State v. Johnson
State v. Johnson
Opinion
*338 Robert Harold Johnson, ("Defendant") appeals from judgments entered upon his convictions for first degree sex offense with a child and sex offense by a substitute parent. We find no error in part, and reverse in part and remand to the trial court to issue correct findings and orders regarding sex offender registration and satellite-based monitoring ("SBM") requirements.
I. Background
Defendant was arrested and a Watauga County Grand Jury indicted Defendant on three counts of sexual offense with a child, three counts of sexual activity by a substitute parent, and three counts of taking indecent liberties with a child. The charges were spread among three identical superseding indictments dated 5 January 2015, each of which contained one count of each offense.
Prior to jury selection, the State voluntarily dismissed the three counts of indecent liberties with a child. The remaining charges for sexual offense with a child and sexual activity by a substitute parent were joined for trial without objection.
Evidence presented by the State at trial tended to show Defendant forced his wife's ten-year-old son to perform fellatio on him, when Defendant was supposed to be taking the juvenile to school and at *339 other times inside and outside the juvenile's grandparents' house, where Defendant and the juvenile lived.
On 3 December 2015, the jury returned verdicts finding Defendant guilty of all six charges-three counts of sex offense with a child and three counts of sex activity by a substitute parent. Based upon the verdicts, the trial court entered three separate judgments corresponding to the indictments, with one count of each offense included in each judgment. Defendant received three consecutive sentences of 300 to 420 months imprisonment. The court further ordered that upon Defendant's release from prison, Defendant shall register as a sex offender for life and enroll in SBM for the remainder of his life. Defendant filed notice of appeal on 11 December 2015.
II. Jurisdiction
Jurisdiction lies in the Court pursuant to N.C. Gen. Stat. § 7A-27(b) (2015) and N.C. Gen. Stat. § 15A-1444(a) (2015).
III. Issues
On appeal, Defendant raises the following three issues: whether the trial court erred by (1) allowing the jury to return guilty verdicts that were potentially less than unanimous by failing to adequately detail the incident of sex offense alleged in a particular indictment; (2) ordering lifetime sex offender registration based on a finding that Defendant was convicted of an aggravated offense; and (3) ordering lifetime SBM without a determination that the program was a reasonable search.
IV. Unanimous Verdicts
In order to clarify and better distinguish sexual offenses, many of the sexual offense statutes were reorganized, renamed, and renumbered by the General Assembly following this Court's recommendation in
State v. Hicks
,
The three superseding indictments in this case were identical, each charging one count of sex offense with a child in violation of
During the charge conference, the court inquired of counsel how to differentiate between the offenses in the charge to the jury. In response, the prosecutor suggested that the offenses be differentiated based on where each offense was alleged to have occurred-"inside Dovie Evans' house," "outside of Dovie Evans's [sic] house," and "at the end of a dirt road near Dovie Evans's [sic] house." The defense objected to the prosecutor's suggestion contending the locations were "a little too broad and open-ended." Although the defense suggested more specific instructions, the defense declined to offer specific suggestions.
After considering options to make the instructions more specific, the court noted Defendant's objection and decided it would differentiate between the offense based on where the offenses were alleged to have occurred as follows: "inside Dovie Evans' house," "outside Dovie Evans' house, but on Dovie Evans' property[,]" and "at the end of a dirt road off Snyder Branch road near Dovie Evans' house." The jury was then instructed on the sex offense with a child and sexual activity by a substitute parent offenses with the offenses differentiated by where they were alleged to have occurred, as decided during the charge conference. The defense did not object to the instructions. The verdict sheets provided to the jury also differentiated between the offenses by where each offense was alleged to have occurred. The defense also did not object to the verdict sheets.
Defendant challenges the entry of judgements on convictions for the offenses purportedly occurring "inside Dovie Evans' house" and "outside Dovie Evans' house but on Dovie Evans' property" in file numbers 14 CRS 1235 and 14 CRS 50591. Defendant contends the trial court erred in failing to sufficiently identify the incidents constituting the offenses and, therefore, deprived him of his right to unanimous jury verdicts.
