Jean Alex Clermont v. State of Maryland, No. 115, September Term, 1996.

56 Pages·1999·0.14 MB·English

tn o nde.mxantvreea aelJlftlAyoSCraM , .oN ,511 rebmetpeS ,mreT.6991
opmi ecnetnes ht[aeD - redruM latipaC ,t dcm nai,aptemcciin vegdni ivdneer ses ce-nuoscsI
allocution decided.]
s'egroe Gecnir Pro ftruo CtiucriC
yXet8sn8a u3C#o1C-69
DNALYR AFSMOLAEP PFTAORU OE CHNTI
No. 115
6, 9mr9re1ebTmetpeS
_________________________________________
TNOMR EXL ECNLAAEJ
.v
DNALYR AFEMOTATS
_________________________________________
Bell, C.J.
egdirdlE
ykswodoR
Chasanow
rekaR
Wilner
,ik ctarwerbaoKR.L
(retired, specially assigned),
JJ.
_________________________________________
Opinion by Rodowsky, J.
Bell, C.J., dissents
_________________________________________
Filed: January 20, 1998
This is a latipac redrum .esac ,tnalleppA naeJ xelA tnomrelC ,)tnomrelC(aw s
convi cted yb a yruj ni eht tiucriC truoC rof ecnirP s'egroeG ytnuoC fo detatidemerpna d
felony ,redrum yrebbor htiw a yldaed ,nopaew ,gnippandik and other offenses. The death
ecnetnes saw desopmi yb eht .yruj
The m redru saw dettimmoc tuoba 00:3 .m.a no rebmetpeS ,91 .5991 nhoJE .
McMullen, I I,I)nelluM c ,Met(ghagie-yt nseawwt eht.mitciv 1 gnit anpii cesihettmriarPc
w ga neht ,tnomrelC hti ,eeerht-y tenreewwt ee rshntoinapm ohctiw mohw tnomreldCeyalp
bK eht ta llabteksa dnoooiwtl alreoerntcneeRC d odonharo bkhrgaiPeN ta 00d4l0e1ifegdE
D G ecnirP ni evir s:'yetgnruooeC n, a)rereSennnnooBB( 2 kraM utuM,)utuM( 3 and Rawle
White .)etihW( ehT s'etat Stcerid foorp taht tnomrelC saw eht lapicnirp ni eht tsrifeerged
ot eht redrum si dnuof ni eht ynomitset fo ,etihW ohw dah ael pdeniagra bhtiw eht .etatS
A thgindim retf r e,fb 9o mt1,en-5to89pm1 9e rs1SgeanlwiCv isri d hesedrnhetirnfi
sih gni l.reeltiSbomotua elihW a ia g iartbioc mve ifuGgem rolnmoetoiorhsCnhftirDuter
Aven ue, yeht was a 5991 kcalB WMB ni eht ytiniciv fo eht esuohtneP .bulC nomrelC t
dekrap sih gnilretS ybraen os taht eht ruof gnuoy nem dluoc erimda eht ,WMB hcihwdah
b kebew eno nelluMcM yb desael nee efore. McMullen was waiting for his friend, Patience
Odina (Od ,)ani ot teg ffo morf krow ta eht .bulC yltrohS retfa gnisolc emitnelluMcM ,
driving his ,WMB dna ,anidO gnivird a etarapes ,rac dedeecorp dnuobhtron noigroeG a
r yspotua eht ni "nilluMcM" delleps yltcerrocni si e1man s'mitciv ehT trope tdunoahguorht
the transcript.
2 naeS si ta s de"emnliwltaehp Ssn"i e.hdtrocer
3 utuM si ta semit delleps "ootooM" ni eht.drocer
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Avenue. Cle rmont et al. followed. They watched as McMullen and Odina stopped fo r
ga soline for which McMullen paid in cash. Clermont et al. followed the two cars to th e
C I ot ,yawtleB latipa etatsretn ,59 dna ot eht tnemt rxaeplapmoc ni leruaL erehwnelluMcM
o esrruoc eht nI .dedise f taht p itrntomre ldCna ssnioh idneaeprmgo actaht yeht dluowbor
p nI .kroY weN ni pohs pohc a ot ti ekat dna ,WMB eht tlaets ,elpuoc eh notintoamrraepleCr
placed a .38 rebilac nugdnah no sih ,pal tup no a xetal ,evolg dna eh dna rennoBerevoc d
their faces with bandannas.
