Hampton v. State
Hampton v. State
Opinion
The appellant was convicted of sodomy in the first degree, in violation of §
" 'Forcible compulsion' is an element of first degree rape. It has a specific legal meaning. Ala. Code (1975), §
13A-6-60 (8). Here, the examining physician did not give his opinion on the presence or absence of forcible compulsion. He did state his opinion regarding the cause of the injuries to the victim. 'The nature of the wound or injury, its probable cause and effect can be stated by expert medical witnesses, or witnesses shown to be familiar with such questions. . . .' Thomas v. State,249 Ala. 358 ,360 ,31 So.2d 71 (1947). 'If the requisite predicate is laid for the expert testimony, and if the expert is duly qualified, he can give an opinion as to the cause of a wound and its effect.' White v. State,423 U.S. 951 ,96 S.Ct. 373 ,46 L.Ed.2d 288 (1975); Bell v. State,435 So.2d 772 ,775 (Ala.Cr.App. 1983). See also Meadows v. State,473 So.2d 582 ,585-86 (Ala.Cr.App. 1985) (physician properly allowed to describe victim's wound as a 'serious injury'); Wicker v. State,433 So.2d 1190 (Ala.Cr.App. 1983) (physician properly allowed to describe defendant's injuries as slight)."
Based upon the aforementioned legal authority, the determination by the trial court to admit the opinion testimony of the State's expert witness was proper.
"[PROSECUTOR]: After you had arrested Timothy Hampton where was he taken?
"[OFFICER MOORE]: He was taken to the Birmingham City jail.
"[PROSECUTOR]: Did you at any time speak with him on that date?
"[OFFICER MOORE]: I attempted but he did not give a statement, no, sir."
Defense counsel immediately objected, stating that the testimony was "a deliberate attempt to show that [the appellant] did not make a statement, which would be a violation of his constitutional rights as well as the discovery order in this case." The record reveals that the trial court promptly *Page 378 instructed the jury to "disregard [the statement] and to not let it be part of your consideration." Defense counsel, outside the jury's presence, then objected on grounds that the curative instructions were insufficient. The trial court then, on two separate occasions, invited defense counsel to write out his own curative instructions for the trial court. Defense counsel declined to furnish such instructions and moved for a mistrial. The trial court then denied the appellant's motion for a mistrial and, in the presence of the jury, gave a second curative instruction to disregard Officer Moore's response.
Here, there was no ineradicable prejudice to the appellant from the statement by the State's witness where the trial court gave prompt curative instructions and offered to give additional curative instructions supplied by defense counsel, but defense counsel refused to offer any instructions.Beadnell v. State,
"Contained and embraced within the charge of sodomy in the first degree is the lesser-included offense of sexual misconduct. To sustain the charge of sexual misconduct in this case, the State, by the evidence, must prove beyond a reasonable doubt the following elements of the offense:
"1. That Timothy Hampton engaged in deviate sexual intercourse with [the victim], and;
"2. That he did so without her consent."
Section
"(a) A person commits the crime of sexual misconduct if:
"(1) Being a male, he engages in sexual intercourse with a female without her consent, under circumstances other than those covered by sections
13A-6-61 and13A-6-62 ; or with her consent where consent was obtained by the use of any fraud or artifice; or
". . .
"(3) He or she engages in deviate sexual intercourse with another person under circumstances other than those covered by sections
13A-6-63 and13A-6-64 . Consent is no defense to a prosecution under this subdivision."(b) Sexual misconduct is a Class A misdemeanor."
Section
*Page 379"(a) A person commits the crime of sodomy in the first degree if:
"(1) He engages in deviate sexual intercourse with another person by forcible compulsion; or
"(2) He engages in deviate sexual intercourse with a person who is incapacitated; or"(3) He, being 16 years old or older, engages in deviate sexual intercourse with a person who is less than 12 years old.
"(b) Sodomy in the first degree is a Class A felony."
An examination of the record reveals that there was no rational basis or reasonable theory that would support a conviction on the lesser offense.
Ex parte McCall,"The law in Alabama is clear: if a defendant asks for a jury charge on a lesser included offense, he is entitled to such a charge if there is any rational basis or reasonable theory that would support a conviction on the lesser offense. Ala. Code 1975, §
13A-1-9 (b); Allen v. State,546 So.2d 1009 ,1012 (Ala.Crim.App. 1989); McConnico v. State,551 So.2d 424 (Ala.Crim.App. 1988)."
