Ali v. State, 2003-KA-01816-COA.

• Decision Date: 02 May 2006
• Docket Number: No. 2003-KA-01816-COA.,2003-KA-01816-COA.
• Citation: 928 So.2d 237
• Parties: Omar Mohamed ALI a/k/a Omar M. Ali, Appellant v. STATE of Mississippi, Appellee.
• Court: Mississippi Court of Appeals

928 So.2d 237

Omar Mohamed ALI a/k/a Omar M. Ali, Appellant v. STATE of Mississippi, Appellee.

No. 2003-KA-01816-COA.

Court of Appeals of Mississippi.

May 2, 2006.

James D. Franks, Hernando, attorney for appellant.

Office of the Attorney General by Billy L. Gore, attorney for appellee.

EN BANC.

MODIFIED OPINION ON MOTION FOR REHEARING

GRIFFIS, J., for the Court.

¶ 1. The motion for rehearing is granted. The original opinion is withdrawn and this opinion substituted in its place.

¶ 2. In a jury trial in the Circuit Court of Desoto County, Mississippi, Omar Mohamed Ali was found guilty of a third offense of felony DUI. Ali was tried in absentia. The trial judge sentenced Ali to five years in the custody of the Mississippi Department of Corrections with four years suspended. Ali now appeals on the following issues:

STATEMENT OF THE ISSUES

I. DID THE TRIAL COURT ERR IN ALLOWING THE TRIAL OF ALI IN ABSENTIA?

II. DID THE TRIAL COURT ERR IN ADMITTING IRRELEVANT AND UNDULY PREJUDICIAL EVIDENCE OF INTOXILYZER TEST RESULTS WHEN THE INDICTMENT ALLEGED A VIOLATION OF MISSISSIPPI CODE ANNOTATED SECTION 63-11-30(1)(a) AND NOT SECTION 63-11-30(1)(c)?

III. DID THE TRIAL COURT ERR IN OVERRULING ALI'S MOTION FOR A DIRECTED VERDICT?

FACTS

¶ 3. A little past midnight on December 13, 2002, Chris Cline, a patrolman with the Horn Lake Police Department, observed a white GMC Yukon traveling on Highway 302 crossover into the center turn lane four times. Cline pulled the car over and noticed the odor of an intoxicating beverage and the bloodshot eyes of the driver. The man driving was Omar Ali, and when asked to get out of the car the patrolman noticed that Ali was unsteady, having to keep his hand on the car to balance himself.

¶ 4. Ali told Cline he had only consumed a single beer, but Ali failed both field sobriety tests and was placed under arrest. At the police station the officers administered a breath test on Ali using the Intoxilyzer 5000. This test was performed approximately a half hour after the arrest and the result was 0.090%. The legal limit for intoxication is 0.080%.

¶ 5. The indictment alleged Ali violated Mississippi Code Annotated section 63-11-30(1)(a) by operating a motor vehicle while under the influence of intoxicating liquor. This was Ali's third offense under this statute after having twice been convicted in Shelby County, Tennessee for DUI. A jury trial was to be held on July 15, 2003. The morning of trial both Ali and his attorney were present at 8:30 a.m. However, there was a trial that was not completed and they were to return that afternoon to begin their trial. Ali did not return that afternoon and his attorney's motion for continuance was denied. Officer Cline was the sole witness in the case since Ali did not have any witnesses testify for the defense and obviously did not testify on his own behalf. The motions for directed verdict and JNOV made by Ali's attorney were denied.

ANALYSIS

I. DID THE TRIAL COURT ERR IN ALLOWING THE TRIAL OF THE ALI IN ABSENTIA?

¶ 6. The trial of Ali was set to begin at 8:30 a.m. on July 15, 2003. Ali was present at that time but the court requested the parties to come back at 1:00 p.m. because another trial was still under way and would be finished by the afternoon. At 1:30 p.m., Ali still was not present and the prosecutor wished to proceed without him. Ali's attorney made a motion for a continuance which was ultimately denied. In the debate over the issue, the parties established that a statement would be given to the jury in the form of a jury instruction regarding Ali's absence. However, at this time, Ali's attorney believed Ali was merely stuck in traffic on the interstate and would appear in court soon. Ali never reappeared in the courtroom.

¶ 7. There is a long history of precedent for the constitutionality of trial in absentia under Mississippi Code Annotated section 99-17-9 (Rev.2000). See Thomas v. State, 117 Miss. 532, 78 So. 147 (1918); Williams v. State, 103 Miss. 147, 60 So. 73 (1912).