When nelluMcM dna anidO dah dekrap rieht srac edistuo fo s'nelluMcMecnediser
and while Mut u deniamer ni eht gnilretS sa yawateg ,revird eht rehto eerht ,snoleftiw h
Cof ,nugdnah eht gnidleiw tnomrel decr nelluMcM dna anidO ot eil enorp dna debbor.meht
Tlaw s'nelluMcM koot srebbor eh let, which contained $19 in cash, a bank withdrawal card,
an d tiderc .sdrac gnomA eht stnetnoc nekat morf eht srac fo eht owt yrebbor smitcivaw s
M pelet ralullec s'nelluMc .enoh rennoB dna tnomrelC neht decrof nelluMcM otni ehtknurt
of eht WMB dna demmals eht dil .desolc htiW utuM gnivird etihW dna tnomrelC niht e
SrennoB htiw dna ,gnilret gniwollo fni eht WMB el inhewlluMc Msaw dekcol ni eht,knurt
the felons fled. Odina called the police.
C eht ot evird ot utuM detcerid tnomrel krap ta eht doow lnloointKaer c.erRetneC stI
pa gnikr tol si dethgilnu dna sah ylno eno gninepo rof ralucihev ssergni dna .sserge rehT e
Clermont p dednuo no eht knurt fo eht WMB htiw eht lerrab fo sih ,nugdnahesruc d
Mfe na ni mih llik ot denetaerht dna ,nelluMc tr e re egr oobNhl e ttfmItuoteeuPvtthgniatdl
hW .sdrac tidoerc dna knab sih rof srebmun r nneell udMicdM tt,noyoenlmvpromeroldcC
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the WMB yldipar ni thgit ,selcric dna yltnerappa revo sbr u gc r,neosickkhacrtpoaislpwb
M elluMc n ni eht .knurt nellu M ncdeMehstolcsi da NIP rebmu ntaht eh dias saw doogrof
all of the cards in his wallet.
White deifitset taht elihw nelluMcM saw gnilaever eht NIP ,rebmun etihWaw s
yletamixorppa net sdray ,yawa gniveiler .flesmih eH draeh a tohsnug dnaletaidemmi y
.tohs eht fo noitcterid eht ni denru t sk en nnhiguut anrg sgitd iatnthn anieho oHmwpraeslC
lid. ehT metromtsop noitanimaxe delaever taht nelluMcM dah neeb dellik yb algnis e
hguogrht dessap taht dnuow tohsnu sih thgir ,tsirw dezarg sih ,ecaf dna neht deretne ehttfel
tsehc ,glnliatwa rreocjaalm do o.lsblessev
The snolef tfel eht krap ni eht gnilretS dna tnew ot na MTA enihcam tallivseloC e
. dd rayaotvR iedsl nruaeovB iunt UudMeir t woatr gd0snh0'it2 nki$mecwolerlhfucMcM
a nuocc t d, nt n annetm suehu o rg oltbdrensentclafheibmiacuhtvhmevhaMiuhatcgntsM
saw ton eht dezirohtua.NIP
A t retfa tniop emos t reeh dedr rnut oampefmhe etbot tteak,al manwaa rMdThAtiw
W relC yhw tnomrelC deksa etih tnom da h. nteolhlsuM c,tMdneoim lrepeHel"rC edamem
".tneitapmi
itacifitnedi s'nelluMcOM gnisu ,snolef eht owt ro yad txen eht rev -e vn siot'ra kdanab
cus yeht dna ,nelluMcM ot elbayap edam kcehc a hsac ot eliba erew ,wodniw n cessfully used
M luMc s' nteilde rdcrac ot seeksaamhc rtuap ag n.irpeptonhesc yehT dah osla neebgnisu
eht fo sesMserdda eht htiw gnikroW .enohp ralullec s'nelluMc places principally telephoned
oih retfa enohp s'nelluMcM n s ,htaed eht eci ldoept stenrormarelC no rebmetpeS 22 ta04:3
-4-
ollof snolef rehto eht fo stserrA .enohpp eht gniyrrac saw eh elihw .m. dew .yltfiws Ahcraes
eub s'tnomrelC fo tnarraw redn moo rddecudorp a 83. reb i,lnaucgdnah a tes fo xetal,sevolg
an d a .annadnab smraeriF noitacifitnedi gnitset yltneuqesbus delaever eht 83.imes -
sdn 'eucetzgimn idtooten ahmasaomrhtoetl uCea b. nreoehpdtar euwm
ruj eht laiArt s'tnomrelC fo esahp gnicnetnes eht t ,s trgao n ht,iytcdtana fuvsoaafrgga
esruoc eht ni nektat saw mitciv eh r e ddeerhtuttmi mtmnoo cm g rtdneani lhapfCtpoa nadik
rotcaf gniwtagitim a sA .yrebbor gnittimmoc elih eh tyl sy urdounmjuion fatntaunhotmrelC
o ,rehtruF .ecneloiv fo emirc a fo detchivnoc neeb ylsuoiverp ton da en ro ,erom tub sselnaht
,lla fo eht sror udjnuof ot genbita gt iatthnitommre lsCaw eht rehtaf fo a lla m.sdlihc
Isiht n , ttr nusootmCnreesleC r epghnti wsoelulso sfhicihw ew deevraehbmunoetr
their sequence at trial.
