Greenhill v. State
Greenhill v. State
Opinion
The appellant, Jerry Lee Greenhill, was convicted of the murder of P.S.,1 a violation of §
The State's evidence showed that, on December 27, 1997, R.Y. and his family were having dinner together. When E.Y., R.Y.'s estranged wife, came to the house to retrieve a photograph album, an argument ensued between her and her half-sister. E.Y. left, but she drove up and down the road in front of R.Y.'s house and returned to the house several times. At some point, the appellant drove by the house. R.Y., who believed that E.Y. and the appellant were having an affair, got into his vehicle and chased the appellant down the road. R.Y. returned about 10 minutes later. E.Y. pulled into the yard again and R.Y. came outside to talk to her. While they were in the yard, the appellant pulled into the yard. When R.Y. approached the appellant's truck, the appellant pointed a shotgun at him and denied that he was having an affair with E.Y. Eventually, the appellant lowered the gun. After E.Y. told the appellant that he was being videotaped, the appellant pointed his shotgun at J.F., E.Y.'s brother-in-law who was videotaping, and demanded the videotape. R.Y. then grabbed the barrel of the shotgun and hit the appellant. The appellant got out of the passenger side of his truck and shot P.S., R.Y.'s son, who was standing on the driver's side of the truck. Although P.S. had a gun, the State presented testimony that he never fired his gun. The appellant then shot at R.Y., and R.Y. picked up P.S.'s gun and shot the appellant in the arm.
The appellant presented evidence that he stopped to talk to R.Y. because R.Y. had threatened to involve the appellant's parents in R.Y.'s divorce. According to the appellant, he put his shotgun in his lap when R.Y. walked up because R.Y. had previously threatened him. They did not exchange harsh words until R.Y. saw a cellular phone that he believed belonged to E.Y. in the appellant's truck. As the appellant was backing down the driveway, R.Y. leaned into the truck and hit him in the head. He then slid out of the passenger's side of the truck with his shotgun. The appellant testified that he saw P.S. pointing a gun at him and that they fired at each other almost simultaneously. The appellant testified that he shot at P.S. because he was afraid P.S. would shoot him. According to the appellant, P.S.'s shot hit him in the arm and, because of the injury, he was not able to fire his shotgun a second time.
State v. Sealy, [Ms. CR-96-0881, October 17, 1997]"There is no statutory provision for a general grant of immunity from criminal prosecution under the laws of Alabama. Alabama is one of a number of states that do not have a general statute authorizing prosecuting attorneys to grant immunity from prosecution. Ex parte Graddick,
501 So.2d 444 (Ala. 1986); Ex parte Johnsey,384 So.2d 1189 (Ala.Cr.App.), cert. denied,384 So.2d 1191 (Ala. 1980). However, prosecuting attorneys and judges are not forbidden from granting an accused immunity from prosecution for criminal offenses in exchange for truthful testimony as a state witness against others accused of crimes. Gipson v. State,375 So.2d 504 (Ala.Cr.App. 1978), aff'd,375 So.2d 514 (Ala. 1979). `[G]rants of immunity play a vital role in the performance of the duties of prosecuting attorneys, and without this method of obtaining valuable testimony prosecuting attorneys would be severely hampered in their efforts to gain convictions.' Ex parte Graddick, 501 So.2d at 446. Nonstatutory grants of immunity can be valid in Alabama if they follow the guidelines established in Ex parte Graddick, i.e., the grant of immunity must be signed *Page 1067 by the district attorney and approved by the trial judge."
The appellant also argues that, because E.Y. was unavailable to testify by virtue of invoking her Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination, the trial court should have admitted the transcript of her grand jury testimony into evidence. Section
"The Legislature hereby finds, declares and determines that it is essential to the fair and impartial administration of justice that all grand jury proceedings be secret and that the secrecy of such proceedings remain inviolate. The provisions of this division are to be construed for the accomplishment of this purpose and to promote the following:
". . . .
"(2) That those persons who have information or knowledge with respect to the commission of crimes or criminal acts be encouraged to testify freely and truthfully before an appropriate grand jury without fear or apprehension that their testimony may be subsequently disclosed, or that they may be subject to injury in their person or property as a result thereof."
(Emphasis added.) Alabama law provides for invading the secrecy of grand jury proceedings in very limited situations.
"`Before a defendant is allowed to inspect a transcript of a State's witness who testified before the grand jury or before a trial judge should conduct an in camera inspection of such testimony, see Palermo [v. United States,
360 U.S. 343 ,79 S.Ct. 1217 ,3 L.Ed.2d 1287 (1959)] and Pate [v. State, supra,415 So.2d 1140 (Ala. 1981)], the defendant should at least and at a very minimum make some offer of proof (1) that the matters contained in the witness' grand jury testimony were relevant to the subject matter of the prosecution; (2) and that there exists an inconsistency between grand jury testimony and trial testimony. . . .
". . . .
