Petition for Writ of Certiorari — Amadeo Valls, Petitioner v. Florida
Supreme Court briefJul 15, 2020
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IN THE
SUPREME COURT OF THE UNITED STATES
I
Supreme Court, U.S.
FILED
<h •
JUL 1 5 2020
OFFICE OF THE CLERK
AMMvTo VM-LS
-Petitioner
(Your Name)
VS.
FLOfUPA
- Respondents)
on
PETITION FOR A WRIT OF CERTIORARI
to
FLORIPK THtRb PISTRVCT COURT OF kfPSAL
(Name of Court that last ruled on merits of your case) .
Vy
PETITION FOR A WRIT OF CERTIORARI
AM/vdeo
vau-s
(Your Name)
F.D.O.C.
BLACKWATER RIVER CORRECTIONAL FACILITY
5914 JEFF ATES ROAD
MILTON, FLORIDA 32583 * r ,
/
f
/
QUESTIONS PRESENTED
i
(lj)
WHETHER Due process prohibits Florida from
excluding
Hews rea .instruction from Burglary
CHARGES or WHETHER IT IS STRUCTURAL ERROR For
Trial courts to Refuse to submit aw element to jurors
IF SUCH ELEMENT IS ESSENTIAL, IM DISPUTE, AND I As THE
Topmost materialconsideration, Highly capable of
ACQUITTING ftCCUS&S>'
CuO WHETHER, TENAWCV CONTROVERTS THE
necessary Mews
REA ELEMENT FbRT-HE CRIME OF BURGLARY OR WHETHER
FAILURE TD SUFFICIENTLY REBUT A VULNERABLE TENANT'S
AUTOMATICALLY REASONABLE B6(J|6F NEGAT1N6 MB MS REA
IS CAPABLE, BY ITSELf- OF REMDERMslG BURGLARY
COMUICTIOM CONSTITUTIONALLY PROHIBITED ^
Cxn~«) Does CHARGING CONTRADICTORY SETS OP ALTERNATIVE
lNSTRuariONS, R6QUtRING CONFLICTING LEGAL FINDINGS FOR
the same Facts, eecome capable, BV itself, of rendering
trial
CoMsrrrunona-lly inadequate*
(TV-) WHETHER DUAL THEORY LANGUAGE IN FLORIDA'S
CAPITAL MURDER STATUTE AUTHORIZES UNLIMITED OVER
RULING OF A STRUCTURAL RIGHT To GRAND TURY
RE INDICTMENT
CV.) WHETHER CUMULATIVE PREJUDICIAL EFFECT OP
&RROR IB CAPABLE, BY ITSELF, OF RENDERING A-TRIAL
Comstitutiomally inadequate^
ii»
!
TJST OF PARTIES
Pd All parties appear in the caption of the case on the cover page.
[ ] All parties do not appear in the caption of the case on the cover page. A list of
all parties to the proceeding in the court whose judgment is the subject of this
petition is as follows:
:
iii.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page:
Index to Appendices
V.
Table of Authorities Cited
vL
Opinions
xi.
Jurisdiction
Xu.
Constitutional and Statutory Provisions Involved
t
Statements of the Case
X
Reasons for Granting the Writ
4
Conclusions
3io
.» e
iv.
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IN TH-t
SUPREME COURT OF Ttf-E UNITEO STATES
PEjlTlOls/ FOR. LORlToF C€RTioRAR.l
Petitioner respe ctfu lltj prztijS thata u>h~t of certiorari to rcuie^J
the. Judgment b-efouJ*
OPUOlONZ BELOuU
For cases fhnn Sfete Coufts :
The opinion of'the, highest State Gxirt fo rtoie^j the.
merits appears qt Appendix.
Uhpglolc&kedl f
to the petition a.nt
J
The. op in ion of the Sqwg State Co u.rt (on^jVal/y
deciding) Same case, appears at Appendix. P to this
petition ant iSj reported at IS*? So, 3d <23 V Ortq* 3d
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CONSTITUTIONAL AND STATUTORY PROVISIONS INVOLVED
Afrewd
5"
Crlw\iwa\ actions frovisiows Concerning Due process oP
Av/J
d just Compensation cWiSeS.
No person sbait be. beVdto ansujer fbr A capital j or ©"tberonse iVifk^ous
Crimej Unless ana presentment" or A'^duPment’
A £>ra*vd 3urtjj ex.eepV in
Cases arising In+be land or havaI fdrceS) or {n"tiie HUItlAj ujben ib o_c\uaI
Service fn+ime dp War cr public. dAnger *} nor sbatl be Compelled in any
Criminal case to be a witness against blmsetP) nor be deprived ©p- life (
liberty) or property, unPboiAp due process oP (auj ' r>or sba.ll private
property betaken fbr public usei ouYtbout jtXst compensation.
Amendment
R\C[i\ts ot tbe Accused *
Xn all cn'vA iVaA prasecxAtowSj'VKe accused •sbal\ enjoy tbe rigVit "to a
Spee<d<y And p ub\ i_c trialby Ain impartial jury oTtW. State and district
uoUerevn pbe crime. sba.ll ba_ve been Committed ) ujbicJn distvict shall ave
been previously ascertained by \auo, and to be iv\f<ATIM.ed of- tbe nature
and cease cdp tbe areasatiov\ jto be conPr&rsted u/ita tbe u/itnessfi#
against b\rv\ ^ t© Wave Covvspulsory processtor- obtainivy outnesses. In
kistk\/or, and “to bavetbe. Assistance dt Counsel dor bis d-epence^
f\lv\ei\dmcnp
^ Se.cA» [CiPi^ens ettVig. United ^tatesT\ All
persons born or
naturalised indhe United Stapes, and Subject to tbe jurisdiction PWt.^
are citizens ettbeUnited Stapes and ottbe State a)herein Pbey reside.*
No State Sball maW. or entbree any Wuj ujbicb sball abridyetbe
privileges or immunities cip api-zenS ottbe United States} nor sball
any State deprive Any person oP lite, liberty j or property , untbout
d.ue process ot \ai/J ] nor deny tco awy person cvrthin its jansdrcpion
tbe ey^cd protection at tbe IaujS*
1
STATEMENT OF THE CASE
Petitioner, a gunshot victim himself, committed
justifiable homicide during a domestic firelight on
September 7th 2009. The grand jury returned a "no
bill" for first-degree (premeditated) murder, so
Florida then filed a second-degree murder
information on September 29th 2009, yet later
indicted him for first-degree (felony) murder, on
February 15th 2012, via a legally interlocking count
of predicate felony burglary to structure for entering
driveway "curtilage" of his allegedly abandoned
sublet in order to commit (misdemeanor prank)
criminal mischief. See Append ix A
Petitioner was convicted on both counts at the
original trial on October 2012, later reversed for
omitting burglary affirmative defense instruction.
Valls v. State, 159 So. 3d 234, 238 (Fla. 3d DCA
2015). See Appendix F
In 2016, Prosecutors ambushed the defense at new
trial with yet another predicate felony theory —
burglary to conveyance — via a constructive
amendment to indictment applied by (misconstrued)
license of the statutory dual theory language behind
first-degree murder statute. The trial court overruled
defense objections, granting the uncharged theory —
featuring new evidence, closing arguments, and jury
instructions.
