorney General Roy A. Cooper, III, by Special Deputy
Attorney General Amar Majmundar, for the State.
Eric A. Bach for defendant-appellant.
HUNTER, Judge.
Jack P. Moore (defendant) presents the following issues for
our consideration: Did the trial court erroneously allow the State
to offer (I) statements from a previous rape accuser through the
hearsay testimony of a police officer and emergency room physician
in violation of the Sixth Amendment of the United States
Constitution as interpreted by Crawford v. Washington, 541 U.S. 36,158 L. Ed. 2d 177 (2004); (II) evidence of three additional sexual
encounters between defendant and other women pursuant to Rules 401,
403, and 404 of the North Carolina Rules of Evidence; and (III)
testimony regarding pornographic magazines and a criminal citation
as it was inadmissible under Rule 401 and 403. Defendant also
presents two constitutional issues for consideration: Did the
trial court violate his constitutional rights by (I) sentencing
defendant to consecutive sentences on two counts of second degree
rape and one charge of habitual misdemeanor assault when the
assault indictment charged the same conduct alleged in the rape
indictments; and (II) sentencing defendant to consecutive sentences
for second degree rape and first degree kidnapping when the
kidnapping offense was elevated to the first degree with the same
sexual assault allegation contained in the rape indictment. After
careful review, we find no prejudicial error occurred in the trial
below, but remand for resentencing as to first degree kidnapping.
The evidence tends to indicate that on 23 October 2002, L.S.
was in Asheville, North Carolina, in an area near the Interstate
Motel looking for marijuana. She saw defendant, with whom she had
been acquainted for over twenty years, on the street. During her
conversation with defendant, she told him she was looking for
marijuana. Defendant told her he had some marijuana in his motelroom and that he would sell it to her for $10.00. L.S. walked with
defendant to his motel room at the Interstate Motel.
Upon entering the motel room, defendant went into the
bathroom. After defendant exited the bathroom, defendant grabbed
L.S., threw her down on a bed, and began removing her clothes.
L.S. asked defendant to stop, but he continued. Defendant raped
L.S. He then allowed L.S. to wash and dress, but before L.S. could
leave the room, he forced her onto a bed and raped her again.
After the second rape, L.S. left the room and subsequently called
the police.
Meanwhile, defendant saw M.O., a woman with whom he had been
acquainted for several years, in the Interstate Motel. During his
conversation with M.O., M.O. informed him she was looking for some
alcohol to drink. Defendant invited M.O. to his room for a drink.
Upon entering the room, he grabbed M.O., threw her onto a bed, and
began removing her clothes. He held M.O. by her neck while he
removed his pants. Before he could penetrate M.O., the police
knocked on his door and defendant jumped up. M.O. answered the
door, put her clothes on, and left the motel room.
Defendant was subsequently indicted on two counts of second
degree rape, and one count of first degree kidnapping, possession
of cocaine, possession of drug paraphernalia, habitual misdemeanor
assault, and for being an habitual felon. Defendant was convictedof all charges and was sentenced to two consecutive sentences of
133-169 months for each rape conviction, 133-169 months for
kidnapping to run concurrently to the rape convictions, 133-169
months for possession of cocaine to run consecutively after the
kidnapping sentence, and 133-169 months for habitual misdemeanor
assault to run consecutively after the possession of cocaine
sentence. Defendant appeals.
[1] We first address defendant's contention that the trial
court erroneously allowed the admission of evidence regarding an
alleged prior sexual assault in violation of the Confrontation
Clause to the United States Constitution. Specifically, defendant
challenges the admission of statements made by T.M., an alleged
prior victim, to a police detective and a medical doctor regarding
her rape. Prior to defendant's trial in this case, T.M. died and
was therefore unavailable to testify at defendant's trial.
The Sixth Amendment to the United States Constitution
guarantees that [i]n all criminal prosecutions the accused shall
enjoy the right . . . to be confronted with the witnesses against
him[.] U.S. Const. amend. VI. Our review of whether defendant's
Sixth Amendment right of confrontation was violated is three-fold:
(1) whether the evidence admitted was testimonial in nature; (2)
whether the trial court properly ruled the declarant was
unavailable; and (3) whether defendant had an opportunity tocross-examine the declarant. State v. Clark, 165 N.C. App. 279,
283, 598 S.E.2d 213, 217 (2004). In this case, it is undisputed
that T.M. was unavailable at defendant's trial because she was
deceased. It is also undisputed that defendant did not have a
prior opportunity to cross-examine T.M. Thus, our analysis is
limited to whether T.M.'s statements were testimonial in nature.
According to testimony, on 18 October 2000, T.M. reported to
the police that she had been sexually assaulted. Detective Paula
Barnes (Detective Barnes) contacted T.M. at the hospital and
interviewed her regarding the sexual assault. T.M. provided
Detective Barnes with a description of the sexual assault and
indicated a man by the name of Jimmy Jackson committed the assault.
Dr. Stace Horine (Dr. Horine) testified that he was an emergency
room physician and that he treated T.M. on 18 October 2000 for an
alleged rape. During the treatment, T.M. gave an account of the
alleged rape. However, she did not name her assailant. Detective
Barnes testified that there were several officers looking for the
assailant that evening and that later in the evening, the police
showed T.M. a photographic line-up of six individuals. After
viewing the pictures, T.M. identified defendant as the person who
assaulted her.