¶ 8. The Mississippi Supreme Court in Jefferson v. State, 807 So.2d 1222 (¶ 14) (Miss.2002), carved out an exception, allowing a trial in absentia based on willful, voluntary and deliberate actions by a defendant in avoiding trial.

¶ 9. In Jefferson, Jefferson was present at his arraignment and later at his hearing on November 5, 1999, at which time his trial was set for March 20, 2000. Id. at 1223 (¶ 3). On March 1, 2000, defense counsel attempted to reach Jefferson by telephone to prepare for trial, but could not reach him. Id. After many failed attempts to reach Jefferson by phone, on March 13, 2000, defense counsel sent a letter to Jefferson advising him of the trial date and requesting that Jefferson contact him immediately. Id. On March 14, 2000, Jefferson called his attorney and they discussed the case. Id. at 1224 (¶ 4). Defense counsel asked Jefferson to meet with him on March 16, 2000, to prepare for trial, however Jefferson failed to appear. Id. On March 19, 2000, defense counsel again unsuccessfully attempted to reach Jefferson by telephone. Id.

¶ 10. Jefferson failed to appear at trial on March 20, 2000. A warrant was issued for his arrest and the matter was continued until the next day. Id. at 1223 (¶ 2) Defense counsel attempted to contact Jefferson by telephone, but was unable to reach him. Id. On March 21, 2000, Jefferson again failed to appear at trial and the matter was continued to the next day. Id. Defense counsel again attempted to contact Jefferson but was unsuccessful. Id. When Jefferson failed to appear at trial on March 22, 2000, the trial court found that he had waived his right to be present for trial and allowed the trial to continue in absentia. Id. at 1224 (¶ 4).

¶ 11. Here, Ali made all previous court appearances. Ali's trial was originally scheduled for July 8, 2003. He appeared for trial on that date. However, the State was granted a continuance until July 15, 2003, due to the fact that one of its witnesses was unavailable to testify.

¶ 12. On July 15, 2003, Ali appeared for trial at 8:30 a.m. The trial did not begin as scheduled because the State was trying another case which was not yet completed. Ali's counsel told the court that Ali was told to be back to court at 1:00 p.m. for the trial to begin. At 1:00 p.m., Ali's case was called for trial but Ali was not present. At 1:25 p.m. Ali was still not present and defense counsel asked for a continuance. The trial court denied the request for a continuance and found that Ali could not claim he did not know of the 1:00 p.m. trial since he was at the courthouse that morning. The court proceeded with the trial in absentia.

¶ 13. At the hearing on his motion for JNOV or new trial, Ali was given an opportunity to testify and explain why he was not present for the trial. Ali testified:

My lawyer, he never talked to me even two minutes. He tell me I'll call you when it's ready. The thing is ready. I didn't understand him. I said okay. Before that, they never send me any letter. He tell me you have a two. I call his secretary always. I never see him. So the next day they tell me you have eight, which was before that week. He called me around 7:45 morning on 8 morning at my house. So I drive down, and he tell me I'm going to get you another week, which is the 15th. I come 7:55. I was here. I'm going to call you. Go do what you do. I was doing my job. I'm not run. So that's what happened.

Ali's counsel argued that Ali is a Somalian citizen and barely speaks English. He argued that Ali was present at 7:55 a.m. the morning of the trial and counsel instructed Ali to go to work. Counsel was to call him when the case was ready for trial. The State offered no evidence to dispute Ali's testimony.

¶ 14. Pursuant to Jefferson, Ali's trial in absentia was appropriate only if Ali acted willfully, voluntarily, and deliberately to avoid trial by engaging in actions at least as egregious as those committed in Jefferson. We do not find that Ali's actions meet this criteria. Accordingly, we reverse and remand for a new trial.

II. DID THE TRIAL COURT ERR IN ADMITTING IRRELEVANT AND UNDULY PREJUDICIAL EVIDENCE OF INTOXILYZER TEST RESULTS WHEN THE INDICTMENT ALLEGED A VIOLATION OF MISSISSIPPI CODE ANNOTATED SECTION 63-11-30(1)(a) AND NOT SECTION 63-11-30(1)(c)?

¶ 15. It is well settled that "[t]he relevancy and admissibility of evidence are largely within the discretion of the trial...