Essamond Wilburn v. Commonwealth of Kentucky ( 2010 )

RENDERED : MARCH 18, 2010
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2008-SC-000787-MR
ESSAMOND WILBURN APPELLANT
ON APPEAL FROM JEFFERSON CIRCUIT COURT
V. HONORABLE IRVIN G: MAZE, JUDGE
NOS . 07-CR-001511-001 8 07-CR-003438
COMMONWEALTH OF KENTUCKY APPELLEE
OPINION OF THE COURT BY JUSTICE VENTERS
AFFIRMING,IN PART AND
REVERSING AND REMANDING IN PART
Appellant, Essamond Wilburn, appeals from a judgment entered upon a
jury verdict by the Jefferson Circuit Court convicting him of first-degree
burglary, two counts of first-degree robbery, and of being a second-degree
persistent felony offender. He was sentenced to a total of 20 years to serve . He
now appeals his conviction as a matter of right pursuant to Ky . Const. §
110(2)(b), alleging that he was entitled to a directed verdict on the burglary and
robbery charges and that the Commonwealth improperly used a peremptory
strike against an African-American juror. For the reasons stated below, we
affirm in part and reverse and remand in part. .
FACTUAL AND PROCEDURAL BACKGROUND
In the light most favorable to the verdict the facts are as follows. At
about 12 :30 a.m. on the morning of April 18, 2007, Wilburn and his brother,
Terrance, attempted to rob Expressway Liquors located on Lee Street in
Louisville, Kentucky . They used their father's 1989 Volvo as the getaway car.
That evening night manager Erik Bussman and employee Scott Reid were
working at the liquor store . As they were beginning their closing procedures,
Wilburn and Terrance entered the store with Wilburn in the lead carrying a .38
caliber revolver. Wilburn pointed the pistol at Reid and stated to the effect "we
are here for the money; we know your buddy is back there ."
Bussman was in the stock room performing his closing duties when the
men arrived. Wilburn went toward the stock room, pointed the pistol at
Bussman, and pulled the trigger; however, the gun did not fire . Bussman
grabbed the store's .38 caliber revolver from the shelf next to the stock room
door . He fired three shots, and the two robbers immediately fled the store and
ran in different directions .
Police responders drove the area searching for the robbers. A short
distance from the liquor store, on Floyd Street, a policeman apprehended
Terrance . Not long afterward Terrance confessed to the attempted robbery and
identified Wilburn as his accomplice . He also identified Wilburn as the
gunman.
The next morning, Kenneth Singer, the owner of the liquor store, found a
.38 caliber revolver near the business . The gun was not loaded, which perhaps
explains why it did not fire the night of the robbery . Meanwhile, a box
containing .38 caliber bullets was found in the getaway car, which suggests
that the Wilburn brothers may have simply forgotten to load the gun before the
robbery attempt.
In July 2008, Wilburn was tried upon the charges of first-degree
burglary, two counts of first-degree robbery, and as being a second-degree
persistent felony offender. At trial, Terrance testified consistently with his
confession, identifying Wilburn as his accomplice and as being the gunman .
Various circumstantial evidence also implicated Wilburn. Wilburn's defense
was a denial that he committed the crimes, and that Terrance was lying to gain
favor in the prosecution against him .
At the conclusion of the trial Wilburn was convicted of all charges . He
was sentenced to 15 years enhanced to 20 on each of the three charges . All
sentences were ordered to run concurrently for a total of 20 years to serve .
This appeal followed .
Wilburn presents three arguments: 1) that he was entitled to a directed
verdict on the burglary charge; 2) that he was entitled to a directed verdict on
the two robbery charges; and 3) that the Commonwealth improperly used a
peremptory strike on an African-American juror.
1 . WILBURN WAS ENTITLED TO A DIRECTED
VERDICT ON THE BURGLARY CHARGE
Wilburn contends that he is entitled to a directed verdict on the first-
degree burglary charge because he did not enter or remain unlawfully on the
premises of the liquor store. He argues that the liquor store is a public place
that he was licensed to enter, and that he immediately fled following
Bussman's gunshots, and so did not unlawfully remain once his license was
revoked. We agree with Wilburn that the "enters or remains unlawfully"
element of the burglary charge was not met, and, consequently, reverse the
first-degree burglary conviction .
On a motion for a directed verdict, the trial judge must draw all fair and
reasonable inferences from the evidence in favor of the Commonwealth .
Commonwealth v. Benham, 816 S.W .2d 1$6 (Ky. 1991) . The standard for
appellate review of a denial of a motion fot a directed verdict based on
insufficient evidence is if, under the evidence as a whole, it would be clearly
unreasonable for a jury to find the defendant guilty, he is entitled to a directed
verdict of acquittal. Commonwealth v. Sa~vhill, 660 S .W.2d 3 (Ky. 1983) .
The first-degree burglary statute, K~ZS 511 .020(l), provides as follows:
(1) A person is guilty of burglary in the first degree when, with the
intent to commit a crime, he knowingly enters or remains
unlawfully in a building, and when 'n effecting entry or while in the
building or in the immediate fli ht therefrom, he or another
participant in the crime: t
(a) Is armed with explosives or a deadly weapon; or
(b) Causes physical injury to any person who is not a
participant in the crime; or
(c) Uses or threatens the use of a dangerous
instrument against any person who is not a
participant in the crime .
(Emphasis added) .
