Reversible error to remove a prospective juror based on the belief that the criminal justice system is biased against black men

Mason v. United States, No. 15-CF-305 (decided September 28, 2017)

Players: Associate Judges Glickman and McLeese, Senior Judge Ruiz. Opinion by Judge McLeese. Matthew Kaplan for the appellant. Trial Judge William M. Jackson.

Facts: At around 2:45 a.m. on October 3, 2013, several men, including appellant, forced their way into a home at gunpoint, removed several items, and drove away in the residents’ cars. After depositing some items at an abandoned house, the men drove the stolen cars to a different location and set them on fire. Police eventually tracked the men to the abandoned house and arrested them. Following a jury trial, appellant was convicted for tampering with evidence, destruction of property, obstruction of justice, and unlawful entry.

During jury selection, the trial court asked potential jurors if they, their immediate family, or close friends had been arrested for, charged with, or convicted of a crime within the past ten years. Juror 7575-B answered in the affirmative, and, during follow-up questioning, explained that her half-brother had been arrested and jailed for assault in Texas. Juror 7575-B stated that her family suspected that racial profiling had been involved and that her brother had been treated unfairly as “a black man in Texas.” Juror 7575-B nevertheless stated that she could be impartial. Asked whether she thought “black men in DC are treated . . . unfairly by the criminal justice system,” Juror 7575-B stated that she thought they were and that “things [were] tilted in the wrong direction.” The trial court removed the juror for cause on the government’s motion based on her view that black men were “systemic[ally]” treated unfairly -- “here in DC, not just in Texas.”

Issue 1: Did the trial court reversibly err in striking Juror 7575-B for cause, based on her belief that African American men were treated unfairly by the criminal justice system in Washington, D.C.?

Holding 1: Yes. Belief that the criminal justice system is systemically unfair to black men is not, without more, a basis to disqualify a juror. This belief is neither uncommon nor irrational based on available polling data, Batson cases involving jurors who express such views, and official bodies that have expressed concern about the fairness of the criminal justice system. There is no basis to infer that a juror holding such a belief is necessarily unable to remain impartial, and courts have found error to disqualify a potential juror based on a belief, absent a determination that it would interfere with the juror’s ability to remain impartial. Here, the trial court made no such determination. Rather, it treated the belief alone as disqualifying, despite Juror 7575-B’s indication that she could serve impartially.

The trial court’s ruling cannot be affirmed based on the assertedly equivocal nature of Juror 7575-B’s statement that she “th[ought] [she] could be impartial.” The government did not argue that the juror was equivocal below, and the trial court did not rely on equivocation to disqualify the juror. On the other hand, both the trial court and government accepted that other jurors could remain impartial, even when they only said they “thought” they could do so.

Appellant does not have the burden to show that erroneous disqualification of Juror 7575-B was prejudicial because it was based on a (1) common, rational viewpoint in a (2) legitimate public debate that (3) made the juror appropriately more desirable to the defense, (4) might have affected the juror’s performance positively, and (5) was more likely to be held by prospective black jurors. The Court need not consider whether the error was structural because reversal would be required even assuming harmless error review applied, given the government’s failure to attempt to show harmlessness.

Issue 2: Was the evidence of evidence tampering sufficient where (a) the “proceeding” that appellant was accused of tampered with was a police investigation and (b) appellant had no reason to believe that he would be a suspect when he burned the car?

Holding 2: Yes. (a) By its plain meaning, “official proceeding” includes investigations by D.C. government agencies, of which MPD is one. This interpretation does not yield an absurd result, as the legislature could rationally intend to punish tampering with evidence where an MPD investigation is reasonably imminent. Wynn v. United States, 48 A.3d 181 (D.C. 2012) does not suggest otherwise, as it concerned distinct language in the obstruction-of-justice statute. (b) A jury could reasonably infer that when appellant and the others burned the stolen cars, he knew that MPD’s investigation into the home invasion and robbery had been, or was likely to be, instituted due to the serious nature of the underlying crimes. Appellant need not have had reason to believe he would be the focus of that investigation.