X
Other exceptions took place during that retrial and
then at two more retrials. Prosecutors introduced
irrational presumptive instructions. Prosecutors also
conflated two contradictory sets of mutually exclusive
alternative burglary instructions that negated an
. affirmative defense argued in (IIP, infra. Trial court
denied judgment of acquittal argued in (II.), infra.
This unique case has three structural error vectors,
i.e., (a) aggravated usurpation of petit jury's authority
via purposeful omission of crucial acquitting
instruction argued in (I.), infra, (b) aggravated
usurpation of grand jury's authority via constructive
amendment argued in (IV.), infra, and (c) biased trial
judge, not argued on appeal.
Two retrials ended in hung-juries. The mistrials were
contested since juries submitted queries on
conveyance burglary — requesting clarification on
that uncharged burglary just prior to deadlocking.
Thus, based on two "promoted" hung-juries, a pretrial
interlocutory appeal on double jeopardy grounds was
still pending, during trial, at the state level. See
Vails v. State, 251 So. 3d 144 (Fla. 3d DCA 2018)
(collateral attack dismissed). See Appendix G
Petitioner was reconvicted at a fourth trial in
December 2017. Petitioner's direct appeal,
challenging fourth trial, was denied by per cunam
affirmed decision without opinion on April 1st 2020,
and rehearing motion denied on April 20th 2020. See
Appendices B, C, D, E j H j I4 O', K > L
2
REASONS FOR GRANTING THE PETITION
(I.) WHETHER DUE PROCESS PROHIBITS
FLORIDA FROM EXCLUDING MENS REA
INSTRUCTION FROM BURGLARY CHARGES
OR WHETHER IT IS STRUCTURAL ERROR
FOR TRIAL COURTS TO REFUSE TO SUBMIT
A ELEMENT TO JURORS IF SUCH ELEMENT
IS ESSENTIAL, IN DISPUTE, AND, AS THE
TOPMOST MATERIAL CONSIDERATION,
HIGHLY
CAPABLE
OF
ACQUITTING
ACCUSED.
WWiv\
accused fetfVioYter
Vcwouj\e<A<y? \oecq.w\e. -iUe. cons m«iV^.vW.
Con5t4erztVfcv\ ,To "Wie* 4eny JiA-rorg
"fkctuAV
«m\iaaVCowj <AS a rv\o[tV<e.r df
m ^rstoor o*t
f^&ridkjxs (\ &n^dctLt-a\ ^rv-or.
Mens rea is an embedded element within statutory
crimes based on common law crimes. It is the one
essential element fundamentally in common in all
crimes. To deny its charge is to deny tradition. [(*)]
States must prove an accused’s guilty mind —
whereby one "knew or should have known" that the
intent by his actions was wrongful and criminal since
”[t]he existence of a mens rea is the rule of, rather
1 [(1) Mens rea is so "[ujniversal and persistent," U.S. v. U.S.
Gypsum Co., 438 US 422, 436 (1978), that it requires no
"statutory affirmation." Morrisette v. U.S., 342 US 246, 251-52
(1948). Judges cannot "[disregard this bedrock American
tradition." U.S. v. Bruguier, 735 F. 3d 754 (CA 8 2013) (enbanc)
(concurring) (citing Morrisette. supra)l
*
than the exception to, the principles of AngloAmerican criminal jurisprudence." Dennis v. U.S.,
341 US 494, 500 (1951). The separate states avoid,
however, the burden of proving mens rea by excluding
mens rea from standard jury instructions. But to not
instruct on mens rea, in order to convict, is
unconstitutional
sueW
(s
U
Burglary is a compound crime. It contains two mens
rea components — burglars must knowingly trespass
while also harboring a criminal intent therein.
Pursuant to statutory expansion of common law
burglary, Florida standard burglary instructions
charge juries with burglary's criminal intent therein,
but do not charge juries with burglary's knowingly
trespass (i.e. — silent on the question of fact
concerning burglar's mens rea element of willful
trespass knowledge). Prosecutors, relying on Florida
courts default use of burglary's affirmative defense
instruction (statutorily designated for licensees and
invitees), have taken strategic liberties by
overcharging vulnerable lessees' petty crimes as
burglary in order to reap tactical benefits off this
critical lack of knowledge instruction, but, contrary to
Winship mandate. In Re Winship, 397 US 358, 36364 (1970). Thus, until Florida's standard burglary
instructions include the omitted knowledge element,
to deny then specially requested instruction on
knowledge in cases where mens rea is in dispute, and
$
also a key material consideration highly capable of
acquitting, further compounds this error by omission.
[(2 )] [(3 )]
Trial by jury is structural, serving as "[a]n
inestimable safeguard against the corrupt or
overzealous prosecutor and against the compliant,
biased, or eccentric judge," Duncan v. Louisiana,
391 US 145, 156 (1968), designed "[t]o prevent
oppression by the government," Williams v.
Florida. 399 US 78, 100 (1970), realized through
sound judgment by one's peers. Sound verdicts are
rendered by informed juries charged with sufficient
information to resolve all disputed elements. While
informative resolution of all legal disputes is how jury
verdicts are justifiably rendered, juries highest
purpose is protecting innocence by acquittal, but
2 [(2) One standard burglary instruction does instruct on
knowledge, using "knew or should have known" language — but
it is only applicable dining instances where contested premises
are deemed "open to the public." See Fla. Std. Jury Instr. (Crim)
13.1 (2009-201'?') — paragraph six — which states: "[Give if
applicable] If (defendant) entered premises that were open to the
public, but then entered an area of the premises that [he] [she]
knew or should have known was not open to the public,
(defendant) committed a burglary if [he] [she] entered that non
public area with the intent to commit [(the crime alleged)] [an
offense other than burglary or trespass] in that non-public
area."]
3 [(3) Although a default affirmative defense for licensees and
invitees was given as mandated, see Vails, id. at 238, still, such
partial defense (Petitioner was operating as a sublessee) was
neutralized, see (III.), infra at IT-tybv conflicting alternative
burglary instructions. Unlike mens rea, affirmative defenses are
not elements. Patterson v. N.Y., 432 US 197, 210 (1977).]
£
jurors cannot acquit if a disputed element is being
omitted in favor of the State. So that structural
"safeguard" is short-circuited by omitting elements
that acquit. That is a bright-line. The Constitution
and Bill of Rights both guarantee jurors will
knowledgeably resolve each and every disputed
material element necessary to render justified
verdicts based on their authority to informatively
answer all pertinent questions of fact about a case,
which includes a key structural warranty "[t]hat
under a proper instruction the jury would have
acquitted." Neder v. U.S, 527 US 1, 28-29 (1999)
(STEVENS, J., concurring in part and concurring in
judgment).