Also relevant to our review is the General Provisions statute of the burglary
chapter, KRS 511 .090 . It provides, in relevant part, as follows :
(1) A person "enters or remains unlawfully" in or upon premises
when he is not privileged or licensed to do so .
(2) A person who, regardless of his intent, enters or remains in or
upon premises which are at the time open to the public does so
with license or privilege unless he defies a lawful order not to enter
or remain personally communicated to him by the owner of such
premises or other authorized person .
In the light most favorable to the Commonwealth, the relevant evidence
presented at trial discloses the following: (1) at about 12 :30 a.m . on the
morning of April 18, 2008, the liquor store was open for business, including to
the walk-in public; (2) Wilburn, with his brother following behind, entered the
store armed with an unloaded .38 caliber revolver; (3) Wilburn demanded
money and attempted to shoot Bussman with the empty gun; (4) Bussmann
quickly grabbed the store's gun and fired it at Wilburn; (5) Wilburn and his
brother fled as quickly as possible; and (6) when Wilburn and his brother
entered the store they intended to rob it.
Under KRS 51 1 .020(l), the "enters or remains unlawfully" element of
first-degree burglary may be committed in one of two ways: (1) by entering the
building unlawfully ; or (2) by remaining in the building unlawfully.
KRS 511 .090(2) quickly disposes of the first possibility. The liquor store
was open to the public . So even though Wilburn had the intent to rob the
business when he entered, the statute provides that he nevertheless was
licensed or privileged to be there upon his initial entry. It follows that Wiburn
did not enter the premises unlawfully. KRS 511 .090(2) .
The question then becomes whether Wilburn "remained unlawfully" in
the premises while at the same time maintaining his intent to commit a crime .
Based upon the factual background as stated above, we must conclude that, as
a matter of law, he did not.
Wilburn agrees that Bussman's firing of the gun at him was the
functional equivalent of a personally communicated lawful order by an
authorized person not to remain in the store, and that at that point Wilburn's
license to remain in the store was revoked . KRS 511 .090(2) . However, at that
juncture, Wilburn did not remain upon the premises ; rather, he fled
immediately. Based upon this fact, we must conclude that once his license to
remain was revoked, Wilburn did not "remain unlawfully" upon the premises of
the liquor store with the intent of committing a crime . It follows that his
conviction must likewise fail under this provision of the first-degree burglary
statute.
The Commonwealth's brief contains little countervailing analysis . It
merely cites us to the cases Bowling v. Commonwealth, 942 S.W.2d 293 (Ky .
1997), and Fugate v. Commonwealth, 993 S.W .2d 931 (Ky. 1999) . It then
concludes "[a]s these cases make clear, Appellant's privilege to enter the liquor
store terminated when he entered and remained for the purpose of committing
robbery." The cited decisions, however, are distinguishable from the case at
bar.
In Bowling, the defendant killed two victims in the course of a gas station
robbery and then fled with money stolen from the business. Bowling, 942
S .W.2d at 307 . Similarly, in Fugate, the defendant initially went to the victim's
home for a social visit and was invited in . Subsequently, however, he shot the
victim in the leg, and then twice in the head, killing him . He then "ransacked
the victim's trailer looking for something to steal and tore the victim's wallet off
its chain, taking the cash." Fugate, 993 S .W .2d at 940.
Thus, in Bowling and Fugate, the defendant killed the victim(s), thereby
ending, by implication, his license and his lawful presence on the property, and
then unlawfully remained to commit an additional crime . Those are not the
facts in this case . Nor did Wilburn remain to commit crimes after Bussman
terminated his license by firing the shots at him. Thus Bowling and Fugate are
not analogous . I
Nor is the significant principle stated in the two cases relevant to the
present case . Bowling states the principle as follows: "[i]mplicit in [KRS
1 We note that Tribbett v. Commonwealth, 561 S .W.2d 662 (Ky. 1978), cited in both
Bowling and Fugate, was the original decision in the line of cases . In Tribbett the
defendant was initially invited into the home. He then killed his host and stole
property from the residence.
511 .090(2)) is the concept that license or privilege expires once the person
commits an act inconsistent with the purposes of the business. Bowling
terminated his license to be on the premises when he committed the criminal
acts." Id. at 307. Similarly, the Fugate opinion states, "the privilege granted to
one doing business ceases when the licensee commits acts, such as crimes,
inconsistent with the business." Id. at 940 .
The principle stated in the cases is sound; however, the Commonwealth's
application of it to the facts of this case is not. For the principle to apply, the
defendant must first perpetrate a crime (or other act) thereby bringing about,
by obvious implication, the revocation of his license to remain in the dwelling
or building. He must thereafter remain on the premises with the intention to
commit a crime, which may be the completion of the robbery or any other
crime. Only then are the elements of burglary satisfied under the principle .
As discussed, the Commonwealth failed to prove either that Wilburn
unlawfully entered or unlawfully remained on the premises of the liquor store
with the intent to commit a crime. He was entitled to a directed verdict on the
charge. We accordingly reverse the trial court's judgment of conviction on the
first-degree burglary charge, and remand the cause for entry of a judgment of
acquittal.
II. WILBURN WAS NOT ENTITLED TO A DIRECTED VERDICT OF
ACQUITTAL ON THE FIRST-DEGREE ROBBERY CHARGES
Wilburn argues that he was entitled to a directed verdict on the two first-
degree robbery charges on the basis that the Commonwealth failed to prove the
.38 caliber revolver he carried was operable, and, correspondingly, failed to
prove that he was armed with a deadly weapon - an element necessary under
the provision of the first-degree robbery statute Wilburn was charged with
violating. We disagree.
