Peter Avsenew v. State of Florida ( 2022 )

Supreme Court of Florida
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No. SC18-1629
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PETER AVSENEW,
Appellant,
vs.
STATE OF FLORIDA,
Appellee.
January 13, 2022
PER CURIAM.
Peter Avsenew appeals his judgments of conviction of first-
degree murder and sentences of death. We have jurisdiction. See
art. V, § 3(b)(1), Fla. Const. As we explain below, we reverse
Avsenew’s convictions and sentences, and we remand this case to
the circuit court for a new trial.
BACKGROUND
Avsenew was convicted of and sentenced to death for the 2010
first-degree murders of Steven Adams and Kevin Powell. The State
presented evidence at trial that in the early morning hours of
December 26, 2010, the bodies of Adams and Powell were found at
their Wilton Manors home after a concerned family member
requested that law enforcement conduct a welfare check at the
home. Both victims sustained multiple gunshot wounds and blunt
force trauma. There were no signs of forced entry at the home, and
no fingerprints were found. A bottle of bleach was found on a table
near the victims’ bodies. The victims’ wallets, credit cards, and
black Saturn SUV were missing. No murder weapons were ever
found.
Avsenew was identified as a person of interest in the murders
after documents bearing his name were found inside the victims’
home. The murder investigation further revealed that Avsenew
knew the victims and had moved into their home shortly before the
murders.
The defense argued that Avsenew did not commit the murders,
rather that he came home sometime after the murders, found the
deceased victims, took their belongings, and left the scene.
However, the defense theory was contradicted by the State’s
evidence, particularly the perpetuated testimony of a material
witness—Avsenew’s mother, Jeanne Avsenew. Ms. Avsenew’s
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testimony described multiple incriminating statements made and
actions taken by Avsenew shortly after the murders.
Although Avsenew raises twelve issues in this direct appeal,
we address the sole determinative issue. The perpetuated
testimony of Ms. Avsenew, which was conducted despite her
inability to see Avsenew during her testimony, violated the
requirements of rule 3.190(i)(3), Florida Rules of Criminal
Procedure. Because this rule violation was not harmless error, we
must reverse Avsenew’s convictions and sentences and remand this
case to the circuit court for a new trial.
ANALYSIS
The Perpetuated Testimony of Ms. Avsenew
Due to serious health problems that rendered her unable to
travel to Broward County to testify at Avsenew’s trial, the trial court
granted the State’s motion to perpetuate the testimony of
Ms. Avsenew pursuant to rule 3.190(i), Florida Rules of Criminal
Procedure.
At the time of the perpetuated testimony in August 2017,
Ms. Avsenew was located in Polk County. Avsenew, defense
counsel, the prosecutor, and the judge were in a Broward County
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courtroom. The two locations were connected remotely by audio-
visual equipment. Ms. Avsenew’s testimony was recorded on video,
and the video of her testimony was played for the jury at Avsenew’s
trial in November 2017.
Ms. Avsenew testified that around 4:30 p.m. on the afternoon
of December 25, 2010, Avsenew unexpectedly called her and said
that he was on his way to visit her at her home in Polk County.
Prior to that time, Ms. Avsenew had not seen Avsenew since
September 2010, when she visited him in Broward County, and he
had never visited her at her home in Polk County. Avsenew lodged
at Ms. Avsenew’s home from the evening of December 25 until
December 27, when he was arrested for the murders.
About 6:30 p.m. on December 25, Avsenew arrived at
Ms. Avsenew’s home. Avsenew was accompanied by his dog, and
he was driving a black Saturn SUV that he initially said he
borrowed from a friend. At the time, Avsenew’s brother was also at
the home celebrating the Christmas holiday.
Avsenew entered the home carrying a backpack and a duffle
bag. He later returned to the SUV to retrieve a tent and other
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camping supplies, and he explained that he was going to travel to
the Appalachian Mountains to camp.
Avsenew initially said that he left South Florida after his dog
killed another dog, but he later said that he had done something
bad and had gotten into trouble in South Florida. He suggested
that what he had done was violent, that it was the worst thing he
had ever done, and that if he got caught, he would not be able to get
out of trouble. Avsenew also asked about his biological father and
inquired whether his father was a violent person.