Arthur v. State,"`Once the defendant has laid a proper predicate for the impeachment of a witness who testified before the grand jury, the trial judge should conduct an in camera inspection as outlined in Palermo, supra, and Pate, supra, to determine (1) whether the statement made by the witness before the grand jury "differed in any respects from statements made to the jury during trial," Pate, supra, and (2) whether the grand jury testimony requested by the defendant "was of such a nature that without it the defendant's *Page 1068 trial would be fundamentally unfair." Pate, supra. This procedure will best preserve and protect the legislative determination that "it is essential to the fair and impartial administration of justice that all grand jury proceedings be secret and that the secrecy of such proceedings remain inviolate." Alabama Code 1975, Sections
12-16-214 through 226.'"Millican v. State,
423 So.2d 268 ,270-71 (Ala.Cr.App. 1982)."
"This is an improper witness to be viewing the tape and making descriptions of what happened. He was not there. Anybody that has watched it repeatedly could easily get up and testify to what they observed on the tape if the tape speaks for itself."
(R. 477.) The appellant's objections did not raise the issue of whether Hargett's identification of the voices on the videotape was impermissibly suggestive. Because specific grounds for objections waive all other grounds not specified, the appellant did not properly preserve this issue for our review. Fletcher v.State,
The appellant also argues that the State did not lay a proper predicate for Hargett's testimony identifying the voices on the tape and stating whether the gunshots heard on the tapes came from a shotgun or a pistol because the State did not qualify him as an expert witness under Rule 702, Ala. R. Evid. At trial, the appellant did not object on the ground that the State had not properly qualified Hargett as an expert before he identified the voices and testified which gunshots were from a shotgun and which gunshots were from a pistol. At most, the appellant argued that the tapes would speak for themselves. Although he did raise this specific issue in his motion for a new trial,
Newsome v. State,"[r]eview on appeal is restricted to questions and issues properly and timely raised at trial. . . . [A] motion for a new trial or a motion for a judgment of acquittal is not sufficient to preserve the issue where no timely objection was *Page 1069 made at the time the evidence was offered and admitted."
The appellant raises additional arguments regarding the admissibility of the tapes and Hargett's testimony concerning those tapes. However, because he did not present these issues to the trial court, they are not properly before this court.Fletcher, supra.
"In coming before you upon his plea of not guilty, the defendant is presumed to be innocent of the charges against him. This presumption of innocence remains without — remains with the defendant throughout every stage of the trial and even during your deliberations on the verdict and is not overcome unless, from all of the evidence in the case, each of you are convinced beyond a reasonable doubt that the defendant is guilty. This presumption of innocence with which the defendant enters into the trial is a fact in the case which must be considered by you along with all of the other evidence and is not to be disregarded by you. This presumption of innocence remains with the defendant during the trial until overcome by evidence which convinces you, the jury, of the defendant's guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
"A logical question at this point is `What is a reasonable doubt?' Ladies and gentlemen, the law says a reasonable doubt is a fair doubt based upon reason and common sense and arising from the state of the evidence. A reasonable doubt is not a mere possible doubt, but an actual and substantial doubt, a doubt for which a good reason can be given.
"The reasonable doubt which entitles an accused to an acquittal is not a mere fanciful, vague, or speculative doubt, but a reasonably substantial doubt arising from the evidence and remaining after a careful consideration of all of the testimony as such reasonable, fair-minded and conscientious people would entertain under all the circumstances.
"Now, the State has the burden of proving the guilt of the defendant beyond a reasonable doubt and this burden remains on the State throughout the case. The defendant is never required to prove his innocence. A reasonable doubt may arise not only from the evidence produced but also from a lack of *Page 1070 evidence. A defendant has the right to rely upon the failure of the prosecution to establish this proof beyond a reasonable doubt. A defendant may also rely upon evidence brought out on cross-examination of witnesses for the prosecution and upon evidence presented on behalf of the defendant.
"A reasonable doubt exists in any case when after a careful and impartial consideration of all of the evidence in the case the jurors do not feel convinced to a moral certainty that the defendant is guilty of the charge. If after comparing and considering all of the evidence in this case your minds are left in such a condition that you cannot say that you have an abiding conviction to a moral certainty of the defendant's guilt, then you are not convinced beyond a reasonable doubt. Upon considering all of the evidence, if you have a reasonable doubt about the defendant's guilt arising out of any part of the evidence, you should find the defendant not guilty."
