Sean Travis Howard, alias v. State of Alabama

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REL: 12/18/2009 Notice: T h i s o p i n i o n i s s u b j e c t t o formal r e v i s i o n b e f o r e p u b l i c a t i o n i n t h e advance s h e e t s o f Southern R e p o r t e r . R e a d e r s a r e r e q u e s t e d t o n o t i f y t h e R e p o r t e r o f D e c i s i o n s , Alabama A p p e l l a t e C o u r t s , 300 D e x t e r A v e n u e , M o n t g o m e r y , A l a b a m a 3 6 1 0 4 - 3 7 4 1 ((334) 2 2 9 - 0 6 4 9 ) , o f a n y t y p o g r a p h i c a l o r o t h e r e r r o r s , i n o r d e r t h a t c o r r e c t i o n s may be made b e f o r e t h e o p i n i o n i s p r i n t e d i n Southern R e p o r t e r . ALABAMA COURT OF CRIMINAL APPEALS OCTOBER TERM, 2009-2010 CR-08-1115 Sean T r a v i s Howard v. S t a t e o f Alabama Appeal MAIN, Travis convicted Code 1975. and Court Judge. Sean was from Montgomery C i r c u i t (CC-08-353) ordered Howard was c h a r g e d of reckless The t r i a l him capital murder and murder, see § 13A-6-2(a)(2), A l a . court to with pay sentenced him t o l i f e court costs, imprisonment restitution, and CR-08-1115 applicable regard fines. to the pertaining erred in On trial to the appeal, court's charge failing to Howard oral instructions of c a p i t a l charge the contends murder, jury on this could case contains evidence that, reasonably support a conviction lesser-included and the as record jury, to i n s t r u c t offense. We a we the reverse remand. On August 5, 2007, while Courtney Coley, Howard Jackson's cousin, w a l k i n g down Javon Gray, gray four-door vehicle stared a t Rod who marijuana. Howard something i n response exchanged membership, Jackson, words that and G r a y scowled to a about Howard street with Stanley Jackson, and had arrived i n Gray's dark B e l s e r ' s h o u s e on t h e c o r n e r o f at i n Montgomery to Gray statement the and the at Honeybee C o u r t and B r i a r h u r s t D r i v e four court f o r manslaughter, jury a jury i f b e l i e v e d by the court erred i n f a i l i n g as the the t r i a l Because conclude that the t r i a l manslaughter to with manslaughter l e s s e r - i n c l u d e d o f f e n s e to c a p i t a l murder. in that, and Jackson Gray were indicating wearing. c o n t i n u e d t o engage i n a v e r b a l The gang Howard, altercation w h i l e G r a y and J a c k s o n w a l k e d t o w a r d B e l s e r ' s house. 2 mumbled made a t h i m . red clothing, Coley and purchase Gray and CR-08-1115 Jackson knocked on B e l s e r ' s door, b u t one of the several c h i l d r e n p l a y i n g o u t s i d e i n t h e y a r d i n d i c a t e d t h a t B e l s e r was not a t home. When vehicle, Howard unarmed, retorted, pulled Coley shouted a silver pants. Gray and J a c k s o n a t them. "'[F] .38 c a l i b e r and s a i d , y'all.'" pistol C o l e y , who was a l s o u n a r m e d , t r i e d recalled t o shoot to wrestle t h e gun from Howard. fired and t h r e e - y e a r - o l d S . J . was h i t . first shot, Coley ran. A f t e r f i r i n g off, and Gray taken Jackson's this a t Gray. continued toward t h a t Howard told N[ ] (R. 1 3 5 - 3 7 . ) t o p u s h H o w a r d ' s h a n d down, were sped were ofh i s Howard Jackson who the waistband reminding and their Howard from "'I'm f i x i n g children to (R. 3 6 0 - 6 1 . ) right here,'" while pointing the p i s t o l that back G r a y and J a c k s o n , R.J., the victim's brother, t o move headed i n the v i c i n i t y . shots were Once Howard f i r e d t h e s e v e r a l s h o t s , Howard r a n away house t o g e t a gun. by ambulance t o t h e h o s p i t a l Several Coley i n Gray's The v i c t i m , where he was c a r headed S.J., was pronounced dead. According to the medical examiner, S.J.,the v i c t i m , f r o m a s i n g l e g u n s h o t wound t o t h e b a c k . removed the projectile from the 3 right The m e