On a case by case basis, if an omitted element is
disputed and, as a topmost "material consideration,"
also capable of acquitting, then the Court's harmless
error designation in Neder is incomplete, if not
illogical, since the Court did not incorporate, but,
instead, overlooked the explicit precedent in
Stevenson v. U.S., 162 US 313 (1896), reiterated in
U.S., 485 US 58 (1988), which
Matthews v.______
essentially overrules the Neder premise that "[t]he
omission of an element from the judge's charge to the
jury can be harmless error," Neder, id. at 7 (majority
opinion). In that light Neder subverts the original
concept of "trial by jury" when its own premise places
itself above
the sacred right to acquit, the
Stevenson ruling, and against the Duncan
"safeguard" which carries an implicit guarantee that
omission of a disputed element "can [never] be
harmless error" because constitutional verdicts are
not rendered unless jurors first resolve omitted
elements that are disputed, material, and possibly
?
acquitting. Judges cannot resolve disputed omissions
as a matter of law by reaching that determination
themselves. It misses the whole point of jury trials,
justice through "informed" peers. Courts cannot later
"[hjypothesize a guilty verdict that [was] never in fact
rendered." Sullivan v. Louisiana, 508 US 275, 279
(1993).
If the instant facts demonstrate a structural defect
which cannot be deemed harmless, see Neder, id. at
32 (SCALIA, J., concurring in part and dissenting in
part) (opining that "[depriving a criminal defendant
of the right to have the jury determine his guilt of the
crime charged which necessarily means his
commission of every element of the crime charged can
never be harmless."), then the Court should revisit
"(protecting the right to have a jury resolve [omitted]
critical issues of [disputed] fact," id., at 28, which
protects the right to "resolve" issues which may
acquit, the key structural guarantee ensuring an
accused's liberty under due process of law. Petitioner
claims that, contrary to original documented rights
and rule of lenity, he has lost one too many of his
substantial rights (i.e. — 'Ttlhe only one to appear in
both the body of the Constitution and the Bill of
Rights" id., at 30), lost amid reactionary "tension"
struggling with but a mere legal premise overly
construed in the Neder denial of a core right through
what has become "harmful" hyperextension of the
harmless error doctrine. This case is at least ripe
enough to also answer the omission vector of the
Court's reserved question on whether structural error
8
automatically satisfies its third plain error rule. U.S.
v. Marcos, 560 US 258 (2010). [(4)]
Florida's Third District Court of Appeal improperly
determined Petitioner's guilt (by affirming trial
court's usurpation of jurors authority to render an
informed verdict under a crucial acquittal
determination), misapprehending the structural
omission of a pertinent mens rea charge on burglary's
element of knowledge. Two previous (hung) juries
were laboring without such mens rea instruction, so,
unable to informatively connect facts to missing
question of fact necessary to resolve that key element,
were also unable to determine what Florida courts
were too quick to assume. Petitioner was denied a fair
substantial right to acquittal, a structural right
behind trial by jury, guaranteed via informed jurors
empowered by thorough charges. The root structure
of all jury trials is access to pertinent information and
instruction, unhampered by prosecutors or judges
manipulations, clearly delineating what each element
of a crime is supposed to encompass — in order to find,
at the intersection of jury acquittal, every essential
element proven beyond a reasonable doubt. Anything
less is unconstitutional.
4 [(4) Part II of the unanimous Neder decision was not
unanimous and so it could be said to not have definitively
expressed "[a] clear and well accepted constitutional law. We
have long recognized, of course, that the doctrine of stare decisis
is less rigid in its application to constitutional precedents, and
we thinV that to be especially true of a constitutional precedent
that is both recent and in apparent tension with other decisions."
Harmelin v. Michigan, 501 US 957, 965 (1991) (citations
omitted)]
*1
Burglary's common law knowledge element, like any
offense's element, "[i]s a question of fact that must be
determined by the jury." U.S. v♦ Gaudin, 28 F. 3d 943
(CA 9 1994) (en banc), affirmed by, 515 US 506 (1995).
"[TJt is a structural guarantee..." Carella v.
California, 491 US 263, 268 (1989) (concurring),
which commands that a ”[v]erdict cannot stand if the
instruction provided the jury do not require it to find
each element of the crime..." Cabana v. Bullock, 474
US 376, 384 (1986). So "[t]he touchstone for
determining whether a fact must be found by a jury
beyond a reasonable doubt is whether the fact
constitutes an 'element' or 'ingredient' of the charged
offense." Alleyne v. U.S., 133 S. Ct. 2151, 2158
(2013). Knowledge " [constitutes an [essential
common law] 'element'" of burglary, so "[i]t must be
found by a jury." Id. It was not.
The defense requested special instruction on
knowledge, as willful trespass knowledge — basing
the mens rea of burglary — was at issue, as Petitioner
appropriately believed that the curtilage was
essentially "open" for his private use as a current
sublessee (see footnote 2). The premise of Petitioner's
key prayer was to labor "[u]nder a proper [mens rea]
instruction [where] the jury would have acquitted."
Neder, id. at 28-29. The defense instruction correctly
stated that: "[T]he State of Florida must prove that
Amadeo Vails had knowledge that his entry was
without permission." See
H at
0.1-.
Petitioner reiterated, under rigors of a second crossexamination, that he believed he (did not trespass
but) entered lawfully. Whether his belief was
id
reasonable questioned the very heart of prosecution's
burden to prove the "[e]ssential elements... [of|
knowledge that such entry is without permission,”
T.S.J. v. State, 439 So. 2d 966, 967 (Fla. 1st DCA
1983), the mens rea behind what constitutes
burglary's "willful trespass." Lons v. State, 28 So.
775 (Fla. 1900). The instant existence of mens rea was
highly questionable. Current tenants automatically
lack mens rea. Since burglars enter knowing such
unlawful entries are willfully trespassed, if one
reasonably believes that he is not trespassing, then
mens rea is nonexistent. No trespass no burglary. For
one can only knowingly burglarize by willfully
trespassing (despite required criminal intent, for even
occupants can have criminal intents therein), so it
Knowledge
trespassing.
conscious
demands
instruction here would have challenged key
considerations material to Florida's uncommon
allegation that, not only did an allegedly ousted
renter's curtilage (driveway) burglary exist, but,
that its existence also precluded a prima facie case of
self-defense. Valls, id. at 238.
Such critical knowledge considerations required
factual determination by informed jurors, requiring
informed findings for either one of two possible
mindsets, i.e. — either guilty mind of willfully
trespassing alleged by prosecution, or else, innocent
mind of lawfully ingressing (or someone reasonably
believing he was lawfully entering, however allegedly
ousted) professed by Petitioner. For "[t]he mens rea
element... rests... on a factual determination. That is
the fact [Petitioner] sought to put in issue. Either
[Petitioner] knew he was [trespassing] or he did not."
Arizona v. Clark, 548 US 735 (2006) (KENNEDY,
11
J., dissenting). It was just that simple — did he or did
he not know. Jurors never knew such simplicity even
existed. Yet prosecutors overcharged a weak case,
realized by two hung-juries, so trial court knew how
such instructional simplicity acquitted Petitioner. It
was a purposeful structural lapse in favor of
conviction. It reached a bright line.
