- 5(&200(1'(' )25 )8//7(;7 38%/,&$7,21 :KHHOHUYsRQHV 1R 3XUVXDQW WR 6L[WK &LUFXLW 5XOH (/(&7521,& &,7$7,21 )(' $SS 3 WK &LU FHUWLRUDUL >KDG@ HODSVHGl &DVSDUL 86 DW )LOH 1DPH DS HPSKDVLVDGGHG )LQDOO\ZHQRWHWKDWLI:KHHOHUjVSRVLWLRQZHUHDGRSWHG 81,7('67$7(6&28572)$33($/6 VWDWHFRXUWMXGJPHQWVZRXOGQHYHUDWWDLQILQDOLW\EHFDXVHWKH\ ZRXOGDOZD\VEHVXEMHFWWRUHFRQVLGHUDWLRQRQDPRWLRQIRUD )257+(6,;7+&,5&8,7 GHOD\HG DSSHDO 7KH SUHVHQW FDVH SURYLGHV D VWULNLQJ BBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBB LOOXVWUDWLRQ $FFRUGLQJ WR :KHHOHU KLV FRQYLFWLRQ RQO\ EHFDPH mILQDOl LQ WZHQW\ILYH \HDUV DIWHU KH ZDV FRQYLFWHG '$1,(/ :+((/(5 ; 3HWLWLRQHU$SSHOODQW ,,,&21&/86,21 1R )RU DOO RI WKH UHDVRQV VHW IRUWK DERYH ZH $)),50 WKH Y MXGJPHQWRIWKHGLVWULFWFRXUW ! .857 s21(6 5HVSRQGHQW$SSHOOHH 1 $SSHDOIURPWKH8QLWHG6WDWHV'LVWULFW&RXUW IRUWKH:HVWHUQ'LVWULFWRI0LFKLJDQDW*UDQG5DSLGV 1Rn'DYLG:0F.HDJXH'LVWULFWsXGJH $UJXHG$XJXVW 'HFLGHGDQG)LOHG6HSWHPEHU %HIRUH.(,7+&2/(DQG*,/0$1&LUFXLWsXGJHV BBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBB &2816(/ $5*8(' &RULQQH %HFNZLWK 67$7( $33(//$7( '()(1'(5 2)),&( /DQVLQJ 0LFKLJDQ IRU $SSHOODQW 9LQFHQW s /HRQH 2)),&( 2) 7+( $77251( Z@KHQWKH 0LFKLJDQ 6XSUHPH &RXUW RUGHUHG WKH &RXUW RI $SSHDOV WR 521$/' /(( *,/0$1 &LUFXLW sXGJH ,Q D FRQVLGHU>KLV@DSSHOODWHFODLPVRQWKHPHULWVWKDWDFWLRQ 0LFKLJDQ MXU\ FRQYLFWHG 'DQLHO :KHHOHU RI ILUVWGHJUHH VLJQLILHGWKDW:KHHOHUjVGLUHFWDSSHDOZDVVWLOODOLYHDQG PXUGHU DQG VHQWHQFHG KLP WR D WHUP RI OLIH LPSULVRQPHQW WKDWKLVFRQYLFWLRQZDVQRW\HWILQDOl7KH0LFKLJDQFRXUWV ZLWKRXWSDUROH:KHHOHUGLGQRWH[HUFLVHKLVULJKWWRDGLUHFW GLVDJUHHG,QLWVsDQXDU\RSLQLRQWKH0LFKLJDQ&RXUW DSSHDO6XEVHTXHQWO\KRZHYHUKHILOHGWZRDSSOLFDWLRQVIRU RI $SSHDOV DIILUPHG WKH VWDWH WULDO FRXUWjV GHFLVLRQ WKDW OHDYHWRILOHDGHOD\HGDSSHDO,QXSRQFRQVLGHUDWLRQRI :KHHOHUKDGQRWUHFHLYHGLQHIIHFWLYHDVVLVWDQFHRIFRXQVHO :KHHOHUjV VHFRQG DSSOLFDWLRQ IRU D GHOD\HG DSSHDO WKH 7KH&RXUWRI$SSHDOVUHMHFWHG:KHHOHUjVDWWHPSWHGUHOLDQFH 0LFKLJDQ 6XSUHPH &RXUW GHWHUPLQHG WKDW :KHHOHUjV FDVH