As noted, the .38 caliber pistol Wilburn was armed with during the
robbery attempt was not loaded, and so it did not fire when he aimed the gun
at Bussman and pulled the trigger. Bullets fitting the gun were found in the
getaway vehicle, but it is unclear from the record why the gun was not loaded -
whether it was forgetfulness or a deliberate decision.
Further, the gun was not tested to see if it was capable of being fired
when loaded. Nor, under present state of the law, is there any reason why
such tests would be undertaken. See erritt v. Commonwealth, 386 S .W .2d
727 (Ky. 1965) and Kennedy v. Commonwealth, 544 S .W.2d 219 (Ky. 1977)
(holding that any object is a "deadly weapon" if used in a way that causes the
victim to believe it is a deadly weapon, even, for example, a toy gun) .
As reflected in several recent unpublished decisions, this Court has
recognized that our cases fail to comport with the plain language of the
currently enacted robbery statutes, an that the principles stated in the cases
have received criticism from eminent s holars and our intermediate court.2
2 See Moore v. Commonwealth, 2008 WL 3890168 (Ky. Aug. 21, 2008) ; Fegley v.
Commonwealth, 2008 WL 466150 (Ky. Feb. 21, 2008) ; and McIntosh v. Commonwealth,
2008 WL 2167894 (Ky. May 22, 2008) . The result we reach would be the same under
Merritt and Kennedy.
We view this as the appropriate opportunity to re-assess the viability of the
Merritt and Kennedy holding in the light of the statutory framework provided by
the penal code, mindful that the legislature may elect to consider the
disconnect between the case holdings and the language of the statutes
involved, and take whatever action it considers appropriate.3
KRS 515 .020 provides as follows :
(1) A person is guilty of robbery in the first degree when, in the
course of committing theft, he uses or threatens the immediate use
of physical force upon another person with intent to accomplish
the theft and when he :
(a) Causes physical injury to any person who is not a
participant in the crime ; or
(b) Is armed with a deadly weapon; or
(c) Uses or threatens the immediate use of a dangerous
instrument upon any person who is not a participant in the
crime .
KRS 500.080(4)(b) defines a deadly weapon, as relevant here, as follows:
"Any weapon from which a shot, readily capable of producing death or other
serious physical injury, may be discharged[ .]"
It is difficult, if not impossible, to reconcile the language of the foregoing
statutes with the Merritt/Kennedy concept that the operability of a gun is
immaterial because any object is a deadly weapon if used so as to cause the
3 We are cognizant that "if the legislature reenacts the statute without rejecting the
interpretations of the earlier act, it probably means to approve those interpretations ."
Cosby v. Commonwealth, 147 S .W.3d 56, 62 (Ky. 2004) . Legislation following Merritt
has not specifically rejected the conception of a "dangerous weapon" as enunciated in
the decision .
victim to believe it is a deadly weapon . An object which cannot "discharge"
such a shot, cannot be a "deadly weapon" under KRS 500 .080(4)(b),4 or so it
would seem.
Merritt is the pre-penal code source of the concept we now examine .
Merritt was a robbery case, based on the predecessor of KRS 515 .020, KRS
433 .140, which enhanced the sentence for a robbery or burglary committed by
anyone who "uses or displays any pistol, gun, other firearm or deadly weapon"
in the commission of the offense . The statutes then did not define "pistol, gun,
other firearm or deadly weapon ." Expressing disdain for the prosecution's
argument that a non-operable toy gun is actually a kind of "gun", the Court
with no citation of authority or further explanation, simply declared that
"within the context of this statute (KRS 433 .140) any object that is intended by
its user to convince the victim that it is a pistol or other deadly weapon and
does so convince him is one ." 386 S.W.2d at 729 . Kennedy was the first case
to address the issue after the repeal of KRS 433.140 and the enactment of KRS
515 .020 and KRS 500 .080(4)(b) . In Kennedy, this Court reconciled the Merritt
decision and the seemingly contradictory language of KRS 500 .080(4)(b) by
referring to the unofficial notes and commentary that accompanied the
adoption of the current statutes . That commentary, in part, stated :
In describing what constitutes a `deadly weapon,' the Court of
Appeals recently ruled that any object can be a deadly weapon if
intended by its user to convince a victim that it is deadly and if the
victim is in fact convinced . Merritt v. Commonwealth, 386 S .W.2d
4 KRS 500.080(4) (a), (c), (d), (e), (fl, (g), and (h) define other forms of deadly weapons,
i .e. knives, clubs, etc .
727 (Ky .1965) . In that case, the defendant was convicted of armed
robbery despite the fact that the `weapon' he used may have been a
toy pistol. There is no intention to change this decision through the
provisions of this chapter.
Kennedy, 544 S .W.2d at 222 (Emphasis added) .
In Kennedy, the Court did not otherwise explain how the Merritt holding
fit within the language actually used in the new statutes . It did not explain
how a toy gun or finger in the pocket can be "any weapon," per KRS
500 .080(4)(b), much less a "deadly" one . Its binding of the Merritt holding to
the current statutes has been often repeated, but never re-examined.