When trial court refused informative instruction on
that critical question of fact (condensed into
knowledge), such question was determined a matter
of law and against Petitioner (boxing him into willful
trespasser liabilities). See Stevenson, id. at 315-16
(finding reversible error for refusing instruction since
"[T]he presence or absence of malice would be the
material consideration in the case... [was] determined
by the trial court as one of law and against the
defendant."). Stevenson still applies, foreclosing
discretion to deny instruction on "material
considerations." See, Matthews, id. at 63 (reiterating
that "[a] defendant is entitled to an instruction as to
any recognized defense for which there exists
evidence sufficient for a reasonable jury to find in his
favor.") (citing Stevenson, supra). Jurors authority to
determine knowledge’s question of fact was usurped,
defining abuse of discretion — since unauthorized
ruling as a matter of law (against submitting
"knowledge" instruction) what must be submitted as
a question of fact is (at least) "plain error." Gaudin,
28 F. 3d at 951-52.
Petitioner's reasonable explanation of his renter's
state of mind — the logical (automatic) antithesis of
trespass knowledge — required informed jury
IX
consideration to balance against potential
overcharging of renter's curtilage entry. A strong
acquittal nexus, the denied knowledge instruction
would have furnished valuable guidance into this
cause's central matter, explaining the need to find
factual determinants for either an ousted renter that
willfully trespassed curtilage, proving burglary, or
else, prove current renter's lesser included offense of
criminal mischief (admitted by Petitioner), while also
determining burglary's interlocking homicide. Vails,
id. at 238. It was that "all encompassing." Even if
"[e]vidence might appear to the court to be simply
overwhelming to show that the [curtilage was
knowingly trespassed by ousted former tenant] and
not [entered by sublessee reasonably believing it
lawful despite ejectment attempts], so long as there
was some evidence relevant to the issue of [lack of
mens rea], the credibility and force of such evidence
must be for the jury, and cannot be matter of law for
the decision of the court." Stevenson, id. at 315.
The undisputed relevant evidence — the rental
agreement, rent being current, search warrant for
Petitioner's sublet room, no forcible entry, and the
open nature of the curtilage’s front driveway — was
"sufficient" and made the net "credibility and force of
such evidence" forming Petitioner's belief that more
reasonable against knowledge of willful trespass.
Jurors should have been allowed to labor on such
understandable knowledge instruction as sufficient
evidence supported its use, the instruction was
neither misleading nor confusing but a short accurate
statement of core law, that instructed on a missing
foundational element in burglary for the felony
murder puzzle within Petitioner’s close case
13
exemplified by two prior hung-juries. It was the key
instruction that would have potentially acquitted
him. Yet determination of knowledge's existence was
not made. That is, laymen conceptualization of mens
rea is nonexistent, so there was no reasonable
likelihood of burglary deliberations on such
uninformed matters without mens rea language being
present, best worded in simple knowledge language.
Such language would have served jurors’ careful
determination on a core matter — burglary mens rea
— utterly foreign to them, and, as the topmost
question of fact, was highly capable of liberating
Petitioner.
Therefore, since mens rea was not instructed, and yet,___■ _
whether knowledge existed was the core material
consideration at trial, it required being specially
instructed to jurors. As such, trial court's abuse of
discretion in refusing to instruct on disputed
knowledge was a structural defect for this refusal
created impermissible risks that jurors did not make
(structural!*} acquittal) findings required by the
Constitution, which deprived Petitioner of his
constitutional rights under the Fifth, Sixth and
Fourteenth Amendments.
Stevenson v. U.S., 162 US 313. Matthews v. U.S., 485
US 58. U.S. v. Haywood, 363 F. 3d 200, Morrisette v.
U.S., 342 US 246. U.S. v. Bruguier, 735 F. 3d 754,
Rodriguez v. State, 147 So. 3d 1066, Weiler v. U.S.,
323 US 606, T.S.J. v. State, 439 So. 2d 966, D.R. v.
State, 734 So. 2d 455, Long v. State, 28 So. 775,
Mooneyham v. Bowles, 72 So. 931, Montana v.
Egelhoff, 518 US 37, U.S. v. Gaudin, 28 F. 3d 943, U.S.
1*
.
V. Gaudin, 515 US 506, McFadden v. U.S., 135 S. Ct.
2298, Patterson v. N.Y., 432 US 197, Chicone v. State,
684 So. 2d 736, Staples v. U.S., 511 US 600, U.S. v.
U.S. Gypsum Co., 438 US 422, Dennis v. U.S., 341 US
494, U.S. v. Freed, 401 US 601, U.S. v. Balint, 258 US
250. Jones v. U.S., 527 US 373, Bruno v. U.S., 308 US
287, Cabana v. Bullock, 474 US 376, U.S. v. Calandar,
414 US 338, Henderson v, Morgan, 426 US 637, U.S.
v, FastHorse, 747 F. 3d 1040, U.S. v. Stanford, 823 F.
3d 814, U.S. v. Montoya-Gaxiola, 796 F. 3d 118, U.S.
v. Gomez, 580 F. 3d 1229, U.S. v. Makkar, 810 F. 3d
1139, U.S. v. Burgos, 703 F. 3d 1, U.S. v. Lowe, 795 F.
3d 519, Cole v. Young, 817 F. 2d 412, Dixon v. U.S.,
548 US 1, Alleyne v. U.S., 133 S. Ct. 2151, Apprendi
v, N. J., 530 US 466. InReWinship, 397 US 358, Clark
v. Arizona, 548 US 735
(II.) WHETHER TENANCY CONTROVERTS
THE NECESSARY MENS REA ELEMENT FOR
THE CRIME OF BURGLARY OR WHETHER
FAILURE TO SUFFICIENTLY REBUT A
VULNERABLE TENANT’S AUTOMATICALLY
REASONABLE BELIEF NEGATING MENS REA
IS CAPABLE BY ITSELF OF RENDERING
CONVICTION
BURGLARY
CONSTITUTIONALLY PROHIBITED.
Notwithstanding extraordinary statutory expansion
of common law burglary, courts must acknowledge
burglary's mens rea element, yet recent Florida case
law has subjected allegedly 'ousted' tenants to
burglary babibties pursuant to obscure superior
"possessory interests" analysis, see Pierre v. State,
77 So. 3d 699 (Fla. 3d DCA 2011), which ignores the
ts
clear logic of tenants' automatic lack of mens rea, so
Florida trial courts deny vulnerable tenants their
right to discharge of overcharged petty crimes posing
as felony burglary when, logically, all tenants
automatically lack necessary knowledge mindset
behind burglary's willful trespass mens rea.
Statutory burglary has overreached itself. The Court
should rule that, it is beyond reasonable doubt, that
current tenants cannot develop mens rea necessary to
burglarize their own premises. Win ship, id. at 364.
See, In re M.E., 370 So. 2d 795 (Fla. 1979).
Prosecution's failure to rebut Petitioner's reasonable
belief and automatic renters state of mind that his
ingress was innocent of any willful trespasser's
mindset (despite the criminal mischief behind his
admitted prank) acquitted him. Petitioner
appropriately believed he ingressed his rental's
curtilage driveway as rightfully as any current renter
would have, especially upon laboring under recently
informed understanding that complainant's attempt
at wrongful eviction (tactically being proffered as
abandonment) cannot dispossess him. See Palm
Beach Florida Hotel v. Nantucket Enterprises,
211 So. 3d 42 (Fla. 4th DCA 2016) (finding that seifhelp eviction tactics cannot dispossess tenants).
Petitioner's automatic reasonable belief conclusively
negated burglary's essential element of "knowledge,"
necessary to prove burglary in Florida, see T.S.J., id.
at 967 (acquitting mere invitee), so that a directed
verdict of acquittal should have issued if not for trial
court's unreasonable denial of defense requested
motion for judgment of acquittal at termination of
trial(s) of Petitioner's case, which deprived him of his
16
constitutional rights under the Fifth, Sixth and
Fourteenth Amendments.
