Roberts v. State
Roberts v. State
Concurring Opinion
Concurring Opinion
I feel required in this case to add to that which has been said by the Chief Justice with regard to the admissibility at trial of the Patrick deposition. The right to confrontation is a trial right which includes the right to cross-examine the State’s witnesses and to have the jury judge their demeanor. Barber v. Page, (1968) 390 U.S. 719, 88
Note. — Reported at 375 N.E.2d 215.
Opinion of the Court
Appellant was convicted of two counts of first degree murder, two counts of murder in the perpetration of burglary, one count of murder in the perpetration of arson and one count of arson. He was sentenced to a term of 5 to 20 years on the arson count and to five terms of life imprisonment for the felony murder and murder convictions.
In the early morning of January 20, 1974, police and fire officials were summoned to a charred house on Princeton drive in New Whiteland, where they found the dead bodies of a young married couple and their baby daughter. A five-gallon gasoline can and a nozzle were found in the house and there was a strong odor of gasoline about the premises. A struggle had occurred but there was no indication that there had been a forced entry. The parents died from asphyxia and were dead before the fire. The child died from carbon monoxide and smoke inhalation.
The evidence most favorable to the State indicates that the decedent, William Patrick, was a salesman in the Sears Automobile Service Center on North Alabama Street in Indianapolis. On October 10, 1973, appellant brought a car to Sears for tires and exhaust work. The work was performed but the car was taken from the lot without the bill being paid. Patrick later identified appellant as the purported owner of the car and the person who had purchased the tires. On January 15, 1974, Patrick was deposed by appellant’s attorney and implicated appellant as the thief.
The appellant’s car, a 1969 or 1970 gold Buick Riveria, was observed at a New Whiteland gas station owned by William Patrick’s brother between 3:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m. on January 19, 1974. The driver purchased a dollar’s worth of gasoline and asked -for directions to Princeton Drive. Around 5:30 p.m. or 6:00 p.m. that same day, appellant pulled into a gas station at the corner of 16th and Illinois
Appellant filed a motion to dismiss the arson count on the ground that it was duplicitous and a lesser included offense under the count charging murder in the perpetration of arson. He claims it was reversible error for the trial court to refuse to dismiss the count. In Candler v. State, (1977) 266 Ind. 440, 363 N.E.2d 1233, we upheld the decision of the trial court in refusing to instruct the jury that robbery was a lesser included offense of murder in the commission of a robbery. A logical extension of the Candler doctrine is that the felony itself may be contained in the indictment where one of the charges is murder in the commission of that felony. We see no valid reason for applying the rule urged by appellant. We hold the trial court did not err in refusing to dismiss the arson count.
However, appellant is correct in his assertion that the trial court erred in sentencing him under both the felony murder and arson convictions. The Candler opinion vacated an armed robbery sentence on the ground that the conviction thereof merged with the conviction for felony murder. The same principle applies here.
Appellant also claims that four counts of the indictment should have been dismissed because they failed to state the crimes with sufficient certainty as to inform him of the specific offenses of which he was charged. These counts charged appellant with first degree murder and murder in the commission of robbery of William
Appellant further contends the indictments were insufficient as a matter of law because they failed to state he had killed a “human being.” This Court has held that an indietment stating the name of the person upon whom the crime was perpetrated is sufficient to show that a human being has been injured or killed. Brooks v. State, (1954) 233 Ind. 391, 120 N.E.2d 182; Porter v. State, (1910) 173 Ind. 694, 91 N.E. 340.
Appellant next claims the trial court erred in imposing two sentences of life imprisonment for the murder and felony murder of William Patrick and two sentences of life imprisonment for the murder and felony murder of Elizabeth Patrick. Appellant is correct. Franks v. State, (1975) 262 Ind. 649, 323 N.E.2d 221. Therefore, two of the four life sentences must be vacated.
Appellant also complains of numerous errors in the admission of evidence at the trial. He objected variously on the grounds of the best evidence rule, hearsay, improper foundation, inaccurate photographs and prejudicial questions. However, he argues in his brief only the law on hearsay. Thus his other objections are deemed waived for failure to comply with AP. 8.3 (A) (7). Williams v. State, (1973) 260 Ind. 543, 297 N.E.2d 805.
