State v. Celestine. , 415 P.3d 907 ( 2018 )


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  •     ***FOR PUBLICATION IN WEST’S HAWAIʻI REPORTS AND PACIFIC REPORTER***
    Electronically Filed
    Supreme Court
    SCWC-14-0000335
    12-APR-2018
    08:41 AM
    IN THE SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF HAWAIʻI
    ---o0o---
    STATE OF HAWAIʻI,
    Respondent/Plaintiff-Appellee,
    vs.
    RITALYNN MOSS CELESTINE,
    Petitioner/Defendant-Appellant.
    SCWC-14-0000335
    CERTIORARI TO THE INTERMEDIATE COURT OF APPEALS
    (CAAP-14-0000335; CASE NO. 1DTA-13-00956)
    APRIL 12, 2018
    McKENNA, POLLACK, AND WILSON, JJ., WITH RECKTENWALD, C.J.,
    DISSENTING, WITH WHOM NAKAYAMA, J., JOINS
    OPINION OF THE COURT BY POLLACK, J.
    This appeal arises from a challenge by Ritalynn Moss
    Celestine to her conviction based on the validity of her waiver
    of the right to testify at trial.         We hold that the record does
    not support a conclusion that Celestine’s waiver of the right to
    testify was voluntarily, intelligently, and knowingly made.
    Because the error was not harmless beyond a reasonable doubt, we
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    vacate the conviction and remand the case for further
    proceedings.
    I.    BACKGROUND
    On February 24, 2013, around 2:40 a.m., an officer of
    the Honolulu Police Department driving along Meheula Parkway saw
    Celestine’s vehicle in the “planter area.”1          It appeared to the
    officer that the vehicle had jumped the curb.           After Celestine
    exited her vehicle, the officer noticed a strong odor of alcohol
    emitting from Celestine’s breath and that her eyes were red,
    bloodshot, and glassy.      The officer requested that Celestine
    perform three field sobriety tests.         According to the responding
    officer, Celestine demonstrated clues suggesting intoxication on
    all three tests, and she was subsequently placed under arrest.2
    At the police station, an officer read Celestine the
    implied consent form for testing, which provided, inter alia, as
    follows: “if you refuse to submit to a breath, blood or urine
    test, you shall be subject to up to 30 days imprisonment and/or
    a fine of up to a thousand dollars.”         Celestine refused the
    blood test but opted to take the breath test.           About 3:15 a.m.,
    1
    Celestine explained to the officer that her GPS had led her there
    and that she was looking for Makapipipi Street.
    2
    The officer acknowledged that it is possible to fail the field
    sobriety tests without being under the influence of alcohol or drugs and that
    the tests provide “clues” to further the investigation.
    2
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    Celestine underwent an Intoxilyzer 8000 breath test.
    Celestine’s breath alcohol content was 0.098 grams of alcohol
    per 210 liters of breath.
    A. District Court Proceedings
    On March 12, 2013, Celestine was charged by complaint
    in the District Court of the First Circuit (district court) with
    operating a vehicle under the influence of an intoxicant in
    violation of Hawaii Revised Statutes (HRS) § 291E-61(a)(1)3
    and/or (a)(3).4     Celestine pleaded not guilty to the charge.
    At trial,5 prior to the presentation of evidence, the
    district court advised Celestine as follows:
    THE COURT: Okay. Miss Celestine, to advise you of
    your rights at trial, at some point in time the State will
    rest, okay, and you’ll have an opportunity to testify or
    remain silent. Should you choose to remain silent, the
    3
    HRS § 291E-61(a)(1) (Supp. 2012) provides as follows:
    A person commits the offense of operating a vehicle under
    the influence of an intoxicant if the person operates or
    assumes actual physical control of a vehicle:
    . . .
    (1) While under the influence of alcohol in an amount
    sufficient to impair the person’s normal mental faculties
    or ability to care for the person and guard against
    casualty[.]
    4
    HRS § 291E-61(a)(3) (Supp. 2012) provides as follows: “A person
    commits the offense of operating a vehicle under the influence of an
    intoxicant if the person operates or assumes actual physical control of a
    vehicle: . . . [w]ith .08 or more grams of alcohol per two hundred ten liters
    of breath.”
    5
    The Honorable Lono J. Lee presided.
    3
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    Court can infer no guilt because of your silence.
    Basically, you’ll be invoking your Fifth Amendment right
    against self-incrimination.
    Okay, you understand?
    THE DEFENDANT: Yes, sir.
    THE COURT: However, if you do wish to testify, you
    need to be sworn in, you’re also subject to cross-
    examination by the State’s attorney. Okay?
    THE DEFENDANT[6]: Okay. And when the State does rest,
    okay, I’ll remind you again, okay, I have to finish this
    even though we’re doing this piece -- piecemeal today. All
    right. Any questions? Okay. Thank you.
    After the State rested,7 the defense advised the court
