Petition — Bolder v. Missouri
Supreme Court brief1983
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82-5648
SUPREME CCURT OF THE UNiTZD STATES
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MARTSAY BOLLER,
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Table Of COntEMNtS..cccccccvcccccccccscscesesecsessess 4
Questions Presented for Review.....ccececesecseece Ai
Table of AuthoritieS..-cccsccccccccecsccecccccvscese Add
Petition for Writ of Certiorari.c.ccccesescosessecss
The Opinion BelOWeccccscecenecccccevecsceceeese &
JSUFASGICCIONARSL STACGMONE sc cccecscvccecescvevsecess Bb
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Constitutional Statutory Provisions....ecssec-e
Statement. oF Che CASO « . sso ee enw tease ewendeueee! a
Unconstitutionality RaelSed.ccccesvacdecossvese #
Reasons for Granting Writ..cccccccces steneeed #
APrGumMe;nt ccccsces “< kh E RG eS eeeeveee eeeesesn eeseee 9
COMCAUSION.cccccceccsocvcceces ebeeescececsoses ]
Appendix
Ay pinion and Qrder of the Supreme
Cc rt f the tate of Missouri,
reportea at ¢€ SeMe 2G STSecavece ° ° - 18
B Apps ant Motion for Rehearinc
an rcer aenying Appella S Motion
for Rehearing. ..eces eweveseesese eoeecece 39
QUESTIONS PRESENTED FOR REVIEW
Le Whether the judgment of death where the jury
went beyond the statutorily authorized acgravating
circumstance is unconstitutional under the due process
and equal protection clauses of Amendments Five and
Fourteen and the cruel anc unusual punishment clause of
Amendment Eight, where demonstrably the sentencing jury
went beyend the controls of the Court's instructions and
the law and created its own aggravating circumstancs
whether the judgment of death violates the due
process and equal protection clauses of Amendments Five
anc Fourteen and the cruel and unusual punishment clause
of Amendment Eight: a) where the death penalty i:
imposed based solely upon the defendant's status as a
person lawfully confined, anc (b) whether the penalty
imposed is unconstitutionally excessive ana
cCisproportionate for this defendant when compared tx
punishments imposed under the same statute in other
ii
TABLE OF AUTHORITIES
Beck v. Alabama, 477 U.S. 625 (1980)... .cecssees
Eddings v. Oklahoma, No. 80-5727,
BO Cr. Le Med (CIGBZ) cc ee ee aver eeveserecens
Furman v. Georgia, 408 U.S. 238 (1972)...
Gardner v. Florida, 430 U.S. 625 (1980)...cecees
.
.
.
.
.
.
Godfrey v. Georgia, 446 U.S. 420 (1980).....cee0-
3
Gregg v. Georgia, 428 U.S. 153 (1976)...seeseeeees
10, 12, 415
Jurek v. TexaS, 428 U.S. 262 (1976)... eeeeeeees .
Lockett v. Ohio, 438 U.S. 568 (1978)...... oeeeeee
Proffitt v. Florida, 428 U.S. 242 (1976).......
Shapiro v. Thompson, 394 U.S. 618 (1969).......66..
State v. Shaw, 636 S.W.2d 667 (Mo. banc 1982)
’
cert. agen. 5] U.S.L.W. 3288 (Oct. 12, 1982)
State v. Trimble, N 62523 Mc banc Aug OF
982 ewee@eeeeseee#eee@eseeeeeeeeeeeenseeee#ees “een eeeeee eee
Woodson v Nort} Car iina, 4248 U.S 25 (] ©}
iii
12
{RECEIVED |
NOV1 82
. Orruce vr THe ULERK
IN THE SUPREME f Tal haba "e
SUPREME COURT OF THE UNITED STATES
fARTSAY BOLDER,
Petitioner,
No. A-267
vs.
STATE OF MISSOURI,
ed
Respondent.
PETITION FOR WRIT OF C
SUPREMe COURT OF TE STA’
IORARI TC Ti
E OF MISSOURI
i
.
TO: TEE HONORABLE, THE CHIEF JUSTICE ana
ASSOCIATE JUSTICES OF THE SUPSEME COURT ‘
OF THE UNITED STATES
Martsay Bolder, the Petitioner herein, pravs 4
Writ of Certiorari issve to review the judgment of the
Supreme Court of the State of Missouri, entereac in the
above entitled cause on July 6, 1982. Petitioner's
Motion for Rehearing was denied on Ausust 2 1982.
‘
CPINIONS BELOW
The opinion of the Supreme Court of the State cf
The judgment of the Supreme Court of the State of
Missouri affirming Petitioner's conviction of Capita!
Murder and affirming and assessing his penalty at deat!
was entered July 6, 1982. Petitioner duly filed his
Motion for Rehearing which was Gaeniec by the Supreme
Court on August 2, 19862 (Appendix B). The
jurisdiction of this Court is invoked under 26 U.S.C.
1257(3).
CONSTITUTIONAL PROVISICNS AND STATUTES INVOLVED
The constitutional provisions involved are the
Fifth, Eighth, and Fourteenth Amendments to the
Constitution of the United States. The statutes
involved are 565.012.2(1-10), and 565.014.3, of the
Revised Statutes of Missouri, 1978.
Petitioner, a 21 year old black male at the time ot
the offense, was tried and convicted of capital muroaer
and sentenced to death under Section 565.001, RSM
(1978) after a two-day trial which commenced on May
1°80.
The murder occurred in the Miss iri State
Penitentiary im Jefferson City, Missouri, a#here Bolder
and the deceased, Theron King, were both inmates. The
alleged attack occurred on March 14, 1979, anc the
decedent died on April 28 1979 forty-five 4 lay:
after the attack
Tne decedent s black male, had been a ceé ate
defendant Bolder Guring their incarceration. The
petitioner and decedent hac a lengthy history of
animosity which allegedly involved informa na
death of petitioner's brother and name-calling by
decedent King regarding petitioner's alleged homosexual
activities.
Bolder was serving a life sentence in the Missouri
State Penitentiary for first-degree murder.
The state's evidence was that on March 14, 1979, at
approximately 3:15 p.m., vocationa) teacher Kenneth
Giboney and Arthur Luecke entered the prison yard near a
building indentified at 5 A and B. Giboney observed
what appeared to be two inmates fighting and told Luecke
to stop the truck. They saw inmate King lying against a
wall in a partially sitting position and another inmate,
later identifed as Petitioner, making striking ‘otions
at King. An unidentified third inmate approached to
within two or three feet of the pair and ther dropped
back with his arms in the air. The inmate later
identified as petitioner straightened up, backed away
from King, and headed toward the entrance of 5 A and 3
building. No others were present at the time anc
neither Giboney nor Luecke Saw a weapon.
Petitioner was observed entering building 5 A anc
B. Another corrections officer, Bert Johnson, then
arrived and entered the building. He observed
Petitioner wiping blood off his hands and observea blo
stains o1, Petitioner's clothins.
A weapons search was coriductec and a knife with
fresh blood on it was fourd behind a set of padlocked
metal doors 15 to 20 feet down a hallway in the’ 5 A ar
Corrections officer Homer Jeffries who had arriveca
at the scene said he had observed King coming towards
him obviously bleeding. He testified that he took
custody of him ana “asked him who stuck him." No
statements from inmate King were offerec at eny
King was taken to the penitentiary hospital ana
examined by a penitentiary physician, Dr. Richara
Bowers, who called in a surgeon, Dr. Alan Doerhoff.
Kinc had a one-inch laceration on his right shoulder, a
two-inch laceration on his back, a one and one-half inch
laceration on his right wrist, and a three inch long
stab wound in his abdomen.
Dr. Doerhoff arrived approximately <5 minutes after
the call and commenced surgery, including a heart
massage,which lasted for approximately an hour and
fifteen minutes.
Dr. Doerhoff held the inferior vena cava shut with
his hand while King was moved into the operating room
because he said he did not believe he had time to
establish a sterile condition and still save King's
life. He performed the operation on King withoct
wearing a mask or cap, although he did wear sterile
surgical gloves.
King was transferred to the University of Missouri
Medical Center, again hac surcery on March 26, 15979, for
pericarditis, an inflammation of the sac surrounding the
heart, and again on April 3, 1979, for a heart attack.
On April 14, 1979, King had a fourth operation due to
infection preventing the scar tissue from holding one of
the knife wounds closed. He died on April 28, 197%, ci
a generalized infection.
After examination of the immediate area of the
stabbinc, Petitioner was taken to the office of Urban
Locke, a penitentiary investicator, for questioning.
Locke saw rea stains on Petitioner's clothine and a cut
on Petitioner's right index finger. Locke askea
Petitioner if he wanted to talk and Petitioner saic that
he would talk only to Lt. Leroy Looten. When Looten
appeared, Locke left at the request of Petitior-«
Looten spoke with Petitioner and told him to tell the
truth because it would be better to do so. Thereafter,
Investigator Locke returned to the room and Petitioner
mage an oral statement. This oral statement was offered
in the sentercing phase of trial. Petitioner's
statement related King's constant harassment of he ana
his celimate, Lindsay, regarding engagment in homosexual
activities.
Petitioner offered no evidence at either phase of
trial.
At the sentencing phase of the trial, the court
gave the following instructions (among others):
Instruction No. 18:
In determining the punishment to be assessed
against the defendant for the murder of Theron
King, you must first unanimously determine whether
at the time of the murder of Theron King the
defendant was in the lawful custody of a place of
confinement.
You are further instructed that the burden
rests upon the state to prove beyond a reasonable
Goubt the foregoing circumstance. The Gefendant is
not required to prove or disprove anything.
Therefore, if you donot unanimously find from
the evidence beyond a reasonable doubt that the
foregoing circumstance exists and that it is an
acgravating circumstance, you must return a verdict
fixing the punishment of the defendant at
imprisonment for life by the Division of
Corrections without eligibility for probation or
parole until he has servec a minimum of fifty years
of his sentence.
Instruction No. 19:
If you find and believe from the evidence
be'‘ond a reasonable doubt that the circumstance
su. mitted in Instruction No. 18 exists an: trict -.
is an aggravating Circumstance, it wili then become
your duty to decice whether a sufficient
aggravating circumstance or circumstances exists to
warrant the imposition of death as punishment of
Gefendant. In deciding that question you may
consider all of the evidence relating to the murder
of Theron ing.
You may also comsider the aggravating
circumstance referred to in Instruction No. 18
which you found beyond a reasonable doubt.
You may also consider the following
circumstance if you find from the evidence beyonac a
reasonable doubt that it exists ana that it is an
aggravating circumstance: that the defendant has a
prior criminal conviction for murder in the first
degree.
If you do not unanimously find from the
ev Gence beyonc a reasonable aoubt that 4
nusficient aggravating circumstance or
circumstances exist to warrant the imposition of
death as defndant's punishment, you must return a
veraict fixing his punishment at imprisonment for
life by the Division of Corrections without
eligibility for probatior or parole until he has
served a minimum of fifty years of his sentence.
Instruction No. 22:
You will be provided with forms of verdict for
your convenience. You cannot return any verdict as
the vercict of the jury unless all twelve jurors
concur in and agree to it, but it should be signed
by your foreman alone.
If you decide, after considering all of the
evidence and instructions of law siven to you, that
the defendant must be put to death for the murder
of Theron King, your foreman must write into your
verdict the aggravating circumstance submitted in
Instruction No. 18 which you found beyond a
reasonable doubt. In addition, your foreman must
write into your verdict the other specifically
mentioned aggravating circumstance sudmitted in
Instruction No. 19 which you found beyond a
reasonable doubt.
If, after considering ail of the evidence ana
instructions of law, you decide that the cefencaant
must be punished for the murder of Theron King Dy
imprisonment for life by the Division of
Corrections without eligibility for probation or
parole until he has servec a minimum of fifty years
of his sentence, your foreman will sign the verdict
form so fixing the punishment.
When you have concluded your deliberations you
will complete the applicable form to which all
twelve jurors agree and return it with all unusea
forms and the written instructions of the court.
If, after due deliberation, you are unable to
agree upon the punishment, your foreman will sigr
the vercict form so statinc. Im such case, the
court will fix the Gefendant's punishment at
impriscnment for life by the Division of
Corrections without eligibility for probation or
parole until he has servec a minimum of fifty years
of his sentence. You will bear in mind, however
that uncer the law it is your primary Guty anc
responsibility to fix the punishment.
Pursuant to said instructions, the jury wa
vercict form upon which to enter their verdict.
The jury was instructea upon only one statutory
acgravating circumstance in the penalty phase of trial,
namely that "...defendart was in the lawful! custody of a
place of confinement." (Instruction No. 18). After the
jury Geliberatea, they returnec their verdict assessir
the punishment at death and returned their veracict in
the following forr
Jurors: Use this form only if the punishment
fixed by you is death. See Instruction No. 22 for
Girections as to what must be written into the
verdict form if the death penaity is imposed. Use
the reverse side of this form if necessary. The
foreman'’s signature must appear at the ena of the
matter which you designate in writing as the
acoravating circumstance or circumstances which a}l]
twelve jurors founc beyonc a reasonable doubt.
We, the jury, having found the defendant
guilty of the capital murcer of Theron King, fix
the defendant's punishment at death, and we
designate the following aggravating circumstance or
circumstances which we find beyond a reasonable
doubt:
We have unanimously determined at the time of
the murder of Theron Kino the defencant was in the
lawful custody of a place of confinement submitted
in Instruction No. 18. We have also found without
reasonable doubt that the defencant has a prior
criminal conviction for murder in the first degree,
and appears the life sentence was no Geterrent to
further crime.
Foreman, Victor O. Whitaker.
Defendant's post-trial motions were denied and
sentence of death imposed.
Petitioner duly filed his Notice of Appeal on July
18, 1980, and submitted and argued his case to the
Missouri Supreme Court.