.I Tr ylbissimrepmi truoc lairt eh detcirtse eht noitanimaxe-ssorc fo ehtlapicnirp
;ss esn'teitwatS
.II tsni ni derre truoc lairt ehT gnitcur eht yruj ta httnallepp asaw demuserp oteb
ton ,ytliug dna ni gniliaf ot tcurtsni taht eh saw demuserp ot eb;tneconni
.III mitciv netTtirw a gnittimda ni derre truoc eh t n teecmcaenptimas ittsi sawton
a trap fo eht e cnnoeittnaegsiet rstpervonpier ni eht esnes taht eht et;usteattaslpmetnoc
.VI itagitsevni ecnetneserp eht fo trap sa gnittimda ni derre truoc lairt ehT on report
s'tnalleppa roirp noitcivnoc rof noissessop htiw tnetni ot etubirtsid;eniacoc
V. ed a enimaxe-ssorc ot etatS eht gnittimrep ni derre truoc lairt ehT fense witness
y lsd te enggdeenamli melntt arnayeatbclsnl oeocptpa ;eshstentiw
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.IV lurrevo ni derre truoc ehT no ist' clegoeesntjsnibne oufseoe'hcdet teastuSfo
dynn aoyrmrg iuhotjctsaeetp mseaissenne tf; tieggawdnnii rceanheethtnes
.IIV nup fo noitagitim ni dereffo ecnedivTe gnidulcxe ni derre truoc lairt eh ;tnemhsi
.IIIV The tr lai truoc derre ni gnisufer ot timrep tnalleppa ot esicrexe sih thgiro f
;tn egm nunrsligoe 'asriteenoatfhtiluatafcctoSlla
.XI iaf ni rorre nialp dett immoc truoc ehT gnir les p'looritroapt tmuerichuetcsorp
;ndoniat c t ugn drn eent ioe mvasnltvguiniiin gtiagiarafsaroulcc
X. The Maryland death penalty law is unconstitutional.
Additional facts will be presented, as required, in the discussion of these issues.
eti heWlw a fRnooitanimaxE-ss o. rIC
T ed eh g n gien dhaimrtenialihgpme aryxtei -lysibs bosir 'dcdeeetr kicechsaWntetfa
t ytliug delp etihW .etatS eht bhtiw edam dah eh taht niagra ree dedderrneguaremgda -otsrif
tub lla htiw ecnetnes efil a rof egnahcxe ni tnomrelC ttsniaga yfitset o thirty years suspended.
Clermon t smialc taht eht ,noitrop tes htrof ,woleb fo sih noitanimaxe-ssorc fo etihWaw s
ylsuoenorre.detimil
ESNE F]ELDE[S"NUOC .Q uoY tnew nwod ot eht ecilo.pnoitats
]ETIHW[" .A ,seY.ris
"Q. In fact , what happened, Detective Rositch is the one wh o
questioned you, is that correct?
.A" . n gseo,n' e seot rbsmli.eiasbhn sm I eetum 'geInrac
"Q. A eveileb I ,uoy ot dias eh dn ]tn osg min gtridnaeynihllaytCr[t
ot eva s,flesmih dna ]rennoB[ si gnillet eht .hturt
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sI" taht tahw eh dias ot?uoy
.A" No, sir.
"Q. eH t'ndid yas taht ot?uoy
.A" Halc tnomrelC xelA dias dna em ta emac e dtea mhdi teIelhltup
.t h tgraiehngtgirt
"Q. And so y uo mialc taht xelA tnomrelC dellup eht reggirtaht t
.thgin
.n .o : eie]kt vYico oEretMNtjR sbOSOT'TEATATS["
EHT" :TRUOC .deniatsuS tnarG eht noitom ot.ekirts
" nemeltneg dna seidaL fo eht ,yruj eht tsa ltnemetats sinekcirts
from the record, and is not to be used by you in your deliberations."