RQ6DQGVWURPVWDWLQJWKDWm6DQGVWURPDSSOLHGUHWURDFWLYHO\ ZDUUDQWHG IXUWKHU UHYLHZ DQG UHPDQGHG LW WR WKH 0LFKLJDQ RQO\WRWKRVHFDVHVWKDWUDLVHGWKHLVVXHRIMXU\LQVWUXFWLRQV &RXUW RI $SSHDOV 7KH 0LFKLJDQ FRXUWV XOWLPDWHO\ GHQLHG DQGZHUHSHQGLQJRQGLUHFWDSSHDODWWKHWLPHRI6DQGVWURP :KHHOHUUHOLHI LQl3HRSOHY:KHHOHU1RDW0LFK&W $SSsDQ$VWKH6WDWHSRLQWVRXWmLIWKH>&RXUWRI ,Q:KHHOHUILOHGDSHWLWLRQIRUDZULWRIKDEHDVFRUSXV $SSHDOV@WUXO\FRQVLGHUHGWKDWLWZDVGHFLGLQJDGLUHFWDSSHDO SXUVXDQWWR86&DUJXLQJDPRQJRWKHUWKLQJV LW ZRXOG QRW KDYH KDG WR FRQVLGHU WKH UHWURDFWLYLW\ RI WKDW WKH VWDWH FRXUWjV MXU\ LQVWUXFWLRQV RQ WKH LVVXH RI 6DQGVWURPl HVWDEOLVKLQJ FULPLQDO LQWHQW E\ WKH XVH RI SUHVXPSWLRQV YLRODWHGKLV)RXUWHHQWK$PHQGPHQWULJKWWRGXHSURFHVVRI 0RUHRYHUWKH0LFKLJDQFRXUWVKDYHJHQHUDOO\DGRSWHGWKH ODZSXUVXDQWWR6DQGVWURPY0RQWDQD86 YLHZWKDWORQJGHOD\HGDSSHDOVDUHQRWUHJDUGHGDVDSDUWRID KROGLQJ WKDW D MXU\ LQVWUXFWLRQ WKDW HOLPLQDWHV RU VKLIWV D GHIHQGDQWjVGLUHFWDSSHDO6HH3HRSOHY:DUG1:G VWDWHjV EXUGHQ WR SURYH HYHU\ HOHPHQW RI DQ DOOHJHG FULPH 0LFKUHMHFWLQJDGHIHQGDQWjVDUJXPHQWWKDWKLV EH\RQGDUHDVRQDEOHGRXEWYLRODWHVDGHIHQGDQWjVGXHSURFHVV GHOD\HG DSSHDO ILOHG PRUH WKDQ WZHOYH PRQWKV DIWHU KLV ULJKWV7KHGLVWULFWFRXUWGHQLHG:KHHOHUjVSHWLWLRQILQGLQJ FRQYLFWLRQ ZDV SDUW RI KLV GLUHFW DSSHDO DQG KROGLQJ WKDW WKDWKLVFRQYLFWLRQKDGEHFRPHILQDOLQWKXVSUHYHQWLQJ mORQJGHOD\HGGLUHFWDSSHDOVDUHGHHPHGFROODWHUDOl3HRSOH KLPIURPWDNLQJDGYDQWDJHRIWKHQHZUXOHDQQRXQFHGHLJKW Y (UZLQ 1:G 0LFK &W $SS \HDUVODWHULQ6DQGVWURP6HH7HDJXHY/DQH86 VDPH%\WKLVPHDVXUH:KHHOHUjVVHFRQGDSSOLFDWLRQIRU KROGLQJ WKDW QHZ UXOHV RI FULPLQDO SURFHGXUH OHDYHWRILOHDGHOD\HGDSSHDOILOHGVHYHQWHHQ\HDUVDIWHUKLV FDQQRW EH DSSOLHG UHWURDFWLYHO\ H[FHSW LQ YHU\ OLPLWHG FRQYLFWLRQZRXOGXQGRXEWHGO\EHFODVVLILHGDVDFROODWHUDO FLUFXPVWDQFHV )RU WKH UHDVRQV VHW IRUWK EHORZ ZH UDWKHU WKDQ D GLUHFW DSSHDO %DVHG RQ WKHVH UXOLQJV E\ WKH $)),50WKHMXGJPHQWRIWKHGLVWULFWFRXUW 0LFKLJDQFRXUWVDQGWKHGLFWDWHVRI&DVSDULZHFRQFOXGHWKDW :KHHOHUjV FRQYLFWLRQ EHFDPH ILQDO LQ ZKHQ mWKH DYDLODELOLW\ RI GLUHFW DSSHDO WR WKH VWDWH FRXUWV >ZDV@ H[KDXVWHG DQG WKH WLPH IRU ILOLQJ D SHWLWLRQ IRU D ZULW RI :KHHOHUYsRQHV 1R 1R :KHHOHUYsRQHV 7KH GLVWULFW FRXUW JUDQWHG :KHHOHU D FHUWLILFDWH RI ,%$&.