Of Note:
The Court’s reversible/harmless error analysis on Issue 1—the erroneous disqualification of Juror 7575-B—is noteworthy because, as the Court notes, prior cases diverge on whether the defendant must show prejudice in order to obtain reversal for an error in jury selection. Here, the Court extends the logic of Hinton v. United States, 979 A.2d 663 (D.C. 2009) (en banc) (reversing disqualification of a juror based on pro-defense views), and looks to Supreme Court capital cases regarding disqualification based on views on the death penalty to hold that appellant need not show prejudice. The Court has reserved the question of whether, as in the death penalty context, exclusion of a juror based upon his or her views about the fairness of the criminal justice system constitutes structural error, not subject to harmless error review. See Gray v. Mississippi, 481 U.S. 648 (1986). WC

Read the full opinion here.

Trial Issue Potpourri: Witness Mental Health, Partial Jurors, Sufficiency, Voluntariness of Statements, and More

Marcellus McCray, Lamonte Henson, Antonio Fortson, and Timothy Parker v. United States (decided March 10, 2016)

The Players: Associate Judges Glickman and Fisher, Senior Judge Reid. Opinion by  Judge Reid. Stephen Domenic Scavuzzo for Mr. McCray, Thomas T. Heslep for Mr. Henson, William R. Cowden for Mr. Fortson, Peter H. Meyers for Mr. Parker. Trial Judge: Henry F. Greene.

Facts: This case involves multiple shootings that stem from a long-standing feud between two rival groups of young men from the Benning Terrace housing complex in Southeast D.C. Men from “the circle” and from “the Avenue” quarreled over drugs and respect. McCray, Henson, Fortson, and Parker, alleged members of “the circle,” were charged with two separate shootings which took place on May 30, 2011. The violence of the day culminated in the shooting death of Antwan Buckner.

After a two-month trial in 2012, the jury found guilty McCray of AWIKWA, voluntary manslaughter and associated weapons charges; Fortson guilty of voluntary manslaughter, ADW and weapons charges; Parker guilty of voluntary manslaughter and weapons charges; and Henson guilty of CPWL.

Issue 1: Did the trial court deny Fortson the Sixth Amendment right to an impartial jury when it allowed a juror to continue serving without properly investigating a claim that the juror had “pre-decided the case at the outset of the trial, and possibly spoken about her decision with even more jurors”?

Background: On a Thursday afternoon during deliberations, the judge received two jury notes from the foreperson, one of which requested a “private conversation” about an allegation that a specific juror “had their mind made up on the first week,” while the other note indicated a deadlocked jury. The judge excused the jury for the weekend. The following Monday, the parties met with the foreperson who clarified that the juror in question had made up his/her mind in the “first week of trial” when the juror expressed the opinion in a single conversation with the foreperson, out of the presence of the other jurors. After much discussion among the parties, and without objection from any defense counsel, the trial court instructed the foreperson to not discuss the matter with other jurors rather than seek further information as to the potential impact of the juror’s thoughts.

The entire jury was brought back into the courtroom where the judge addressed the “hung note.” Within the judge’s instruction, it acknowledged the difficulty of the jury’s job, asked the jury to maintain civility and an open mind, and specifically charged the jury:

Now, if any of you feel for any reason that you have not been able to, or are not able to follow the instructions I have given you, please let me know in a written note, but do not discuss any personal concerns you may have in this regard with any of the other jurors. You can send me a note in writing if you have a concern about whether you can follow the instructions I have given you.

Defense counsel did not object to the judge’s instructions.

Fortson argued that the judge proceeded too cautiously in its investigation of the juror’s misconduct and that it abused its discretion by only instructing the jurors to advise the court if they “were unable to follow the court’s instructions.”

Holding 1: The judge did not abuse his discretion in handling the juror’s misconduct because (1) the conversation between the foreperson and the juror happened during the first week of the two-month trial; (2) the conversation did not occur with any other juror present; (3) the jury was apparently deadlocked on only one count; and (4) the judge’s instruction was “thorough and balanced.”

Issue 2: With respect to McCray, Fortson, and Parker, did the trial court err by giving the jury urban gun battle and aiding and abetting instructions pertaining to a murder count in the indictment, and did this constitute a constructive amendment?

Holding 2: No. First, any potential error in providing the jury with both the urban gun battle and aiding and abetting instructions in conjunction with the murder count would have been harmless. The government did not make an aiding and abetting argument to the jury. The evidence was sufficient to convict the defendants of voluntary manslaughter as co-principals. The record reflects thoughtful consideration by the jury in convicting Parker, Fortson, and McCray of manslaughter and acquitting Henson.