d i c a l chest died examiner wall. The CR-08-1115 forensic examiner determined that tested the recovered i t was c o n s i s t e n t projectile w i t h a .38 c a l i b e r bullet. I n v e s t i g a t o r E.E. Howton, J r . , w i t h t h e Montgomery Department searched t h e crime scene couple house was of b u l l e t located holes Lane. They 1 .45 c a l i b e r also casings near a d i t c h on t h e ground. caliber The about .38 c a l i b e r D r i v e near shell discovered officers also discovered pistol where i nthe the victim c a s i n g s f u r t h e r down o n three .38 c a l i b e r recovered a a t t h e c o r n e r o f Honeybee C o u r t shell single near lying .38 where was s h o t . defense elicited testimony t h e number o f a n d d e s c r i p t i o n the The o f f i c e r s c l o s e t o w h e r e t h e v i c t i m was f o u n d The projectile the v i c t i m a a t 6065 B r i a r h u r s t shot and s e v e r a l Eric from Police a l o n g w i t h D e t e c t i v e G.R. T i m m e r m a n a n d C o r p o r a l S.E. W i l s o n . a and clothing perpetrators, and and physical other from several witnesses of the vehicles attributes surroundings at of present, the alleged the time of the The r e c o r d d i s c l o s e s t h a t b o t h Gray and J a c k s o n shot a .45 c a l i b e r gun l a t e r t h a t e v e n i n g a f t e r t h e v i c t i m h a d b e e n shot. G r a y t e s t i f i e d t h a t once J a c k s o n g a v e h i m t h e p i s t o l , he d r o v e down E r i c L a n e a n d s h o t t h e p i s t o l i n t h e a i r . J a c k s o n t e s t i f i e d t h a t he s h o t t h e p i s t o l l a t e r t h a t n i g h t a r o u n d 8:30 o r 9:30 p.m. i n h i s c o u s i n ' s y a r d l o c a t e d f u r t h e r down E r i c L a n e . 1 4 CR-08-1115 shooting. in S e v e r a l defense witnesses recalled other addition to a dark-colored four-door v e h i c l e , Defense Police witness Corporal Department, who S.E. was Wilson the case with agent vehicles, at the the scene. Montgomery assigned to this case, t e s t i f i e d about the i n c o n s i s t e n c i e s i n the statements the eyewitnesses immediately testimony. While witnesses' statements by Gray, that Jackson, the in Corporal Wilson closer were and R . J . officers inconsistent after t h e s h o o t i n g and acknowledged inconsistent proximity to the shooting several t e s t i m o n y , he Howard, s t a t e m e n t s , because Gray, that trial with statements and w i t h t r i a l arrested the in spite Jackson, than and were by made stated of the R.J. were the defense witnesses. During hearing charging argument manslaughter charge the was following of counsel, as a l e s s e r not warranted exchange conference, the refused trial to charge o f f e n s e , because, under the facts court, the jury on i t determined, the of The the case. occurred: "[The C o u r t ] : I t w o u l d be my i n t e n t t o c h a r g e t h e j u r y on c a p i t a l m u r d e r a n d r e c k l e s s m u r d e r . I do n o t t h i n k t h e b e h a v i o r , i f i t i s t o be believed, would merit l e s s than that. So I t h i n k t h o s e w o u l d t h e two i n s t r u c t i o n s t h a t I am g i v i n g . 5 after CR-08-1115 "[Defense Counsel]: J u d g e , f o r t h e r e c o r d , we w o u l d r e q u e s t m a n s l a u g h t e r a s b e i n g an i s s u e o f i n t e n t , and w h e t h e r o r n o t t h e r e were m u l t i p l e p e o p l e t h a t were exposed t o r i s k o f d e a t h o r s e r i o u s b o d i l y harm, and t h a t that should be a fact finding question f o r t h e j u r y and they should have t h e opportunity to consider manslaughter i n t h i s case. "[The C o u r t ] : And I have thought about t h a t , b u t I don't t h i n k the f a c t s merit t h a t . So I am g o i n g t o g i v e t h o s e two i n s t r u c t i o n s t o t h e j u r y . "[Defense objection "[The (R. Court]: 914-15.) elements Counsel]: