denied, 474 U.S. 865, 106 S.Ct. A hostile attitude toward law enforcement or dissatisfaction with the police has also been upheld as a sufficiently race-neutral explanation for the use of a peremptory challenge. Stephens v. State, 580 So.2d 11, 19 (Ala.Crim.App.1990). We're fair and impartial in this, we don't have a vested interest one way or the other. A verdict of conviction will not be set aside on the ground of insufficiency of the evidence unless, allowing all reasonable presumptions for its correctness, the preponderance of the evidence against the verdict is so decided as to clearly convince this court that it was wrong and unjust. Fortenberry v. State, 545 So.2d 129, 144 (Ala.1989). Davis v. State, 598 So.2d 1054 (Ala.Crim.App.1992). Contrary to Vanpelt's assertions, there is no constitutional or statutory prohibition against double counting certain circumstances as both an element of the offense and an aggravating circumstance. Deputy Edwards responded that Scott was trying to take control of the interview. In support of his argument, the appellant cites Williams v. State, 350 So.2d 708 (Ala.1977). Dr. Franco testified: That bead tells me that it's on the TV power cord. Outlet number 5 had a power cord that led to the television. The jury had already spent over four weeks hearing testimony in this case. ]: I mean, without crying and carrying on. The United States Supreme Court in Ring did not invalidate its earlier holding in Harris v. Alabama, 513 U.S. 504, 115 S.Ct. Scott argues that double-counting the aggravating circumstance that the murder was committed for pecuniary gain as both as an aggravating circumstance and as an element of the capital-murder offense violates her rights to due process and to a fair and impartial jury. After reviewing the record in its entirety, as well as the context in which the allegedly inappropriate comments were made, we find that there is no reasonable possibility that the jury was misled, misinformed, or confused as to its critical role in sentencing under Alabama law. Price [v. State, 725 So.2d 1003, 1027 (Ala.Crim.App.1997) ], quoting Taylor v. State, 666 So.2d 36, 51 (Ala.Cr.App.1994). Scott also testified that she gave Mason a teaspoon of cough medicine the evening before the fire because he was coughing. In other words, this particular murder fit the definition of three different ways the Alabama legislature has set out to be bad enough to justify capital murder. The jury may have taken that into consideration in its recommendation. The state may examine a witness on redirect as to matter injected into a case on cross-examination by the defense. Hollingsworth v. State, 549 So.2d 110, 111 (Ala.Cr.App.1988), and cases cited therein. '. 's answers to voir dire questions. Join Facebook to connect with Christie Scott and others you may know. The jury recommended a life Stay up-to-date with how the law affects your life. [Prosecutor]: And not be swayed by what you may have heard one way or the other? Davis testified that the house did not sell in the six-month listing period and that the Scotts did not relist the house. denied, 503 U.S. 974, 112 S.Ct. 877.). In the same vein, most juries hear emotional testimony from the victim's family in a capital murder case. (R. We note: A trial court has broad discretion when formulating its jury instructions. Some courts require that extrinsic acts be proven beyond a reasonable doubt while others require clear and convincing proof. 2885, 81 L.Ed.2d 847 (1984); Murphy v. Florida, 421 U.S. 794, 95 S.Ct. See Giles v. State, 632 So.2d 568, 574 (Ala.Cr.App.1992). She diagnosed Mason with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD); Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD); and Pervasive Developmental Disorder (PDD). Scott argues that the circuit court's jury instructions in the penalty phase were erroneous. While the jury's recommendation concerning sentence shall be given consideration, it is not binding upon the court.. Join Facebook to connect with Scott Christie and others you may know. This Court has held that once a juror indicates initially that he or she is biased or prejudiced or has deep-seated impressions' about a case, the juror should be removed for cause. However, Birge involved the chain of custody for a biological sample collected from a victim's bodynot physical evidence collected during the course of an investigation. However, the inquiry does not end there. The Supreme Court stated: Section 122113, Ala.Code 1975, provides: Physical evidence connected with or collected in the investigation of a crime shall not be excluded from consideration by a jury or court due to a failure to prove the chain of custody of the evidence. (quoting Rule 404(b))a relevancy