Avsenew also mentioned that he had a gun, and Ms. Avsenew
got upset and told him that he needed to get rid of it. Avsenew later
told her that he had gotten rid of the gun by throwing it into a
lake.1
Avsenew also explained that he was very tired and had not
slept in three days. Ms. Avsenew suggested that taking a shower
would make him feel better. Avsenew took a shower, after which he
commented that it felt good to get rid of the smell of bleach.
Ms. Avsenew testified that she never smelled bleach on Avsenew,
1. The State presented testimony that a dive team searched a
nearby lake for a gun, but the search was unsuccessful.
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and Avsenew did not explain his comment. Avsenew also displayed
a bruise on his leg and said that he was injured in a fight with
“some guy.”
On December 26 and 27, Avsenew went to two Walmart stores
in Polk County and purchased multiple items, including camping
supplies and gift cards. Avsenew told Ms. Avsenew that he was able
to buy the items because a friend loaned him money. However, the
State presented evidence that these purchases were made using the
victims’ credit cards.
Ms. Avsenew testified that Avsenew used her computer to
conduct internet searches and that he became increasingly anxious
as he did so. Avsenew told her that he had been searching for
information on campgrounds. On December 27, Avsenew said that
he had to leave the state for six months, and he and Ms. Avsenew
called family members to see if Avsenew could stay with any of
them.
Also on December 27, Avsenew said that he had to get rid of
the SUV that he drove to Ms. Avsenew’s home. Avsenew admitted
that the SUV was stolen and that he lied about how he obtained it.
Ms. Avsenew testified that she followed Avsenew in her car to a
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nearby Walmart, where Avsenew abandoned the SUV in the parking
lot. 2 Ms. Avsenew recalled that she expressed concern about being
involved in whatever Avsenew was a part of and that Avsenew tried
to reassure her by telling her that the parking lot surveillance
cameras were not facing their direction. They left the parking lot
and returned to Ms. Avsenew’s home, where, upon arrival,
Ms. Avsenew asked Avsenew to go to her bedroom and calm his
dog.
While Avsenew was in the bedroom, Ms. Avsenew logged onto
her computer to see if she could determine the content of Avsenew’s
internet searches. Her search revealed that Avsenew was a person
of interest in a homicide investigation in Wilton Manors.
Ms. Avsenew immediately left her home, went to a friend’s house,
and told the friend what she learned. The friend advised
Ms. Avsenew to contact the police and assisted her in doing so.
2. The State introduced evidence that the SUV retrieved from
the parking lot was the victims’ missing vehicle.
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Ms. Avsenew then returned to an area near her home while
the police went to the home and took Avsenew into custody without
incident. 3
Rule 3.190(i) Motion to Take Deposition to Perpetuate Testimony
Our analysis is guided by rule 3.190(i), the Florida Rule of
Criminal Procedure governing the perpetuated testimony of Ms.
Avsenew. Under rule 3.190(i)(1), upon motion of the State or the
defendant, the trial court may permit a witness to perpetuate trial
testimony via deposition if “a prospective witness resides beyond
the territorial jurisdiction of the court or may be unable to attend or
be prevented from attending a trial or hearing.” Fla. R. Crim. P.
3.190(i)(1). The court must also find “that the witness’s testimony
is material, and that it is necessary to take the deposition to
prevent a failure of justice.” Id.
Here, the trial court did not abuse its discretion when it
permitted the perpetuated testimony of Ms. Avsenew pursuant to
rule 3.190(i). Moreover, in this appeal, Avsenew does not base his
3. Following Avsenew’s arrest, Ms. Avsenew consented to a
search of her home. The search yielded multiple pieces of physical
evidence that were entered into evidence at trial.
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challenge on the fact that the deposition was conducted remotely
and using video technology, rather than in his physical presence.