Judge, f o r the record. The of the the note trial court capital instructed offense extreme i . e . , murder i s l e s s t h a n 14 y e a r s o f a g e , § 13A- The t r i a l court i n d i f f e r e n c e t o human 2 ( a ) ( 2 ) , A l a . Code 1 9 7 5 . review As on t h e charged, A l a . Code 1 9 7 5 . with our the jury also instructed j u r y on r e c k l e s s m u r d e r a s a l e s s e r o f f e n s e , committed 1012 could Sure." c o m m i t t e d when t h e v i c t i m 5-40(a)(15), i f we i . e . murder life, § 13A-6- The i s s u e was p r o p e r l y p r e s e r v e d f o r by o b j e c t i o n . this Court ( A l a . Crim. entitlement said i n Breckenridge App. 1993), t o an i n s t r u c t i o n v. S t a t e , regarding a 628 S o . 2 d defendant's on a l e s s e r - i n c l u d e d o f f e n s e : "A d e f e n d a n t a c c u s e d o f a g r e a t e r o f f e n s e i s entitled t o have t h e t r i a l court c h a r g e on a n y l e s s e r i n c l u d e d o f f e n s e i f t h e r e i s any r e a s o n a b l e 6 CR-08-1115 theory from the evidence to support the lesser charge, regardless of whether the s t a t e or the defendant o f f e r s the evidence. Ex p a r t e P r u i t t , 457 So. 2d 456 ( A l a . 1 9 8 4 ) ; P a r k e r v . S t a t e , 581 So. 2d 1211 ( A l a . C r . App. 1 9 9 0 ) , c e r t . d e n i e d , 581 So. 2d 1216 ( A l a . 1991). A c o u r t may p r o p e r l y refuse to c h a r g e on a l e s s e r i n c l u d e d o f f e n s e o n l y when (1) i t is c l e a r to the j u d i c i a l mind t h a t t h e r e is no evidence tending to b r i n g the offense w i t h i n the definition of the lesser offense, or (2) the r e q u e s t e d charge would have a t e n d e n c y to m i s l e a d or c o n f u s e t h e j u r y . A n d e r s o n v . S t a t e , 507 So. 2 d 580 ( A l a . C r . App. 1 9 8 7 ) . '"[E]very accused i s e n t i t l e d t o h a v e c h a r g e s g i v e n w h i c h w o u l d n o t be m i s l e a d i n g , w h i c h c o r r e c t l y s t a t e t h e law of h i s c a s e , and w h i c h are supported by any evidence, however weak, insufficient, or d o u b t f u l in credibility."' Ex parte Stork, 475 So. 2d 623, 625 (Ala. 1985) ( q u o t i n g Ex p a r t e C h a v e r s , 361 So. 2d 1 1 0 6 , 1107 (Ala. 1978). S e c t i o n 1 3 A - 1 - 9 ( b ) [ , A l a . Code 1975,] p r o v i d e s , 'The c o u r t s h a l l n o t c h a r g e t h e j u r y w i t h r e s p e c t t o an i n c l u d e d o f f e n s e u n l e s s t h e r e i s a rational basis for a verdict convicting the defendant of the i n c l u d e d o f f e n s e . ' " 628 So. charge "'"'"it no 2d on 1016. 659 So. 2d t o ' ' " ' " support 210, S t a t e , 507 i n turn other i n e r r o r f o r not 213 So. 2d cases, charging the better supported i s p e r f e c t l y c l e a r to the A n d e r s o n v. quoting Although, a l l lesser offenses evidence tending State, put at by then the 7 the is to evidence, i f j u d i c i a l mind t h a t there the lesser offense, (Ala. Crim. 580, practice 583 the App. 1994 ) , ( A l a . C r i m . App. trial j u r y on the court lesser Fox is v. quoting 1987), cannot be offense. CR-08-1115 We address reasonable whether 1988). [pursuant Allen Howard v. S t a t e , was any e v i d e n c e to support capital murder, with murder A l a . Code of age. provides guilty Section made capital 1975] b e c a u s e t h e 13A-5-40(b), which as f o l l o w s : " E x c e p t as s p e c i f i c a l l y p r o v i d e d t o t h e c o n t r a r y i n t h e l a s t p a r t o f s u b d i v i s i o n [§ 1 3 A - 5 - 4 0 ] ( a ) ( 1 3 ) o f t h i s s e c t i o n , t h e terms 'murder' and 'murder by t h e d e f e n d a n t ' as u s e d i n t h i s s e c t i o n t o d e f i n e c a p i t a l offenses mean murder as defined in Section 13A-6-2(a)(1), b u t n o t as defined in Section 13A-6-2(a)(2) and (3). S u b j e c t t o t h e p r o v i s i o n s o f Section 13A-5-41, murder as d e f i n e d i n