(R. 735-37.) In Knotts v. State,
"The Due Process Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment `protects the accused against conviction except upon proof beyond a reasonable doubt of every fact necessary to constitute the crime with which he is charged.' In re Winship,397 U.S. 358 ,364 ,90 S.Ct. 1068 ,1073 ,25 L.Ed.2d 368 (1970). In Cage v. Louisiana, the United States Supreme Court found that a jury charge that defined `reasonable doubt' by using the phrases `grave uncertainty,' `actual substantial doubt,' and `moral certainty' could have led a reasonable juror to interpret the instructions to allow a finding of guilt based on a degree of proof below that required by the Due Process Clause. Subsequently, the Court `made it clear that the proper inquiry is not whether the instruction "could have" been applied in an unconstitutional manner, but whether there is a reasonable likelihood that the jury did so apply it.' Victor v. Nebraska,511 U.S. 1 ,6 ,114 S.Ct. 1239 ,1243 ,127 L.Ed.2d 583 (1994) (quoting Estelle v. McGuire,502 U.S. 62 ,72-73 , and n. 4,112 S.Ct. 475 ,482 and n. 4,116 L.Ed.2d 385 (1991), emphasis in original). Thus, the constitutional question presented here is whether there is a reasonable likelihood that the jury understood the instructions to allow the conviction based on proof insufficient to meet the Winship reasonable doubt standard. Victor v. Nebraska; Ex parte Kirby, 543 So.2d 587 [643 So.2d 587 ] (Ala.), cert. denied,513 U.S. 1023 ,115 S.Ct. 591 ,130 L.Ed.2d 504 (1994); Cox v. State,660 So.2d 233 (Ala.Cr.App. 1994)."In reviewing the reasonable doubt instruction, we do so in the context of the charge as a whole. Victor v. Nebraska; Baker v. United States,
412 F.2d 1069 (5th Cir. 1969), cert. denied,396 U.S. 1018 ,90 S.Ct. 583 ,24 L.Ed.2d 509 (1970); Williams v. State,538 So.2d 1250 (Ala.Cr.App. 1988). So long as the definition of `reasonable doubt' in the charge correctly conveys the concept of reasonable doubt, the charge will not be considered so prejudicial as to mandate reversal. Victor v. Nebraska; Holland v. United States,348 U.S. 121 ,75 S.Ct. 127 ,99 L.Ed. 150 (1954).
". . . .
". . . The trial court in the instant case did use the words `actual and substantial doubt' and `moral certainty'; however, it did not use the phrase `grave uncertainty.' This case is clearly distinguishable from Cage. We find that taken as a whole the reasonable doubt instruction correctly conveyed the concept of reasonable doubt to the jury. The trial court's instruction on the presumption of innocence, burden of proof, and weighing of evidence support our finding. We conclude that there is no reasonable likelihood that the jury applied the instructions *Page 1071 in such a manner as to violate the appellant's constitutional rights."
686 So.2d at 459-61. When reviewing the trial court's reasonable doubt instruction as a whole, "there is no reasonable likelihood that the jury applied the instructions in such a manner as to violate the appellant's constitutional rights." Knotts, 686 So.2d at 461. Therefore, the appellant's argument is without merit.
For the foregoing reasons, we affirm the appellant's convictions. However, the record reveals that, during the hearing on the appellant's motion to reconsider the sentence, the State asked the trial court to correct the appellant's sentence on the attempted murder charge. The trial court sentenced the appellant to 12 years in the state penitentiary. At the hearing on the motion to reconsider, the State correctly argued that, because attempted murder is a Class A felony and the appellant used a firearm in the commission of the offense, the minimum sentence the appellant should have received was 20 years in prison. See
§
"The jury found the appellant guilty of assault in the second degree,*Page 107213A-6-21 (a)(2), Ala. Code 1975, as charged in the indictment, which necessarily includes a finding that the appellant is guilty of causing injury by means of a `deadly weapon or a dangerous instrument.' Therefore, the appellant should have been sentenced pursuant to §13A-5-6 (a)(5), which provides a mandatory minimum sentence when a firearm is used in the commission of a Class C Felony. See, Clency v. State,475 So.2d 642 (Ala.Crim.App. 1985) (court held §13A-5-6 (a)(4), Ala. Code 1975, which provides enhanced sentences for Class A felonies committed with a firearm, is mandatory; the court would have no choice but to impose a sentence under this section)."As this court held in Hughes v. State,
518 So.2d 890 ,891 (Ala.Crim.App. 1987):
"`Since the first sentence imposed on [the defendant] was invalid, the trial court had not only the power, but the duty, to sentence [the defendant] as required by law. See, Bozza v. United States,Love v. State,330 U.S. 160 ,67 S.Ct. 645 ,91 L.Ed.2d 818 (1947).'"(Emphasis in original.) See also, Cline v. State,
571 So.2d 368 ,369 (Ala.Crim.App. 1990) This court in Cline noted that, even after the defendant has begun to serve his sentence, the trial court is obligated to alter an invalid sentence; further, any increase in the sentence does not raise double jeopardy problems. 571 So.2d at 370 (citing Breest v. Helgemoe,579 F.2d 95 ,99 (1st Cir.), cert. denied,439 U.S. 933 ,99 S.Ct. 327 ,58 L.Ed.2d 329 (1978)). Therefore, because the requisite circumstance for the application of §13A-5-6 (a)(5) is present in this case, application of the section is mandatory. See, Ex parte McCree,554 So.2d 336 (Ala. 1988). Because this section was not applied, the appellant's first sentence was invalid."
AFFIRMED AS TO CONVICTION FOR MURDER AND ATTEMPTED MURDER AND AS TO SENTENCE FOR THE MURDER CONVICTION; REMANDED WITH DIRECTIONS FOR RESENTENCING ON THE ATTEMPTED MURDER CONVICTION.
Long, P.J., and McMillan, Cobb, and Fry, JJ., concur.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- Jerry Lee Greenhill v. State.
- Cited By
- 24 cases
- Status
- Published