conditioned on fact question under Rule 104(b) as opposed to a preliminary question of admissibility of the type enumerated in Rule 104(a) (e.g., qualification of a witness, existence of a privilege).. Mason's high level of carbon monoxide did not change his opinion, he said: I feel like that, as I explained, the way the fire built up and ventilated out of that hallway that it probably burned slow early on for several minutes and that allowed [Mason] to breathe a large amount of this carbon monoxide before the room actually built up enough to get flashover, if, indeed, it did. (R.1922. Neither the instructions nor the forms said anything about howor even whetherthe jury should make individual determinations that each particular mitigating circumstance existed. ]: Certain crimes just make me sick, you know. The State took numerous photographs of the outlets after they had been loosened and pulled slightly from the wall but while they were still connected to the electrical wires, and still more photographs of the electrical boxes that housed the outlets. denied, 464 U.S. 1047, 104 S.Ct. WebDirector of Neurophysiology Michelle R. Christie, M.D., received her undergraduate degree from the University of Texas at Austin and doctorate from the University of Texas Health The evidence tended to show that in the early morning hours of August 16, 2008, a fire was set in the Scott house and that Mason died as a result of the fire. Scott moved that juror L.H. When you strip the outer insulation back that paper in there, a couple of those even still had the paper in there. First, Scott argues that evidence of the two 2006 fires was not admissible because, she says, the State failed to establish sufficient evidence of Scott's connection to the fires. Scott first argues that the circuit court erred in denying her motion to remove juror K.B. 2528, 81 L.Ed.2d 413 (1984). Scott further argues that the circuit court used information unavailable to the jury as a basis for increasing the weight it gave to one of the aggravating circumstances. And in order to have electricity present, I have to have electricity passing through receptacle number one, passing through receptacle two, through three, through four, through five, out to the cord. Contact info: scott.christie@osbe.idaho.gov Find more info on AllPeople about Scott Christie and Idaho State Board of Education, as well as people who work for similar businesses nearby, colleagues for other branches, and more people with denied, 474 U.S. 865, 106 S.Ct. A check from Alfa had been issued to the Scotts for $25,000 after Mason's death, but Alfa declined to pay the remaining amount because Scott had omitted information concerning Mason's health and his medications on the application for the $50,000 policy. Decided: October 05, 2012. We conclude that our Supreme Court has adopted in theory, if not in name, a multi-factor balancing test similar to the one used by the Delaware court in Hammond to determine whether the State's loss or destruction of evidence constitutes a due process violation in any given case. In this case, unlike Bethea, the jurors who ultimately were selected fell in the category of jurors who would likely have been the subject of peremptory challenges had such challenges been available. The record shows that Scott moved in limine that the State be prohibited from offering testimony concerning other fires. Jeremy and Christie Scott were the beneficiaries of the policies, Robinson said. I don't feel like I would be doing a fair deal. ; Williams; Haney v. State, 603 So.2d 368, 39192 (Ala.Cr.App.1991), aff'd, 603 So.2d 412 (Ala.1992), cert. See Darden v. Wainwright, 477 U.S. 168, 106 S.Ct. [Defense counsel]: Objection as to what may happen, Your Honor. All the damage that I observed appeared to come from external heat. Scott testified that she dropped Noah out of the window in her bedroom, jumped out herself, and ran to her next-door neighbor's house for help. P. Mills [v. Maryland, 486 U.S. 367, 108 S.Ct. 1496, 99 L.Ed.2d 771 (1988) ]; cf. 419, 107 L.Ed.2d 383 (1989); Williams v. State, 710 So.2d 1276 (Ala.Cr.App.1996), aff'd, 710 So.2d 1350 (Ala.1997), cert. WebScott Christie, James N. Disney, Beth Harvey, Deelynna Oliphant, and Patsy Wynn ran in the Republican primary for Center Township Board Member, Hendricks County on May 3, In the typical challenge inquiry, the decisive question will be whether counsel's race-neutral explanation for a peremptory challenge should be believed. See also Kenneth J. Rampino, J.D., Propriety and Prejudicial Effect of Prosecutor's Remarks as to Victim's Age, Family Circumstances, or the Like, 50 A.L.R.3d 8 (1973). Section 1216150(7), Ala.Code 1975, states that a juror should be removed for cause if he has a fixed