Kennedy was soon followed by Helpenstine v. Commonwealth, 566
S .W.2d 415, 416 (Ky. 1978), which approvingly cited Merritt in holding that
"any object" could be a deadly weapon, and stated again that the operability of
the handgun used in the robbery is "not relevant ."
Notwithstanding the commentary referenced in Kennedy, there is no way,
with proper deference to the English language, that the words used in KRS
515 .020 and KRS 500 .080(4)(b) can be construed to support the conclusion
reached by this Court in Kennedy and repeated in Helpenstine. No amount of
intent or intimidation by a robber can turn a toy gun, or a stick, or a finger in
the pocket into a "weapon, from which a shot, readily capable of producing
death or serious physical injury, may be discharged." Nor, can any subjective
belief in the mind of the victim turn a toy into a deadly weapon. In Kennedy,
we disregarded the express language of the statutes adopted by the legislature,
relying instead on unofficial commentary and notes. In so doing, we breached
a fundamental rule of statutory construction that we ascertain the intention of
the legislature from words used in the statutes rather than surmising what
may have been intended but was not expressed . Revenue Cabinet v. O'Daniel,
153 S .W .3d 815, 819 (Ky. 2005) . We should resort to a review of legislative
intent or legislative history only when the language of the statute is not clear .
Mitchell v. Chapman, 343 F.3d 811, 826 (6th Cir . 2003) . In Kennedy, this
Court extrapolated the Merritt holding into the current statute by erroneously
allowing the commentary to supersede the clearly contrary language of the
statute .
We find nothing in the language of the statutes now in effect that would
support Kennedy's adoption of the Merritt rule that "any object" intended by its
user to convince the victim that it is a pistol or other deadly weapon, and does
so convince him, is one. We therefore overrule Merritt as being inapplicable to
the statutes now in effect. To the extent that they apply Merritt over the
statutes currently defining robbery committed with the use of a deadly weapon,
Kennedy and Helpenstine are overruled. But, while we reject the rationale
used in Kennedy and Helpenstine to support the holding that the operability of
a firearm used in a robbery is immaterial, we do not necessarily adopt the
opposite conclusion that operability of the weapon is an essential element of
proof in an armed robbery case. Accordingly, we take a fresh look at the issue
to determine the meaning of "armed with a deadly weapon" under KRS
515 .020(b), with appropriate respect for the words used in KRS 500.080(4)(b)
to define specific sorts of deadly weapons.
Wilburn was charged under KRS 515 .020(1)(b), and so the .38 caliber
pistol he was carrying must have been a "deadly weapon" for that element of
the crime to be satisfied. KRS 500.080(4)(b) defines a deadly weapon, as
relevant here, as follows: "Any weapon from which a shot, readily capable of
producing death or other serious physical injury, may be discharged[ .]"
If the literal language of a statute is clear and unambiguous, it must be
given effect as written. Bailey v. Commonwealth, 70 S .W .3d 414, 416 (Ky.
2002) . While the remainder of the statute is plain and unambiguous, we
believe the first two words of the definition - "any weapon" - is subject to
alternative interpretations. More specifically, we believe the phrase is subject
to interpretation meaning either: (1) only the specific "weapon", or object, used
in the particular crime; or (2) the class of weapons to which the specific weapon
belongs . For example, in the present case, the language may be interpreted to
refer to either the specific pistol carried by Wilburn, or to a class of items that
includes pistols in general .
If the phrase refers to the class consisting of all pistols generally, then
the answer is self-evident . A shot discharged from a pistol may readily produce
death (or serious physical injury), and it makes no difference whether the
particular pistol is not loaded, or has a missing firing pin, or a clogged barrel,
or any other particular defect which would prevent it from firing a shot. A
pistol is among the sort of things, the class of items, from which death or an
injury-causing shot may be discharged. If, however, the phrase refers to a
particular pistol, then whether the pistol is empty or otherwise inoperable is
critical to determining if it meets the definition of a deadly weapon. An
unloaded pistol or a pistol without a firing pin, when considered individually, is
not one from which a shot may be discharged .
The statute being ambiguous, we next look to legislative intent. Dept of
Motor Transp. v. City Bus Co., 252 S .W .2d 46, 47 (Ky. 1952) ("When a statute is
ambiguous and its meaning uncertain, the legislative intent should be
determined by considering the whole statute and the purpose to be
accomplished") . We refrain from interpreting a statute so as to produce an
absurd or unreasonable result. Kentucky Unemployment Ins. Com'n v. Tones,
809 S .W.2d 715, 716 (Ky. App . 1991) ("The courts have a duty to accord
statutory language its literal meaning unless to do so would lead to an absurd
or wholly unreasonable result .") .
Applying the foregoing principles, we have no difficulty in concluding that
the legislature's use of the term "any weapon" was intended to apply to the
class of weapons as a whole, and not an individual weapon falling within the
class. In other words, again using the present case as an example, the
legislature must have intended to refer to pistols in general, and not the
individual .38 caliber revolver that Wilburn was carrying the night of the hold-
up.
Interpreting the phrase to refer to an individual weapon would produce
an absurd and unreasonable result. After all, as a general common-sense rule,
the robber seeks only to intimidate the victim into relinquishing his property
and avoid actual use of the weapon - he wants to rob, not rob and murder .-"
Interpreting the language to refer to the individual weapon would create a
loophole allowing robbers to gain the decidedly advantageous benefit of
pointing an actual pistol at the victim, but allowing him to escape the
consequences of the deadly weapon enhancement to first-degree robbery6 by,
for example, simply removing the firing pin or emptying the chamber. In view
of this, the legislature could not have intended the phrase "any weapon" to
refer to an individual weapon. That, quite simply, is an unreasonable
interpretation. The legislation is intended to deter and punish first-degree
armed robbery, not coach a robber on how to avoid the charge .