Clermon t stimbus taht t]i[" saw tuohtiw noitseuq reporp no noitanimaxe-ssorct o
acilpmi ot detavitom saw etihW taht ytilibiessop laer yrev eht erolpx et .rM tnomrelCesuaceb
eh dah neeb dlot yb a evitcet eydlurt( ro )yleslaf taht .rM tnomrelC dah detacilpm"i.mih
yrevE tcepsa fo eht ,drocer ,revewoh setacidni taht eht ecnetnes nekops by defense
lesnuo ctaht si tsal detou qevoba saw ea v,i etgca nnrgieanttlirncheeetssdesmao ssa a,tcaf
a a ton dn e,veic tnngaengtionkresrsaetn ia.noitseuq daH e hetcnet nneese bnekop shtiwa
er trruoc eht ,enot gnisi retrop dluohs evah dedne eht ecnetnes htiw a noitseu q,kram tubeht
reporter u des a .doirep tI si raelc taht eht s'etatS yenrottA deterpretni esnefed'lesnuoc s
ht did ylno toN .tcaf a gnitressa stnemetats a sa ecnetne , te ectteuajbt b Stodie,v eookmtirts
neve hguoht etihW dah ton nevig yna rewsna ot eht .noitseuq ehT tcejbo fo eht noitomot
su si hcihw ,ekirt yllaus deinapmocca yb a tseuqer rof na noitcurtsni ot eht yruj otdragersid
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certain ,ecnedive si ot evomer srettam hcihw evah ton nydeleertbetpiom rdspeaacnedive
f mor eht s'yruj .noitaredisnoc McCormick on Evidence § 52, at 201 (4th ed. 1992). In the
instant matt re esnefed s'lesnuoc tnemetats fo na detressa tcaf saw ton ecnedive dnaaw s
ylreporp eht tcejbo fo eht noitom ot .ekirts
Th e drocer osla ylraelc stcelfer taht eht lairt truoc dah eht emas gnidnatsrednuo f
def ense s'lesnuoc tnemetats sa did eht truoc retroper dna eht s'etatS .yenrottA ehTruoc t
sus tained eht ,noitcejbo detnarg eht noitom ot ,ekirts ,dna tuohtiw eht deen rof naserpxe s
tseuqer morf eht , edteattcSurts neiht yruj ot dragers iedht" t"s.atlnemetats
stropTpus elohw a sa noitanimaxe-ssorc eh .s igrs ne ynivglokonapainUtoa geehrtof
xe ehT .niagrab aelp Weht ot yletaidemmi tnew lesnuoc esnefed ,ssorc no etih nointeahntima
proceeded as follows:
"Q. A n d fi uo yt'n oedmo cereh ,dynfai tusoeyt er agniog otdneps
the rest of your life in prison, is that correct?
.A" Supposedly, sir.
"Q. dnSa ereh emoc ot gniog era uoy o lle teshnetei mddeanllatneg
fo e hgtn iyhr tuuyjorye vtena wmeht ot ,wonk si ?ttachetrroc
.A" ,o N.ris I m agnio got ll emteh te,hhtt.urrits
"Q. .yakO s'tahT.enif
uoy dna "em llet ot gniog uoy era oS are going to admit to them
taht nehw uoy ekops ot eht ,ecilop uoy.deil
.A" d te,uitoL?abrhaiws
"Q. ?de n tetupaophbawAh
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.A" No, I didn't.
"Q. Y lot uo d eht ecilop tahw deneppah tsuj ekil uoy dlot ehtseidal
dna nemeltneg fo eht ,yruj si taht?tcerroc
.A" That is correct, sir."
sisahpmE(.)dedda
W ni dedulcni erew Dtaht sliated depoleved neht lesnuoc esnefe yno msoi'ttesteeihtht
j taht tub yru erew ton dedulcni ni a ne tttniermweta ttsaht etihW dah nevig ot eht ecilopno
Sept rebme 22, 1995. In substance, the police had questioned White about, and Whit e
inc luded ni sih ,tnemetats ylno eht stneve pu ot dna gnidulcni eht ,gnillik elihwliated s
included ni s'etihW ynomitset ta lairt dedulcni tahw eht felons had done with the property
ta nek in the robberies. The latter details had been first elicited in the prosecutor's pretria l
sweivretni fo .etihW
Then, yletaidemmi roirp ot eht tnemges fo neohittanimaxe- stsaohrtc is at issue on
this appeal, the following transpired.
"Q. gn iehstly enuAo yhsiw ot dda ?ottn esmiehttats
"What was your answer?
.A" No.
"Q. tI saw.on
"But ni egnahcxe rof 03 ,sraey uoy lliw llet su ,gnihtyna'now t
you?
.A" No, sir. I will tell you the truth, and the truth only.
"Q. eki Luoy di dhti ?weehctilop