A. Standard of Review
"The North Carolina Constitution and North Carolina Statutes require a unanimous jury verdict in a criminal jury trial."
State v. Lawrence
,
*341
State v. Wilson
,
B. Analysis
Defendant argues that with respect to both the sexual assault purported to have occurred inside the house and the sexual assault purported to have occurred outside the house but on the property, "the jury heard testimony about two distinctly different incidents involving a sex offense and the jury could have returned its verdicts of guilt without being unanimous that the Defendant committed a particular offense." The State argues that the indictments were sufficient to give Defendant notice of the charges, that there was sufficient evidence to support convictions on the charged offenses in each location, and that the jury instructions were clear.
Upon review of both parties' arguments, it is evident the State's response does not directly address Defendant's argument. Defendant's *126 argument asserts the evidence presented at trial showed multiple, distinct instances of sexual assault occurring inside the house and multiple, distinct instances of sexual assault occurring outside the house, but on the property. Because the jury was not provided more details in the instructions or on the verdict sheets, Defendant contends he is not certain whether the jury unanimously found Defendant guilty based on the same incidents. We disagree.
"To convict a defendant, the jurors must unanimously agree that the State has proven beyond a reasonable doubt each and every essential element of the crime charged."
State v. Jordan
,
[t]here is no risk of a nonunanimous verdict ... where the statute under which the defendant is charged criminalizes "a single wrong" that "may be proved by evidence of the commission of any one of a number of acts ...; [because in such a case] the particular act performed is immaterial."
State v. Petty
,
*342
Id
. at 461-62,
More recently, our Supreme Court applied the same reasoning in
Lawrence
, while addressing the issue of jury unanimity on three counts of indecent liberties with a minor.
Lawrence
,
Subsequent to
Lawrence
, this Court has applied the same rationale to overrule arguments regarding jury unanimity on sexual offense charges where " 'the jury was instructed on all issues, including unanimity; [and] separate verdict sheets were submitted to the jury for each charge.' "
State v. Brigman
,
[t]he reasoning our Supreme Court set forth in Lawrence may be imputed to sexual offense charges because: (1)N.C. Gen. Stat. § 15-144.2 (a) authorizes, for sexual offense, *343 an abbreviated form of indictment which omits allegations of the particular elements that distinguish first-degree and second-degree sexual offense[;] and (2) if a defendant wishes additional information in *127 the nature of the specific "sexual act" with which he stands charged, he may move for a bill of particulars.
Wallace
,
Based on Lawrence and its progeny, we overrule Defendant's arguments regarding jury unanimity in this case, even though the jury may have considered a greater number of incidents than those charged in the indictments. Here, Defendant was charged with three counts of sexual offense with a child and three counts of sexual activity by a substitute parent in three separate indictments alleging one count of each offense. The jury instructions and the verdict sheets distinguished between the three sets of charges based upon the different locations where the offenses allegedly occurred and the State presented evidence of sexual offenses in each of the locations identified. Jury unanimity was shown as there was evidence of fellatio inside the house both at the computer table and in the bathroom, or that there was evidence of fellatio outside the house but on the property both inside a car and in the driveway.
Moreover, this Court has identified the following factors to consider when determining whether a defendant has been unanimously convicted by a jury:
(1) whether defendant raised an objection at trial regarding unanimity; (2) whether the jury was instructed on all issues, including unanimity; (3) whether separate verdict sheets were submitted to the jury for each charge; (4) the length of time the jury deliberated and reached a decision on all counts submitted to it; (5) whether the record reflected any confusion or questions as to jurors' duty in the trial; and (6) whether, if polled, each juror individually affirmed that he or she had found defendant guilty in each individual case file number.