In summary, we construe KRS 500.080(4)(b)'s definition of "deadly
weapon" as a reference generally to the class of weapons which may discharge
a shot that is readily capable of producing death or serious physical injury. A
.38 caliber revolver, operable or not, falls into that class of weapons. A toy gun
or a water pistol does not. Therefore, Wilburn was armed with a deadly
weapon within the meaning of 515 .020(1)(b), and he was not entitled to a
5 We recognize that, of course, a robber will sometimes want to use the weapon in
order to eliminate a witness .
6 As relevant here, robbery without a deadly weapon would be second-degree robbery,
a Class C felony . KRS 515 .030 . First-degree robbery is a Class B felony. KRS
515 .020 .
16
directed verdict upon the grounds that the Commonwealth failed to prove his
firearm met the statutory definition of a deadly weapon .
We recognize that this construction of KRS 500.080(4) will, in other
circumstances, yield a result different from that attained by the
Merritt/Kennedy rationale . But, it is the only construction that fairly respects
the language of the statute, language which we no longer feel constrained to
ignore.
We reject the analysis expressed in Justice Noble's dissenting opinion
requiring proof that the firearm was operable at the time of the robbery. In
many, if not most, armed robbery cases, the gun is not immediately recovered,
and therefore, proof of its operability would be impossible to establish . We do
not believe the General Assembly intended to impose such an insurmountable
burden on the state's ability to sustain its burden in robbery cases . We also
note, in response to that opinion that many items used in a robbery that do not
meet the definition of "deadly weapon" under KRS 500 .080(4), as we interpret it
herein, would easily qualify as a "dangerous instrument" under KRS
500 .080(3) .
We do not foresee any substantial difficulty in the practical application of
our interpretation of the law, for example, in circumstances where the alleged
"weapon" is never recovered and its authenticity cannot be readily established.
Obviously, an unseen, unknown item as in Merritt, or an item which the
witnesses clearly recognize as a toy, will not qualify as a "deadly weapon" under
our statute. In other instances, we do not anticipate that presenting sufficient
proof that the object was a deadly weapon will impose an unrealistic burden
upon the prosecution . The victim's description of the item would ordinarily
provide sufficient evidence to permit the jury to decide whether it was among
the sort of items declared by the legislature to be a "deadly weapon ."
III . NO BATSON VIOLATION OCCURRED
Wilburn contends that a violation of Batson v. Kentucky, 476 U.S . 79
(1986), occurred on the basis that the Commonwealth used a peremptory strike
to remove African-American Juror 215604 from the venire .? The
Commonwealth's proffered reason for removing the juror was that she
expressed that she believed a former friend had been unfairly prosecuted and
that he did not deserve the sentence he received. Wilburn argues that Juror
171652 was similarly situated to the stricken juror.
Juror 171652 had a brother who had been prosecuted on drug and
domestic violence charges ; however, the juror stated that she believed he had
been treated fairly . Juror 171652 also stated that she did not believe police
acted appropriately when investigating her reports of six car break-ins .
Wilburn asserts that the Commonwealth's use of a peremptory strike to
remove Juror 215604 while not objecting to Juror 171652 demonstrates that
the removal of the African-American was motivated by race.
7 Wilburn is African-American.
18
In Batson, supra, the United States Supreme Court prohibited deliberate
racial discrimination during jury selection. Under Batson, we recently
explained,
[a] three-prong inquiry aids in determining whether a
prosecutor's use of peremptory strikes violated the equal
protection clause . Initially, discrimination may be inferred from
the totality of the relevant facts associated with a prosecutor's
conduct during a defendant's trial . The second prong requires a
prosecutor to offer a neutral explanation for challenging those
jurors in the protected class. Finally, the trial court must
assess the plausibility of the prosecutor's explanations in light
of all relevant evidence and determine whether the proffered
reasons are legitimate or simply pretextual for discrimination
against the targeted class .
McPherson v. Commonwealth, 171 S.W.3d 1, 3 (Ky. 2005) (citations and
footnotes omitted) .
The trial court's ultimate decision on a Batson challenge "is akin to a
finding of fact, which must be afforded great deference by an appellate court."
Chatman v. Commonwealth, 241 S .W.3d 799, 804 (Ky. 2007) (citation omitted) .
"Deference," of course, does not mean that the appellate court is powerless to
provide independent review, Miller-El v. Dretke, 545 U .S. 231, (2005) (holding
that the trial court's finding of non-discrimination was erroneous in light of
clear and convincing evidence to the contrary), Snyder v. Louisiana, U .S .
128 S. Ct. 1203, (2008) (same), but the ultimate burden of showing
unlawful discrimination rests with the challenger . Chatman, supra.; Rodgers v.
Commonwealth, 285 S.W.3d 740, 757-758 (Ky. 2009) .
Juror 215604, the African-American juror, stated during the
Commonwealth's voir dire that she had a friend who had gotten mixed up in
some trouble with several others and that, following a trial, was currently
serving time in the penitentiary . The juror stated although she had neither
gone to court nor maintained contact with him, she knew his character, she
believed he was prosecuted unfairly, and she believed that he did not deserve
the sentence he received . During defense counsel's voir dire, Juror 215604
stated that her friend's experience, which happened in 2002, would not have
an effect on her ability to impartially weigh the evidence .