UNCONSTITUTIONALITY RAISED
The unconstitutionality of the sentence of deat
under the cruel and unusual punishment end the aue
process clause of the United States Constitution upon
the “aggravating factor" charged in Instruction No. if
the jury surplusage on the verdict fornr and the
excessiveness and disprportionality of this verc
the sole aggravating circumstance that defendant was
confined in a lawful place of confinement were raised
before the trial court in petitioner's Motion for New
through 683, point 13, paye 683, and point 16, page 684
635 S.W.2d 673 et seq.
The Missouri Supreme Court, pursuant ts ect
565.014.3(3), RSMo., require the court to determine
whether the sentence of death 18S excessive or
disproportionate in this case and establishes the basis
for a challenge of the constitutionality of the death
sentence under the uniformity requirement of Amendment 8
of the United States Constitution.
REASONS FOR GRANTING THE WRIT
The Supreme Court of Missouri has misapplied or
ignored this court's prior holdings in at least two
respects:
1. Where the jury's verdict specifically set out
as an aggravating..circumstance matters not specifically
pleaded, charged, or proved by the state and outsice the
aggravating circumstances contained in Missouri's
statutory scheme, Section 565.012.2(1-10), RSMo., the
Missouri Supreme Court has ignored this court's holding
in Gregg v. Georgia, 428 U.S. 153 (1976), mandating that
the sentencer’s discretion in capital cases be
"Girected" and "limited".
2. The Missouri statutory scheme permitting the
statutory aggravating circumstance specified in Section
565.012.2{9), RSMo., i.e., the status of petitioner as
in a lawful place of confinement, subjects petitioner,
merely by his status, to a more severe penalty tian any
other member of society, without the appiication of the
strict scrutiny test which should certainly be the test
when death is to be appiied.
The Missouri Supreme Court has, by upholicing the
verdict of ceath in this case, permitted a jury to go
far beyond its bounds as permitted by both statute ana
rulings of this court, permitted a Geath penalty to
stand upon a factor which was not found beyond a
reasonable aovbt ana upheld the oeath penalt,
merelv upon the status of an individual and not the
nature of the crime. Absent guidelines by this court,
the Missouri Supreme Court will permit jury verdicts to
run rampant and the standarc of proof beyond a
reasonable doubt to be diluted. A review of this
juagoment of death will provide this court with the
opportunity not only to right the wrong done in this
case, but to make clear to the court's of Missouri and
those other states with similar statutes the effects of
Gregg v. Georgia, supra, 426 U.S. at 201, Godfrey v.
Georgia, 446 U.S. 420 (1980), and Eddings v- Oklahoma,
No.80-5727, 30 Cr. L. 3047 n. 3 (1982) that no judgment
of death based upon wide jury discretion and faulty
findings is constitutionally permissible.
The resolution of these questions is not only 4
matter of life or death to petitioner, it would also be
the means of resolving similar questions in cases now
pending and yet to be filed in Missouri and throughout
the United States. This court must deal with what
standard of proof is necessary for each ana every
element before the death penalty can be inflictea,
whether status, aS an aggravating circumstance, i158
enough to impose the death penalty, and just how far the
jury can go in creating its own reasons a5 to why the
death penalty is appropriate.
Petitioner has diligently pursued and exhausted all
of his remedies in the state courts, and the only
remaining form in which he may seek to vindicate his
rights and avoid his death is in this Court through its
grant of this Writ of Certiorari.
ARGUMENT
THE JUDGMENT OF DEATH IS EXCESSIVE AND
DISPROPORTIONATE AND THEREFORE VIOLATIVE OF THE FIFTH,
EIGHTH, AND FOURTEENTH AMENDMENTS WHERE THE JURY'S
VERDICT SPECIFICALLY SET ouT AS AN AGGRAVATING
CIRCUMSTANCE MATTERS NOT SPECIFICALLY PLEADED, CHARGED,
OR PROVED BY THE STATE AND OUTSIDE OF THE AGGRAVATING
CIRCUMSTANCES CONTAINED IN MISSOURI'S STATUTORY SCHEME ,
RSMo. 56%.012.2 (1-10).
The jury was instructed of the findings necessary
to impose the death penalty and given 4 verdict form
upon which to enter their verdict.
The jury was instructed upon only one statutory
aggravating circumstance in the penalty phase of the
trial, namely that "...defendant was in the lawful
custody of a place of confinement.” (Instruction No.
18). After the jury deliberated, they returned their
verdict assessing the punishment at death as set forth
above on vage
The Supreme Court of the United States in Furman v.
Georgia, 408 U.S. 238 (1972) held that the death penalty
as imposed by Georcia ana in @ number of states viclatea
the Eighth and Fourteenth Amendments to the United
States constitution and constituted cruel and unusval
punishment in that the death penalty statutes left the
4
trier ef facts with an unbridlea discretion allowing
death to be inflicted in an arbitrary and Capricious
Thereafter, numerous state legislatures attemptea
to reimpose tne death penalty tnroughn various schemes.
The statutes which have reimposed the deatt penalty anc
peal have been those in which te
death penalty was not authorized im every homiciae, burt
limited to a narrow number of circumstances in which the
homicide was committed in such @ manner as to co":stitute
"an aggravating circumstance.” Gregg v. Georgie. supra.
In Gregg, the court consi ‘erec the appea
petitioner Greag who had been convicted of armed robbery
ano murder anc sentenced to death pursuant to the
Georgia bifurcated sentencing procedure statute which 1s
substantially similar to the Missouri statute. The
court was primarily concerned with whether or not there
was adequate control of ana guidance to the jury in
rendering its decision in a4 aeath penalty case. The
court statea:
The idea that a jury should be given guidance in
its decision-making is also hardly a novel
proposition, Juries are invariably given careful
instructions on the law and how to apply it before
they are authorized to decide the merits of a
lawsuit. It would be virtually unthinkable to
«ie
follow anyother course in a legal system that has
traditionally operated by following prior
precedents and fixed rules of law. Greggs at 192,
193.
The court further held that the sentence of death
could only be imposed under the statute if a statutory
aggravating circumstance was found by the jury beyond a
reasonable doubt. While the jury, before imposing
death, must be able to consider any relevant mitigating
circumstance, the jury 15 limited to its imposition of
the death penalty to those cases in which an 4a sgravating
circumstance authorized by statute 15 found. (See
Lockett v. ¢ hio, 438 U.S. 568 (1978) and Ge afre y Vv.
Georgia, 466 U.S. 62 (1980)).
In Godfrey, the United States Supreme t
ancther look at the Georgia statute and not only hela
that the jury must find an aggravating cir umstance, but
held that the appellate < rt must exa ne the facts t
determine whether the aggravating ircumstance was
proved by the ev ence The ¢ rt ir 30df rey held that
the statute must be nstruvec if am. extremely marrov
manner if the eath penalty is to be uphelac ana } nd
that the evidence did not co! titute sufficient
In the case at bar, the jury acted outside the
scope of its instruction anc added to its verdict what
it considered to be an aggravating circumstance, 1.€.,
whether or not a prior sentence had a deterrent effect.
This was an exercise of discretion beyond the scope of
either the statutes or the court's instructions.
We do not know whether the jury meant that it
wished to deter anyone who might be inclined to commit a
homicide in the future or whether it was referring to
this particular defendant. Neither of those factors are
aggravating circumstances authorized pursuant to RSMo.
565.012.2(1-10) RSMo. 1978.
-ll-
In light of the jury's statement on the veraict
form, we cannot be certain that the jury found the
aggravating circumstance instructed upon, 1.€., the
homicide taking piace in a place of confinement, a
circumstance to justify tne death penalty. We will
never know the amount of influence the unauthorizea
factor hao in their assessment of punishment.
~
mn this case, as in Godfrey,
The jury's verdict
went beyond the aggravating circumstance authorizea by
statute. The jury here specifically indicated in its
verdict that aaaitior al factors were consiaerea which
are not autnorizea by statute. The court's imposition
of the death penalty upon this verdi« violat not t
the statutes of the State ol Missouri, bt re
ims wrtantiy, the Eighth ana Fourteenth Amendments of the
United States Constitution as interpreted by this Court
Not only was the verdict rengerea by the jury
outside the scope of its pe sible ts but in any
Geath penaity Se the entire pr eedinas, inciualr.j
the ury verdict, 1S subdj¢ =; a 1s higher standara of
reliability than 1n any ther riminal case due to the
uniqueness, severitv, and irrevocat ility of the deat!
sentence im ed In W Isom Vv North Carol
U.S. 29 (1976), Gardner v. Fiorida 430 U.S. 349
(1977), Beck v. Alabama, 477 U.S. 625 (1980), and
Lockett v. Ohio, 438 U.S. 586 (1978), the court
recognized the irreversible nature of the death penalty
and the need for an elevated standara of due process.
The neeca for control over the Jury ana direction ir
the jury process as referred to in Furman and Gregg,
plus the standard of heightened reliability as stated in
Woodson, Gardner, Beck and Lockett demand that the
sentence of death imposed on the defendant cannot stand.
THE JUDGMENT OF DEATH IS EXCESSIVE,
DISPROPORTIONATE, OVERBROAD AND OVERINCLUSIVE AND
THEREFORE ViOLATIVE OF THE FIFTH, EIGHTH, AND FOURTEENTH
AMENDMENTS WHEN IT IS IMPOSED SOLELY AS A RESULT OF A
FINDING OF DEFENDANT'S STATUS AS A PERSON LAWFULLY
CONFINED AS THE AGGRAVATING CIRCUMSTANCE PRESCRIBED BY
SECTION 565.012.2(9) (1978).
.012.2(9) proviages as an aggravating
circumstance that “the capital murder was committea by a
person in, or who has escaped from, the lawful custocy
of a peace officer or place of lawful confinement.”
This subjects petitioner, merely by his status, to 4
more severe penalty than any other membder f society
scrutiny test because the statute trammels fundamenta
personal rights. Under this test, we should look at the
’
state's interest, determine whether it 1s compeliins,
and then determine if the statute impinges on the
fundamental personal right in the least restrictive
manner. See generally Shapiro v. Thompson, 394 U.S. 6186
(1969). Under this analysis, this aggravating
circumstance woula be unconst itutional becacus
overincluSsive.
In the dissenting opinion by Juage Seiler, joined
by Judge Bardgett, the Missouri Supreme Court points out
that factors such as reason for incarceration, length of
sentence,and parole are not even considered and this
overgeneralization 15 constitutionally inadequate as the
predicate of a death sentence.
Judge Seiler's dissenting opinion (Appendix A, 627
~~.
S.W.2d 673, 691) points out that this is the first case
reviewed by the Missouri Supreme Court where the jury
imposed the death penalty after finding as the only
statutory aggravating circumstance that defendant was
lawfully confined at the time of the murder. After
discussing two other cases in which the same aggravating
circumstance was submitted, State v. Shaw, 6365 S.W.2d
657 (Mo. banc i982), cert. den. 51 U.S.L.W. 3288 (Oct.
12, 1982), and State v. Trimble, No. 62523 (Mo. banc
August 31, 1982), Judge Seiler noted that this is the
only case in which the sole aggravating circumstance was
the defendant's status in a place of lawful confinement.
Roth other cases were submitted upon other agcravatins
circumstances. Judge Seiler points out that the
principal opinion uses the rational basis test to uphold
the constitutionality of Section 565.012.2(9) (the
agcravating circumstance of lawful place of confinement
rather than the appropriate standard of review which 1s
strict scrutiny because "the statute does trammel
fundamental personal rights.” This aggravating
circumstance, prescribed by Section 565.012.2(9) is
unconstitutional because it 15 overinclusive. "Tt Goes
not Gifferentiate between those who have notnins,
lose for a killing in prison unless they receive the
death penalty and those who are not in that class." 555
S.W.2d at 693. This section lumps everyone in prison
into that same category regardless of lencth of sentence
or chance of parole. This 1s over inclusive.
Further, those factors set out aS agcravating in
the statute are factors which tend to show the murder to
be Gepraved, vicious, at random, for monetary gain or
for escaping the confines of the law. Petitioner's
incarceration supplies no added criminal culpability on
the part of Bolder nor justifies any extenuating
circumstance which would support the ceath penalty.
atiie
The Missouri court had the obligation of comparing
the sentence in this case with all other death sentences
imposed pursuant to Section 565.012.2 and in Going SO,
had no adequate standard of review because no other
defendant had been tried, convicted, and given the death
penalty pursuant to Section 565.012.2(9) based solely on
the statutory aggravating circumstance instructed upon.
When this court in 1976 approved the Georgia,
Florida and Texas capital sentencing statutes on their
face, Gregg v. Georgia, 428 U.S. 153 (1976); Proffitt v.
Florida, 428 U.S. 242 (1976); Jurek v. Texas, 428 U.&.
262 (1976), it did so on the assumption that the statute
at issue, as interpreted by the highest courts of the
states, would guarantee against the arbitrary anc
capricious infliction of the deeth penalty which had
been condemned in Furman v.Georgia, 4068 U.S. 238 (1972).
The court placed particular reliance on the proceGures
for appellate review, Gregg v. Georgia, Supra, 428 US.
at 166-168, 204-06 (opinion of Stewart, Powell and
Stevens, JJ.): id. at 222-24 (White and Rehnquist, JJ
and Burger, C.J., concurring), viewing it as an
effective means by which the state would insure that the
death penalty would be applied in a fair, rativné.,
consistent and even-handed manner, Proffitt v. Florida,
supra, 428 U.S. at 259-60; Jurek v. Texas, supra, 426
U.S. at 276; see also Gardner v. Florida, 430 U.S. 349,
361 (1977), so that similar cases would reach similar
results, Grego v. Georgia, supra, 428 U.S. at 198, 205
(opinion of Stewart, Powell and Steens, JJ.); id. at 225
(white, J. concurring); Proffitt v. Florida, supra, 429
U.S. at 251, 253, 258 (opinion of Stewart, Powell and
Stevens, JJ.): Jurek v. Texas, Supra, 428 U.S. at 270,
(opinion of Stewart, Powell and Stevens, JJ.) id. at 279
(White and Rehnquist, JJ., and Burger, J., concurring)
and there would be a “meaningful basis for
distinguishing the few cases in which {the death
<7 =
penalty) is imposea from the many cases in which it 15
not." Gregg v. Georgia, supra, 428 U.S. at 198, quoting
4
Furman v.Georgia, supra, 406 U.S. at 313 (White, J
concurring).
The comparison of the judgment in this case with
the judcments under the same Missouri statute, 2.¢€.