Section 1 3 A - 6 - 2 ( a ) ( 2 ) and ( 3 ) , as w e l l as murder as d e f i n e d in Section 13A-6-2(a)(1), may b e a l e s s e r i n c l u d e d offense of the capital offenses defined in s u b s e c t i o n (a) o f t h i s s e c t i o n . " Section 13A-5-41, provides: "Subject to the p r o v i s i o n s of Section 13A-1-9(b), t h e j u r y may f i n d a d e f e n d a n t i n d i c t e d f o r a c r i m e d e f i n e d i n S e c t i o n 13A-5-40(a) not g u i l t y of t h e capital offense but g u i l t y of a l e s s e r included offense or offenses. Lesser included offenses s h a l l be d e f i n e d a s p r o v i d e d i n S e c t i o n 1 3 A - 1 - 9 ( a ) , a n d when t h e r e i s a r a t i o n a l b a s i s f o r s u c h a v e r d i c t , i n c l u d e b u t a r e n o t l i m i t e d t o , m u r d e r as d e f i n e d i n Section 13A-6-2(a), and t h e accompanying other felony, i f any, i n the p r o v i s i o n s of Section 13A-5-40(a) upon w h i c h t h e i n d i c t m e n t i s b a s e d . " 8 a 546 S o . 2 d 1 0 0 9 ( A l a . C r i m . charged to § 13A-5-40(a)(15), v i c t i m was u n d e r 14 y e a r s defines was t h e o r y by w h i c h Howard c o u l d have been f o u n d of manslaughter. App. there CR-08-1115 Reckless murder as State, murder supra. support in § "Under a conviction homicide, parte defined i s a lesser-included depending Weems, 463 l a w an f o r murder, So. the 2d Fox manslaughter, 172 e.g., accidental circumstances 170, capital See, 13A-5-40(a)(15). Alabama on o f f e n s e of of v. killing or the may negligent case." Ex "'One who ( A l a . 1984). i n t e n t i o n a l l y draws a gun i n r e s p o n s e t o o r i n a n t i c i p a t i o n a confrontation that of t h e gun m i g h t mere murder Bunn v. quoting App. criminal or another discharge; therefore, negligence. manslaughter State, Robinson is certainly 581 v. So. [He or ... 2d 559, State, 441 he 561 of of the risk cannot be guilty guilty of either nothing at all.'" App. 1991, can be] guilty So. aware ( A l a . Crim. 2d 1045, 1047 ( A l a . Crim. 1983). The § with of jury convicted Howard o f r e c k l e s s murder p u r s u a n t 1 3 A - 6 - 2 ( a ) ( 2 ) , A l a . Code 1975, which states, i n pertinent part: "(a) A p e r s o n commits the crime of murder i f he o r s h e d o e s a n y o f t h e f o l l o w i n g : "(2) Under circumstances manifesting e x t r e m e i n d i f f e r e n c e t o human l i f e , he o r she r e c k l e s s l y engages i n c o n d u c t which 9 to CR-08-1115 creates a grave r i s k of death to a person o t h e r than h i m s e l f o r h e r s e l f , and t h e r e b y causes the death of another person. In the alternative, manslaughter i f he "[a] person recklessly person." § 13A-6-3(a)(1), 13A-2-2(3), A l a . Code commits causes the death A l a . Code 1975, d e f i n i n g the crime of 1975. of another Section "recklessly," provides: "A p e r s o n a c t s r e c k l e s s l y w i t h r e s p e c t t o a r e s u l t or t o a c i r c u m s t a n c e d e s c r i b e d by a s t a t u t e d e f i n i n g a n o f f e n s e when he i s a w a r e o f a n d c o n s c i o u s l y d i s r e g a r d s a s u b s t a n t i a l and u n j u s t i f i a b l e r i s k t h a t the result will occur or that the circumstance exists. The r i s k m u s t b e o f s u c h n a t u r e a n d d e g r e e that disregard thereof constitutes a gross deviation from the standard of conduct that a reasonable person would observe i n the s i t u a t i o n . " In Ex explained that parte Weems, the difference constitutes constitutes murder manslaughter supra, t h e Alabama between the degree and t h e degree as Supreme of recklessness of recklessness that follows: "Alabama's h o m i c i d e s t a t u t e s were d e r i v e d from the Model P e n a l Code. In providing that homicide committed 'recklessly under circumstances manifesting extreme indifference t o human life' c o n s t i t u t e s murder, t h e d r a f t e r s o f t h e model code were a t t e m p t i n g t o d e f i n e a degree o f r e c k l e s s n e s s ' t h a t c a n n o t be f a i r l y d i s t i n g u i s h e d f r o m h o m i c i d e s c o m m i t t e d p u r p o s e l y o r k n o w i n g l y . ' M o d e l P e n a l Code a n d C o m m e n t a r i e s , § 2 1 0 . 