Morrisette v. U.S., 342 US 246, Jackson v. Virginia,
443 US 307, T.S.J. v. State, 439 So. 2d 966, D.R. v.
State, 734 So. 2d 455, Whetstone v. State, 778 So.2d
338, Pierre v. State, 77 So. 3d 699, In re M.E., 370 So.
2d 795, Palm Beach Florida Hotel v. Nantucket
Enterprises, 211 So. 3d 42, Dennis v. U.S., 341 US
494, U.S. v. Freed, 401 US 601, U.S. v. Balint, 258 US
250, Montana v. Egelhoff, 518 US 37, In Re Winship,
397 US 358, Clark v. Arizona, 548 US 735
(III.) DOES CHARGING CONTRADICTORY
SETS OF ALTERNATIVE INSTRUCTIONS,
LEGAL
CONFLICTING
REQUIRING
FINDINGS FOR THE SAME FACTS, BECOME
CAPABLE, BY ITSELF, OF RENDERING TRIAL
CONSTITUTIONALLY INADEQUATE.
Contradictory, mutually exclusive charges, when
truly contradictive, are ”[c]onflicting jury instructions
[which] negate each other in their effect, and
therefore, negate their possible application." Floyd v.
State, 151 So. 3d 452, 454 (Fla. 1st DCA 2014),
quashed by, State
186 So. 3d 1013, 1022
(Fla. 2016). The Constitution implicitly protects
against such unjust negation. Winship, id. at 364.
And so should the Court — i.e., announce an explicit
ruling on such question of law for the benefit of bench
and bar.
Upon the undisputed facts, plain (negation) error
becomes apparent upon analyzing the end result of
trial court's erroneous decision to grant instruction on
both sets of alternative burglary instructions which
define mutually exclusive burglary types. [(5)]
Essentially, this is "[a] case where the [alternative]
jury instructions shift[ed] the jury's attention from
the issue at hand to a [contradictive] non-issue."
St<-\Ye-V' ]Flt>utA»186 So. 3d at 1021. At "issue " was a
mandated "entering in" burglary’s affirmative
defense instruction, Vails, id. at 238, see also Fla.
Std. Jury Instr. (Crim) 13.1 (2017), and the
prejudicial "non-issue" was alternative instruction on
conflicting "remaining in" burglary, because no
evidence supported a "remaining in" theory. It is
absurd to suggest that burglars can simultaneously
commit two opposing burglary methods at the same
time, and illogical to instruct as such. But the tactical
advantages behind such conflicting absurdity was
what the prosecution sought. [(6)]
s [(5) See Fla. Std. Jury Instr. (Crim) 13.1 (2017) (providing two
disjunctive sets of alternative instructions which define
contradictive burglary methodologies behind two conflicting
burglar types, i.e., defining nonconsensual burglars via
"entering in" burglary set of paragraphs, and defining post
consent burglars via "remaining in" burglary set of paragraphs)]
6 [(6) Prosecutors, at the second trial, agreed that "remaining in"
alternative instructions were not appropriate, but then, after
suffering the first hung-jury mistrial setback, the lead
prosecutor about-face demanded alternative instructions at
third (and fourth) trial, while she ignored her own appellate
specialist arguing against such erroneous use.]
Although paragraph three of "entering in" burglary
instructions contemplates an affirmative defense,
paragraph one of "remaining in" burglary instructions
contradictorily contemplates using the same facts
that paragraph three's affirmative defense uses, but,
instead, used as its initial reverse incriminating
element. No reversely incriminated affirmative
defense can ever maintain its effectiveness under
such conflict. So entering's and remaining's "long
form" instructions conflict over the end result of
proving that very same question of legality. The two
opposing paragraphs' language essentially negate
each other, so that while jurors were instructed on
how to reach the mandated affirmative defense via
entering's paragraph three, the jury was also
(conflict) instructed, via the alternative remaining's
paragraph one, that they would find a guilty verdict
on burglary if Appellant relied on the very same facts
proving his affirmative defense.
This conflict asked jurors to find the same facts but
then apply those same facts twice over, onto
contradictive sets of faulty combined questions of fact
compelling jury determinations for opposing verdict
consequences off of a same legal entry, but based off
of dissimilar burglar entry mechanics — both
"unlawful entering" mechanics (questioning what
type of ingress occurred, i.e., either if nonconsensual
entry occurred versus if affirmatively defensible
consensual entry occurred) and "unlawful remaining"
mechanics (accepting initial legal ingress as passe,
i.e., now becoming a "nonaffirmatively indefensible"
consensual entry, yet, then, singularly questioning if,
post-entry, it later became nonconsenting) — which
could never be "presumed" as having being
\3
D
diametrically "followed" too. Cf Richardson v.
Marsh, 481 US 200, 211 (1987).
Ultimately, illogical combination of contradictive
legal determinations for the same entry mechanics,
when instructed together, negated the affirmative
defense instruction as such alternative instructions
together had the explicit consequence of negating
Petitioner’s right to have informed jurors correctly
deliberate on his mandated affirmative defense at the
new trial(s). Both mutually exclusive alternative
instructions, either by not being followed, or by being
resolved in favor of the state, remained influential in
relation to what jurors did and did not consider, i.e.,
directly misleading the affirmative defense and
indirectly misleading the mens rea question, two
defenses thwarted by the unusual dynamics of
Petitioner's case, depriving him of his constitutional
rights under the Fifth, Sixth and Fourteenth
Amendments.
Mills v. Maryland, 486 US 367, Yates v. U.S., 354 US
298, Bollenbach v. U.S., 326 US 607, Hedgpeth_v.
Pulido, 555 US 57, Richardson v. Marsh, 481 US 200,
Yates v. Evatt, 500 US 391, State v. Belton, 461 A. 2d
973. Rav v~State, 522 So. 2d 963, Lopez v. State, 805
So. 2d 41, Roberson v. State, 841 So. 2d 490, Butler v.
State, 493 So. 2d 451. Tinker v. State, 784 So. 2d 1198,
186 So. 3d 1013, Floyd v. State, 151 So.
3d 452, Ross v. State, 157 So. 3d 406, Sullivan v,
Louisiana, 508 US 275, Connecticut v. Johnson, 460
US 73, Carella v. California, 491 US 263, Bovde v,
California, 494 US 370, McFadden v. U.S., 135 S. Ct.
as
2298. Johnson v. U.S., 520 US 461, Waddington v.
Sarausad, 555 US.179, California v. Rov, 519 US 2,
County Court of Ulster County v. Allen, 442 US 140
(IV.) WHETHER DUAL THEORY LANGUAGE
IN FLORIDA'S CAPITAL MURDER STATUTE
AUTHORIZES UNLIMITED OVERRULING OF
A STRUCTURAL RIGHT TO GRAND JURY
REINDICTMENT.
Florida's Third District Court of Appeal affirmed
Petitioner's convictions (affirming trial court's
usurpation of grand jury's reindictment authority)
upon refusing to reverse impermissible constructive
amendment to the indictment of an uncharged crime.