State v. Shaw, 536 S.W.2G 667 (Mo. banc 1982), cert.
den. 51 U.S.L.W. 3288 (Oct. 12, 1982), and State v.
Trimble, No. 62523, Aug. 31, !982, as set forth in Jud
Seiler's opinion is thorough, compelling ana complete uj
to the date of the decision. We will not burden the
court by repeating it here.
Bolder's death sentence cannot be rationally
reconcilec with the judgments of the Missouri Courts in
the other cases of Capital Murder in which punishment:
were imposed uncer the same statute.
The statute, as applied in his case, 15
unconstitutionally overbroad, overinciusive,
aiscriminatory, stan jardliess, disproportior ate and
random. As so appliec ¢t this judgment, it Geprives
Bolcer of his life without Gue process of law ana
subjects him to the ¢ ruel and unusual punishment of
death.
The judgment of death should be reversec.
CONCLUSION
For the reasons set forth above it 15 respectfully
submitted that this Petition for Writ of Certiorari
should be grantec.
-etfully bmitted,
Lori J. Levime
CARSON, MONACO, COIL, RILEY
AND McMI IN, P.C.
211 East Capitol, P.O. Box 235
Jefferson City, Missouri 65102
Telephone: (314) 636-2177
«ite
P past stad chy)
Richard H. Sindel
SINDEL, SINDEL & SINDEL
15A N. Meramec, Suite 200
Clayton, Missouri 63105
Telephone: (314) 721-6040
Counsel for Petitioner.
=i?«
STATE v. BOLDER Mo. 673
Cite os, 635 S.W.26 673 (Mo. 1962)
STATE of Missouri, Respordent,
v.
Martsay BOLDER, Appellant.
No. 62362.
Supreme Court of Missouri,
En Banc.
July 6, 1982.
Rehearing Denied Aug. 2, 1982
Defendant was convicted before the
Circuit Court, Randolph County, Samuel E.
Semple, J., of capital murder and was sen-
tenced to death, and he appealed. The Su-
preme Court, Welliver, J., held that: (1)
evidence supported conviction; {2} death
sentence is not unconstitutional; (3) exist-
ence of one or more aggravating circum-
stance not outweighed by mitigating cir-
cumstances does not require imposition of
death penalty; (4) application of statutory
aggravating circumstances did not create 8
new crime of capital raurder separate from
capital murder with penalty of life in prison
and 50 years without parole; (5) in its re-
view of appropriateness of death penalty,
the Supreme Court is not limited to death
sentences imposed since effective date of
capital punishment law; (6) juror who stat-
ed that death penalty would affect her abil-
ity to judge the facts was properly excused,
(7) it was not abuse of discretion to order
defendant restrained in the courtroom, and
(8) death penalty was neither excessive nor
disproportionate to punishment imposed in
similar cases
Affirmed
Seiler, J., filed dissenting opinion, in
which Bardgctt, J., concurred.
1. Criminal Law @1144.13(4, 5, 6), 1159.-
23)
In assessing sufficiency of the evidence
tw support capital murder conviction, the
Supreme Court was required to accept as
true al! evidence and inferences that tended
to support the verdict and disregard evi-
dence and inferences to the contrary and its
Gs sw ae 15
inquiry was limited to whether the evi-
dence, viewed in light most favorable to the
State, was sufficient to support the verdict.
MAI Cr.2d 15.02; V.A.M.S. § 565.001.
2. Criminal Law e566
Testimony of a single witness is suffi-
cient to establish identity of a criminal de-
fendant if the jury believes it beyond a
reasonable doubt. V.A.M.S. § 565.001
3. Homicide 5
Fact that victim may have dicd from
infection resulting from defendant's atab-
bing rather than from the stabbing itself
was irrelevant to defendant's guilt of capi-
tal murder, especially as jury could have
found from seriousness of the stah wound
that defendant knew he was practically cer-
tain to cause death, V.AMS. ¢ 565.001.
4. Homicide @ 147
Premeditation and deliberation may be
inferred from circumstances of the homi-
cide. V.A.M.S. § 565.001
5. Homicide @14(2)
For capital murder purposes, “premedi-
tation” is present whenever defendant
thinks about the act for any length of time,
however short, before he acs. V.AMS
§ 565.001
See publication Words and Phrases
for other judicial constructions and
Gefiniwons
6. Homicide @ 14(2)
A finding of premeditation for capital
murder purposes depends not so much on
the time involved as on an inference reawn-
ably drawn from the evidence and circum-
stances surrounding the act. VAMS
§ 565.00)
7. Homicide 14?
Although incriminating statement wax
not before the jury before guilt phase of
capital murder trial, jury could have found
premeditation from the fact that defend-
ant's attack on fellow penitentiary inmate
occurred in an areca not visible from the
guard towers, from fact that prisoners were
not allowed to carry weapons and from
want of evidence of bruises cither on vie-
APPENDIX A -18-
674 Mo.
tim, who was fatally stabbed, or on defend-
ant that would indicate that an altercation
preceded the stabbing, and those factors
might also indicate deliberation but, in any
event, with evidence of provocation lacking,
the previously demonstrated intent to kill
provided deliberation. V.A.MS. § 565.001.
8. Constitutional Law @=270(1)
Criminal Law @=1213
Death sentence violates neither the
crue! and unusual! punishment clause of the
Eighth Amendment, due process clause of
the Fourteenth Amendment, due process
clause of the State Constitution, cruel and
unusual punishment clause of the State
Constitution nor the “natural right to life”
clause of the State Constitution. VAMS.
& 565.008, subd. 1; VAM.S.Const.Art 1,
$§ 2, 10, 21; U.S.C.AConst. Amends 8, 14
9. Criminal Law © 986.6(2)
Fact that sentencing hearing in 8 capi-
tal punishment case is separate from guilt
phase is not unconstitutional as unduly bur-
dening a capital defendant's decision
whether to testify, in violation of privilege
against sclf-incrimination and, in any event,
facts did not support theory that statute
deprived defendant of effective assistance
by restricting his strategic options as de-
fendant received a presentence hearing and
was given an opportunity to present his
story to the jury but chose not to do so and
offered no evidence at either guilt or sen-
tencing phase. V.AMS § 565.006, subd. 2,
USCA.Const. Amends. 5, 6
10. Criminal Law @1208(1)
Time between guilt and sentencing
phase of death penalty case is not unconstr-
tutiona) as insufficient time in which to
“cool off” after rendering a guilty verdict.
V.AMS. § 565.006: US.C.A.Const Amend
4
11. Constitutional Law @= 250.1(2)
Aggravating circumstance for capita!
punishment that murder was committed by
one in lawful custody of s place of lawful
confinement did not impinge on fundamen-
tal personal rights and, hence, rationa! rela-
tionship standard was the appropriate one
by which to gauge constitutionality on
635 SOUTH WESTERN REPORTER, 24 SERIES
equal protection challenge, ie., that classifi-
cation subjects prisoners because of their
status to more severe penalty than it docs
other members of society. V.A.MS. § 565.-
012, subd. 29); US.C.A.Const.Amend. 14.
12. Constitutional Law o=250.1(2)
Homicide 351
Aggravating circumstance for capital
pusishment that murder was committed by
one in lawful custody of a place of lawful
confinement does not violate equal protec-
tion as irrationally subjecting prisoners be-
cause of their status lo a more severe penal-
ty than other members of society and impo-
sition of capital punir\ment is rationally
related to the state's legitimate interests in
preventing crime and protecting other per-
sons with whom prisoners come in contact
and legislature could have concluded that
death penalty is appropriate where impris-
onment already imposed has sot deterred
capital murder. V.AMS. § 565.012, subd
29); US.C.A.Const.Amend. 14
13. Homicide 3K
Where jury in capital punishment cas:
found aggravating circumstance that de-
fendant had a prior crimina! conviction for
murder in the first degree and that defend-
ant was in lawful custody of place of con-
finement at time of instant murder the jury
did not exceed scope of its charge when it
opined that it appeared that the life sen-
tence defendant was serving at time of
instani offense was no deterrent to further
crime and the excess verbiage was not an
attempt to find another aggravating cir-
cumstance. VAMS. § 566.012, subd. 29)
14. Criminal Law © 1208(1)
Requirement of capital sentencing
acheme that sentencing authority consider
whether sufficient mitigating circumstanc-
es exist which outweigh aggravating cir-
cumstance does not impermissibly place
burden on defendant to negate aggravaling
circumstances as existence of one or more
aggravating circumstance not outweighed
by mitigating circumstanecs docs not mean
that the death penalty must be imposed
automatically and finding that one or more
oi Se-
ca a
statutory ay)
is but a thn
before the j:
the evidence
tence and unm
obliged to im
008, sulxi. 1,
15. Criminal
Constitut
capital penalt
ble doubt th
outweigh =m
theugh guilt
reasonable de
wravating ¢i
upon which t
tion of death
is not a matt
facts alone
565 012, subd
16. Homicid
Applicat
circumstance
ishment do
which a defe
first tn ing c
which death
crime separ
penalty of li
out parole
subd. 1, 565
17. Criminal
In dete!
is dispropor
similar case
limited to tl
ty has been
May 26, 197
there be ev
ent imposit
Court can o
which both
were submi
cases affirm
if reversal
tionality of
cases pendi
§ 65014%
4.012, subd
shment case
ze that de-
aviction for
hat defend-
iace of con-
der the jury
rge when it
he life sen-
at time of
t to further
was not an
uvating cir-
subd. 29)
sentenang
ily consider
ircurnsLanc-
STATE v. BOLDER Mo. 675
Khe as, 35 S.W.26 673 (Mo. 1982)
statutory aggravating circumstance exists
is bet a threshold requirement to be met
before the jury can, after considering all
the evidenSe, recommend the death sen-
tence and under no circumstance is the jury
obliged to impose death. V.A.M.S. §§ 565.-
008, subd. 1, 665.012, subd. 1(4)
15. Criminal Law = 1208(1)
Constitution does not require that a
capital penalty jury find beyond a reasona
ble doubt that aggravating circumstances
outweigh mitigating circumstances, al-
though guilt must be established beyond a
reasonable doubt as must the statutory ag-
gravating circumstance or circumstances
upon which the jury bases its recommenda-
tion of death and imposition of punishment
is not a matter resolved by determination of
facts alone. V.A.M.S. §§ 565.008, subd. 1,
565.012, subd. 1(4).
16. Homicide @= 354
Application of statutory aggravating
circumstances for imposition of capital pun-
ishment do not create a new crime for
which a defendant can be convicted without
first being charged, and capital murder for
which death penalty can be imposed is not a
crime separate from capital murder with
penalty of life in prison and SO years with-
out parole. V.A.MS. §§ 565.001, 565.008,
subd. 1, 565.012, subd. 14)
17. Criminal Law © 1206(2)
In determining whether death penalty
is disproportionate to penalty imposed in
similar cases, the Supreme Court is not
limited to those cases in which death penal-
ty has been imposed under the law cffoctive
May 26, 1977, but, rather, its concern is that
there be evenhanded, rational and consist-
ent imposition of death ¢ :ntences and the
Court can consider as similar those cases in
which both death and life imprisonment
were submitted to the jury including those
cases affirmed on appeal! and those reversed
if reversal was predicated upon dispropor-
tionality of sentence and may also consider
cases pending before the Court. V.A.M.S.
§ 546.014.%3)
18. Criminal Law = 1206(2)
In reviewing propriety of imposition of
the death penalty the Supreme Court is not
required to consider all murder cases in
which a defendant had at some point in the
proceedings been charged or chargeable
with capital murder and relevant cases are
those in which the judge or jury first found
defendant guilty of capital murder ead
thereafter chose ‘etween death or li%e im-
prisonment without possibility of parole for
at least 5O years and comparison need not
include cases such as those in which the
state chose not to charge defendant with
capital murder, the state agreed to pleu
bargain to lesser charge, conviction was for
an offense less than capital murder or th
state waived the death penalty. V.A.MS
$§ 565.014, 565.014, subds. 3, 33), 5.
19. Constitutional Law @=42.2(2)
Where defendant was convicted of ca,-
ital murder and made no contention that
capital murder sentencing procedure is ay-
plied differently among defendants convict-
ed of that offense, he could not be heard to
complain that bifurcated capital murder
procedure denicd equal protection to de-
fendants charged with capital murder but
convicted of lesser offenses. VAMS
§§ 565.00), 545.006, subd. 2; USCA Const
Amend 14
| 20. Jury o33(2.1)
Since defendant presented neither evi-
dence of nor alleged other evidence of jury
bias, he was not entitled to an evirentiary
hearing to show that his death<qualified
jury was biased toward conviction and that
he thereby was prejudiced VAMS
§ S45.008, subd 1
21. Jury @ 108
Witherspoon, ic, Uhat veniremen muy
be excused for cause if they make unmis-
takeably clear that their attitude toward
the death penalty would prevent them from
making an impartial decision as Ww guilt,
applies to answers elicited from veniremen
rather than questions asked on voir dire
V.AM.S. § 566.008, subd. 1,
-20-
676 Me.
22 Jury 108
It was not error to exclude for cause
one venire woman who gave affirmative
to inquiry whether death penalty
would affect her ability to judge the facts
V.AMS. § 565.008, subd. 1.
23. Criminal Law @=590(1)
Denial of request for continuance, as
made at conference before voir dire, to in-
terview four potential witnesses who were
penitentiary inmates was not abuse of dis-
cretion where appointed counsel stated that
he had told defendant that he would
present no evidence until at least May 6 and
trial court indicated that it would issue
subpoenss so that witnesses would be avail-
able for interviewing on morning of May 6.
24. Criminal Law @=637
Trial court has discretion whether to
order a defendant restrained whenever it is
necessary to maintain order and security in
the courfroom.
25. Criminal Law 637
Trial court was justified in ordering
defendant bound where defendant, upset
with refusal to grant continuance and re-
move appointed counsel, overturned library
table in pretrial conference and scuffied
with guards approximately five minutes,
knocked over his chair in courtroom while
attempting to rise, and had to be subdued
by guards and resisted being placed in chair
and was required to be held by four guards
and continually amerted that he would not
remain in the courtroom and trial court
repeatedly told defendant that he would not
be bound if he promised to behave and
continuing shackling past first day of trial
was not abuse of discretion where defend-
ant had been convicted of one murder and
was on trial for another and there was no
evidence of prejudice.