Juror 171652, the Caucasian juror, stated during the Commonwealth's
voir dire that she had a brother who had pleaded guilty to the minimum
sentences on several drug possession and domestic violence charges . She went
on to say, however, that he and his family were treated fairly by the police and
prosecutors. Nevertheless, she was critical of the police's conduct in
connection with a series of car break-ins . The juror stated that she did not
think the police acted appropriately investigating her reports of six car break-
ins during a six month period, all occurring in her driveway. She believed it
was especially inappropriate when they told her that she should leave her car
unlocked to avoid having the windows broken. Ultimately, she indicated that
her experience with the break-ins would have no effect on her view of police
witnesses .
The Commonwealth's race-neutral basis for striking Juror 215604 was
that the juror had stated that her friend had been wrongly arrested, wrongly
convicted, and received an unfair sentence . And although she had indicated
she could be fair, the Commonwealth argued that "because of that experience
with someone very close to her we don't think she's qualified to be a good juror
. . . a qualified juror for the Commonwealth ." Ultimately, the trial court ruled
that the Commonwealth's strike was for a race-neutral reason given its
reasonable concern that the juror would continue to have concerns as noted,
potentially causing her to, in effect, "lock-up" at some point in making a
decision.
Considering the deference we must give to the trial court, we are
unpersuaded that the Commonwealth's different treatment of Juror 171652
and Juror 215604 establishes that the strike was for a race-based reason.
There are several degrees of difference between the two experiences related by
the two jurors and the potential to evoke bias against the Commonwealth .
Juror 215604 related an experience in which, she believes, an innocent man
was incarcerated because of unfair treatment by police and prosecutors . On
the other hand, Juror 171652 had an experience involving her brother in which
he and his family were treated fairly . Moreover, the experience with the car
break-ins describes more of an experience with police incompetence as opposed
to outright misconduct against an innocent person. Thus, the two jurors are
not similarly situated at all in their respective experiences with the police and
prosecutors . The risk of bias against the Commonwealth is substantially
different between the two cases. In light of the deference with which we review
the trial court's Batson rulings, we are constrained to conclude that the trial
court did not abuse its discretion when it found that the Commonwealth's
proffered race-neutral reason for striking Juror 117985 was not a pretext for
discrimination .
CONCLUSION
For the foregoing reasons the judgment of the Jefferson Circuit Court is
affirmed in part, reversed in part, and the cause is remanded for additional
proceedings consistent with this opinion.
All sitting. Abramson and Cunningham, JJ ., concur. Schroder, J.,
concurs in result only by separate opinion, in which Scott, J ., joins. Noble, J.,
dissents by separate opinion in which Minton, C.J., joins.
SCHRODER, J., CONCURRING IN RESULT ONLY : I don't agree with
overruling Merritt, Kennedy, and Helpenstine. The majority's new analysis
would preclude a conviction for first-degree robbery if the defendant used an
exact toy replica of a handgun, which would produce the same reaction in the
victim - terror and surrender of the property. I believe such an interpretation
would lead to an absurd result not intended by the Legislature .
Scott, J., joins.
NOBLE, J., DISSENTING : With all due respect, I dissent.
After an extremely well-written rejection of this Court's cases that ignore
the plain language of the statute the majority goes ahead and does it again .
To be convicted of first-degree robbery, at least under the circumstances
presented in this case, Appellant had to have been armed with a deadly
weapon . See KRS 515
. KRS 500.080(4) (b) defines a deadly weapon,
.020(1)(b)
as it is used in the robbery statute, as "[a]ny weapon from which a shot, readily
capable of producing death or serious physical injury, may be discharged ." As
the majority notes, "No amount of intent or intimidation by a robber can turn a
toy gun, or a stick, or a finger in the pocket" into such a weapon, and our
previous cases, including Meritt v. Commonwealth, 386 S .W .2d 727 (Ky. 1965),
Kennedy v. Commonwealth, 544 S.W.2d 219 (Ky. 1976), and others, clearly
disregarded the plain language of the statute in so holding .
But I can't read any ambiguity in the words "any weapon," nor can I find
anything in the statute that talks about a "class" of weapons, either, as the
majority seems able to do . The logic, or syllogism, applied by the majority, in
its simplest terms, is as follows :
1 . Pistols are deadly weapons because a pistol can fire a shot.
2 . The weapon used in this case was a pistol.
3 . Therefore, it must be a deadly weapon.
The gaping hole in this logic is that it cannot be said that the gun in this case
could fire a shot, deadly or otherwise .
In defining "deadly weapon," the legislature drafted four clear elements.
It is (1) any weapon (2) from which a shot (3) may be fired, (4) and the shot is
readily capable of producing death or serious physical injury. To define an
object as a deadly weapon, all four elements must be present.
First, any may mean "one out of many," or "some," "many," "either,"
"every," or "all ." Black's Law Dictionary 94 (6th ed . 1990) . That definition is
admittedly somewhat ambiguous . However, as the Black's definition explains,
the word any is given meaning in a given statute by the context and subject
matter of the statute . Here, it modifies the singular weapon in the clear
context of that weapon being used to fire a shot. It is the shot that must be
readily capable of producing death or serious bodily injury. Thus a weapon, in
order to be statutorily deadly, could not fire paint balls or marshmallows,
because the shot would not be readily capable of the requisite injury. By the
same token, a weapon that could not fire a shot cannot be a deadly weapon .