Rather, Avsenew’s argument, and therefore our focus, centers on
the format of the testimony which, due to the setup of the audio-
visual equipment, prevented Ms. Avsenew from seeing Avsenew
while she testified and thus violated rule 3.190(i)(3), which provides
in relevant part:
(3) If the deposition is taken on the application of
the state, the defendant and the defendant’s attorney
shall be given reasonable notice of the time and place set
for the deposition. The officer having custody of the
defendant shall be notified of the time and place and
shall produce the defendant at the examination and keep
the defendant in the presence of the witness during the
examination.
(Emphasis added.) In light of the rule’s requirement that the
defendant be in the witness’s “presence,” compliance with this rule
requires that the defendant and the testifying witness be able to see
each other during the examination. However, the record
conclusively establishes that Ms. Avsenew was unable to see
Avsenew.
At the beginning of the hearing during which Ms. Avsenew’s
perpetuated testimony occurred, the trial court asked her: “Can you
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see us here in the courtroom?” Ms. Avsenew answered that she
could see in the courtroom, but the trial court never confirmed that
she could see Avsenew. Immediately before Ms. Avsenew’s
testimony began, defense counsel objected that Ms. Avsenew was
unable to see Avsenew:
Defense Counsel: . . . But I would renew the objection
that while she’s testifying, she’s looking at the podium
and not at our client as if she were in the courtroom.
And the right to confrontation of my client to the material
witness is definitely limited very much so in the
perpetuation. And I’d just like to renew the objections
made previously.
The Court: Anything new from The State?
Prosecutor: No, Your Honor.
The Court: The Court maintains its prior rulings and the
reasons stated on the record for The Court allowing the
perpetuation of the testimony in this case.
And, Counsel, if you were listening, The Court’s first
question was could she see us here in the courtroom,
and if she could hear. So your client’s confrontation
rights are preserved. He’s here, she can see in the
courtroom and he can certainly see her. And closed
circuit television use has been sanctioned and said okay
by the Supreme Court of this state, as well as the
Supreme Court of the United States. So until I get a
definitive ruling saying that what The Court is doing is
totally unconstitutional, then the defendant’s 6th
Amendment privilege rights are being preserved. Your
objection is still overruled. . . .
Defense Counsel: Thank you, Judge. I don’t—
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The Court: The State may call its witness.
Defense Counsel: Just for the record, I don’t think
Ms. Avsenew is able to see—
The Court: You can ask her when you cross-examine
her. Let’s proceed. We’ve delayed these proceedings long
enough, Mr. Ermine. You may proceed.
Prosecutor: Yes, Your Honor. The State will call
Ms. Jeanne Avsenew.
The Court: All right. My clerk is going to swear
Ms. Avsenew in.
Then, at the beginning of cross-examination, defense counsel asked
Ms. Avsenew whether she could see Avsenew, and she stated that
she could not:
Defense Counsel: Ms. Avsenew, you can see and hear
me?
Ms. Avsenew: Yes, I can.
Defense Counsel: Can you see your son, Peter?
Ms. Avsenew: No.
Defense Counsel: Just me?
Ms. Avsenew: Just you.
At trial, just before the video of Ms. Avsenew’s testimony was
played for the jury, defense counsel objected again that
Ms. Avsenew was unable to see Avsenew during her testimony. The
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trial court overruled defense counsel’s objection, and the trial
continued with the video of Ms. Avsenew’s testimony being
published to the jury.
However, proceeding with the testimony—despite
Ms. Avsenew’s inability to see Avsenew—violated rule 3.190(i)(3).
The failure to ensure that Avsenew was kept in the presence of
Ms. Avsenew during her testimony (in this case, her “virtual”
presence) constituted a clear violation of rule 3.190(i)(3). Thus, the
testimony of Ms. Avsenew was not properly admitted against
Avsenew at trial. Importantly, we note that the error here appears
to have stemmed from sheer indifference to Ms. Avsenew’s inability
to see Avsenew. The State has not argued that there is any
important state interest, public policy, or necessity of the case that
required the use of a deposition format in which the witness could
not see the defendant. We need not and do not address whether
such circumstances could permit a deviation from the strict
requirements of the rule. Cf. Harrell v. State, 709 So. 2d 1364 (Fla.