26. Criminal Law © 163503)
Defendant could not be heard to com-
plain that he appeared at trial in prison
clothing where he was offered civilian
clothing but said there was none his size
and when trial court asked defendant
whether he wished to put on civilian cloth-
ing defendant stated that he was not going
635 SOUTH WESTERN REPORTER, 24 SERIES
in the courtroom and defendant at no time
objected to wearing prison clothing during
trial.
27. Criminal Law @>404(1)
Demonstrable evidence is admissible if
it throws any relevant light on material
matter at issue or if it tends to establish
any fact in issue or aid the jury in any way
in arriving at # correct verdict.
28. Criminal Law © 404(1)
Tria) court has discretion whether to
admi: or exclude demonstrable evidence
29. Criminal Law o> 404(4)
Fact that none of the witnesses who
testified in homicide prosecution ever saw
subject knife in defendant's possession did
not mean that trial court erred in admitting
the knife as there was evidence linking
defendant to the knife and linking both
defendant and knife to fatal stabbing, in-
cluding evidence that defendant was seen
standing over victim making stabbing mo-
tions toward latter's stomach and that knife
was found 15 to 2 fect from doors of
building which defendant was seen enter-
ing
30. Criminal Law ©3858
Although forensic serologist testified
that victim's blood type was the same as
that of 45% of Americans and that because
of small quantity she was unable to test it
for factor PGM,, objection of remoteness
went to weight to be accorded evidence that
blood on defendant's clothes matched that
of the victim, rather than its admissibility
31. Criminal Law © 1134(3)
Where defendant did not object on ap
peal that admission of photograph of knife
was cumulative to admission of knife and
thus error, reviewing court would not ad-
dress the question
32. Criminal Law @412.1(1)
Defendant's refusal to make a written
statement had no bearing on voluntariness
of his oral statement where defendant was
advised of his rights and made a knowing
and intelligent waiver of right to remain
-21-
tilent ard o
sunt was no
and interro
promises w
was not bes
ened or coe:
33. Homicic
Review
ceeding esta
not impose:
Prejudice o
VAMS. §
34. Crimina
Homicic¢
Imposit
Stabbing of
neither exc
punishment
sidering tha
sentence for
§§ 565.001,
subds. 1,3
On
35. Crimina
Content
failing to in
a lesser inc!
could not b
brief
36. Constits
Failure
der as less
murder did
trial court is
der and ma
not support
felony-murd
felonies we
061, 565.003
Lori J. Le
lant
John Ash
Baker, Assi
respondent
}. All statut
= re,
‘STATE v. BOLDER
Mo. 677
Cite as, 635 5.W.24 673 (Mo. 1982)
silent and one officer testified that defend-
ant was not shackled during interrogation
and interrogating officer testificd that no
promises were made and that defendant
was not beaten, struck or otherwise threat-
ened or coerced
33. Homicide e354
Review of record of capii,' murder pro-
ceecling established that death e-ntence was
not imposed under influence of passion,
prejudice or any other arbitrary factor
V.A.MS. § 565.014, subd. 3
3M. Criminal Law = 1206(2)
Homicide @= 354
Imposition of death penalty for fatal
stabbing of fellow penitentiary inmate was
neither excessive nor disproportionate to
punishment imposed in similar cases, con-
sidering that defendant was serving a life
sentence for first-degree murder. V.AMS
$§ 565.001, 565.012, subd. 29), 565.014,
subds. 1, 3
On Motion for Rehearing
35. Criminal Law @ 1038.2
Contention that trial court erred in
failing to instruct on first-degree murder as
& lesser included offense of capitai murder
could not be raised for first time in reply
brief
36. Constitutional Law @=268(1!)
Failure to instruct on first-degree mur-
der as lesser included offense of capital
murder did not abridge due process where
trial court instructed on second-degree mur-
der and manslaughter and evidence would
not support an instruction on [first-degree
felony-murder as none of the enumerated
felonics were present. VAMS. §§ 565.-
001, 565.003, U.S.C_A Const Amend. 14
Lori J. Levine, Jefferson City, for appel-
lant
John Asheroft, Atty. Gen, Nancy Kelley
Baker, Asst. Atty. Gen., Jefferson City, for
respondent
1. All statutory references are to RSMo 1976
WELLIVER, Judge.
Appellant was convicted of capital mur-
der, § 565.001, RSMo 1978,' and the jury
sentenced him to death pursuant to § 565.-
O0R(!). This Court has jurisdiction for orig-
inal appeal. Mo.Const. art. V, § 3. Our
review includes both consideration of al-
leged trial errors and review of the death
sentence. § 565.014. We affirm both the
conviction for capital murder and the sen-
tence of death
I
The offense occurred in the Missouri
State Penitentiary. Appellant Bolder was
serving # life sentence for first degree mur-
der.
On March 14, 1979, at approximately 3.15
P. M., vocational teachers Kenneth Giboney
and Arthur Luecke were returning by truck
from Lincoln University. As they came
around the building identified as 5 A & B
and headed toward the maintenance and
machine shop, Giboney observed what ap-
peared to be two inmates fighting and told
Luecke © stop the truck. Both men got
out of the truck some thirty fect from the
altercation. They saw an inmate, later
identified as Theron King, lying against the
wall in a partially sitting position A
second inmate, later identified as appellant,
was standing over King and making strik-
ing or stahbing motions toward King’s
stomach. King appeared to be trying to
move from side io side in an attempt to get
out of the way. An unidentified third in-
mate approach! to within two or three
feet of the pair and then dropped back with
his arms in the air The inmate later iden-
tifted as appellant straightened up, backed
away from King, and then headed toward
the entrance of the 5 A & B building. No
others were known to be present at the
scene. Neither Giboney nor Luecke saw a
weapon at the time
As appellant headed for the 5 A & B
building entrance, King rose and started
toward the maintenance and machine shop
Luecke saw blood on King’s T-shirt and
unless otherwise indicated
-22-
pursuca appellant into the 5 A & B building
not more than fifteen seconds behind him.
Burt Johnson, another corrections officer
who had arrived at the scene, also entered
the building and ascended the stairs in pur-
suit of appellant. When Johnson reached
the top of the steps he saw appellant stand-
ing behind a desk and wiping blood off his
hands with a handkerchief. Appellant was
wearing green trousers and a red jacket of
the same type Luecke had seen on the man
standing over King and making stabbing
motions at him. Blood stains on appellant's
clothes were of the same type as King’s
blood. Johnson frisked appellant, found no
weapons on him, and took him back down-
stairs.
A weapon search was conducted in the
immediate area of the stabbing. No weap
on was found outside at the scene, but «
ciear plastic bag stained with blood of the
same type as King’s was found nearby.
The plastic folder contained, among other
things, inmate paper and appellant's per-
sonal correspondence. Prison officials
found a knife with fresh blood on it in the 5
A & B building behind a set of padiocked
meta! doors fifteen ic twenty feet down &
hallway and to the lelt of the entrance
appeliant had been seen entering A seven-
eighths inch space separates the bottom of
the doors from the floor The knife was
thin enough to have been slid beneath the
doors. When investigation of the area was
completed, appellant was taken to the of-
fice of Urban Lock, a penitentiary investi-
gator, for questioning
Officer Homer Jeffries, who had arrived
at the scene, saw King walking toward the
maintenance and machine shop He fol-
lowed King and reached him approximately
seventy feet from where he had been
stabbed and started to escort him to the
prison hospital After traveling about 100
feet, King said he could go no further
the hospital. King had a one inch lacera-
tion on his right shoulder, a two inch lacera-
635 SOUTH WESTERN REPORTER, 2¢ SERIES
tion on his back, a one and one-half inch
laceration on his right wrist, and a three
inch long stab wound in his abdomen.
Dr. Doerhoff arrived at the hospital with-
in forty-five minutes after the stabbing.
King’s inferior vena cava, which carries
blood from the legs, intestines, kidneys, and
liver to the heart, was lacerated in the
stabbing. Dr. Doerhoff had to massage
King’s heart with his hand in order to start
it pumping again Because of the serious-
ness of the wound, Dr. Doerhoff held the
inferior vena cava shut with his hand while
King was moved into the operating room
King was in surgery for about an hour and
fifteen minutes, during which he was given
thirteen pints of blood and twenty-four
pints of other fluids
Dr. Doerhoff testified that such a serious
injury to the inferior vena cave is fatal
ninety percent of the time The emergency
was so great that Dr Doerhoff did not
believe he had time to establish a sterile
condition and atill save King’s life. He
performed the operation on King without
wearing @ mask or cap, although he did
wear sterile surgical gloves
King was then transferred to the Univer-
sity Medical Center On March 26, 1979, he
had surgery to remedy pericarditis, an in-
flammation of the sac surrounding the
heart. King underwent surgery again on
April 3, 1979, because he had suffered s
heart attack. Various other procedures
were conducted in order to determine the
cause of an apparent infection in King's
abdomen. On April 14, 1979, King had a
fourth operation because infection prevent-
ed the scar tisave from holding one of his
knife wounds closed
King died April 28, 1979 Dr Lowery
Arnold, who performed the autopsy on
King’s body, testified that in his medical
opinion King died from a generalized infee-
tion caused by a stab wound to the abdo-
men
Investigator Lock, returning to his office
from other dutics, found appellant and the
guard who had brought him there for ques-
tioning. Investigator Lock saw red stains
-23-
ee ee
—-=eenmeuwvweoen2zoese
oon ae =S oF oe lhUrrelCUe
STATE v. BOLDER Mo. 679
Cite an, 635 S.W.2d 673 (Me. 1962)
on appellant's clothing that appeared to be
blood and saw = cut on appellant's right
index finger and smeared blood on his right
hand. Lock asked appellant if he wanted to
talk about the incident, and appellant re-
plied that he wanted to talk to Li. Leroy
Looten. Lt Looten was called and camc
within minutes. Lt Looten went into the
office, and, at appellant's request, Investi-
gator Lock left the room and closed the
door. Lt. Looten spoke with appellant icss
than a minute, probably not move than thir-
ty to forty-five seconds, and told him only
to tell the truth because it would actually
be better to do so. Appellant said he was
roady to make a statement, and thereupon
Investigator Lock was called back into the
room. Appellant was read his rights, said
he understood them, and signed a waiver
There was no evidence of any promises,
threats, or other coercion. Nor was there
any allegation that appellant did not under-
Stand the waiver he signed. Appellant
matic no statement before he was read his
rights. He refused to make a written state-
ment, but in Lt. Looten’s presence he made
an oral statement to Investigator Lock.
Appellant's oral statement was offered
only im the sentencing phase of the trial
Investig itor Lock testified that appellant
sal the wacident went back four to six
months to when King was his cell mate.
Appellant said that King knew who mur-
dered appellant's brother but would not tell
him. Frank Lindsey became appellant's cell
mate after King moved out. Thereafter,
King began harrassing appellant and telling
others that appellant and Lindsey were en-
gaging in homosexua! activities. Appellant
said he got tired of such accusations Ap-
pellant said that on March 14 he was walk-
ing to the 5 A & B building when he saw
King and another inmate sitting on the
lege They called appellant names as he
walked by, and an argument followed. Ap-
pellant said he did not like being called
2 Investigator Lock recounted at the hearing on
the motion to suppress appellant's statement
that appellant said that when he sew officers
he walked ito the 5 A & B building and tossed
the knife He said sppeilant described the
knife as 2 homemade one about ten inches long
names. He left and returned to the yard
with the plastic bag containing papers and
correspondence. He got the knife, put it in
the plastic bag, and returned to where King
was. Appellant asked King what he had
said earlier, and King called him “a pussy-
assed-nigger.” Appellant then pulled out
the knife and stabbed King?
i
{1} Appellant argues that the trial court
erred in overruling his motion for judgment
of acquittal at the close of the state's evi-
dence and in submitting the capital murder
verdict directing instruction, MAI CR2i
15.02, because there was no erelibie evi-
dence upon which the jury could have found
him guilty of (1) stabbing and cutting King,
(2) intersding to kill King, (3) knowing that
he was practically certain to cause King’s
dvath, and (4) reflecting fully and cooly
upon killing King before doing so. In as-
sessing the sufficiency of the evidence, we
must accept as truc ali evidence and infer-
ences that tend to support the verdict and
disregard all evidence and inferences to the
contrary. Our inquiry is limited to whether
the evidence, viewed in the light most fa-
vorable to the state, is sufficient to support
the verdict. State v. Turner, 623 SW. 4,
6 (Mo. banc 1981), State v. Strickland, 609
SW 2d 392, 395 (Mo. banc 1980)
[2-7] The testimony of a single witness
is sufficient to establish the identity of a
criminal defendant if the jury believes it
beyond a reasonable doubt. State v. Tuck-
er, 451 S.W.2d 91, 95 (Ma.1970); State s
Stockdale, 415 S.W.2d 769, 771 (Mo.1967),
State v. Williams, 376 S W 2d 133, 136 (Mo
1964). In this case not one witness, but
two, observed appellant standing over King
and making striking or stabbing mutions
toward King’s stomach. Apyellant wax
found wiping blood off hic hands with a
handkerchief, his clothes when he was
with 8 white shaped handle and with @ hole in
the end of the biade = This testimony, however
was not elicited during the sentencing phase of
the trial. and Investigator Lock's written re
port, which may or may not have included
these facts. was not admitied into evidence
the
———e
found were of the same type that King’s
assailant was wearing; and the stains on
his clothing were of blood of the same type
as King’s. Second, the knife wound in
King’s abdomen severed one of the major
blood vessels in the body, and “{a) killing
through the use of a deadly weapon on a
vital part of the body of the victim is suffi-
cient to permit « finding of intent to kill.”
State v. Strickland, 609 S.W.2d at 394. It
makes no difference that King died from an
infection resulting from the stabbing rsther
than from the stabbing itself. Appeilant
nevertheless is legally responsible. See
State v. Brandt, 467 S.W.2d 948, 960 (Mo.