    that it would not be presenting evidence.           The court then
    proceeded with the Tachibana colloquy:
    THE COURT: Okay.   For defense case, okay, Miss Moss
    Celestine?
    THE DEFENDANT: Yes, sir.
    THE COURT: Okay. Just in caution, okay, I had
    explained to you, okay, on the 12th that you had the right
    to testify and the right to remain silent, okay. They call
    this your Tachibana rights. It’s based on a case law that
    the appellate court found that the trial court needed to
    inform you of your rights, okay. If you chose not to
    testify, the Court could infer no guilt because of your
    silence; basically you would be invoking your Fifth
    Amendment right against self-incrimination. Okay. On the
    other hand, if you do wish to testify, you need to be sworn
    in, you also will be subject to cross-examination by the
    State’s attorney.
    Okay. Your attorney just indicated to the Court that
    you will not be testifying. Is that correct?
    THE DEFENDANT: Yes, sir.
    6
    It appears this statement was made by the district court and
    incorrectly attributed to Celestine in the transcript of the proceedings.
    7
    The State’s evidence included the events described in the
    introductory paragraphs of the Background section, 
    see supra
    .
    4
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    THE COURT: Okay.   Is anybody forcing you not to
    testify?
    THE DEFENDANT: No, sir.
    THE COURT: Okay.   It’s your own decision?
    THE DEFENDANT: Yes, sir.
    THE COURT: Okay, very good . . . .
    Following the colloquy, the district court heard Celestine’s
    motion to suppress her breath test results, which the court
    denied.
    The district court found Celestine guilty as charged
    under HRS § 291E-61(a)(1) and HRS § 291E-61(a)(3) and imposed
    sentence.8    Celestine timely filed a notice of appeal to the
    Intermediate Court of Appeals (ICA).
    B. ICA Proceedings
    In her opening brief, Celestine set forth two points
    of error: (1) the district court erred in denying her motion to
    suppress, and (2) the district court violated her constitutional
    right to testify when it failed to conduct a proper Tachibana
    colloquy.     The State responded that the court’s Tachibana
    colloquy was adequate and that, in the alternative, any error
    was harmless beyond a reasonable doubt.
    8
    The district court sentenced Celestine to the following: pay a
    fine in the amount of $500; pay fees totaling $162; participate in a 14-hour
    substance abuse rehabilitation program; and participate in a substance abuse
    assessment and treatment program if necessary. The district court further
    ordered that Celestine’s license be revoked for a period of one year.
    5
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    In a summary disposition order, the ICA affirmed
    Celestine’s conviction.9       The ICA concluded that the district
    court’s end-of-trial Tachibana colloquy was adequate and that
    Celestine’s waiver of the right to testify was validly made.10
    Chief Judge Nakamura dissented, concluding that the
    district court erred by failing to adequately advise Celestine
    that if she wanted to testify, no one could prevent her from
    doing so.    Because Celestine did not testify at trial, the
    dissent concluded that the error was not harmless.
    II.   STANDARD OF REVIEW
    The validity of a defendant’s waiver in a criminal
    case of the right to testify is a question of constitutional law
    reviewed by this court under the right/wrong standard.             See
    State v. Gomez-Lobato, 130 Hawaiʻi 465, 468-69, 
    312 P.3d 897
    ,
    900-01 (2013).
    III. DISCUSSION
    Hawaiʻi law has historically protected both the right
    to testify and the right not to testify.          State v. Monteil, 134
    9
    The ICA’s summary disposition order can be found at State v.
    Celestine, No. CAAP-14-0000335, 
    2016 WL 3573992
    (Haw. App. June 29, 2016)
    (SDO).
    10
    The ICA also concluded that it need not resolve whether the
    district court erred in denying Celestine’s motion to suppress the breath
    test results because the district court’s finding of guilt under HRS § 291E-
    61(a)(1) (impairment of driver’s mental faculties or abilities while under
    the influence of alcohol) could independently serve as a basis for the
    conviction in this case.
    6
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    Hawaiʻi 361, 369, 
    341 P.3d 567
    , 575 (2014).         The right to testify
    is guaranteed by the Fifth and Sixth Amendments to the United
    States Constitution; the Hawaiʻi Constitution’s parallel
    guarantees under article I, sections 5, 10, and 14; and HRS §
    801-2.    State v. Pomroy, 132 Hawaiʻi 85, 91, 
    319 P.3d 1093
    , 1099
    (2014).    The right not to testify is guaranteed by the United
    States Constitution’s Fifth Amendment guarantee against
    compelled testimony and the Hawaiʻi Constitution’s parallel
    guarantee under article I, section 10.         Monteil, 134 Hawaiʻi at
    