*5281' DSSHDODELOLW\RQsDQXDU\OLPLWHGWRWKHVLQJOHLVVXH RI ZKHWKHU :KHHOHUjV FRQYLFWLRQ KDG EHFRPH ILQDO EHIRUH $ 6WDWHFRXUWSURFHHGLQJV 6DQGVWURPZDVGHFLGHG2QsXQHWKLVFRXUWGHFOLQHG WRJUDQWUHYLHZRQDQ\RWKHULVVXHV 7KH0LFKLJDQ&RXUWRI$SSHDOVVXPPDUL]HGWKHXQGHUO\LQJ IDFWVRIWKLVFDVHDVIROORZV ,,$1$/ :KHHOHU@jV IRUPHU JLUOIULHQG3D]jVERG\ZDVGLVFRYHUHGLQDZRRGHGORWLQ 2QDSSHDOIURPWKHGHQLDORIDSHWLWLRQIRUDZULWRIKDEHDV )HEUXDU\RIWKDW\HDU/DFHUDWLRQVZHUHSUHVHQWRQKHU FRUSXV ZH UHYLHZ WKH GLVWULFW FRXUWjV OHJDO FRQFOXVLRQV GH VFDOS DQG IRUHKHDG $GGLWLRQDOO\ D SRUWLRQ RI 3D]jV QRYRDQGZLOOQRWGLVWXUELWVILQGLQJVRIIDFWXQOHVVWKH\DUH VFDOS DSSUR[LPDWHO\ WKH VL]H RI D FORVHG KDQG ZDV FOHDUO\HUURQHRXV6HH1HYHUVY.LOOLQJHU)G PLVVLQJIURPWKHEDFNRIKHUKHDG7HVWVUHYHDOHGWKDW WK&LUFHUWGHQLHG867KHTXHVWLRQ 3D]ZKRZDVWZRDQGDKDOIPRQWKVSUHJQDQWKDGKDG RIZKHWKHUWKHJUDQWRIDGHOD\HGDSSHDOUHYLYHVDGHIHQGDQWjV VH[XDOLQWHUFRXUVHZLWKLQKRXUVSULRUWRKHUGHDWK7KHUH GLUHFWDSSHDOLQ0LFKLJDQLVDTXHVWLRQRIODZWREHUHYLHZHG ZDVQRHYLGHQFHWRVXJJHVWWKDW3D]KDGEHHQUDSHG7KH GHQRYR PHGLFDO H[DPLQHU VWDWHG WKDW 3D]jV LQMXULHV ZHUH FRQVLVWHQWZLWKDKLJKZD\DFFLGHQW0RUHVSHFLILFDOO\ % :KHHOHUjVFRQYLFWLRQEHFDPHILQDOZKHQKLVDELOLW\WR WKH GRFWRU WKHRUL]HG WKDW 3D]jV VFDOS FRXOG KDYH EHHQ ILOHDGLUHFWDSSHDODVRIULJKWH[SLUHG ORRVHQHGE\WKHXQGHUFDUULDJHRIDWUDFWLRQPHFKDQLVPRU PRWRU YHKLFOH $OWHUQDWLYHO\ WKH PHGLFDO H[DPLQHU 7KH VROH LVVXH SUHVHQWHG LQ WKLV DSSHDO LV ZKHWKHU VWDWHGWKDWWKHVHLQMXULHVFRXOGKDYHEHHQFDXVHGE\DJXQ :KHHOHUjVFRQYLFWLRQKDGEHFRPHILQDOZKHQ6DQGVWURPZDV EDUUHOZLWKDVKDUSPDUJLQ$VKRWJXQEDUUHOZDVIRXQG GHFLGHGLQ,Q&DVSDULY%RKOHQ86 LQWKHSUR[LPLW\RI3D]jVERG\ WKH 6XSUHPH &RXUW VHW IRUWK WKH IROORZLQJ LQTXLU\ IRU DVVHVVLQJILQDOLW\m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l,GDW WKHQ D IULHQG RI >:KHHOHU@jV WHVWLILHG WKDW >:KHHOHU@ RIIHUHGKLPWRKLW3D]LQWKHVWRPDFKSULRUWRKHU &LWLQJWKH&DVSDULUXOHWKHGLVWULFWFRXUWFRQFOXGHGWKDW GLVDSSHDUDQFHDQGGHDWK$QRWKHUIULHQGRI>:KHHOHU@jV :KHHOHUjVFRQYLFWLRQEHFDPHILQDOIRUW\WZRGD\VDIWHUWKH sRKQ2VWUDQGHUWHVWLILHGWKDWDIHZGD\VEHIRUH3D]ZDV MXU\UHWXUQHGLWVYHUGLFWZKLFKLVZKHQKLVWLPHIRUILOLQJD UHSRUWHGPLVVLQJ>:KHHOHU@WROGKLPWKDWKHZDVJRLQJ GLUHFWDSSHDODVDPDWWHURIULJKWZLWKWKH0LFKLJDQ&RXUWRI WR NLOO KHU $FFRUGLQJ WR 2VWUDQGHU >:KHHOHU@ ODWHU $SSHDOV H[SLUHG $GGLQJ IRUW\WZR GD\V WR WKH GDWH RI LQIRUPHGKLPWKDWKHKDGNLOOHG3D]ZLWKDJXQEDUUHO :KHHOHUjVFRQYLFWLRQ\LHOGVWKHGDWHRI0D\7KH 2VWUDQGHUIXUWKHUWHVWLILHGWKDW>:KHHOHU@DVNHGKLPWR GLVWULFW FRXUW UHMHFWHG :KHHOHUjV DUJXPHQW WKDW KLV GLUHFW KHOS EXU\ WKH ERG\ $IWHU WKLV UHTXHVW ZDV PDGH DSSHDOZDVmUHYLYHGlLQZKHQWKH0LFKLJDQ6XSUHPH 2VWUDQGHU FODLPHG WKDW >:KHHOHU@ GURYH KLP WR WKH :KHHOHUYsRQHV 1R 1R :KHHOHUYsRQHV UHPRWH ORFDWLRQ ZKHUH 3D]jV ERG\ ZDV HYHQWXDOO\ ,Q:KHHOHUILOHGDQDSSOLFDWLRQIRUDGHOD\HGDSSHDO GLVFRYHUHG7KHWZRPHQZHUHXQDEOHWRORFDWH3D]jV SXUVXDQW WR 5XOH RI WKH 0LFKLJDQ &RXUW 5XOHV 2Q ERG\ RQ WKLV RFFDVLRQ )LQDOO\ 2VWUDQGHU VWDWHG WKDW 'HFHPEHU WKH &RXUW RI $SSHDOV RI 0LFKLJDQ >:KHHOHU@DVNHGKLPWRSURYLGHDIDOVHDOLELWRWKHSROLFH UHPDQGHGWKHFDVHWRWKHWULDOFRXUWWRGHWHUPLQH:KHHOHUjV LIDQGZKHQKHZDVHYHUTXHVWLRQHGDERXW3D]jVGHDWK FRPSHWHQF\ WR VWDQG WULDO QXQF SUR WXQF )ROORZLQJ DQ HYLGHQWLDU\KHDULQJWKHWULDOFRXUWIRXQG WKDW:KHHOHUKDG $QRWKHUIULHQGRI>:KHHOHU@jV5LFN/D0RWKHWHVWLILHG LQGHHGEHHQFRPSHWHQWWRVWDQGWULDO:KHHOHUGLGQRWDSSHDO WKDWSULRUWR3D]jVGLVDSSHDUDQFH>:KHHOHU@KDGWDNHQ WKLVILQGLQJ KLP WR WKH UHPRWH ORFDWLRQ ZKHUH KHU ERG\ ZDV HYHQWXDOO\GLVFRYHUHG/D0RWKHFODLPHGWRKDYHVHHQ ,Q:KHHOHUILOHGDVHFRQGDSSOLFDWLRQIRUDGHOD\HG >:KHHOHU@FXWWKHEDUUHORIIRIDVKRWJXQLQsDQXDU\RI DSSHDO DOOHJLQJ WKDW KH KDG EHHQ GHQLHG D IDLU WULDO GXH WR DSSUR[LPDWHO\RQHPRQWKEHIRUH3D]jVERG\ZDV FHUWDLQLQDSSURSULDWHVWDWHPHQWVPDGHE\WKHSURVHFXWRUDQG GLVFRYHUHG 7KLV WHVWLPRQ\ ZDV FRUURERUDWHG E\ WKDWKHKDGUHFHLYHGWKHLQHIIHFWLYHDVVLVWDQFHRIFRXQVHO7KH >:KHHOHU@jV PRWKHU ZKR WHVWLILHG WKDW >:KHHOHU@ KDG 0LFKLJDQ&RXUWRI$SSHDOVGHQLHGWKLVDSSOLFDWLRQ:KHHOHU