1971), State v. Cooley, 387 S.W 7d S44, 48
(Mo.1965). Third, the jury could have
found from the seriousness of the stab
wound that appellant knew he was practi-
cally certain to cause King’s death. Final-
ly, the jury could have found beyond «
reasonable doubt that the killing occurred
after premeditation and deliberation, which
may be inferred from the circumstances of
the homicide, State v. Strickland, 609
S.W.2d at 394. Premeditation is present
whenever the defendant thinks about the
act for any length of time, id, however
short, State v. Wood, 596 S.W.2d 394, 400
(Mo. banc), cert. denied, 49 U.S. 876, 101
S.Ct. 221, 6 LEd2d 98 (1980), before he
acts. 4 finding of deliberation depends not
so much upon the time involved as upon an
inference reasonably drawn from the evi-
dence and circumstances surrounding the
act Id Appeliant’s statement was not
before the jury during the guilt phase of
the trial, but the jury nevertheless could
have found premeditation from the facts
that the attack occurred in an area not
visible from the guard towers, prisoners are
not allowed to carry weapons, and there
was no evidence of bruises on either King
or appellant that would indicate that an
altercation preceded the stabbing. Those
factors might also indicate deliberation, but,
in any event, “[w)ith evidence of provoca-
tion lacking, the previously demonstrated
intent to kill provided deliberation.” State
v. Sturdivan, 497 SW .2d 139, 142 (Mo.1973),
overruled on other grounds, State v. Ander-
gon, 515 S.W.2d 534, 542 (Mo. bane 1974).
635 SOUTH WESTERN REPORTER, 2d SERIES
The evidence was sufficient to support the
verdict.
iit
Appellant raises a number of constitu-
tional challenges to the death penalty and
to Missouri's statutory precedures for im-
posing it, all of which we find meriticss
A
{8} Appellant argues that the death sen-
tence violates the cruel and unusual punish-
ment clause of the eighth amendment and
the due process and equal protection clauses
of the fourteenth amendment of the United
States Constitution. He also argucs that it
violates the duc process clause of Art I,
§ 10, the crue! and unusual punishment
clause of Art. 1, § 21, and the “natura!
right to life” clause of Art. I, § 2 of the
Missouri Constitution. Our discussion in
State v. Newlon, 627 SW.2d 606, 612-13
(Mo. banc 1982), petition for cert. filed,
US.LW. (US. May 5, 1982) (No. 81 666),
answers al) but the equa! protection claim,
and we cannot find, and appellant does not
offer, a reason for sustaining it. We sce no
reason to accept appellant's invitation to
reconsider our previous holding
Appellant contends that the sentencing
hearing, separated from the guilt phase of
the trial, § 565.006(2), is unconstitutional
because (1) it unduly burdens his decision
whether to testify in his own behalf in
violation of the privilege against se!f-in-
crimination conferred by the fifth amend-
ment; (2) it denies him adcquate assistance
of counsel, in contravention of the sixth
amendment, because there is inadequate
time to prepare for the punishment phase
of the trial after conclusion of the guilt
phase; and (3) there is no “cooling off”
period between the guilt and punishment
phases “to permit the jurors an objective,
unbiased, unprejudice:! examination of the
factors they must consiler in assessing pun-
ishment.”
-~25-
{9} 4
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STATE v. BOLDER Mo. 68]
Cite as, 635 S.W.24 873 (Mo. 1982)
[9} Appellant argues with rezpect to the
first contention that the statute “extends
pre-sentence hearings only to those criminal
defendants charged with and convicted of
capital murder,” that it is “impossible to
predict whether an opportunity will be
available to explain or mitigate after the
guilt phase or whether [a defendant) should
testify during that phase to insure that
mitigating evidence reaches the finder of
fact,” and that a defendant “is forced to
3 The state argues that under the plain lan-
guage of § 565.006 appeiiant would be entitied
therefore, can in no way be abridged
565 006 provides
! At the conclusion of ai! trials upon an
inchctment of information for capital murder
heard by a jury, and after argument of coun
sel and proper charge from the court. the
jury shall retire to consider a verdict of guilty
or not guilty without any consideration of
guilty of any offense. in nonjury Capital
murds: cases. the court shall likewise first
consider a finding of guilty or not guilty with
Out any consideration of punishment, and by
ts verdict ascertain, whether the defendant
section | of this secuon, the court shall re-
sume the trial and conduct « presentence
hearing before the jury or judge at which
time the only issue shall be the determination
convictions and pleas. Only such evidence in
choose between his sentencing strategy and
testifying during the guilt phase in order
that the jury docs hear his story.” We fail
to see how the statute impinges upon appel-
lant's right not to. testify even if it does
indeed burden his decision whether, and
when, to testify. The facts in this case,
furthermore, do not support a theory that
the statute deprives appellant of effective
assistance of counsel! by restricting his stra-
tegic options? Appellant, convicted of cap-
posed In capital murder cases in which the
Geath penalty may be imposed by « jury or
judge sitting without « jury. the additiona!
Procedure provided in section 565.012 shail
followed. The jury. or the judge in cases
tried Dy # judge. shall fix & sentence within
the hits prescribed by law. The judge shali
impose the sentence fixed by the jury or
judge If the jury cannot, within » feasona
ble ume, agree to the punishment, the judge
shall impose sentence within the hmuits of the
law, except that. the judge shall in no in
Stance impose the death penalty when, in
cases tried by a jury, the jury cannot agree
upor the punishment
2 WM the trial court is reversed on appea!
because of error only in the Presentence
Hearing. the new trial which may be ordered
shall apply only to the :ssue of Punishment
(Emphasis added) in State v Moore, 615
SW2d 10% (Mo App 1981). the state argued
just the opposite—ie that the statute Provides
for a presentence hearing only when a defend
ant is charged with and convicted of Capatal
Mmurder—and prevasied Regardiess of whether
appetiant’s argument is meritorious, @ question
we expressly do not decide. the state's incon
MsieEncy gives us cause for concern Further
More. the state neglects to port out the
§ 565 006 was amended by H B 251. 8th Gen
Assem., ist Reg Sess . 1979 Molsws634 The
amended version became effective September
28, 1979. before the trial in this cave The
amendment changed subsection (1) to read as
follows
At the conclusion of all triels upon an indict
ment of information for capital murder heard
by @ jury. and after argument of counsel and
Proper charge from the court. the jury shall
retire to consider @ verdict of guilty or not
guilly without any consideration of purush
ment. in nonjury capital murder cases, the
court shall likewise first consider a finding of
guilty of not guilty without any consider ation
of punishment in each jury cCapeal murder
Case, the court shail not give instructions on
ony lesser included offense which could not
be supported by the evidence Presenicd in
the case
§ 565 006( 5). RSMo Supp 196! (emphasis add
€d) The amendment deicied the language of
-26-
»
»
ital murder, received a presentence hearing
and thus was given an opportunity to
present
to do so. In fact, appellant offered no
evidence at all at either the guilt or sen-
tencing phase of the trial.
{10} Both appellant's second and third
contentions concern the time between the
quilt and sentencing phases of the trial In
State v. Royal, 610 §.W.2d 946, 950 (Mo.
bane 1961), we rejected the claim that the
phases is insufficient for
a convicted defendant to prepere his argu-
. The ra-
tionale we applied in that ease applies with
equal force to appellant's third argument
than work « hardship on & defendant, the
bifureated system is ‘an extension of » high
order of the due the accused.” Id.
at 950. The United States Supreme Court
said in Gregg ’. 428 US. 153, 96
S.Cr. 2909, 49 L.Ed2d 859 (1976), that
{wJhen a human life is at stake and when
the jury must have information prejudi-
cial to the question of guilt but relevant
to the question of penalty in order to
impose & rational sentence, 8 bifurcated
system is more likely to ensure elimina-
tion of the constitutional deficiencies
identified in [Furman v. Georgia, 48 US
238, 92 S.Ci. 276, B L.Ed.2d 346 (1972) }
Id. at 191-92, 96 SCu at 2933-34. Appel-
lant concedes that “[a}rguably, the legisia-
ture need not have extended individualized
sentencing hearing? of the type established
by § 565.006" Doubtless the jury will be
less prone to impose 8 sentence under pas-
sion in a bifurcated system. in which there
ia at least some time in which it ean “cool
off.” than it would were it to impose the
635 SOUTH WESTERN REPORTER, 24 SERIES
sentence at the same time it determines
guilt.
Cc
{11,12} Appellant next contends that
the aggravating circumstance the jury
found in this case, that “{t}he capital mur-
der was committed by & person in the
lawful custody of a place of lawful
confinement,” § 565.012(2\9), is unconstitu-
tional because it subjects prisoners because
of their status as such to & more severe
penalty than it docs other members of soci-
ety.
Uniess a statute creates 8 classification
that burdens a suspect group oF impinges
upon a fundamental interest, “we will not
overturn [it] unless the varying treatment
of different groups or persons is 8° unrclat-
ed to the achievement of any combination
of legitimate purposes that we can only
conclude that the legislature's actions wer
irrational.” Vance Bradicy, 440 US. %,
97, 99 S.CL. 939, 942, 59 1. Ed.2d 171 (1979)
In short, “[uJnicss a classification trammels
fundamental personal rights or i drawn
upon inherently suspect distinctions such as
race, religion, or alicnage, our decisions pre-
sume the constitutionality of the statutory
discriminations and require only that the
classification challenged he rationally relat-
ed to « legitimate state interest " Frusl-
man v. Rogers, 440 US. 1,17, 9 SCt RST,
g98, 59 L.Ed.2d 100 (1979) (quoting City of
New Orleans v. Dukes, 4277 US. 27, WS, 9%
S.Ct 2513, 216, 49 LEd2d 511 (1976)
Prisoners have never been held to consti-
tute a suspect class Furthermore, it 1s
they whom society has deemed should be
deprived, to & significant degree, of their
liberty, and thus the classification here in-
volved cannot be said to impinge upon “fun-
« lesser inctuded offense and (hat under sub
eection (2). the language of which was un
tronale that the court of appeals articulated in
Moore, and we do not do to now Neuher do
we decide whether # would apply to the
amended version of § 565.006
@27-
a
d
le
le a i ee el ae Me ee: a ee ee a ae
STATE v. BOLDER
Mo. 682
Cite an, 635 S.W.24673 (Mo. 1962)
damental personal rights.” The rational re-
lationship standard is therefore the appro-
priate one by which to gauge the constitu-
tionality of § 565.012(2\9), and under this
test the statute passes muster. The United
States Supreme Court has noted that be-
sides the “two principal social purposes” of
capital punishment, “retribution and deter-
rence of capital crimes by prospective of-
fenders,” a third purpose “is the incapacita-
tion of dangerous criminals and the conse-
quent prevention of crimes that they may
otherwise commit in the future.” Gregg v.
Georgia, 428 U.S. at 183 & n.28, 96 S.Ct at
2923 & n2B The latter is one purpose
underlying § 565.012(2X9). In this case ap-
pellant was already serving a life sentence
for first degree murder. That sentence did
not deter him from committing a second
murder. The legislatere, in adopting
§ 565.012(2X9), reasonably could have con-
cluded that the death penalty is appropriate
when imprisonment already imposed does
not deter capital murder. The imposition
of capital punishment is rationally related
to the state's cbvicusly legitimate interests
in preventing crime and protecting other
persons, such as prison employees and other
inmates, with whorn prisoners come in con-
Lact.
{13} For this reason we also reject ap-
pellant's contention that the jury exceeded
the scope of its charge when, after finding
the aggravating circumstances that “the de-
fendant has » prior criminal conviction for
murder in the first degree” * and that “at
the time of the murder of Theron King the
defendant was in the [lJawful custody of a
place of confinement,”* it opined that it
“appears the life sentence [that appellant
was already serving) was no detcrant [sic]
to further crime.” The jury's excess verbi-
age was not, as appellant argues, an at-
tempt to find another aggravating circum-
stance. It was, rather, nothing more than
the jury's expression of the rationale under-
lying the statutory aggravating cireum-
stance that it already had found.
4 This is @ nonsistutory aggravating circum-
@ance that the jury could consider under
$ 5465 012(1M3)
D
Appellant argues that § 565.012 is uncon-
stitutional because (1) subsection (14),
which requires the sentencing authority to
consider “whether a sufficient mitigating
cireumstance or circumstances exist which
outweigh the aggravating circumstance or
circumstances found to exist,” impermissi-
bly places the burden on the defendant to
negate the aggravating circumstances; (2)
the jury is not required to find beyond a
reasonabic doubt that the aggravating cir-
cumstances outweigh the mitigating cir-
cumstances, and (3) the application of the
statutory aggravating circumstances in sul)-
section (2) creates a new crime for which a
defendant can be convicted without first
being charged
{14) Appellant's argument with respect
to the burden of proof is misconceived. The
existence of one or more aggravating cir-
cumstances not outweighed by the mitigat-
ing circumstances does not mean that, the
death penalty must be imposed automatical-
ly. The jury's finding that one or more
Statutory aggravating circumstances exist
is the threshold requirement that must be
met before the jury can, after considering
all the evidence, recommend the death sen-
tence. The jury cannot impose death if it
finds that the mitigating circumstances out-
weigh the aggravating circumstances, but
that situation is the only one in which the
punishment is mandated. Under no circum-
stances is the jury obliged to impose death
“The jury is not required to find any miti-
galing circumstance in order to make a
recommendation of mercy that is binding
on the trial! court, but it must find a
statulory aggravating circumstance before
recommending a sentence of death.”
Gregg v. Georgia, 428 US. at 197, 96 S.Ct
at 2936. Indeed, the jury was instructed in
Instruction No. 21 that “[e}ven if you decide
that a sufficient mitigating circumstance or
S& This is s statutory aggravating circumstance
§ 565.012(2M9), that the jury could consider
under § 565.012(1 1)
-28-
684 Mo.
circumstances do not exist which outweigh
the aggravating circumstance or circum-
stances found to exist, you are not com-
pelled to fix death as the punishment.”
[15] We do not believe, as appellant con-
tends, that the Constitution requires that
the jury find beyond a reasonable doubt
that the aggravating circumstances out-
weigh the mitigating circumstances. Guilt
must of course be established beyond a rea-
sonable doubt. In re Winship, $97 U.S. 358,
90 S.Ct. 1868, 25 L.Ed.2d 368 (1970). So
also must the statutory aggravating cir-
cumstance or circumstances upon which the
jury bases its recommendation of death.