That is, upon the undisputed facts, the court affirmed
the granted [misjconstrual of the dual theory
language of the first-degree murder statute in order
to constructively amend the indictment with another
predicate (uncharged) burglary theory during three
felony murder retrials of Petitioner's case depriving
him of due process of law. Proof of constitutional
inadequacy turns then on whether "circumstances"
behind trial court's allowance for such constructive
amendment to indictment made its extraordinary
application permissible or not.
Florida, as well as a majority of states, recognizes a
loophole, in the legal fiction of the felony murder
doctrine, authorizing prosecutors license to pursue
21
uncharged predicate felony murder theories by
moving trial judges to amend first degree murder
indictments constructively via its statute's "dual
theory" language. Sloan v. State, 69 So. 2d 871, 872
(Fla. 1915).
It is well settled that, when a first-degree murder
count alleges "only" premeditation, "[t]he state does
not have to charge felony murder in the indictment,"
to prosecute both theories together. O'Callaghan v.
State, 429 So. 2d 691, 695 (Fla. 1983). Decisional law
affirming Sloan's statutory loophole delves on but one
specific amendable murder "construct" (with
exception of a variant construct analyzed in Crain v.
State, 894 So. 2d 59 (Fla. 2004)), limiting case law
recognition of the rule's procedure to only where
obvious need for amended "construction" of
indictments exists — where capital murder
indictments "only" charge premeditation. That is,
first-degree murder writs, crafted as single count
indictments containing but only premeditated theory
language — charged just by itself — provide sufficient
implicit "notice" of unutilized felony murder, so
prosecutors can also elect, at trial, to pursuit that
missing uncharged felony murder theory too since the
"dual theory" statute fists enumerated predicate
felonies which prosecutors are authorized to utilize to
establish first degree murder in lieu of premeditation.
Florida's limited Sloan rule statutorily subjects
defendants, however, to what the Court otherwise
considers denial of due process on a "substantial
right"
stemming
from
using
constructive
amendments to indictments contrary to the Grand
21
Jury Clause. For the Court opined that: "[t]he right to
have the grand jury make the charge on its own
judgment is a substantial right which cannot be taken
with or without court amendment." Stirone v.
United States, 361 U.S. 212 (1960). This right, upon
its racial discrimination, is recognized as structural
error. Vasquez v. HiUery, 474 US 254 (1986).
Usurping this right should be structural too. Cf. U.S.
v. Cotton, 535 US 625 (2002).
Unconstitutionality arises, then, if prosecutors
further broaden the scope of what is an already
utilized felony murder prosecution without resorting
to reindictment as misconstrual of the Sloan rule is
the easiest means to expand the set range of already
indicted felony murder prosecutions. If already in use,
there is no need then to reuse what already exists, i.e.,
no necessity exists for utilizing an already utilized
dual theory for yet "another" predicate theory.
Misconstruing Sloan facilitates an advantageous
work-around of that grand jury "substantial right"
since strategically utilizing an uncharged predicate
theory on top of an already charged predicate theory
tactically enhances the likelihood of conviction by
taxing defenses via introduction of trial surprise,
expanded criminal liabilities and other closely
associated prejudices, when,
most murder
indictments are usually crafted with that dual theory
nature already utilized.
The Sloan rule’s valid use is but a narrow one, i.e.,
existing to only fill in a vacuum whenever the
circumstances of a single count of premeditated
murder also allows a fitting in of a "missing" predicate
23
felony murder liability too, but only when there lays
no preexisting felony predicate. While Florida is at
liberty to construe its statutes as it sees fit, that
liberty still takes second place to constitutional
protections guaranteed every citizen. For the murder
statute cannot just accommodate granting Sloan-like
constructs unlimited sources of authority behind the
felony murder doctrine's legal fiction. Sloan is the
rare exception not the norm. Florida grand juries craft
almost all likely indictments as dual theory
indictments anyway. So the rule mostly stays unused,
as available dual theory avenues are likely indicted,
since obvious dual theories tend to be found already
worded together, i.e., both dually preexisting inside
one count.
Sloan misconstrual is highly prejudicial when that
preexisting predicate felony theory is also
incorporated inside separately charged predicate
felony count(s), i.e., readily contained within a second
count of a two count felony murder indictment
whereby, like herein, both counts are now bound
together by the overriding principle of "legally
interlocking counts." See, Brown v. State, 959 So. 2d
218 (Fla. 2007), quashing, State v. Brown, 924 So. 2d
86 (Fla. 3d DCA 2006). Legally interlocking counts is
a structural principle. It is its own powerful binding
. construct, legally rendering illogical jury verdict
outcomes subservient to it by its discharge capacities
under "true inconsistent verdicts" jury findings,
which are "[t]hose in which an acquittal on one count
negates a necessary element for conviction on another
count." Gonzalez v. State, 440 So. 2d 514, 515 (Fla.
4th DCA), review dismissed, 444 So. 2d 417 (Fla.
1983).
24
Thus, the structural narrative of legally interlocking
counts capacity for fatal discharges necessitates
theoretical consistency to function, or otherwise fail
defendants, a substantial right within a substantial
right rendered inherently unworkable by inclusion of
an extra (uncharged) predicate felony "theory" but not
separately charged "count." Sloan rule's misconstrual
collapses legally interlocking counts when such
(unlocked) foreign, uncharged theories cloud the
dualistic counts' force behind that true inconsistent
verdicts fixture. That is, Sloan misconstruction
unlocks the theoretical legal force rationale behind
the ability to bind outcomes of fatal verdict
inconsistencies dwelling within all interlocking dual
charged counts to the state's advantage. It relocks
both a charged crime with an added uncharged crime
into malignant quasi states of prejudicially blurred,
diffused, and theoretically inconsistent relationships
— mixed components compromising the essential,
legally binding nature preexisting between original,
mutually dualistic, interlocking counts so that "an
acquittal on one count [now does not] negates a
necessary element for conviction on another count."
Id. Sloan misconstruction negates, instead, the
effectiveness of legally interlocking counts ability to
automatically acquit any truly inconsistent verdicts
to the prejudice of the accused who stands to
significantly benefit from such structural mechanism.
Likewise, a fatal risk that prosecutors face in
pursuing weak felony murder prosecutions, as herein,
is a structural risk negated by unconstitutional
misconstrual.
25
Florida is at liberty to present grand juries with any
creative theory it may see fit. Yet, only grand juries
vote on indictments, thus, binding prosecutors to
indictments returned by a grand jury. Ex Parte Bain,
121 U.S. 1, 10-11 (1887). The "[g]rand jury is vested
with broad discretion... in framing the charges,"
Vasquez, id. at 275 (concurring), and, it is with grand
juries wherein "[l]ies the power to charge... numerous
counts or a single count," id., at 263 (majority), the
whole crux of this issue. So then, when that initial
determination of how many counts will be charged is
made, it is "[n]ot subject to challenge... [even if] acted
on the basis of inadequate or incomplete evidence,"
U.S. v. Calandra, 414 US 338, 345 (1974). If a grand
jury returns a first degree murder writ whereupon
two counts legally interlock into a specifically set
felony murder construct, then, given the prosecution's
heavy influence over grand juries, there is no doubt
that that fixed construct is the only construct
prosecutors sought to pursue so that is the construct
the defense prepares against, even if later seen as a
mistake in want to be "acted on the basis of
inadequate or incomplete evidence," Id., much less
then should it be later seen as means to gain that
which is "acted on the basis" of strategic
gamesmanship.