1998).
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Harmless Error Analysis
However, our analysis does not end with our conclusion that
the perpetuated testimony of Ms. Avsenew violated rule 3.190(i)(3).
We now consider whether the fact that Avsenew was not kept in the
presence of Ms. Avsenew during Ms. Avsenew’s testimony
constituted harmless error.
Under Florida law, to establish harmless error, the State has
the burden of demonstrating that there was no “reasonable
possibility that the error contributed to the conviction.” State v.
DiGuilio, 491 So. 2d 1129, 1135 (Fla. 1986). The harmless error
test “is not a sufficiency-of-the-evidence, a correct result, a not
clearly wrong, a substantial evidence, a more probable than not, a
clear and convincing, or even an overwhelming evidence test” but
the “focus is on the effect of the error on the trier-of-fact.” Id. at
1139. We conclude that the error was not harmless.
Ms. Avsenew’s testimony was material to the State’s case
against Avsenew. From Ms. Avsenew’s testimony, the jury learned
that Avsenew (1) visited her unexpectedly on December 25, 2010;
(2) initially gave conflicting statements about how he came to
possess the victims’ SUV and later admitted that it was stolen;
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(3) admitted to having a gun and getting rid of it; (4) initially gave
one account about his basis for leaving South Florida but later told
his mother that he had done something violent, something that was
the worst thing he had ever done, and that he could not get out of if
he was caught; (5) engaged his mother in making phone calls to
relatives looking for a place for Avsenew to stay; (6) possessed
camping equipment when he arrived in Polk County to visit
Ms. Avsenew, discussed plans to leave Polk County and go camping
in the mountains, and made additional camping equipment
purchases during his time in Polk County; (7) became increasingly
agitated after he started conducting internet searches on
Ms. Avsenew’s computer; (8) stated after he arrived at
Ms. Avsenew’s home that he had not slept in three days;
(9) displayed a bruise that he said that he got while fighting with
“some guy”; and (10) commented that he got rid of the smell of
bleach after taking a shower.
We cannot overstate the harmful effect of this testimony
having come from not just anyone, but defendant Avsenew’s own
mother. Indeed, the jury heard a recording of a phone call placed
by Avsenew while he was in jail awaiting trial, wherein he
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mentioned that the “lead witness against me is my mom.” Without
question, the impact of Ms. Avsenew’s incriminating testimony on
the jury would have been even greater because she is Avsenew’s
mother.
The State cannot demonstrate that there is no reasonable
possibility that the testimony of Ms. Avsenew—a material State
witness—contributed to the jury’s guilty verdicts. In other words,
the State cannot demonstrate harmless error because there is a
reasonable possibility that the material testimony of Ms. Avsenew
contributed to the jury’s guilty verdicts. As a result, the admission
of Ms. Avsenew’s testimony against Avsenew was harmful error
which requires reversal.
CONCLUSION
This Court does not take lightly the impact of today’s decision.
However, the introduction of Ms. Avsenew’s testimony constituted
harmful error, and we are bound to rule in a manner that remedies
such error.
Consequently, we reverse Avsenew’s convictions and
sentences, and we remand this case to the circuit court for a new
trial.
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It is so ordered.
CANADY, C.J., and POLSTON, LABARGA, LAWSON, MUÑIZ,
COURIEL, and GROSSHANS, JJ., concur.
NOT FINAL UNTIL TIME EXPIRES TO FILE REHEARING MOTION
AND, IF FILED, DETERMINED.
An Appeal from the Circuit Court in and for Broward County,
Ilona Maxine Holmes, Judge
Case No. 062011CF005061A88810
Carol Stafford Haughwout, Public Defender, and Gary Lee Caldwell,
Assistant Public Defender, Fifteenth Judicial Circuit, West Palm
Beach, Florida,
for Appellant
Ashley Moody, Attorney General, Tallahassee, Florida, and
Lisa-Marie Lerner and Leslie T. Campbell, Assistant Attorneys
General, West Palm Beach, Florida,
for Appellee
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