§ 565.012(1X4). See Gregg v. Georgia, 47
US ai 196-97, 96 S.Ct. at 2036. The impo-
sition of punishment, however, is not a mat-
ter resolved by the determination of fact
alone. Jt is a more subjective process in
which “there [must} be taken into account
the circumstances of the offense together
with the character and propensiiies of the
offender.” Id at 189, 96 S.Ct at 2032
(quoting Pennsylvania ex rel. Sullivan
Ashe, 302 U.S. 51, 55, 58 S.Ct. 59, 60, 82
L.Ed. 43 (1937)). It suffices to say that in
Proffit v. Florida, 428 US. 242, 50-53,
257-58, 96 S.Ct. 2060, 2965-67, 2969, 49
L.Ed.2d 913 (1976), the United States Su-
preme Court thoroughly considered this
statutory balancing process and found no
constitutional infirmity. The Court stated
that
{while the various factors to be con-
sidered by the sentencing authorities do
not have numerical weights assigned to
them, the requirements of Furman ere
satisfied when the sentencing authority's
discretion is guided and channeled by re-
quiring examination of specific factors
that argue in favor of or against imposi-
tion of the death penalty, thus eliminat-
ing tota! arbitrariness and capriciousness
in its imposition
The directions given to judge and jury
by the statute are sufficiently clear
and precise to enable the various aggra-
vating circumstances to be weighed
agsinst the mitigating ones. As a result,
6 Cwrently, 17 men are on death row im the
635 SOUTH WESTERN REPORTER, 2d SERIES
the trial court's sentencing discretion is
guided and chaancled by a system that
focuses on the circumstances of each indi-
vidual homicide and individual defendant
in deciding whether the death penalty is
to be impoaed.
Id. at 258, 96 S.Ct. at 2969.
{16} We therefore also reject appellant's
argument that the application of the statu-
tory aggravating circumstances creates 8
new crime for which appellant can be oon-
vieted without first being charged. Appel-
lant argues that capital murder for which
the death penalty can be imposed is “a
crime separate from capital murder with
the penalty of life in prison and fifty years
without parole.” That analysis is flawed
The crime—capital murder—is the same in
both instances. The existence of aggravat-
ing or mitigating circumstances relates not
to guilt but to the punishment therefor
E
Appellant argues that § 565.014 is uncon-
stitutions! (1) because the lack of similar
cases in Miascuri gives this Court no stan-
dard by which to determine under subscc-
tion (3X3) “[w]hether the sentence of death
is excessive or disproportionate to the pen-
alty imposed in similar cases, considering
both the crime and the defendant”; and (2)
because subsections (3) and (5) do not re-
quire this Court “to consider all murder
cases wherein the defendent had, at any
point in the proceedings, been charged or
chargeable with capital murder™ ans there
therefore is no adequate standard of re-
view
{17} Appellant's argument with respect
to the first contention is that “only seven
persons in the State of Missouri have been
assessed the death penalty and in no case
are the facts similar to those in the case at
bar.”* This argument presupposes that we
can consider only those cases in which the
death penalty has been imposed under the
law effective May 26, 1977. Such is not the
case. Our concern is that there be “even-
handed, rational, and consistent imposition
Missouri State Penttentiary
-29-
8
STATE v. BOLDER
Mo. 685
(Cite as, 635 S.W.26673 (Ma 1982)
of death sentences under law.” Jurek v.
Texas, 428 U.S. 262, 276, 96 S.Ct. 2950, 2958,
49 L.Ed.2d 929 (1976). Our inquiry would
be unduly slanted were we to only
those cases in which the death penalty has
been imposed. We therefore can consider
as similar “[\Jhose cases in which both death
and life imprisonment were submitted to
the jury.” State v. Mercer, 618 S.W.2d 1,
11 (Mo. banc), cert. denied, —— U.S. ——,
102 S.Ct. 432, 70 L.Ed2d 260 (1981) See
Gregg v. Georgia, 428 U.S. at 204 0.56, 96
S.Ct. at 2939 n.56. Included are those cases
that have been affirmed on appeal, State v.
Mercer, 618 S.W.2d at 11, and those that
have been reversed if the reversal was pred-
icated upon the disproportionality of the
sentence, e.g, State v. Mclivoy, 629 S W.2d
SSS (Mo. banc 1982}, We may also consider
eases pending before this Court in order to
determine what penalties juries have im-
posed in factually similar situations See
State v. Williams, 392 So.2d 619, 626 (La
"1980), State v. Williams, 205 Neb 56. 75,
287 N.W.2d 18, 29 (1979), cert. denied, 449
US 891, 101 SCt 255, 66 LEd2d 120
(1980), Appellant's argument, carried to its
logical conclusion, would mean that our cap-
ital punishment statute was unconstitution-
al from the instant it became effective be-
cause at that point there were no similar
cases for comparison.’ We cannot sccept
this rationale.
[18] Neither do we accept the argument
that we must consider all murder cases in
which the defendant had at some point in
the proceedings been charged or chargeable
with capital murder. The Supreme Court
in Gregg rejected an analogous claim of
unconstitutionality based on “the opportu-
nities for discretionary action that are in-
7. The United Sistes Supreme Court has found
mo constituuona! infirmity in the companson of
cases decided under old capital punishment
a This was implick in our decision in State v
Mercer, 618 SW246 1 (he banc 1981) in
herent in the processing of any murder
case” because “[njothing _. Suggests that
the decision to afford an individual defend-
ant mercy violates the Constitution.” 428
US. at 199, 96 S.Ct at 2937. Relevant
cases for a review of the *ppropriatencss of
the sentence are those in which the judge or
jury first found the defendant guilty of
capital murder and thereafter chose be-
tween death or life imprisonment without
the possibility of parole for at least fifty
years.* Our comparison therefore need not
include cases such as those in which the
state chose not to charge a defendant with
capital murder, the state agreed to a plea
bargain whereby a defendant pled guilty to
& lesser charge, the conviction was for an
offense less than capital murder, or the
state waived the death penalty.
F
{19} Appellant's final challenge to the
constitutionality of the system is that the
bifurcated capital murder procedure denies
him equa! protection of the laws. His argu-
ment is that he is charged with capital
murder, « decision wholly within the prose-
cutor's discretion, and thus is subject to the
bifurcated process; that his prior convic-
tions and other aggravating circumstances
thus can be used against him; that the trial
court is required to instruct the jury on
second degree murder and manslaughter as
lesser offenses included within capital mur-
der, that defendants charged with secon!
degree murder or manslaughter are not
subject Lo the bifurcated process and cannot
have prior convictions and aggravating cir-
cumstances used against them, and that
therefore appellant bears a greater burden
than do defendants charged with second
degree murder or manslaughter
Mercer a majority of the Court rejected Judge
Seiler's argument im dissent that ~ sarrular
cases” within the meaning of § 565.0143)
encompasses “all cases in which the state
-30-
.
This argument is spurious. Appellant
was convicted of capital murder, not second
degree murder or manslaughter. He makes
no contention that the capitzi murder sen-
tencing procedure is applied differently
‘among defendants convicted of that of-
fense. Whether defendants charged with
capital murder but convicted of a lesser
offense are denied equs! protection of no
concern to him whatsoever’ His equa! pro-
tection rights have not been abridged.
IV
Appellant next makes three arguments
concerning questions the prosecutor asked
veniremen about their views on the death
penalty and the trial court's dismissal of
one venirewoman for cause.
{20} Appellant first contends that the
trial court commitied consiiiuiional error
when it overruled his motion to prohibit the
prosecutor from asking jurors whether they
objected to ag opposed capita! punishment.
He argues that allowing the state to chal-
lenge for cause or peremptorily strike ve-
niremen opposed to the death penalty will
produce a jury that is conviction, rather
than death penalty, prone. We rejected
this argument in State v. Mercer, 618
S.W.2d at 7-8, and State v. Mitchell, 611
§.W.2d 223, 229 (Mo. banc 1981). Neverthe-
less, appellant, citing Griggs v. Mabry, 637
F.2d 525 (8th Cir. 1980), requests for the
first time on appeal that he be granted an
evidentiary hearing to show that his death-
qualified jury was biased toward conviction
and that he thereby was prejudiced. The
Supreme Court in Witherspoon v. Iilinois,
$91 U.S. 510, 517, 88 S.Ct. 1770, 1774, B
L.Ed.2d 776 (1968), noted that evidence is
“too tentative and fragmentary to establish
that jurors not opposed to the death penalty
tend to fevor the prosecution in the deter-
mination of guilt.” Since Witherspoon sev-
eral scholars have conducted empirical stu-
dies in an atiempt to prove or disprove the
® We intimate no view on whether all defend
ants charged with, or only those convicted of,
capital murder are subject to the bifurcated
procedure. See nate 3 supra
635 SOUTH WESTERN REPORTER, 2¢ SERIES
hypothesis. As we recently noted, however,
“(t}he studies . are not conclusive.”
State v. Mercer, 618 S.W.2d at 7-8. Since
we have before us neither evidence of nor
allegation of other evidence of jury bias, we
deny his request for an evidentiary hearing.
{21} Appellant next argues that the tri-
al court violated Witherspoon in overruling
his motion in limine because the prosecutor
thus was allowed to ask questions not aimed
at exposing an “unmistakably clear predis-
position or irrevocable opposition” to capital
punishment that “makes it impossible for a
juror to make « finding of guilt regardless
of the evidence presented.” Witherspoon
applics to the answers elicited from venire-
men rather than the questions asked on voir
dire. Furthermore, nothing in Witherspoon
indicates that a venireman may be excused
for cause only if his view of the death
penalty would prevent him from ever re-
turning a verdict of guilty. The Supreme
Court in Witherspoon stated, rather, that
veniremen may be excused for cause if they
make “anmistakably clear that their
attitude toward the death penalty woul!
prevent them from making an impartial
decision a3 to the defendant's guilt.” 39)
US. at 522-23 nm 21, 8 S.Ct. at 1776 77
n.21 (some emphasis added). Sec also Ad-
ams v. Texas, 48 US. 38, 45, 100 S.Ct
2521, 2526, 65 L.Ed.2d 581 (1980) (“[t}he
State may insist that jurors will con-
sider and decide the facts impartially”)
{22} We also reject appellant's third
contention that the trial court erred in ex-
cluding for cause one member of the jury
panel. After venirewoman Bealmer indi-
cated her scruples against capital punish-
ment, the following occurred
{PROSECUTOR} Would the fact that
the death penalty is there, would that
affect your ability to judge the facts?
VENIRE] WOMAN) BEALMER
Ye"
1@. The entire colloquy was as follows
(PROSECUTOR)
The judge told you the charge here is mur
Ger, the charge of capital murder that has
been lodged against the defendant Martsay
eSia
(Emph.
court,
sustain
cause.
The qu
was ur
ward t
could n
impart
Apjn
erred 3
and in
and pt
guard |
not giv
appear:
Live jur
{23}
Atac
orally |
interval
males
pointer
pellant
dence |
denied
would
tial wil
ble for
We ca
‘s 2
EFES
ba]
o
QF7ERS IEE
as
“"y
(Emphasis added.) Thereafter the trial
court, without objection from appellant,
sustained the prosccutor’s challenge for
cause. We find no Witherspoon violation.
The question was specific, and the answer
was unequivocal. Because of her view to-
ward the death penalty, the venirewoman
could not have determined appellant's guilt
impartially.
v
Appellant contends that the trial court
erred in refusing to grant « continuance
and in forcing him to go to trial in chains
and prison clothing and with an armed
guard at his side. He argues that he was
not given time to calm dow: and that his
appearance in such a condith prejudiced
the jury against him.
{23} Appellant's trial began May 5, 1980
At « conference before voir dire, appellant
orally requested @ continuance in order to
interview four potential witnesses, ali in-
nates in the penitentiary. Appellant's ap-
pointed counse! stated that he had told ap-
peiiant thai sppeliani would preseni av evi-
dence until at least May 6. The trial court
denied the continuance and indicated that it
would issue subpoenas for the four poten-
tial witnesses so that they would be availa-
ble for interviewing the morning of May 6
We cannot say that the trial court abused
Bolder. | indicate to you right now we mend
to seek the death penalty on the case is
there anyone here on the first row who be
cause of ether religious of moral scruples
against the death penalty you don't think you
would be able to find someone guilty on the
charge of capita! murder?
VENIRE[WOMAN] BEALMER Yes
[PROSECUTOR] Let me ask you again.
you indicate that because of scrupies egainst
the death penalty you don't beleve you could
find someone guilty of capital murder?
VENIREIWOMAN) BEALMER 1! don’
think so
(PROSECUTOR) Wf the State of Missou
the issue is presented to the jury the
jury stil has to assess the death penalty or
ife imprisonment. Kaowmng that, 60 you
think « would interfere with your sbility to
judge the fects on the guilt stage of capital
STATE v. BOLDER Mo. 687
. Clee as, 635 S.W 26673 (Mo. 1962)
the sound discretion it has in determining
whether to grant a continuance in a crimi-
nal case. See State v. Oliver, 572 S.W.2d
440, 445 (Mo. banc 1978).
(24,25) The trial court also has discre-
tion whether to order a defendant re-
straincd whenever it is necessary to main-
tain order and security in the courtroom
Illinois v. Allen, 397 U.S. 337, 343, 90 S.Ct
1057, 1060, 25 L.Ed.2d 853 (1970); State v.
Richaris, 467 S.W 2d 33, 38 (Mo.1971). Giv-
en appellant's recalcitrance, the trial court
was justified in ordering appcilant bound
Appellant, upset with the trial court's re-
fusal to grant the continuance and to re-
move appellant's appointed counsel, over-
turned a library table in the pretrial confer-
ence and scuffied with guards approximate-
ly five minutes; knocked over his chair in
the courtroom while attempting to rise and
had to be sulxiued by guards; resisted Le-
ing placed in his chair and required four
guards to hold him; and continually assert-
ed that he would not remain in the court-
room. The ivial court repeatedly wii ap
pellant that he would not be bound if he
promised to behave. He did not. Appel-
lant contends, nevertheless, that he should
not have been shackled past the first day of
trial. Given appellant's actions, and the
fact that appellant had been convicted of
VENIRE[ WOMAN] BEALMER Do I have
to answer yes or no?