    369, 341 P.3d at 575
    .
    To protect the fundamental right to testify, this
    court in Tachibana v. State established the requirement that
    when a defendant in a criminal case indicates an intention not
    to testify, the trial court must advise the defendant of the
    right to testify and must obtain an on-the-record waiver of this
    right.    79 Hawaiʻi 226, 236, 
    900 P.2d 1293
    , 1303 (1995)
    (footnotes omitted).     An on-the-record waiver assures that the
    defendant is “aware of [the] right to testify and that [the
    defendant] knowingly and voluntarily waive[s] that right.”             
    Id. at 234-37,
    900 P.2d at 1301-04.          The Tachibana court also
    determined that “the ideal time to conduct the colloquy is
    7
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    immediately prior to the close of the defendant’s case.”11               
    Id. at 237,
    900 P.2d at 1304.
    There are two components of a Tachibana colloquy.                The
    first is informing the defendant of fundamental principles
    pertaining to the right to testify and the right not to testify.
    
    Id. at 236
    n.7, 900 P.2d at 1303 
    n.7.         We stated that this
    advisement should consist of the following information:
    that he [or she] has a right to testify, that if he [or
    she] wants to testify that no one can prevent him [or her]
    from doing so, [and] that if he [or she] testifies the
    prosecution will be allowed to cross-examine him [or her].
    In connection with the privilege against self-
    incrimination, the defendant should also be advised that he
    [or she] has a right not to testify and that if he [or she]
    does not testify then the jury can be instructed about that
    right.
    
    Id. (alterations in
    original) (citation omitted).
    The second component of the Tachibana colloquy
    involves the court engaging in a true “colloquy” with the
    defendant.    State v. Han, 130 Hawaii 83, 90-91, 
    306 P.3d 128
    ,
    135-36 (2013).     This portion of the colloquy consists of a
    verbal exchange between the judge and the defendant “in which
    11
    In addition to requiring a Tachibana colloquy when a defendant
    has indicated an intent not to testify, we stated that trial courts must
    conduct a pretrial advisement in which the defendant is informed of his or
    her personal right to testify or not to testify; alert the defendant that if
    he or she has not testified by the end of trial, the court will question the
    defendant to ensure it was his or her own decision not to testify; and advise
    the defendant that the exercise of the right not to testify may not be used
    by the factfinder against the defendant. State v. Lewis, 94 Hawaii 292, 297,
    
    12 P.3d 1233
    , 1238 (2000); Monteil, 134 Hawaii at 
    373, 341 P.3d at 579
    .
    8
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    the judge ascertains the defendant’s understanding of the
    proceedings and of the defendant’s rights.”          
    Id. at 90,
    306 P.3d
    at 135 (quoting Black’s Law Dictionary 300 (9th ed. 2009)).
    The verbal exchange is to ensure that the information
    conveyed by the judge has been understood by the defendant and
    that the defendant’s decision not to testify has been made with
    an understanding of the defendant’s rights.          
    Id. at 90-91,
    306
    P.3d at 135-36 (“[T]he transcript does not indicate that a true
    ‘colloquy’ took place.     Instead, the court simply advised
    Petitioner of his rights, without any ‘discussion,’ ‘exchange’
    or ascertainment that Petitioner understood his rights.”);
    Pomroy, 132 Hawaiʻi at 
    93, 319 P.3d at 1101
    (holding that the
    Tachibana colloquy was “defective” in part because the district
    court merely “recited a litany of rights” and then asked the
    defendant “if he ‘understood that,’” without clarifying “which
    right ‘that’ referenced”).
    To accomplish the purposes of a true colloquy, we have
    suggested that the trial court engage in a verbal exchange with
    the defendant at least twice during the colloquy in order to
    ascertain the defendant’s “understanding of significant
    propositions in the advisement.”         Han, 130 Hawaii at 
    90, 306 P.3d at 135
    .   The first time is after the court informs the
    defendant of the right to testify and of the right not to
    9
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    testify and the protections associated with these rights.              
    Id. The purpose
    of this exchange is for the court to ascertain the
    defendant’s understanding of these important principles.
    The second time we suggested a verbal exchange should
    occur is after the court indicates to the defendant its
    understanding that the defendant does not intend to testify.12
    