Defendant argues the admission of Detective Barnes's and Dr.
Horine's testimony regarding statements made by T.M. violated hisSixth Amendment right to confrontation because T.M.'s statements
were testimonial in nature. In their appellate briefs, the parties
discuss at length whether statements made to a medical doctor are
testimonial in nature, and they also present argument regarding the
statements made to Detective Barnes. It is unnecessary for this
Court to resolve these issues because T.M. did not name her
assailant in those statements. Rather, the police utilized T.M.'s
statements in their investigation and eventually presented T.M.
with a photographic line-up from which she identified defendant.
This Court has held that the information obtained from [a] photo
line-up and offered at trial through [a police officer is]
testimonial evidence. State v. Lewis, 166 N.C. App. 596, 602, 603
S.E.2d 559, 563 (2004). Thus, Detective Barnes's testimony that
T.M. identified defendant as her assailant was inadmissible under
the Sixth Amendment to the United States Constitution because T.M.
was unavailable at trial and defendant did not have a prior
opportunity to cross-examine.
A violation of the defendant's rights under the Constitution
of the United States is prejudicial unless the appellate court
finds that it was harmless beyond a reasonable doubt. The burden
is upon the State to demonstrate, beyond a reasonable doubt, that
the error was harmless. N.C. Gen. Stat. § 15A-1443(b) (2003). In
light of the other evidence in this case, we conclude theconstitutional error was harmless beyond a reasonable doubt.
Indeed, L.S. provided sufficient detail of her rape and identified
defendant as her attacker. Also, as explained below, the sexual
assaults upon M.O. and S.J., prior victims of defendant, were
properly admitted to show defendant's modus operandi, common plan
or scheme, intent, and knowledge. The jury could conclude beyond
a reasonable doubt from this evidence that defendant committed the
charged offenses.
[2] Next, we address defendant's contentions that the trial
court erroneously admitted evidence under Rules 403 and 404 of two
alleged prior sexual assaults of S.J. and M.O. N.C. Gen. Stat. §
8C-1, Rule 404(b) (2003), provides:
Evidence of other crimes, wrongs, or acts is
not admissible to prove the character of a
person in order to show that he acted in
conformity therewith. It may, however, be
admissible for other purposes, such as proof
of motive, opportunity, intent, preparation,
plan, knowledge, identity, or absence of
mistake, entrapment or accident.
Id. Rule 404(b) is one of inclusion. State v. Coffey, 326 N.C.
268, 278-79, 389 S.E.2d 48, 54 (1990).
Where [prior bad act] evidence reasonably
tends to prove a material fact in issue in the
crime charged, it will not be rejected merely
because it incidentally proves the defendant
guilty of another crime, but [it will be
rejected] if the sole logical relevancy of
that evidence is to suggest defendant'spredisposition to commit the type of offense
with which he is presently charged.
State v. Jeter, 326 N.C. 457, 458, 389 S.E.2d 805, 806 (1990)
(quoting State v. Johnson, 317 N.C. 417, 425, 347 S.E.2d 7, 12
(1986)). Whether evidence is admissible under Rule 404(b) is
constrained by the requirements of similarity and temporal
proximity. State v. Al-Bayyinah, 356 N.C. 150, 154, 567 S.E.2d
120, 123 (2002).
When the features of the earlier act are
dissimilar from those of the offense with
which the defendant is currently charged, such
evidence lacks probative value. When
otherwise similar offenses are distanced by
significant stretches of time, commonalities
become less striking, and the probative value
of the analogy attaches less to the acts than
to the character of the actor.
State v. Bidgood, 144 N.C. App. 267, 271-72, 550 S.E.2d 198, 201
(2001) (citation omitted).
Although evidence may be admissible under Rule 404(b), the
probative value of the evidence must still outweigh the danger of
undue prejudice to the defendant to be admissible under Rule 403.
State v. Frazier, 319 N.C. 388, 390, 354 S.E.2d 475, 477 (1987).
This issue is a matter within the sound discretion of the trial
judge. State v. Mason, 315 N.C. 724, 731, 340 S.E.2d 430, 435
(1986). That determination is within the sound discretion of the
trial court, whose ruling will be reversed on appeal only when itis shown that the ruling was so arbitrary that it could not have
resulted from a reasoned decision. Bidgood, 144 N.C. App. at 272,
550 S.E.2d at 202. We note, however, that our Supreme Court has
stated that '[t]he dangerous tendency of this class of evidence to
mislead and raise a legally spurious presumption of guilt requires
that its admissibility should be subjected to strict scrutiny by
the courts.' Jeter, 326 N.C. at 458, 389 S.E.2d at 806 (quoting
Johnson, 317 N.C. at 430, 347 S.E.2d at 15).
Our Courts have been very liberal in permitting the State to
present evidence to prove any relevant fact not prohibited by Rule
404(b) with respect to prior sexual offenses. See State v. White,
331 N.C. 604, 612, 419 S.E.2d 557, 561 (1992). This is
particularly true where the fact sought to be proved is the
defendant's intent to commit a similar sexual offense for which the
defendant has been charged. Id. at 612, 419 S.E.2d at 561-62.
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