[PROSECUTOR] You have to answer as
best you can and as truthful as you can
VENIRE[WOMAN] BEALMER Well that
is bad. I don't like death. bur —
(PROSECUTOR) Let me ask you this Do
you think, knowing that if your verdict is
based on the fact that the death penalty is
there in the background. do you think that
would interfere with your ability to pudge the
facts, would you impose # burden of proof
greater on me if the death penalty—
[DEFENSE COUNSEL) 1 object, he is be
gnning (o argue with the juror
THE COURT Sustained
(PROSECUTCR) Would the fact that the
Geath penalty is there. would that affect your
ability to podge the facts?
VENIRE[WOMAN] BEALMER Yes
(Emphasis added )
-32-
688 Mo.
one murder and was on trial for another,
the trial court could reasonably have be-
lieved that another disturbance might be
forthcoming if appellant were not bound.
Furthermore, there was no evidence of
prejudice." The trial court did not abuse
its discretion.
[26] Appellant was not compelied to ap-
pear before the jury in identifiable prison
clothing. See Estelle v. Williams, 425 US.
601, 96 S.Ct 1691, 48 L.Ed2d 126 (1976).
Appellant was offered civilian clothing, but
he said there was none his size and that he
was “not going to put no small clothes on.”
At another point before the trial the court
asked appellant whether he wished to put
on civilian clothing before he went into the
courtroom, and appellant, nonresponsive,
replied, “I am not going in the courtroom #
Appellant at no time objected to wearing
prison clothing during the trial “[T)he
failure to make an objection to the court as
to being tried in such clothes, for whatever
reason, is sufficient to negate the presence
of compulsion necessary to establish a con-
stitutional violation.” Id. at 512-13, 9
S.Ct. at 1696-97. Appellant cannot now be
heard to complain.
vi
Appellant next argues that the trial court
erred in admitting State's Exhibit No. 18,
the knife allegedly used to stab Theron
King, and State's Exhibit No. 9, « photo-
graph thereof. He contends that there was
no evidence tending to prove that the knife
had ever been in his possession or that it
had been used to inflict the deadly wounds.
it. The jurors questioned under oath during the
hearing on the motion for new trial stated that
they had not discussed the facts that appellant
wes shackled and an armed guard wss present
and that those fects did not influence their
decision The four venirewomen who indicated
on voir dire that the presence of the guard
would affect their impartiality did not serve on
the jury
12. Dr. Kwei Lee Su, « Missouri State Highway
Patrol forensic serologist, testified that Theron
635 SOUTH WESTERN REPORTER, 24 SERIES
(27, 28] Demonstrable evidence is admis-
sible “if it throws any relevant light upon a
materia! matter at ixsuc,” State v. Murphy,
592 S.W.2d 727, 730 (Mo. banc 1979), or if it
“tends to establish any fact in issue or ..
aid the jury in any way in arriving at a
correct verdict,” State v. Holmes, 609
§.W.2d 132, 136 (Mo. banc 1980). “Articles,
instruments and weapons that have a tend-
ency to explain the manner in which
crime was committed that are found at or
near the scene of the crime subsequent to
the commission of a crime are gencrally
admissible.” State v. Neal, 591 S.W.2d 178,
180 (Mo.App.1979). The trial court has dis-
eretion whether to admit or exclude demon-
strable evidence. State v. Murphy, 592
S.W.2d at 730
{29-31} It is true that none of the wit-
nesses who testified at trial ever saw the
knife in appellant's possession. Neverthe-
less, there is evidence linking appellant to
the knife and linking both ajpellant and the
knife to the attack. Appellant was seen
standing over King and making stabling
motions toward his stomach. Appellant
was later found in the 5 A & B building
wiping blood off his hands. The knife was
found in a room off the hall in 5 A & B
building that was fiftcen to twenty fect
from the doors appellant was seen entering
The stec! doors to the room in which the
knife was found were padiocked, but the
geven-eighths inch space between the floor
and the bottom of the doors was large
enough for the knife to slide through
There were no detectible fingerprints on
the knife, but the knife when found was
still wet with blood that matched the blood
of the victim, and the blood on appellant's
clothes matched that of the vietim.? This
also testified that King’s blood contained factor
PGM) PGMi. an enzyme, is inherited indepen
dently of the ABO system and thus is 8 further
discriminating genetic factor See State ¥
Rolls, 389 A226 624 (Me 1978) The bieod on
appellant's clothing was type © and contained
factor PGMi «Dr Kwei was able to determine
that the blood on the knife wes type 0, but
because of the small quantity she was unable
to test 4 for factor PGMi Appellant argues,
therefore, that “jtjhe most this knife could rep
resent is only that there are knives in the pris
otBu
2a eee @ ste eo
—_——_—-
ee
STATE v. BOLDER Mo. 689
Cite as, 635 SW 24673 (Me. 1962)
evidence linked appellant with the knife
sufficiently to justify admission of the knife
and the photograph into evidence.” The
trial court did noi abuse its discretion.
vu
Appellant contends that the trial court
erred in overruling his motion to suppress
the oral statement that he made to Investi-
gator Lock the afternoon of the stabbing.
He claims (1) that the oral statement was
made after he had refused to make a writ-
ton statement and after he had already cut
off interrogation with one officer; (2) that
he made the statement under duress and
coercion and was not advised of his right to
remain silent; and (3) that he made no
knowing and intelligent waiver of his right
to remain silent and that the trial court
failed to find that his statement was volun-
tary
Appellant's view of the facts is contrary
to the uncontradicted testimony elicited at
the suppression hearing. Appeliant bascs
his first argument upon the statement in
Miranda v. Arizona, 384 U.S. 436, 86 S.Ct.
1602. 16 L.Ed. 2d @B4 (1966), that
{o]nce warnings have been given, the
subsequent procedure is clear. If the in-
dividual indicates in any manner, at any
Ume prior to or during questioning, that
he wishes to remain silent, the interroga-
tion must cease. At this point he has
shown that he intends to exercise his
Fifth Amendment privilege{.}
Id. at 473-74, 86 S.Ct at 1627 (footnote
omitted) Yet the uncontradicted testimo-
ny showed that when Investigator Lock
told appellant that he wanted to talk with
him about the stabbing, appellant replied
that he wanted to talk with Lt Looten
on with the same blood type as Theron King. a
blood type which is experienced by approx:
mately 45% of the United States population “
This objection of remoteness, however, goes to
the weight to be accorded the evidence rather
than to its edrmissibility, because this evidence
iS Hot SO remote that & is entirely without
materiality. State v. Feger. 340 S.W2d 716,
725-26 (Mo 1960)
13. Appellant makes no argument o4 appeal
that admission of the photograph was cumuls
aSée
Appellant at that point would not speak
with Investigator Lock, but his statement
cannot be construed as an indication that he
desired to remain silent. He wanted in-
stead to speak with another officer.
{32} Appellant was advised of his rights
and made a knowing and intelligent waiver
of his right to remain silent. After speak-
ing with Lt. Looten, appellant said he was
ready to make a statement, and Investiga-
tor Lock thereupon was summoned hack
into the room. Appellant was read his
rights, said he understood them, and signe:
the waiver. There was nw coercion by the
authorities, Lt Laoten testified that ajyw'-
lant was not shackled during Vie interruga-
tion, and Investigator Lock testified that no
promises were made and that appellant was
hot beaten, struck, or otherwise threatened
or coerced.” Appellant's refusal to make «
written statement has in this situation no
bearing on the voluntariness of his ora!
statement. Investigator Lock testified that
appellant “said he would not [make @ writ.
ten statement], he did not like to give writ-
ten statements and he just as soon tu!
Lieutenant Looten and I what occurred and
leave it at that.” The trial court in overrul-
ing the motion to suppress implicitly found
that the statement was voluntary, see State
v. Royal, 610 S.W.2d at 949, and the record
supports that finding. The trial court did
not err in overruling the motion to sup-
press
Vill
Section 565.014(1) mandates that we re-
view the death sentence when it is imposed
Having found no error among appellant's
assignments of error, we turn to a consider-
ation of the punishment.
Section 565.014(3) provides
tive and thus error We therefore do not ad
Gres* this question
14. Appeliant testified for the first ume at the
hearing on hus motion for new trial that Invest:
Bator Lock slapped him approximately five
Umes, struck him four times with @ stick or
wooden table or chair leg. and cut his hand
Gurimg the interrogation He also testified
however, that his “hand got cut on the fence or
wall”
With regard to the sentence, the supreme
court shall determine:
(1) Whether the sentence of death was
imposed under the influence of passion,
prejudice, or any other arbitrary factor;
and
(2) Whether the evidence supports the
jury's or judge's finding of a statutory
aggravating circumstance as enumerated
4n section 565.012; and
(3) Whether the sentence of death is
excessive or disproportionate to the pen-
ally imposed in similar cases, considering
both the erime and the defendant
{33} Our review of the entire record
convinces us that the sentence was not im-
posed under the influence of passion, preju-
dice, or any other arbitrary factor
Section 565.012(2K9) provides as a statu-
tory aggravating circumstance that “[t}he
capita) murder was committed by @ person
in ... the lawful custody of a ... place of
lawful confinement.” The jury % found.
There is no contention in this case that
appellant was not an inmate at the Missouri
State Penitentiary at the time of the mur-
der.
Our final consideration ie whether the
death penalty, taking into account both the
crime and the defendant, is excessive or
disproportionate to the penalty imposed in
similar cases. Since the enactment of our
current capital murder statute, § $65.001,
this Court has reviewed and affirmed only
two death sentences. State v. Newlon, 627
S.W2d 606 (Mo. bane 1982), petition for
cert. filed, US.L.W., (U.S. May 5, 1982) (No
81-6660), State v. Mercer, 618 SW2d |
(Mo. banc), cert. denied, — US. ——, 102
S.Ct. 482, 70 L.Ed 2d 260 (1981). We have
reversed one death sentence because of its
disproportionality. State v Melivoy, 629
16%. We consider these cases only to ascertain
what punishment juries have imposed in factu-
ally sumdlar cases in so doing we intimate No
view concerning their ultumate dsposrson
presents @ unique problem
mandatory imposition of the death penalty
635 SOUTH WESTERN REPORTER, 2d SERIES
S.W.Sd 333 (Mo. banc 1982). In addition to
Newlon and Mercer, we have affirmed
twelve capital cases in which the choice of
death or life imprisonment without psmsibl-
ity of parole for fifty years was submitte!
to the jury. State v. Greathouse, 627
S.W.2d 592 (Mo.1982), State v. Bostic, 625
§.W.2d 128 (Mo.1981); State v. Thomas, 625
S.W.2d 115 (Mo.1981); State v. Emerson,
623 S.W.2d 252 (Mo.1981), State v. Turner,
623 S.W.2d 4 (Mo. bane 1981), State v
Jensen, 621 S.W 2d 263 (Mo.1981); State +
Baskerville, 616 S.W.2d 829 (Mw.19%1)
State v. Mitchell, 611 S.W.24 224 (Mo, bane
1081); State v. Williams, 611 S Wal
(Mo. bane 1981), State v Royal, 610 8.W 2d
946 (Mo. banc 1981); State v Borden, @5
S W 2d 88 (Mo. banc 1980); State v. Downs,
$93 S.W.2d 535 (Mo. 1980)
(34) This is the first case we have re-
viewed in which the jury imposed the death
penalty after finding as 8 statutory aggra-
vating circumstance that the defendant was
lawfully confined at the time of the mur-
der. Two other such cases are pending
before us, and in both of those the jury
imposed the death penalty. State v. Show,
No. 62679 (Mo. banc argued May 17, 1982),
State v. Trimble, No. €2522 (Me bane ar-
gued Sept. 15, 1981)" Alter considering
these cases and those cited above, we con-
clude that the death penalty imposed in this
case is neither cacessive nor disproportion-
ate to the punishment imposed in similar
cases. The life sentence that appellant
already serving for first degree murder did
not deter appellant from committing still
another murder. The imposition of yet an-
other life sentence would serve no purpose
other than to signal that there is no real
cost for prvoncrs who kill while in confine-
ment.”
Roberts v. Louisiana, 428 US 325, 34 09, 96
S.Ct 3001, 3006 n9, 49 LEd2d 974 (1976)
Greag v. Georgia, 428 US 153, 186, 96 SCI
2009, 2931, 49 L Ed.2¢ 859 (1976) See Locket!
¥ Ohio, 438 U.S 586. 604 0.11, 96 SCi. 2954,
2064 nil, 57 LEd2d¢ 973 (1978), Roberts »
Louisiana, 43) US. 633, 637 9.5, 97 S.Ct. 1995
1905 a5. 52 L Ed2¢ 637 (1977), Woodson +
North Carolina, 428 US. 280, 287 1.7, 292-93
-35-
el
BIA VY. tare —— wee
Cite a6, 635 S.W.26 673 (Mo. 1962)
The judgment is affirmed.
Date of execution set for August 20,
1982.
DONNELLY, C. J., and RENDLEN,
MORGAN and HIGGINS, JJ., concur.
SEILER, J., dissents in separate dissent-
ing opinion filed.
BARDGETT, J., dissents and concurs in
scparate dimenting opinion of SEILER, J.
SEILER, Judge, dissenting
1 respectfully dissent as to the review of
the death sentence. In my opinion the sen-
tence of death is excessive and dispropor-
tionate in this case.
As the pvincipal opinion points out, this is
the first case we have reviewed in which
the jury imposed the death penalty sfter
finding as a statutory aggvavating circum-
stance that the defendant was lawfully con-
fined at the time of the murder. The prin-
cipal opinion, however, takes into considera-
tioh two other such cases pending before us,
State v. Shaw, No. 62679 and State v. Trim-
ble, No. 62523, but says nothing as to their
facts, an aspect which is essential in deter-
mining whether they are similar to the
present case. Based on the briefs and the
oral arguments before this court in these
two cases, there was evidence in the record
supporting the verdicts as follows
In Trimble, the defendant was in jail,
charged with sodomy, rape, sexual abuse in
the first degree and kidnapping of two nine
year old girls, He was a large man, six
feet, one inch in height, weighing 210
pounds. The victim, whom | will refer to
only by his first name, Jerry, was age 20,
five feet, ten inches in height, weight 145
pounds, quiet, shy, mentally slow, and
“scared to death”. He was in jail on 8
charge of auto theft. Trimble would pinch,
tease, and harass Jerry and when Jerry was
askeep would put lighted matches between
his tocs. Trimble declared he wanted Jerry
as his “punk”, ie, homosexually; further,
that he did not want to go to prison on the
charges involving the two young girls be-
n.25, 96 S.Ct. 2978, 2963 n.7, 2985 125, 49
cause other prisoners did not like persons
who committed crimes of that kind and to
avoid this problem he intended to commit a
capital murder.