WDNHQDVKRWJXQIURPWKHIDPLO\KRPHDQGVDZHGLWRII DSSHDOHG2Q0DUFKWKH0LFKLJDQ6XSUHPH&RXUW $FULPHODERUDWRU\WHFKQLFLDQWHVWLILHGWKDWWKHVKRWJXQ FRQFOXGHGWKDW:KHHOHUjVFODLPVZDUUDQWHGIXUWKHUUHYLHZDQG EDUUHOIRXQGQHDU3D]jVERG\PDWFKHGWKHZHDSRQWKDW UHPDQGHGWKHFDVHWRWKH&RXUWRI$SSHDOVZLWKLQVWUXFWLRQV >:KHHOHU@KDGVDZHGRII WRFRQVLGHU:KHHOHUjVGHOD\HGDSSHDOmDVRQOHDYHJUDQWHGl 3HRSOHY:KHHOHU1R0LFK0DU 7KH&RXUWRI$SSHDOVLQWXUQUHPDQGHGWKHPDWWHUWRWKH sDQHWWH %XFKRO] WHVWLILHG WKDW VKH PHW >:KHHOHU@ WULDOFRXUWIRUDQHYLGHQWLDU\KHDULQJRQ:KHHOHUjVLQHIIHFWLYH EHWZHHQDQGSPRQWKHVDPHGD\WKDW3D] DVVLVWDQFHRIFRXQVHOFODLP2Q'HFHPEHUDIWHU GLVDSSHDUHG$FFRUGLQJWR%XFKRO]>:KHHOHU@ORRNHG FRQGXFWLQJ VXFK D KHDULQJ WKH WULDO FRXUW FRQFOXGHG WKDW mH[KDXVWHGlZKHQKHDUULYHG)XUWKHU%XFKRO]FODLPHG :KHHOHUjVFRXQVHOKDGQRWEHHQFRQVWLWXWLRQDOO\LQHIIHFWLYH WKDW>:KHHOHU@KDGEORRGVWDLQVRQKLVKDQGVDQGSDQWV 7KH0LFKLJDQ&RXUWRI$SSHDOVDIILUPHGDQGRQ)HEUXDU\ %XFKRO]VDLGWKDW>:KHHOHU@H[SODLQHGWKDWKHKDGEHHQ WKH0LFKLJDQ6XSUHPH&RXUWGHQLHGOHDYHWRDSSHDO LQ D ILJKW ZLWK WZR PHQ $QRWKHU ZRPDQ 1DQF\ *HUGLQJKHDUG>:KHHOHU@DVNWRZDVKWKHEORRGRIIRI % )HGHUDOFRXUWSURFHHGLQJV KLVKDQGV)LQDOO\*HUGLQJVDLGWKDW>:KHHOHU@FODLPHG WRKDYHXVHGDSLSHWRGHIHQGKLPVHOILQWKHILJKWZLWKWKH 2Q)HEUXDU\:KHHOHUILOHGDSHWLWLRQIRUDZULWRI WZRPHQ KDEHDV FRUSXV LQ WKH 8QLWHG 6WDWHV 'LVWULFW &RXUW IRU WKH (DVWHUQ 'LVWULFW RI 0LFKLJDQ :KHHOHU UDLVHG IRXU FODLPV 3HRSOHY:KHHOHU1RDW0LFK&W$SSsDQ LQFOXGLQJ D FKDOOHQJH WR WKH WULDO FRXUWjV MXU\ LQVWUXFWLRQV EDVHGRQ6DQGVWURP7KHGLVWULFWFRXUWGHQLHG:KHHOHUUHOLHI FRQFOXGLQJ WKDW KH FRXOG QRW WDNH DGYDQWDJH RI WKH UXOH 2Q0DUFKDMXU\IRXQG:KHHOHUJXLOW\RIILUVW DQQRXQFHGLQ6DQGVWURPLQEHFDXVHKLVFRQYLFWLRQKDG GHJUHHSUHPHGLWDWHGPXUGHU+HZDVWKHUHDIWHUVHQWHQFHGE\ EHFRPHILQDOLQ,WDOVRIRXQG:KHHOHUjVRWKHUFODLPVWR WKH VWDWH WULDO MXGJH WR OLIH LPSULVRQPHQW ZLWKRXW WKH EHZLWKRXWPHULW SRVVLELOLW\RISDUROH:KHHOHUGLGQRWH[HUFLVHKLVULJKWWRD GLUHFWDSSHDO
Document Info
Docket Number: 99-1008
Filed Date: 9/11/2000
Precedential Status: Precedential
Modified Date: 9/22/2015