The appellant further argues that the trial court erred in denying his written requested charges as to two other lesser included offenses. Written requested charge no. 29 reads:
"Contained and embraced within the charge of kidnapping in the first degree is the lesser-included offense of unlawful imprisonment in the first degree. To sustain the charge of unlawful imprisonment in this case, the State, by the evidence, must prove beyond a reasonable doubt each of the following elements of the offense:
"1. That the defendant, Timothy Hampton, restrained [the victim], and;
"2. That the restraint occurred under circumstances which exposed [the victim] to a risk of serious physical injury."
Written requested charge no. 31 reads:
"Contained and embraced within the charge of unlawful imprisonment in the first degree is the lesser-included offense of unlawful imprisonment in the second degree. A person commits the crime of unlawful imprisonment in the second degree if he restrains another person."
Following the trial court's oral charge to the jury, the following colloquy occurred between the trial court, the co-defendants' trial counsel, and the appellant's counsel:
"[THE COURT]: What says the State?
"[PROSECUTOR]: The State is satisfied.
"[THE COURT]: What says the defendants?
"[CO-DEFENDANT'S COUNSEL]: Your Honor, I am satisfied with the Court's oral charge, but I have two exceptions to failure to give a couple of lesser-included offenses which were covered by Frederick Hampton's written requested Charges No. 29 and 30.*Page 380"[THE COURT]: Unlawful imprisonment in the second degree.
"[CO-DEFENDANT'S COUNSEL]: Thirty is just a continuation of that.
"[THE COURT]: I give you an exception to not giving it. I didn't give it, and I didn't intend to.
"[CO-DEFENDANT'S COUNSEL]: The other one would be a lesser-included charge of third degree assault covered by Frederick Hampton's requested Charges 32 and 33.
"[THE COURT]: I think I addressed that issue and I would say the same thing again. You have an exception.
"[APPELLANT'S TRIAL COUNSEL]: We would note the same exception on the charges for Timothy Hampton with respect to unlawful imprisonment, I believe it's Charge No. 31.
"[THE COURT]: Let me look. Which one are you talking about?
"[APPELLANT'S TRIAL COUNSEL]: No. 29 is unlawful imprisonment first degree. We would except both of those."[THE COURT]: Wait just a minute. Your No. 29 is unlawful imprisonment first degree. I will renew my same grounds.
"[APPELLANT'S TRIAL COUNSEL]: Same thing on Charge No. 31 as a lesser-included.
"[THE COURT]: I will renew my same reason for not giving it and give you an exception.
"[APPELLANT'S TRIAL COUNSEL]: Charge No. 25, lesser-included offense of sexual misconduct.
"[THE COURT]: I talked about that, and, again, I say the same thing. You have an exception on all of it. Both of you."
After the jury began deliberations, it sent a note to the trial court that it "would like to hear a definition of second degree kidnapping." The jury also wanted to know "if the victim got in the car willingly and asked to be let go at some point, would that be second degree kidnapping?" The appellant's trial counsel objected and renewed his request for the lesser-included charge of unlawful imprisonment based on the jury's question. The trial court made the following response to trial counsel's objection:
"THE COURT: If I'm in error, I'm in error. To do that now would be to suggest to the jury. They might then come back with second degree kidnapping where they might otherwise throw it out. I will leave it as it is. I will define second degree kidnapping and nothing else."
The State's argument that the issue was not preserved for appellate review is without merit. The record indicates that the trial judge was aware of the appellant's objection and the reasons for that objection.
Section
Section
"To restrain a person with intent to prevent his liberation by either:"a. Secreting or holding him in a place where he is not likely to be found, or
"b. Using or threatening to use deadly physical force."
Section
"(a) A person commits the crime of unlawful imprisonment in the second degree if he restrains another person."
Section
"To intentionally or knowingly restrict a person's, movements unlawfully and without consent, so as to interfere substantially with his liberty by moving him from one place to another, or by confining him either in the place where the restriction commences or in a place to which he has been moved. Restraint is 'without consent' if it is accomplished by:
"a. Physical force, intimidation or deception."
The facts in the instant case are similar to those in Exparte Pettiway,
Because there was a "rational basis or reasonable theory" that would support a conviction on the lesser offense of "unlawful imprisonment" in the second degree, the trial court committed reversible error in failing to give such an instruction. See Ex parte McCall, supra.
The appellant's convictions for rape in the first degree and sodomy in the first degree are affirmed. The conviction for kidnapping in the second degree is reversed, and the cause is remanded for proceedings consistent with this opinion.
AFFIRMED IN PART;
REVERSED AND REMANDED IN PART.
All Judges concur.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- Timothy Hampton v. State.
- Cited By
- 4 cases
- Status
- Published