There is no genuine need to later pursue yet another
"extra" predicate felony theory during trial too, which
failed to be charged when the opportunity existed,
regardless of any rationales for updating "inadequate
or incomplete evidence," or some inspired creativity,
or last minute corrective fixes. The legitimate use, of
first-degree murder's "extraordinary" statutory
allowance when already pre-exercising, is rendered
2<o
complete by its duatl theory nature being previously
made whole, by the grand jury itself. So, once a grand
jury's labor is finished, the dual theory liberties taken
by it in crafting a set felony murder indictment are
structured and binding. Prosecutors cannot then
simply restructure the foreclosed, i.e., reset a
preexisting dual theory set with yet another "in trial"
theory. Aside Sloan's limited valid usage,
reindictment is the only valid alternative.
When indictments return charging two separate
interlocking counts, as both parts of what the felony
murder doctrine's statutory dualism allows, then
such structure's interlocking relationships must be
respected. If not, due process is offended. Since no
valid need exists for re-exercising that already set
statutory dualism, then, if not procedurally
reindicted, it is done without any legitimate reason or
procedure, and thus, without reasonable validity it
becomes void, a null misconstruction, i.e.,
unconstitutionally broadening jeopardy. The Court
should "[cjonsider an indictment to be constructively
amended when the essential elements of the offense
contained in the indictment are altered to broaden the
possible bases for conviction beyond what is contained
in the indictment." U. S. v. Ward, 486 F. 3d 1212
(11th Cir. 2007). Sloan is not some unlimited broad
application, as wide-open use of this statutory
loophole should not work around how: "[a] jury
instruction that constructively amends a grand jury
indictment constitutes per se reversible error because
such an instruction violates a defendant's
constitutional right," U.S. v. Weissman, 899 F. 2d
1111 (11th Cir. 1990). For "[e]ver since Ex Parte Bain.
121 U.S. 1, was decided in 1887 it has been the rule
27
that after an indictment has been returned its
charges may not be broadened through amendment
except by the grand jury itself." Stirone, supra.
When Sloan is used to just tactically re-broaden
jeopardy it wholly usurps a structural right
underpinning the due process of reindictment.
During "new trial" settings, applying Sloan offends
other pertinent principles of law too (e.g. — law-ofthe-case, judicial estoppels, prejudicial misjoinders,
even double jeopardy) which further foreclosed such
misconstrual herein. Likewise, the question of a
presumption of prosecutorial vindictiveness also
arose too since, albeit new charges are avoided
(misconstrual's side benefit), the scheme's effect is the
same as if new charges were filed, i.e, punishing
defendants for prevailing on appeal by facilitating
assured reconviction strategies. Cf. Blackledge v.
Perry, 417 U.S. 21 (1974).
The Florida Supreme Court passed on a mildly
misconstrued variation of the Sloan rule,.see Crain
v. State, 894 So. 2d 59 (Fla. 2004), where the majority
opinion found (in a hard case making for bad law) no
plain error for adding a second "uncharged"
kidnapping intent "element" within "divergent" felony
murder instructions when separate kidnapping count
"charged" by the indictment alleged only one intent
element and was instructed on only that one intent.
That court noted that: "[W]e do not address whether
the felony murder instruction given in this case would
28
have constituted harmful error had Crain preserved
the issue with a proper objection." Crain, id. at n. 11.
The mild Crain misconstrual is, however, highly
distinguishable.
First, the error in Crain's felony murder instruction
involved just an extra uncharged kidnapping
"element," a short phrase added to the end of the
charged element which went unnoticed, as opposed to
the severity of the instant use of a wholly separate
uncharged burglary "crime" with separate evidence,
arguments and jury instructions — alongside biases
boosting all manner of subconscious human
irrationalities behind compounded associations of
guilt conflated by additional accusations, associated
prejudices, and frustrating confusion — from one
. burglary split into separate burglary crimes. For the
misconstrual "doubly" expanded Petitioner's preset
criminal liability for felony murder, restricted to but
one "charged" predicate accusation to now two
felonious crimes divided out of the original crime. See
Brown v. Ohio, 423 US 161,169 (1977) (noting ”[t]he
Double Jeopardy Clause is not such a fragile
guarantee that prosecutors can avoid its limitations
by the simple expedient of dividing a single crime into
a series of temporal or spacial units,"). So, by
broadening a limited jeopardy, a potential acquittal of
a mere overcharged curtilage burglary that was
weakly "engineered" to entrap a vulnerable renter
was (re)engineered into a mini crime spree of two
felonious burglaries alleging inextricably intertwined
crimes tactically prejudicing a prima facie case of selfdefense.
2<\
Second, in Crain, that uncharged element was
within
unchallenged
instructed
just
once
instructions, as opposed to extreme severities of the
instant uncharged crime's language repeated use,
blanketing the jury instructions over seven times,
throughout different paragraphs, where two
paragraphs' language (including a ''special"
instructed paragraph) exclusively defined conveyance
for that uncharged crime of conveyance burglary.
Third, Crain’s unpreserved claim was raised on
appeal as fundamental (plain) error (four years before
that same court approved Fla. Std. Jury Instr, (Crim)
3.12 (d) (legally interlocking counts) which would
have significantly altered that final analysis, see, In
re Std. Jury Instr., 996 So. 2d 854 (Fla. 2008)), as
opposed to the instant claim's repeated objections
raised during its three retrials usage, including a
pretrial motion in limine, causing constant court
friction plus unsuccessful recusal motions. [(7)]
Fourth. Crain's claim involved but a mere inadvertent
slip up, at end of trial, inserting a snippet phrasing an
uncharged element, and nothing else, as opposed to
severities herein where the uncharged crime's initial
use has then re-embellished itself by continuous
reuse, i.e., cofeatured throughout two following
retrials.
7[(7) Petitioner's defense attorneys filed five motions to recuse
denied by the trial judge that presided over the last three
trials.]
30
Fifth, Crain's claim lacked noticeable prejudices, i.e.,
showing neither trial ambush dynamics nor
discernible jury confusion as opposed to the instant
claim where it was ever present, from initial trial
ambush frictions to repeated examples of highly
discernible jury confusion upon two juries specifically
querying about the uncharged conveyance. Lacking
special circumstances, Crain occurred at an original
trial's ending, as opposed to the severity of the instant
claim where several retrial principles of law were
violated herein.
Ultimately, convictions on uncharged crimes violate
due process. Stromberg v. California, 283 U.S. 359,
367-68 (1931). Proceedings are a nullity when
uncharged crimes are featured, argued and instructed
at trial. Uncharged crimes infiltrating trials in
misconstrued guises mimicking statutory loopholes
should offend due process too. So the Sloan rule's
loophole, if misconstrued, should also create a nullity.
Given that "death is different," expanding the felony
murder doctrine's loophole is a dangerous precedent.
There must be some constitutional limit, given basic
due process concerns, disallowing the recrafting of
statutory [misjconstruals of felony murder acts that,
by virtue of needless (re)broadening scopes of
prosecutions, should be prohibited under the Grand
Jury Clause through the Due Process Clause.