0 2 , Comment, 4 ( 1 9 8 0 ) . That s t a n d a r d was d e s i g n e d t o e n c o m p a s s t h e c a t e g o r y o f murder t r a d i t i o n a l l y r e f e r r e d t o as 'depraved h e a r t ' or 'universal malice' k i l l i n g s . Examples of such 10 Court CR-08-1115 a c t s i n c l u d e s h o o t i n g i n t o an o c c u p i e d h o u s e o r i n t o a moving automobile or p i l o t i n g a speedboat through a group o f swimmers. See L a F a v e & S c o t t , C r i m i n a l Law, § 70 ( 1 9 7 2 ) . " R e c k l e s s l y c a u s i n g a n o t h e r ' s d e a t h may g i v e r i s e t o the l e s s e r included offense of manslaughter. A d e f e n d a n t who r e c k l e s s l y c a u s e s a n o t h e r ' s d e a t h commits manslaughter i f he 'consciously d i s r e g a r d [ e d ] a s u b s t a n t i a l and u n j u s t i f i a b l e risk t h a t h i s conduct would cause t h a t r e s u l t . ' Model P e n a l Code a n d C o m m e n t a r i e s , § 2 1 0 . 0 3 , Comment 4 (1980). The d i f f e r e n c e b e t w e e n t h e c i r c u m s t a n c e s which will support a murder conviction and t h e degree of r i s k c o n t e m p l a t e d by t h e m a n s l a u g h t e r statute i s one o f d e g r e e , not kind. From a comparison o f S e c t i o n s 210.03 and 210.02 o f t h e Model Code, i t appears that the degree of recklessness which will support a manslaughter c o n v i c t i o n i n v o l v e s a circumstance which i s a 'gross deviation from the standard of conduct that a law-abiding person would observe i n the actor's s i t u a t i o n , ' b u t i s n o t so h i g h t h a t i t c a n n o t be 'fairly distinguished from' the mental state required i n intentional homicides. C o m p a r e Comment 4 t o § 2 1 0 . 0 2 w i t h Comment 4 t o § 2 1 0 . 0 3 . " 463 S o . 2 d a t 172 Fox v. S t a t e , (footnote omitted). As t h i s Court said i n supra: "The s t r o n g e s t e v i d e n c e t h a t s u p p o r t s a n i n s t r u c t i o n on manslaughter i s the fact that the jury s p e c i f i c a l l y found the a p p e l l a n t g u i l t y of 'reckless murder,' § 1 3 A - 6 - 2 ( a ) ( 2 ) , which r e q u i r e s a s i m i l a r mental state to the offense of 'reckless manslaughter.' § 13A-6-3(a)(1). See M c L a u g h l i n v . S t a t e , 586 S o . 2 d 267 ( A l a . C r i m . A p p . 1 9 9 1 ) . " 659 So. 2d a t 2 1 3 . 11 CR-08-1115 Based regarding on t h e f a c t s when a d e f e n d a n t lesser-included and remand parte offense, the case. Smith, In t h i s of t h i s to presented case, the p i s t o l at t r i a l , of m a n s l a u g h t e r trial court from Fox v. S t a t e , i s evidence that struggled with h i s hand. Based erred supra. submitting in failing Howard's and t h i s evidence i t to the jury. to Howard on t h e e v i d e n c e we h o l d t h a t t h e r e was s u f f i c i e n t f o r proceedings R E V E R S E D AND 1975; Ex where reversed, t o be A l a . Code. .38 c a l i b e r p i s t o l n e a r a y a r d to warrant court conviction shots are charge the Thus, jury on c o n v i c t i o n and s e n t e n c e cause i s remanded consistent with this to the opinion. REMANDED. Welch and K e l l u m , J., 2000); Howard's on a several Accordingly, trial (Ala. there manslaughter. due reverse c h i l d r e n were p l a y i n g as C o l e y wrestle the t o a j u r y charge See § 1 3 A - 1 - 9 ( b ) , were f i r e d from Howard's several and t h e a p p l i c a b l e law i s entitled we m u s t 756 S o . 2 d 957 particular case J J . , concur. dissent. 12 W i s e , P . J . , a n d Windom,

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