Appellant next claims that it was objectionable hearsay to allow a Sears employee to testify that he saw Patrick select one photograph from a group of photographs shown to him in the investigation of the tire theft. He also contends that a police officer should not have been permitted to testify that he found an automobile registration in appellant’s car and observed the name of David James Roberts on the registration. Neither constitute objectionable hearsay. Both witnesses were testifying as to their observations which were firsthand and subject to cross examination. It is not inadmissible hearsay for a witness to testify regarding his personal observations. United States v. Sells, (7th Cir. 1974) 496 F.2d 912; Grzesiowski v. State, (1976) 168 Ind. App. 386, 343 N.E.2d 305. The trial court properly overruled appellant’s objections to the questions.
Appellant also objected on hearsay grounds to the testimony of the police officer who investigated the tire theft at Sears. The officer stated that he had checked out the name and address of Robert Johnson, the name given by appellant to Sears when purchasing the tires. He further testified that he discovered that no one in the neighborhood had ever heard of such person. Under the holding of Ballard v. State, (1974)
Another alleged hearsay error is the admission of a sales ticket and guarantee card pertaining to the tire sale. The requirements for the admission of business records as exceptions to the hearsay rule were set forth in Herman v. State, (1965) 247 Ind. 7, 210 N.E.2d 249. The requirements set forth in that case were met in the case at bar. The trial judge did not err in admitting those documents in evidence.
Appellant next claims the trial court erred in permitting the Sears service station manager to testify that someone had told him the tires had been stolen and that his report to the investigating officers arose from information given to him by William Patrick. This evidence appellant says is inadmissible hearsay. However, the State correctly points out that the same witness earlier had testified that the tires were taken from Sears on the day in question and thereafter one of the officers testified similarly. In Jenkins v. State, (1975) 263 Ind. 589, 335 N.E.2d 215, this Court held that reversal may not be predicated upon allegedly erroneous admission of evidence when evidence having the same probative effect is admitted without objection. The trial court committed no error in the admission of this evidence.
Appellant also claims the trial court erred in permitting the investigator from General Motors to testify that his assistance in locating the car used in the tire larceny was requested by the investigating police officer. Prior to that testimony the police officer himself had testified, without objection, to the same fact. The trial court did not err in permitting this evidence.
Lastly, appellant claims the evidence is insufficient to support his conviction. In particular, he argues there is no direct evidence placing him in Johnson County on the dates in question. On appeal this Court will look only to the evidence most favorable to the State and all reasonable inferences therefrom. The conviction will be affirmed if there is substantial evidence of probative value to support the verdict of the jury. Henderson v. State, (1976) 264 Ind. 334, 343 N.E.2d 776. In the case at bar there is ample evidence from which the jury could have found the appellant guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Appellant claims there is a total void of evidence as to the breaking or entering to commit a felony which is a necessary element of murder in the perpetration of burglary. However, the jury could have reasonably inferred from the evidence of a struggle inside the house and from the other facts leading up to the night in question that appellant was not an invited guest of the Patricks and that his entry was attained by force. This cause is remanded to the trial court with instructions to vacate the sentence under the arson conviction, one of the life sentences imposed for the homicide of William Patrick and one of the life sentences for the homicide of Elizabeth Patrick.
Concurring in Part
Concurring and Dissenting Opinion
I concur in the result inasmuch as the majority decision directs that two of the murder sentences be vacated. In my judgment, however, the felony murder (burglary) verdicts should be reversed for insufficient evidence.
It appears that the most likely means of defendant’s access was by breaking and entering, but such conclusion can only be reached by speculation. I agree that a reasonable inference could be drawn that the defendant was not an invited guest. But it cannot be reasonably inferred from that inference that access was gained in any other specific way. Every person who is present in the dwelling of another without invitation is, nevertheless, not a burglar. It was incumbent upon the State to prove the breaking and entering, as an element of the felony murder charges, beyond a reasonable doubt. Under the standards of Baker v. State, (1956) 236 Ind. 55, 138 N.E.2d 641, the inference that the defendant had not been invited supports only a suspicion that he gained access to the decedent’s home by breaking and entering and standing alone cannot support a verdict required to be susceptible to belief by a reasonable man, beyond a reasonable doubt.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- David James Roberts v. State of Indiana
- Cited By
- 48 cases
- Status
- Published