Unlike Hedgpeth v. Pulido, 555 US 57 (2008), where
the Court examined a slight, non-indictment based,
alternative felony murder instruction, the issue of
expanding Sloan usage (when death is different) for
3I
the sake of tactically amending misconstruals by
Florida, and other states with similar statues,
thereby adding inadmissible evidence and closing
arguments in addition to extra alternative
instructions, is an issue of great national concern
regarding states' ability to circumvent the Court's
maxim that a "[c]onviction upon a charge not made
would be a sheer denial of due process." DeJonge v.
Oregon, 297 U.S. 353, 362 (1937), which, herein,
irreparably deprived Petitioner of his constitutional
rights under the Fifth, Sixth and Fourteenth
Amendments.
Hedgpeth v. Pulido, 555 US 57, Sloan v. State, 69 So.
2d 871, Crain v. State, 894 So. 2d 59, Weatherspoon
v. State. 194 So. 3d 341, Weatherspoon v. State, 214
So. 3d 578, O'Callaghan v. State. 429 So. 2d 691,
Armstrong v. State. 642 So. 2d 730, Brown v. State.
959 So. 2d 218, Gonzalez v. State. 440 So. 2d 514,
Mahaun v. State, 377 So. 2d 1158, Redondo v. State.
403 So. 2d 954, Stirone v. U.S., 361 US 212, U.S. v.
Norris. 281 US 619, U.S. v. Hunter. 558 F. 3d 495, Ex
Parte Bain. 121 U.S. 1, U.S. v. Weissman. 899 F. 2d
im.IJ. S. v. Ward. 486 F. 3d 1212, U.S. v. Madden.
733 F. 3d 1314, Stromberg v. California, 283 U.S. 359,
Blackledge v. Perry, 417 U.S. 21, Thigpen v. Roberts,
468 U.S. 27. U.S. v. Goodwin. 457 U.S. 368, DeJonge
v. Oregon, 297 US 353, Brown v. Ohio, 423 US 161,
U.S. v. Calandar, 414 US 338, Vasquezv. Hillery, 474
US 254. U.S. v. Iacaboni, 363 F. 3d 1, U.S. v. Hassan,
578 F. 3d 108. U.S. v. Centeno. 793 F. 3d 378, U.S. v.
Randall, 171 F. 3d 195, U.S. v. Lockhart, 844 F. 3d
501, U.S. v. Pigee. 197 F. 3d 879, U.S. v. Collins. 350
F. 3d 773, U.S. v. Ward, 747 F. 3d 1184, U.S. v. Farr,
536 F. 3d 1174, U.S. v. Lander, 668 F. 3d 1298
3Z
(V.) WHETHER CUMULATIVE PREJUDICIAL
EFFECT OF ERROR IS CAPABLE, BY ITSELF,
OF RENDERING A TRIAL
CONSTITUTIONALLY INADEQUATE.
Upon the undisputed facts, trial court committed
multiple errors forcing a reconviction, establishing
the reasonable likelihood that such cumulation of
errors rendered Petitioner's trial arbitrary and
fundamentally unfair. The Court has, in passing on
other questions of law, only just briefly acknowledged
the principle of cumulative prejudicial effect of error.
See, Fahy v. Connecticut, 375 US 85, 91 (1963)
(observing that: "[N]or can we ignore the cumulative
prejudicial effect of this evidence upon the conduct of
the defense at trial."), see, also, Taylor v. Kentucky,
436 US 478, 487 n. 15 (1978) (noting that: ”[t]he
cumulative effect of the potentially damaging
circumstances of this case violated the due process
guarantee of fundamental fairness in the absence of
an instruction as to the presumption of innocence...").
The mere fact that Petitioner "could" have — logically
and legally — been convicted of both charged counts
on the basis of all the evidence, still does not mean
that he "would" have been so convicted if he were not
also under extraneous burdens of broadening scopes
of cumulative error within ever expanding
reprosecutions, especially since indecision by two
prior hung-juries exemplified a very close case. There
is no sufficient basis for excluding prejudice given the
broadened jeopardy featuring, arguing and
instructing on yet another burglary theory, where a
33
new prejudicial range of prosecution was improperly
broad, whereupon an uncharged crime was
improperly submitted to the jury alongside other
cumulative instructional errors. Thus, given
Petitioner's original trial setback suffering reversibly
prejudiced original proceedings, there is a reasonable
likelihood that prosecutors resorted to new prejudices
in his second, third and fourth trial too, so the
possibility of thrice being irredeemably reprosecuted
with cumulative prejudicial error expounds even
extra indignation onto the unnecessary additional
prejudices, facilitated by repeated errors that, should
have rendered each retrial unconstitutionally
inadequate. [(8)]
Ultimately, "[i]t was only after admission of the
[uncharged conveyance burglary's evidence] and only
after
their
subsequent
use
to
[broaden
reprosecutions] and only after introduction of the
[new uncharged liabilities and prejudices] that the
[Petitioner twice] took the stand, admitted [his] acts,
and tried to establish that the nature of those acts
was not within the scope of the felony statute under
which the [Petitioner] had [not] been charged." Fahy,
id. at 91. And yet, even more cumulative error
occurred.
The Court should directly pass, with "in depth"
specific analysis, on the question of cumulative
prejudicial effect of error, in crucial need of a concise
8 [(8) Florida recklessly engaged in unsustainable trial-byattrition overreaching via deliberate piling on of cumulative
error throughout three retrials. See Green v. U.S., 355 U.S.
184, 187-188 (1957).]
3H
answer with sufficient nuanced elaboration, more so,
given increasingly harsh new habeas standards under
AEDPA. This case is ripe. It would be of national
interest to bench and bar to learn how the Court
answers such question of law in the case of state
criminal litigants alleging constitutional violations
caused by arbitrarily prejudicial effects of cumulative
error alone, since these same litigants cannot simply
assert that such was, under AEDPA, "unreasonable
application of clearly established Federal law as
determined by the Supreme Court," when much of
such legal questioning is yet still undetermined.
Upon the undisputed record on direct appeal, a
Florida appellate court’s failure, in a close case, to
overlook cumulative prejudicial effect of error
findings, and thus, not assign reversible error based
just on aggregational prejudices of multiple
exceptions and charging errors compromising
Petitioner’s substantial rights to a fair trial within the
unreasonable trial proceedings of Petitioner's case,
deprived him of his constitutional rights under the
Fifth, Sixth and Fourteenth Amendments.
Tavlor v. Kentucky, 436 US 478, Fahv v. Connecticut,
375 US 85, Berger v. U.S., 295 US 78, Breakiron v.
Horn. 642 F. 3d 126, U.S. v. Adams. 722 F. 3d 788,
U.S.v, Wallace. 848 F. 2d 1464, U.S. v. Hands. 184 F.
3d 1322, U.S. v. Hesser. 800 F. 3d 1310, Green v. U.S.,
355 U.S. 184, Hetenvi v. Wilkins. 348 F: 2d 844,
Carsey v. U.S., 392 F. 2d 810
35
CONCLUSION
This Petition for a Writ of Certiorari should be granted.
Respectfully submitted,
Date:
/5-/4, 2oZO
i
3fc
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