opinion as to the guilt or innocence of the defendant which would bias his verdict.. She said that she retrieved some jewelry out of Scott's home about one week after the fire. 2982.). It is clear that the above comment was a reference to the severity of the murder and was not the improper application of a nonstatutory aggravating circumstance. One outlet, he said, the outlet that was behind Mason's bed could not be located; however, numerous photographs of this outlet had been made. State v. Edwards, 116 S.W.3d 511, 538 (Mo.2003) ([T]he comment was one that the jury's common sense would tell them was true even if it had not been mentioned.). ), Several officials testified concerning a statement that Scott's father's, Donald Bray, made to Scott when he arrived at the scene of the fire. Later, the following occurred: The Court: The fact that Mr. Copeland may be a witness in the case, do you feel like that would affect your ability to be fair and impartial? This three-part analysiswhich weighs culpability, materiality, and prejudiceis what the Alabama Supreme Court seems to have employed in Ex parte Gingo. The circuit court did not err in declining to give the jury an adverse-inference instruction on the loss of the evidence given that there was no evidence of bad faith on the part of the State nor was the missing evidence material to Scott's defense. Any indications of conscious guilt arising from the conduct, demeanor, or expressions of an accused are legal evidence against him. People v. Morton, 189 A.D.2d 488, 596 N.Y.S.2d 783 (N.Y.App.Div.1993); People v. Miller, 156 Misc.2d 824, 594 N.Y.S.2d 978 (N.Y. Sup.Ct.Crim. The following occurred: [Defense counsel]: Judge, there was some requested instructions dealing with spoliation of evidence. 1128.) A trial court's denial of special jury instructions is reviewed for abuse of discretion. The photographs and the electrical boxes were available for examination by defense experts. Tyson v. State, 784 So.2d 328, 351 (Ala.Crim.App.2000). denied, 493 U.S. 970, 110 S.Ct. Testimony going to show motive, though motive is not an element of the burden of proof resting on the state, is always admissible.' 824, 13 L.Ed.2d 759 (1965), overruled on other grounds, Batson v. Kentucky, 476 U.S. 79, 106 S.Ct. [T]he common plan, scheme, or design exception is essentially coextensive with the identity exception, Ex parte Darby, 516 So.2d 786, 789 (Ala.1987), and applies only when identity is actually at issue. Lewis v. State, 889 So.2d 623, 661 (Ala.Crim.App.2003). The experts testified that the August 16, 2008, fire was accidental and started in the enclosed wooden television cabinet in the children's bedroom. The actual prejudice standard is defined as follows: To find the existence of actual prejudice, two basic prerequisites must be satisfied. However, when detailing the aggravating circumstances in its sentencing order, the circuit court correctly found the existence of two aggravating circumstances: that the murder was committed for pecuniary gain and that the murder was especially heinous, atrocious, or cruel when compared to other capital murders. [Prosecutor]:and apply the law to the facts as you see them? Hammond, 569 A.2d at 87. 1868, 40 L.Ed.2d 431 (1974). Davis v. State, 718 So.2d 1148, 1157 (Ala.Crim.App.1995) (footnote omitted). Both homes were heavily insured at the times of the fires, Scott had increased her insurance within months of the fires, the Scotts received over $185,000 in insurance monies as a result of the second 2006 fire and over $250,000 as a result of the 2008 fire, Scott was the only adult present at the time of the fires, the smoke alarms had been disabled at the time of the fires, and the ignition source for each fire could not be determined. Christie Franks testified that her son attended preschool with Mason. Testing indicated that the smoke detector would have worked properly if it had been on the wall at the time of the fire. The standard of review in reviewing a claim under the plain-error doctrine is stricter than the standard used in reviewing an issue that was properly raised in the trial court or on appeal. Hall v. State, 820 So.2d 113, 121 (Ala.Crim.App.1999). Into consideration in its recommendation court seems to have employed in Ex parte Gingo conduct,,... ( Ala.1977 ) still had the paper in there smoke detector would have worked properly if it had been the... Is defined as follows: to find the existence of actual prejudice, two basic prerequisites must satisfied. On other grounds, Batson v. scott, christie michelle, 476 U.S. 79, 106 S.Ct 113... U.S. 168, 106 S.Ct require clear and convincing proof, 351 ( Ala.Crim.App.2000 ) holding in Harris Alabama. 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