ALLEN (DAVID WAYNE) VS. COMMONWEALTH OF KENTUCKY
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RENDERED: DECEMBER 3, 2010; 10:00 A.M.
NOT TO BE PUBLISHED
Commonwealth of Kentucky
Court of Appeals
NO. 2009-CA-001265-MR
DAVID WAYNE ALLEN
v.
APPELLANT
APPEAL FROM JEFFERSON CIRCUIT COURT
HONORABLE FREDERIC COWAN, JUDGE
ACTION NO. 06-CR-003939
COMMONWEALTH OF KENTUCKY
APPELLEE
OPINION
AFFIRMING
** ** ** ** **
BEFORE: ACREE, JUDGE; HENRY AND ISAAC,1 SENIOR JUDGES.
HENRY, SENIOR JUDGE: A Jefferson Circuit Court jury found David Wayne
Allen guilty of complicity to manufacture methamphetamine and sentenced him to
seventeen years’ imprisonment. He argues the trial judge’s comments to the jury
invaded the jury’s fact finding authority and denied him a fair trial. He then argues
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Senior Judges Michael L. Henry and Sheila R. Isaac sitting as Special Judges by assignment of
the Chief Justice pursuant to Section 110(5)(b) of the Kentucky Constitution and Kentucky
Revised Statutes (KRS) 21.580.
that Section 11 of the Kentucky Constitution requires jury sentencing and
Kentucky Revised Statute (KRS) 532.055 which was followed during his
sentencing hearing is unconstitutional. We disagree and affirm the judgment and
sentence of the Jefferson Circuit Court.
On December 27, 2005, a state trooper clocked a white Jeep Cherokee
traveling 77 miles per hour in a 55 miles per hour zone. The driver did not comply
with the trooper’s motions to pull over to the side of the road but instead sped off.
The trooper gave chase at some times exceeding 100 miles per hour. Because of
the unsafe speed, the trooper abandoned the chase and eventually lost sight of the
vehicle. A short time later, the trooper responded to a call of a car that had crashed
into a telephone pole. When he arrived at the scene, he found a white Jeep
Cherokee but there was no driver in sight. After running the license plates, the
trooper was notified the vehicle had been reported stolen.
Inside the vehicle was an inactive mobile methamphetamine lab and
items associated with manufacturing methamphetamine including a Mason jar.
The police also recovered a digital camera and a receipt showing the purchase of
pseudoephedrine, which is an over-the-counter drug used to manufacture
methamphetamine. Investigation led to a woman who in turn led police to David
Wayne Allen. He was depicted in photographs from the digital camera and his
fingerprint matched one taken from the Mason jar.
At the beginning of the trial the judge admonished the jury that they
were not to be influenced by personal feelings of sympathy “one way or the other.”
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He also listed a number of factors the jury should consider. These included the
“interest or the lack of interest” in the trial’s outcome as well as the “conduct or
demeanor” of witnesses along with any “bias or prejudice.” He then indicated the
jury should consider the “clearness or lack of clearness” of any witness
recollection of facts as well as the “reasonableness” of the testimony. He directed
the jury to “take into account” all facts and circumstances that might tend to
support of discredit any testimony.
After hearing the evidence, the jury returned a guilty verdict on the
charge of complicity to manufacture methamphetamine but not guilty on all other
charges. The jury then fixed Allen’s sentence at seventeen years’ imprisonment.
Allen does acknowledge that after he filed his appeal, the Kentucky
Supreme Court rendered a not-to-be published memorandum opinion in the case of
Caldwell v. Commonwealth, 2010 WL 2471567 (Ky. 2010) (2009-SC-0384-MR).
In that case, the Supreme Court examined the same two issues Allen raises here.
Caldwell involved a case where the same trial judge gave a jury the same
admonitions and then referenced the same sentencing statute, imposing a twentyyear sentence instead of the seventeen-year sentence Allen received. While not
binding on our determinations, we find the opinion nevertheless instructive. See
Kentucky Rules of Civil Procedure (CR) 76.28(4)(c); and Rules of the Supreme
Court (SCR) 1.030(8)(a).
As in Caldwell, Allen did not object to the trial court’s jury
admonitions and we therefore review this matter for “palpable error.” Kentucky
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Rules of Criminal Procedure (RCr) 10.26. Comments by a trial judge “which may
reflect upon the credibility of a witness or tend to indicate the court’s view of the
quality or weight of the evidence are considered improper.” Chism v. Lampach,
352 S.W.2d 191, 194 (Ky. 1961).
Here however, the trial court’s comments did not relate to any specific
evidence or witness because none had been presented to the jury when the trial
court delivered the admonitions. The comments were fair and favored neither side.
We agree they were a “well-intentioned effort to give jurors helpful guidance in
how to find facts from evidence presented in the courtroom.” Caldwell at *2. We
can find nothing in the comments that lead us to believe they in any manner
influenced the jury’s deliberations for or against either party. Absent a direct
showing of some impropriety we can find nothing that leads us to conclude there
was palpable error because of the trial court’s remarks.
Next, Allen argues KRS 532.055 is unconstitutional and as a result,
his sentence was improper because the statute places the jury determinations in a
mere advisory role. We disagree. Like Caldwell, Allen did not preserve this
alleged error for appellate review and failed to notify the Attorney General of the
constitutional challenge.
“When the constitutionality of an act of the General Assembly
affecting the public interest is drawn into question in any action, the movant shall
serve a copy of the pleading, motion or other paper first raising the challenge upon
the Attorney General.” CR 24.03. The Kentucky Supreme Court has repeatedly
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held the notice provisions are mandatory. Benet v. Commonwealth, 253 S.W.3d
528, 532 (Ky. 2008). Absent compliance with the notice requirements, we can find
nothing in Allen’s argument that convinces us review is appropriate.
Further, we would again review this matter to determine if there was
“palpable error.” RCr 10.26. Any error in having a jury “recommend” a sentence
rather than “fix” that punishment does not rise to the level of palpable error in this
case because both the judge and jury each issued the same sentence of seventeen
years. We again agree “he fails to demonstrate any constitutional violation
actually affecting him in any concrete manner.” Caldwell at *2.
Finding no error, we affirm the judgment and sentence of the
Jefferson Circuit Court.
ALL CONCUR.
BRIEF FOR APPELLANT:
BRIEF FOR APPELLEE:
J. David Niehaus
Louisville, Kentucky
Jack Conway
Attorney General of Kentucky
Bryan D. Morrow
Assistant Attorney General
Frankfort, Kentucky
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