He forced Jerry to don « bra, punched
him, and repeatedly forced him to submit to
oral and anal sex acts, forced him to kiss
others, and to display a rag which had been
stuffed in his anus, burned initials into his
arm, referred to him an his “woman” and
foreed Jerry to write « suicide note to his
parents. Later Trimble gagged Jerry with
a towel, told him they were going to play
“hangman's game”, looped a knotted towel
around his neck, set his knees against Jer-
ry's back and proceeded to choke the victim
to death over a period of fifteen minutes,
breaking one of the neck vertebrac in the
process. Trimble then attempted to make
the death appear as « suicide, and forced
the other jail inmates to agree to tell the
guards it wax « suicide on penalty of the
same thing happening to them
In Shaw, the defendant, serving a life
sentence for first degree murder, intended
to kill one of the guards, officer Clinton
Wyrick, Use uncle of the warden. Shaw
entered the vegetable room, seized two
butcher knives, and, without warning,
plunged one into the side of the officer
(Farrow) who was in charge of the knives,
killing him (Farrow died within the hour
from loxs of blood). Shaw then went in
search of officer Wyrick, found him in the
commissary, attacked Wyrick with both
butcher knives, the attack lasting 30 to 45
seconds, with numerous wounds on Wyrich’s
arms, chest and stomach. Wyrick took Uhir-
teen months to recuperate
Any murder is serious and reprehensille
but the munier in the present case i hanlly
comparable in viciousness or extremes to
the murders in the Trimble and Shaw cases
The main similarity is that the instant cam
also occurred in a place of confinement. If
the murder in the present case had occurrer
in a taverr, or on 8 parking lot or elsewhere
outside the prison walls, by someone not in
confinement, there would have been no rva-
L.Ed 20 944 (1976)
~~" Ss
692 Mo.
sonable likelihood, in my opinion, of the
prosecutor being able to obtain a capital
murder conviction, much less the death pen-
alty. It would work out as a second degree
murder case.
In addition to the Trimble and Shaw
cases above, the principal opinion considers
the two cases where the death sentence has
been affirmed (Newlon and Mercer), one
case where the death sentence has been
reversed because of disproportionality
(Melivoy), and twelve capital cases where
the jury affixed punishment at life impris-
onment without possibility of parole for fif-
ty years rather than death.
This is like trying to compare apples and
oranges. None of the twelve cases involved
persons in lawful confinement. Without
exception the killings in the twelve cases
“were far more extreme and horrendous
than here and, finally, even so in none of
the twelve was the death penalty inflicted.
To the extent the eases are comparable they
demonstrate that the death penalty in the
present case is excessive and disproportion-
ate.
The same is true of the killings in the
Newlon, Mercer and Mclivoy cases. None
involved persons in confinement and each
of those killings is far more extreme and
horrendous than that in the present case,
yet even in these instances, in one case—
Melivoy —ihe death penaliy was declared
excessive and disproportionate. If that
were true in Mcllvoy, it certainly w true
here.
The rca! rationale of the principal opinion
lies in the belief that anything jess than
death for this defendant would be no more
than a slap on the wrist, as he is slready
serving a life sentence for first degree mur-
der. This assume, that this particular de-
fendant would aciually have served for life
under his first degree murder charge, an
assumption which has no factual basis
It is common knowledge that today “life”
imprisonment is a misnomer! Only s small
percentage of inmates with life sentences
1. According to the 35th Annual Report of the
Missouri Board of Probation and Parole 5
635 SOUTH WESTERN REPORTER, 24 SERIES —
serve for life. Most inmates in the peniten-
tiary ere discharged, either because they
have completed their sentence or (and this
makes up the majority of the cases) because
they are paroled. Of those sentenced to life
imprisonment who are paroled, the average
length of time served ir prison is some-
where between fifteen and sixteen years
It is much different, of course, with re-
spect to a capital murder life sentence, as
that is for life without possibility of parole
for fifty years. A capital murder defend-
ant under that sort of life uentence knows
that he must serve a minimum of fifty
years. Not so, however for the inmate
serving the ordinary type of life sentence
Defendant was sentenced to life impris-
onment in 1974. Although he stabbed in-
mate King in 1979, it does not follow that
until that time he had not conducted him-
self in accordance with the prison rules and
regulations and had caused no trouble
There is nothing in the record to the con-
trary. He may have been one of those
serving a life sentence who otherwise would
have been paroled in due course. How can
it be said then that the imposition of anoth-
er life sentence upon him, this time without
possibility of parole for fifty years, amounts
to no more than a signa! “that there is no
real cost for prisoners who kill while in
confinement” and that nothing less than
death amounis to more than a slap on the
wrist?
There is no evidence before us to support
\de assumption that only the death sentence
could serve as a deterrent to this particular
defendant or others in his class. I am un-
willing to make the assumption which the
principal opinion has to make in order to
affirm the defendant's sentence of death
The principal opinion uses the rational
basis test to uphold the constitutionality of
§ 566.012.2(9) In order to use this test, it
must first conclude that the statute dows
not impinge on “fundamental personal
rights” because society has already deprived
prisoners of liberty. I cannot agree with
this analysis. Because « person is impris-
(1980 81). “Sooner or tater, 96%, of all prison
ers are released”
=,
TESSERTEERIFRIRTSRESES ELF DEE SERESS
@SARGQeLE RP ETPRRA
3
Ee a ee Ree ee
_—
STATE v. BOLDER Mo. 693
Cue as, 635 $.W 24673 (Mo 1987)
oned, whether for life or for a short period
of time, does not mean that that person has
lost his “fundamenta! personal right” in life
itself. The appropriate standard of review
of this classification is the strict scrutiny
test because the statute does trammel fun-
damental personal rights. Under this *«1.
we should look at the state's interest, dever-
mine whether it is compelling, and then
determine if the statute impinges on the
fundamental personal right in the least re-
strictive manner. See generally, Shapiro v.
Thompson, 394 US. 618, 89 S.Ct 1322, 22
L.Ed2d 600 (1969); L. Tribe, American
Constitutional Law ch. 16 (1978). Under
this analysis, this aggravating circum-
stance, § 565.012. 219), would be unconstitu-
tional because it is overinclusive. It docs
not differentiate between those who have
nothing more to lose for a killing in prison
unless they receive the death penalty and
those who are not in that class.
Lalso point out that the principal opinion,
as well as § 565.012. 2/9) itself, is overinclu-
sive. It lumps everyone in prison into the
same category, whether there on a short
sentence, such as a two year minimum, or
there on & sentence which because of time
already served will be compieted in a short
time or terminated by parole in a reasona-
ble time. There are many prisoners to
whom the penalty of further imprisonment
under the capital murder statute, involving
as it does life imprisonment without poasi-
bility of parole for fifty years, would be the
strongest kind of deterrent’ Yet the justi-
fication used by the principal opinion for
affirming the death penalty is that to do
otherwise means there is no real cost for
prisoners who kill while in confinement
The facts of real life are otherwise
2. i would be different, of course. for a capital
murderer who is already under « itfe sentence
without possibilty of parole for fifty years. but
that is not Gus case and the statute dors not so
inet nsetf
ht @ my understanding that the present popu-
lation of thy state penitentiary im Jefferson City
is apprommmately 1,900 to 2.000 and that of
these approxmmately 80 to 85 immates are serv.
ing 8 capital murder bfe sentence without pos
sibilay of parole for fifty years. Wf this group
-_"
ON MOTION FOR REHEARING
PER CURIAM.
{35} Appellant in his motion for rehear-
ing contends that the trial court erred in
failing to instruct the jury on first degree
murder as a lesser included offense. There
was no objection at trial to the failure to so
instruct the jury, and appellant did not
raise the point in his motion for new trial.
It is raised here for the first time in appel-
lant's reply brief, but it attempts to raise a
new matter rather than reply to matters
raised in the state's brief. Such is imuer-
missible. State v. Brown, 502 S.W.Sd 295,
306 (Mo.1973), cert. denied, 416 U.S. 973, 94
S.Ct. 1999, 40 L.Ed. 2d 562 (1974).
{36} Appellant argues that we should
review the point for piain error. Rule 24 -
1ah). After careful consideration we aun.
cade thai ihere has been no “manifest in-
justice or misca- ye of justice,” id, that
would neccssitak reversal. The trial court
instructed the jury on second degree mur-
der and manslaughter, and the jury thus
had the opportunity to convict appellant of
@ lesser offense. See Beck v. Alabama, 447
U.S. 625, 100 S.Ct. 2382, 65 LEd.2d 392
(1980) Moreover, the evidence in this case
would not support an instruction on first
degree (felony) murder because none of the
five enumerated felonies, § 565.003, RSMo
1978, was present. Due process therefore is
not abridged. Hopper v. Evans, US
~~~, 102 S.Ct. 2049, 72 L.Ed.2d 367 (1982)
The motion for rehearing is overruled
increases On the average of 20 per year, there
wil! be around 1.000 such inmates in the pens
tentiary before any one of them is eligible for
parole | think 4 ts to this class of inmates that
the suggestions wtuch the principal opimon at
tributes to the United States Supreme Court
that en intentional killing by an inmate might
justify mandatory imposition of the death pen
aly might apply To repeat. the present is not
such « case
“a
. IN ‘Wl:
SUPRLIME COURT Of “HSCOURI
’
STATE OF MISSOURI,
Pilaintiff-Resnpondent,
)
)
)
)
vs. ) Case lo. 62362
)
MARTSAY BOLDER, )
)
)
Defendant-Appellant.
APPEAL FROM THE CIRCUIT COURT OP KADOLPH COUNTY, “11SS0UrI
14th Judicial Circuit
Honorable Samucl L. Semple, Judge
MOTION FOR REMLARIUG
Pursuant to Rule 64.17, vefendant-Appellant moves
- the Court to grant a rehearing of this appeal and as rounds
for this motion states that the Court has overlooked and
misinterpreted matcrial matters ©f law aml fact, as shown ivy
its majority opinion, ar follows:
)
The majority opinion {ails to akiress the nateriul
question of whether the aggravating circunstance, that "tiic
capital murder was committed by a person in...the lawful
custody of a peace officer or place of lawful confinement",
§565.012.2(9), is enough of an agyravating circumstance
ce ee.
to constitutionally permit imposition of the death penalty.
zz.
The majority opinion fails to address tlie material
question of whether imposition of the death penalty in this
case is excessive or disproportionate t« the penalty imposed
APPENDIX B -39-
in similar cases as required unier §°56%.614 and discriminates
unfairly against this Defendant-Anpellant as compared to many
others who have received lesser sentence: where their conduct
reflected the existence of aggravating circumstances of a
greater degree.
Ill.
The majority opinion fails to «wdress itself to
the requirement that all procelures involved in the process
of imposing the sentence of death are: subject to the standard
of heightened reliability at all pinases of trial.
Iv.
The majority opinion fails to address itself to
the issues in Appellant's Reply bricf wherein appellant
alleged error in failing to instruct the jury on first degree
murder.
+
WHEREFORE, vefendant-Appellant prays this Court
grant his Motion for Rehearing.
Nesnectfully submitted,
AWD SIcAIL
aad ‘QUACO, COIL, RILEY
o
Ve 261/72
211 Last Cap tol, P.O. Fox 235
‘efferson City, Missouri 65102
Telephone: “ (314) 636-2177
= Attorneys for vefendant-A»ncllant.
PROOF OF SERVICE
THE UMDERSIGHED CEATH IES THAT A COmPUrTE
COPY OF THIS WSTRUMENY WAS SERVED UPON
THE ATION YS OF (CURD ©! EACH Panty
TO TH: ABOVE ACTICN CY ENCLOSING The Same
Wt ENVELOPES AD0Ki."le TO SAID ATTORNEYS
AT THM BUSINESS AULRESS AS DISCLOSED Uw
Til PLEADINGS OF Lf.OKD MERLIN, WITH Punst.
CLAS: POSTALE +UuLT 7af?. 1D, AMD BY OCPOMITING
SAID ENVFLO £5 IN A U.S. POSS OFC! manB on
Wome od
-2-
alin
ee, e
Supreme Court of Missouri
en banc
STATE OF MISSOURI, ; DUPLICATE |
Respondent, ; OF FILING ON
oe No. 62362 jie .2 1987
MARTSAY BOLDER, ; IN OFFICE OF
Appellant. ) CLERK SUPREME COURT
PER CURIAM
ON MOTION FOR REHEARING
Appellant in his motion for rehearing contends that the trial
court erred in failing to instruct the jury on first degree murder as
a lesser included offense. There was no objection at trial to the
failure to so instruct the jury, and appellant did not raise the point
in his motion for new trial. It is raised here for the first time in
appellant's reply brief, but it attempts to raise a new matter rather
than reply to matters raised in the state's brief. Such is impermissible.
State v. Brown, 502 S.W.2d 295, 306 (Mo. 1973), cert. denied, 416 U.S.
973 (1974).
Appellant argues that we should review the point for plain error.
Rule 29.12(b). After careful consideration we conclude that there has
been nc “manifest injustice or miscarriage of justice,” id., that would
necessitate reversal. The trial court instructed the jury on second
degree murder and manslaughter, and the jury thus had the opportunity
to convict appellant of a lesser offense. See Beck v. Alabama, 447
U.S. 625 (1980). Moreover, the evidence in this case would not support
an instruction on first degree (felony) murder because none of the
. five enumerated felonies, § 565.003, RSMo 1978, was present. Due
process therefore is not abridged. Hopper v. Evans, 50 U.S.L.W. 4527
(U.S. May 24, 1982).
The motion for rehearing is overruled.
i . mae eta + Sn a eNO
=iS-
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