State v. Pettis
,
Under the circumstances in this case, there is no issue concerning unanimity of the jury verdicts. Thus, the trial court did not err in entering judgments for sexual offense with a child and sexual activity by a substitute parent in the case numbers 14 CRS 1235 and 14 CRS 50591. Similarly, the trial court did not err in entering the third judgment in 14 CRS 51139, which Defendant does not challenge on appeal.
V. Registration Requirement
Defendant also challenges the trial court's order that he register as a sex offender for life upon his release from prison. Upon review, we reverse the trial court's order concerning sex offender registration and remand to the trial court.
Our General Assembly has established registration programs to assist law enforcement in the protection of the public from persons who are convicted of sex offenses or of certain other offenses committed against minors.
In this case, the orders for lifetime registration were based on the court's findings that Defendant has been convicted of reportable convictions and that the offenses of conviction are aggravated offenses. Defendant did not contest either of these findings below. While Defendant acknowledges on appeal that he was convicted of reportable convictions and is therefore required to register as a sex offender, Defendant now contends the court erred in ordering registration for life *128 based upon findings he was convicted of aggravated offenses. Defendant argues on appeal that neither sexual offense with a child nor sexual activity by a substitute parent are listed as aggravated offenses in the statute. We agree.
A. Standard of Review
Despite Defendant's failure to object below, this issue is preserved for appeal. As stated above,
B. Analysis
For purposes of sex offender registration and SBM requirements,
"[a]ggravated offense" means any criminal offense that includes either of the following: (i) engaging in a sexual act involving vaginal, anal, or oral penetration with a victim of any age through the use of force or the threat of serious violence; or (ii) engaging in a sexual act involving vaginal, anal, or oral penetration with a victim who is less than 12 years old.
Defendant asserts "the trial court 'is only to consider the elements of the offense of which a defendant was convicted and is not to consider the underlying factual scenario giving rise to the conviction' when determining whether a defendant's 'conviction offense [i]s an aggravated offense. ...' "
State v. Treadway
,
First, Defendant was charged and convicted on three counts of sexual offense with a child under
*346
Second, Defendant was charged and convicted on three counts of sexual activity by a substitute parent under
When comparing the elements of the convicted offenses to the elements in the definition of an aggravated offense, the elements do not precisely align.
We begin our analysis with part two of the definition of aggravated offense, which the State does not address. Under part two, an offense can only be found to be an aggravated offense if it includes "engaging in a sexual act involving vaginal, anal, or oral penetration
*129
with a victim who is less than 12 years old."
Although the State does not address the second part of the definition, the State contends both sexual offense with a child and sexual activity by a substitute parent are aggravated offenses under part one of
*347
On appeal, the State asserts that the sexual act in this case involved oral penetration through the use of force. The State contends the elements of both sexual offense with a child and sexual activity by a substitute parent fall within the elements required for an aggravated offenses under
In Sprouse , the defendant was convicted on multiple counts of statutory rape, statutory sex offense, indecent liberties with a child, and sexual activity by a substitute parent, and ordered to enroll in lifetime SBM for all offenses. Id . at 235, 719 S.E.2d at 239. Among the issues on appeal, the defendant argued the lifetime SBM orders were in error because the convictions were not for aggravated offenses. Id . at 239, 719 S.E.2d at 241. This Court noted "no meaningful distinction between [first-degree rape of a child and statutory rape] for purposes of lifetime SBM" and, therefore, affirmed the orders of lifetime SBM based on the defendant's statutory rape convictions. Id. at 240-41, 719 S.E.2d at 242. This Court, however, reversed the orders of lifetime SBM based upon the convictions for statutory sex offense, sexual activity by a substitute parent, and indecent liberties with a child because "they do not meet the definition of an aggravated offense." Id . at 241, 719 S.E.2d at 242.
In
Sprouse
, this Court relied upon
State v. Clark
, which held that statutory rape was an aggravated offense because it involves penetration and the use of force or the threat of serious violence.