Second, there was no constructive amendment because “the prosecution did not rely at the trial on a complex of facts distinctly different from that which the grand jury set forth in the indictment” by stressing an urban gun battle theory and not arguing aiding and abetting during closing.

Issue 3: McCray, Fortson, and Henson independently raise sufficiency claims.

• McCray: Was there sufficient evidence to convict McCray of AWIKWA, its related PFCV count, and also of separate murder count?

• Holding: Yes. McCray claims that the government failed to prove the specific intent to kill for AWIKWA because the government did not establish the distance between the shooter and the individuals who were assaulted. Case law “does not require the government to prove specific intent by establishing the exact distance between the shooter and the unknown persons who were assaulted.” The DCCA affirmed primarily on McCray’s own statements to witnesses that he had been shooting at people.  The Court also found sufficient evidence for murder given that, immediately after the shooting, McCray was seen walking in an area where shell casings were later found.

• Henson: Was there sufficient evidence to convict Henson of CPWL?

• Holding: No. The government failed to prove that Henson carried a “gun with a barrel less than 12 inches in length.” No witness could identify the type of firearm Henson possessed. Testimony that Henson used handguns on other occasions did not suffice.

• Fortson: Was there sufficient evidence to convict Fortson of ADW and PFCV?

• Holding: Yes. A witness testified that he saw Fortson, gun in hand, go behind a building where “a whole lot of shooting” took place. After the shooting, Fortson said “my bad” or “my bag.” This evidence was sufficient.

Issue 4: With respect to Parker and McCray, did the trial court commit reversible error by precluding the defense from challenging the credibility of a testifying former co-defendant by denying an opportunity to cross-examine or retain an expert on the witness’s mental disabilities?

Background: Curtis Faison initially was a co-defendant in the case, but pleaded guilty during the trial and agreed to testify on behalf of the government. Defense counsel collectively obtained Faison’s juvenile records, which revealed a 2006 psychiatric evaluation which showed a diagnosis of bipolar disorder. Trial counsel also proffered a recent episode in which Faison threw feces and urine at a guard at the D.C. Jail. Parker sought an expert to evaluate Faison and determine the impact of his mental illness on credibility.

During the ensuing litigation, the trial court admonished the government for putting a person with “serious questions regarding credibility, in terms of his history, on the stand in the last minute in the trial” when “the defense has no chance to investigate him.” The judge also showed skepticism in Faison’s credibility, but recognized the “powerful” nature of his testimony if the jury were to believe him.

The judge ultimately denied Parker’s request.

Holding 4: Yes, the trial court did err, but only enough to warrant a remand. The DCCA stated:

[I]n light of defendant’s right to present a defense, and given the seriousness of the bipolar disorder and the proffer about Mr. Faison’s recent episode of throwing urine and feces at a prison guard, we believe Mr. Parker and Mr. McCray were at least entitled to an opportunity to show what an expert might contribute in an effort to determine any impact of Mr. Faison’s mental disabilities on his credibility.

On remand, McCray and Parker will have the ability to call experts. The judge will then determine “whether at the time of his trial testimony, Mr. Faison’s mental disabilities seriously impacted his credibility.” Applying the Kotteakos standard for harmless error, the judge will either affirm the convictions or order a new trial.

Issue 5: Did the trial court err in failing to suppress McCray’s videotaped statement on voluntariness grounds?


Holding 5: The trial court did not err because McCray’s statements were voluntary. At the time of his statement, (1) McCray was seventeen years old; (2) detectives threatened that his family would face eviction; and (3) detectives threatened that his mother, brother, and sister – who were in the room where a gun was found – would be “locked up.” The Court reasoned that McCray’s admission that he participated in one of the shootings was not the product of coercion.

Issue 6: Did the trial court err in failing to grant McCray’s severance motion so that he could be tried with only co-defendants Hebron and Mungo, who were ultimately tried separately, and were the only other defendants charged with AWIKWA in Counts 8 and 9 of the indictment?

Holding 6: No. McCray argued that evidence of a conspiracy was “very weak” and that the evidence against the other defendants with whom he was tried “was much stronger” than the evidence against him. The DCCA rejected this argument and noted that McCray was tried with three individuals who were also charged with the murder of Antwan Buckner. JW

Read full opinion here.