No one word in the statute has any more importance in meaning than the
others .
Second, to suggest that a "class of weapons" should be substituted for
the term any weapon is to write a term into the statute that is not there . This
adds the meaning to the statute that weapons must first be categorized into a
"class" (whatever its parameters may be), and that the entire class must be
capable of firing a shot. A class is not a weapon, but is rather a category into
which weapons are separated, and is not capable of firing anything. The
weapons in the class may or may not be capable of firing a shot at any given
point in time, which brings us back to the actual language of the statute: any
weapon from which a shot may be discharged .
Weapon, as pointed out above, is a singular term in the context of the
statute . The plain meaning of the statute refers to one weapon, presumably
the one in question, being capable of firing a shot . If this Court is going to
disturb longstanding precedent (and how can we not given we have clearly
invaded the legislative province), then we should read the statute literally
instead of arriving at the same result of the previous cases, only by a different
route .
The majority states that the phrase "any weapon" can mean one of two
things : the specific weapon used in the crime or a class of weapons to which
the specific weapon belongs . The majority concludes that the statute must
mean the latter, i.e., a "class of weapons," and specifically that it refers to "the
class consisting of all pistols generally," because a pistol "is among the sort of
things, the class of items, from which death or an injury-causing shot may be
discharged."
Yet, defining an abstract "class" is what every statute does, without
reference to specific acts, results, or objects . That abstract class must then be
applied to an individual factual scenario to see what the legal conclusion is,
i .e ., whether the act, result, or object falls within the defined class. For
example, KRS Chapter 507 defines various forms of illegal homicide, including
murder, which are punished at different levels depending on the circumstances
and characteristics of the homicide . That the classes are defined legally,
however, does not mean that a given homicide can be placed into whichever
category it seems to fit best as matter of law. The placement of the homicide
into one of those classes is a question of factwhether it is a murder, a
manslaughter, a negligent homicide, or a legally justified killing-that can only
be made by a jury . Indeed, whether a given death is even a homicide-that is,
a person causing the death of another person-requires the application of an
abstract class to the facts in question .
Similarly, whether a given weapon, or even a pistol, meets the statutory
definition of a deadly weapon requires application of the law-namely, the
definition laid out in KRS 500 .080(4)(b)-to the facts. In this case, those facts
include that Appellant was carrying an object, commonly known as a pistol,
which, while operable, was not loaded at the time of the alleged crime . While it
is likely that in most instances, the pistol in question will meet the definition in
the statute, no amount of inductive logic can make it true for all pistols.
The majority's own attempt at making distinctions under this definition
demonstrates the problem with its approach . The majority concludes,
In summary, we construe KRS 500 .080(4)(b)'s definition of `deadly
weapon' as a reference generally to the class of weapons which
may discharge a shot that is readily capable of producing death or
serious physical injury . A .38 caliber revolver, operable or not,
falls into that class of weapons. A toy gun or a water pistol does
not.
Yet, if the phrase "any weapon" includes pistols, then it includes toy pistols
and water pistols. The reason the majority would read them out of the "class"
of weapons is because no deadly shot can be discharged from them. This, of
course, requires an application of the definition to the facts, a determination
that the facts (a benign toy gun) do not match the legal class (weapons from
which a dangerous shot may be discharged) . This return to the definition,
rather than reliance on an abstract category, is inevitable, and is in fact
reflected in the majority's own language laying out the covered "class" of
weapons, which inevitably dips back in the "deadly weapon" definition to add
qualifying language . The majority bypasses this process, placing objects into
categories without reference to the qualities and characteristics that define
those categories .
This discussion has been admittedly abstract, so perhaps a concrete
example will prove fruitful . Imagine a plastic water pistol loaded with a strong
acid such as hydrofluoric acid. A single shot from such a toy could easily
maim or cause death. Surely such a weapon would satisfy the definition of a
deadly weapon, as it is a "weapon from which a shot, readily capable of
producing death or serious physical injury, may be discharged." Yet, under
the majority's approach, such a water pistol, regardless of its chemical
circumstances, is not a deadly weapon.
The majority's approach is an example of begging the question, as in the
logical fallacy whereby one assumes the point at issue . "The fallacy of begging
the question consists in taking for granted precisely what is in dispute, in
passing off as an argument what is really no more than an assertion of your
position ." Jamie Whyte, Crimes Against Logic 108 (2005) ; see also James
Welton et al ., Intermediate Logic 256 (4th ed. 1962) (stating the error
"is . . . committed when a proposition which requires proof is assumed without
proof') . The majority, rather than applying the law to the facts (or better yet,
allowing a jury to do so), simply assumes that the facts fall within the law and
that because the gun in this case was a pistol it must have been a deadly
weapon .
Essentially, the majority concludes that all pistols are deadly weapons
because pistols are generally capable of discharging deadly shots. But whether
the item is capable of discharging such a shot is exactly the thing that must be
proved. All the majority has done is replace the statutory class with another
class ("pistols"), which has the effect of judicially amending the statute . Nor
does this replacement truly solve the problem, since it leaves open the question
of whether a given object is a pistol.
