April 2012 KSC docket

Here are the criminal cases on the KSC docket for April 10-16-2012. These summaries are based on the issues listed in the briefs filed and may not very accurately or fully describe the actual issues in the cases. I recommend you review the briefs yourself if you would like more details. 

April 10--Tuesday--a.m.

State v. Roger Collins, No. 101,092 (Sedgwick)
Sentencing appeal (petition for review)
Randall L. Hodgkinson
[Affirmed; Beier; July 20, 2012]

• Identical offense doctrine

State v. George Brown, No. 103,842 (Cowley)
Direct appeal; Aggravated indecent liberties
Lydia Krebs
[Affd/Vacd/Rmd; Luckert; Aug. 24, 2012]

• Alternative means
• Improper reopening of state's case

State v. Willard Lagrange, No. 101,348 (Reno)
Direct appeal (petition for review); Criminal possession of firearm
Rachel L. Pickering
[Affirmed; Johnson; June 29, 2012]

• No applicable predicate conviction

April 11--Wednesday--a.m.

State v. Phillip Woodard, No. 105,132 (Wyandotte)
Sentencing appeal; Aggravated indecent liberties
David Scott Whinery
[Affirmed; Rosen; July 13, 2012]

• Mandatory minimum sentences are Cruel and Unusual

State v. Vernie Burns, No. 103,088 (Wyandotte)
Direct appeal; Aggravated indecent liberties
Korey A. Kaul
[Rvd/Rmd; Rosen; Oct. 26, 2012]

• Improper response to jury question
• Improper prosecutorial argument
• Improper Allen instruction

State v. Oliver McWilliams, No. 102,688 (Labette)
Direct appeal (petition for review); Making a false claim
Reid T. Nelson
[Affirmed; Nuss; Aug. 17, 2012]

• Insufficient evidence of false statement

State v. Tina Huffmier, No. 100,422 (Shawnee)
Direct appeal; DUI
Reid T. Nelson
[Affirmed; Biles; May 10, 2013]

• Improper admission of irrelevant evidence
• Testimony improperly invaded province of jury

April 11--Wednesday--p.m.

State v. Lester Lawson, No. 103,509 (Leavenworth)
Direct appeal; Aggravated criminal sodomy
Meryl Carver-Allmond
[Reset for argument on Oct. 3, 2012]

• Improper admission of interrogation obtained in violation of right to counsel

State v. Thomas Perkins, No. 103,735 (Norton)
Direct appeal (petition for review); DUI
Joanna Labastida
[Affirmed; Moritz; Dec. 21, 2012]

• Alternative means

State v. Buddy Ahrens, No. 103,662 (Kingman)
Direct appeal (petition for review); DUI
Michelle A. Davis
[Affirmed; Moritz; Dec. 21, 2012]

• Alternative means

April 12--Thursday--a.m.

State v. Jose Galaviz, No. 101,084 (Ford)
Probation violation appeal (petition for review)
Carl Folsom, III (brief); Carol Longenecker Schmidt (argue)
[Rvd/Rmd; Luckert; Dec. 28, 2012]

• Counsel at revocation hearing had conflict of interest

State v. Christopher Belone, No. 99,176 (Douglas)
Direct appeal (petition for review); Second-degree murder
Michelle A. Davis
[Rvd/Rmd; Johnson; Sept. 21, 2012]

• Improper admission of testimonial statements without confrontation
• Failure to give lessers on second degree murder and manslaughter
• Failure to give correct ordering instructions
• Failure to give limiting instruction (prior bad act evidence)
• Failure to instruct on medical negligence as intervening circumstance

State v. Frank Burnett, No. 100,766 (Reno)
Direct appeal (petition for review); Aggravated weapons violation
Shawn P. Lautz (brief); Benjamin Fisher (argue)
[Rvd/Rmd; Biles; May 31, 2013]

• Violation of Mandatory Disposition of Detainers Act

State v. Shaun Spagnola, No. 101,521 (Shawnee)
Direct appeal (petition for review); Possession
Meryl Carver-Allmond
[Rvd/rmd; Rosen; Dec. 7, 2012]

• Fourth Amendment violation (illegal search of person)

April 12--Thursday--p.m.

State v. Pepin Suter, No. 103,164 (Sedgwick)
Direct appeal (petition for review); DUI
Lydia Krebs
[Affirmed; Moritz; Dec. 21, 2012]

• Alternative means
• District court improperly convinced witness to not testify
• Improper instruction on driving while suspended

State v. Juan Aguirre, No. 101,337 (Finney)
Direct appeal (petition for review); Aggravated intimidation of a witness
Rachel L. Pickering
[Affirmed; Moritz; Dec. 21, 2012]

• Insufficient evidence
• Failure to give unanimity instruction

April 16--Monday--a.m.

State v. Charles Bruce, Jr., No. 105,884 (Neosho)
State appeal (transfer)
Jeb C. Griebat (brief and argue); Carl Folsom, III (brief)
[Affirmed; Beier; Nov. 2, 2012]

• Violation of Kansas wiretap statutes

Stae v. Michael Garza, No. 102,953 (Grant)
State appeal (petition for review)
Janine Cox
[Rvd/rmd; Biles; August 31, 2012]

• Fourth Amendment violation (improper stop)