State v. Clark,
The present case is distinguishable in that the offenses of which Defendant was convicted offenses were not rape offenses. The convicted offenses in this case were sexual offense with a child and sexual activity
*348
by substitute parent, both of which only require a "sexual act." For purposes of both offenses, a " '[s]exual act' means cunnilingus, fellatio, analingus, or anal intercourse, but does not
*130
include vaginal intercourse. Sexual act also means the penetration, however slight, by any object into the genital or anal opening of another person's body...."
obtaining a first degree rape conviction pursuant toN.C. Gen. Stat. § 14-27.2 (a)(1) requires proof that a defendant "engage[d] in vaginal intercourse" with his or her victim, as compared to some other form of inappropriate contact.N.C. Gen. Stat. § 14-27.2 (a)(1). In other words, anyone found guilty of first degree rape in violation ofN.C. Gen. Stat. § 14-27.2 (a)(1) has necessarily "[engaged] in a sexual act involving vaginal, anal, or oral penetration,"N.C. Gen. Stat. § 14-208.6 (1a), based solely on an analysis of the elements of the conviction offense.
Clark
,
[t]he same is not necessarily true with respect to a conviction for first degree sexual offense in violation ofN.C. Gen. Stat. § 14-27.4 (a)(1), since an individual can be convicted of first degree sexual offense on the basis of cunnilingus, which does not require proof of penetration. State v. Ludlum ,303 N.C. 666 , 669,281 S.E.2d 159 , 161 (1981) (stating that "[w]e do not agree, however, that penetration is required before cunnilingus, as that word is used in the statute, can occur").
Id
. at 73 n. 4,
Because the elements of the convicted offenses in this case require only a sexual act, which may or may not involve penetration, neither sexual offense with a child pursuant to
VI. SBM Requirement
The trial court also ordered Defendant to enroll in SBM for the remainder of his life upon his release from prison. In the final issue on appeal, Defendant contends the trial court erred in ordering lifetime SBM without a determination that the program was a reasonable search as mandated under
Grady v. North Carolina
, --- U.S. ----,
The findings that Defendant's convictions require lifetime registration for aggravated offenses were in error. Therefore, the order for lifetime SBM must be supported on other grounds. Defendant acknowledges the court correctly found that he had been convicted of sex offense with a child and that lifetime SBM is mandated by
(b) A person convicted of [sexual offense with a child] is guilty of a Class B1 felony and shall be sentenced pursuant to Article 81B of Chapter 15A of the General Statutes, except that in no case shall the person receive an active punishment of less than 300 months, and except as provided in subsection (c) of this section. Following the termination of active punishment, the person shall be enrolled in satellite-based monitoring for life pursuant to Part 5 of Article 27A of Chapter 14 of the General Statutes.
However, in Grady , the Supreme Court of the United States held that North Carolina's SBM program constitutes a search within the meaning of the Fourth Amendment and must be reasonable based on the totality of the circumstances, including the nature and purpose of the search and the extent to which the search intrudes upon reasonable privacy expectations.
*131
Grady
, --- U.S. at ----,
Under the mandate of
Grady
, in
State v. Blue
, --- N.C. App. ----, ----,
In the present case, Defendant and the State agree that no evidence was presented to demonstrate the reasonableness of lifetime SBM. As a result, we reverse the SBM order and remand for the reasonableness determination mandated by
Grady
.
See
Grady
, --- U.S. at ----,
VII. Conclusion
We hold the jury unanimously convicted Defendant on three counts each of sexual offense with a child and sexual activity by a substitute parent. Defendant received a fair trial free from error in the convictions or entry of those judgments.
We reverse the orders for lifetime registration and lifetime SBM and remand to the trial court for further proceedings and orders consistent with the law.
See
NO ERROR IN PART; REVERSED IN PART AND REMANDED.
Judges McCULLOUGH and DILLON concur.
Judge McCULLOUGH concurred in this opinion prior to 24 April 2017.
Case-law data current through December 31, 2025. Source: CourtListener bulk data.