In fact, the way the majority reads the statute, that "any weapon" can
refer to a class of items including all pistols, effectively makes the remainder of
the definition in KRS 500 .080(4) (b) surplusage . Going so far as to state that
"[i]f the phrase [`any weapon'] refers to a class consisting of all pistols generally,
then the answer is self-evident," in no small part because a "shot discharged
from a pistol may readily produce death (or serious physical injury)," the
majority renders unnecessary the language in KRS 500 .080(4)(b) that qualifies
the language "any weapon" (and further defines "deadly weapon") .
The majority's approach is akin to saying that the definition of "car"
includes all four-door sedans, as a matter of law, because they have four
wheels and a motor, even where the sedan in question has no wheels and the
legal definition of "car" requires that the vehicle have "a motor and four
wheels ." Simply because common sense tells you that the sedan is still a car,
even without wheels, cannot trump the legal definition of "car," which requires
the presence of wheels . So too, the intuition that a pistol is a deadly weapon
cannot trump the legal requirement that an object be able to discharge a
deadly shot to be a deadly weapon . Had the legislature wanted to simply
include all pistols, without additional characteristics (such as the ability to
discharge a shot), it could have listed pistols under the definition of deadly
weapons. The legislature chose to do this with other classes of weapons, such
as "blackjack" and "nightstick," included under the definition of deadly
weapon . See KRS 500 .080(4)(a), (c) - (h) . But even these classes require an
application of the law to the facts to decide whether a given object is a
"blackjack" or "nightstick" or other class of weapon .
The majority opinion creates a curious disconnect. It argues that the
definition in KRS 500 .080(4)(b) is abstract, referring only to a class, which
obviates the need to consider whether any given weapon meets the definition .
But the robbery statute in question requires that a defendant be "armed with a
deadly weapon ." KRS 515 .020 . Substituting the majority's definition of "deadly
weapon" would require that a defendant be "armed with a class of weapons" to
be convicted. But that would be a ridiculous notion, as defendant can only be
armed with a concrete, individual weapon (or weapons), not an abstraction like
a "class." Reference and application to the specific, the concrete-what the
defendant was actually armed with-is inescapable .
The following question must always be asked: does the actual object
meet all elements of the statutory definition? That clearly is not the case with
a gun that has been rendered inoperable because its barrel has been plugged
or the firing mechanism has been broken . The question is closer where the
gun is not loaded but is otherwise operable.
The argument has been made that a literal interpretation of the statute
would allow criminal defendants to outsmart the justice system by removing
the firing pin from a gun after a robbery and thus avoid a robbery first
conviction. This is not a problem with the law; it is problem of proof. Many
crimes are difficult to prove, in part because criminals tamper with evidence
after the fact.
I am not troubled by this, because any conviction should stand on the
evidence alone, not on what the evidence might be or on factual assumptions
read into the law. Also, the more severe penalty for first-degree robbery could
not be avoided if the gun was actually fired, and citizens were actually exposed
to the potential harm of a deadly weapon . If no one is actually injured, then
the penalty for second-degree robbery suffices if first-degree robbery cannot be
proven. It is not as if the defendant would get an acquittal .
This argument is similar to the facts of this case . An actual hand gun
was used, but it was not loaded . There is a certain outrage that the Appellant
would use a gun, loaded or not, because it is certainly extremely frightening to
the victim to even see a gun during a robbery. But I agree with the majority
that it is not the perspective of the victim that is covered by the language of the
statute. The fact is the gun could not, and did not, fire. We actually don't
know if it could have fired if loaded, because it was not tested . This is. a failure
of proof, or case preparation, not of statutory meaning. However, even if
Appellant could not have been convicted of first-degree robbery under the plain
language of the statute, he could have been convicted of second-degree
robbery, which is all the proof established.
There is also the argument that reading the statute literally would make
a conviction more difficult when the weapon could not be found . This is simply
a problem under any test. Certainly, when a weapon is missing at trial, the
jury can only rely on the testimony of witnesses. If a witness testifies that a
shot was actually fired, then there is no great difficulty in getting a first-degree
robbery conviction if the jury believes the witness. But if a witness merely
describes a hand gun, for example, how does the jury know if it was really a
gun or just an Air Soft replica, which is made exactly to scale and that is so
popular with youngsters today? The majority says it does not intend to include
toy guns in its "class" test, but how can the difference be told? If the fear is
that a conviction cannot be obtained when there is no weapon at trial, the
majority opinion does not eliminate that fear, since it correctly does away with
the subjective perspective of the victim .
I simply cannot understand why this Court feels so compelled to save a
first-degree robbery conviction when the evidence does not support it. If all the
evidence supports is a second-degree robbery conviction, then there is no real
justice in making a first-degree robbery conviction out of speculation . What is
the Court really trying to accomplish, and more importantly, why is it doing
this? It is not our duty to rewrite the statute, but rather to interpret it as it is
written .
I would reverse on the Robbery charges and remand for a new trial.
Minton, C .J ., joins .
COUNSEL FOR APPELLANT:
Daniel T. Goyette
Louisville Metro Public Defender
Cicely Jaracz Lambert
Assistant Appellante Defender
Charles Hall Stopher
Assistant Public Defender
Advocacy Plaza
717-719 West Jefferson Street
Louisville, KY 40202
COUNSEL FOR APPELLEE:
Jack Conway
Attorney General
Stephen Bryant Humphress
Assistant Attorney General
Office of Criminal Appeals
1024 Capital Center Drive
Frankfort, Kentucky 40601-8204