    Id. at 91,
    306 P.3d at 136.       This inquiry enables the court to
    determine whether the defendant’s decision to not testify is
    made with an understanding of the principles that have been
    explained to the defendant.       
    Id. As part
    of this inquiry, the
    trial court elicits responses as to whether the defendant
    intends to not testify, whether anyone is forcing the defendant
    not to testify, and whether the decision to not testify is the
    defendant’s.    
    Id. The constitutional
    right to testify is violated when
    the Tachibana colloquy is inadequate to provide an “objective
    basis” for finding the defendant “knowingly, intelligently, and
    voluntarily” relinquished his or her right to testify.             
    Id. In determining
    whether a waiver of the right to testify was
    12
    The fact that the court is conducting the Tachibana colloquy with
    the defendant generally indicates that defense counsel has informed the court
    that the defendant does not intend to testify. See Lewis, 94 Hawaii at 296-
    
    97, 12 P.3d at 1237-38
    (“[W]e hold the court need not engage in a Tachibana
    colloquy except where the defendant has indicated that he or she will not
    testify[.]”).
    10
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    voluntarily and intelligently made, this court looks to the
    totality of the facts and circumstances of each particular case.
    
    Id. at 89,
    306 P.3d at 134.
    In this case, the Tachibana colloquy was deficient
    because the district court did not adequately fulfill the second
    component of the Tachibana colloquy.
    A. The District Court Did Not Engage Celestine In A True Colloquy
    Celestine argues that the district court’s Tachibana
    colloquy was defective because the district court failed to
    engage in a true exchange with her.13         As discussed, beyond
    advising defendants of the rights afforded to them, a court must
    engage defendants in a true colloquy to ascertain whether the
    defendant understands the right to testify and the right not to
    testify and whether the decision not to testify is made with an
    understanding of these rights.        Han, 130 Hawaiʻi at 
    90-91, 306 P.3d at 135-36
    .
    13
    Citing the ICA dissent, Celestine reasserts in her application
    for a writ of certiorari that the Tachibana colloquy was prejudicially
    inadequate because the district court failed to advise her that if she wanted
    to testify, no one could prevent her from doing so. See State v. Eduwensuyi
    141 Hawaii 328, 
    409 P.3d 732
    , 737-38 (2018) (discussing the significance of
    this advisement in the Tachibana colloquy). Our disposition in this case
    renders it unnecessary to address this omission in the colloquy as an
    independent ground for vacating Celestine’s conviction.
    11
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    The first time the district court should have engaged
    in a verbal exchange to ascertain Celestine’s understanding was
    after the court advised her of the following principles:
    Just in caution, okay, I had explained to you, okay, on the
    12th that you had the right to testify and the right to
    remain silent, okay. They call this your Tachibana rights.
    It’s based on a case law that the appellate court found
    that the trial court needed to inform you of your rights,
    okay. If you chose not to testify, the Court could infer
    no guilt because of your silence; basically you would be
    invoking your Fifth Amendment right against self-
    incrimination. Okay. On the other hand, if you do wish to
    testify, you need to be sworn in, you also will be subject
    to cross-examination by the State’s attorney.
    Instead of ascertaining at this juncture of the colloquy whether
    Celestine understood the fundamental principles stated, the
    court simply proceeded with the advisement.             Han, 130 Hawaii at
    
    90-91, 306 P.3d at 135-36
    .
    In Han, the family court informed the defendant that
    he had a right to testify, that no one could force him to
    testify, that he had a “right to remain silent,” and that if he
    exercised his right to remain silent the jury would be
    instructed not to hold it against him.            
    Id. at 90,
    306 P.3d at
    135.    We determined that the court should have obtained a
    response from the defendant as to his understanding of these
    principles.      
    Id. at 90-91,
    306 P.3d at 135-36.         Instead, the
    court “simply continued on with the advisement.”              
    Id. at 91,
    306
    P.3d at 136.
    12
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    Similarly, in Pomroy, we held that the district court
    did not engage in a discussion or exchange with the defendant to
    ascertain his understanding of his right to testify and his
    right not to testify.      132 Hawaii at 
    94, 319 P.3d at 1102
    .         We
    reasoned in part that “the district court recited a litany of
    rights” and then asked the defendant if he “understood that”
    without clarifying “which right ‘that’ referenced.”            Id. at 
    93, 319 P.3d at 1101
    .
    Thus, as in Han and Pomroy, the district court in this
    case simply advised Celestine of her rights without any
    discussion or exchange to “ascertain[] the defendant’s
    understanding of the proceedings and of the defendant’s rights.”
    Han, 130 Hawaii at 
    90, 306 P.3d at 135
    (emphasis omitted);14
    accord Pomroy, 132 Hawaii at 
    94, 319 P.3d at 1102
    .
    14
    The dissent interprets the Han decision as having been dependent
    on the presence of a salient fact. Dissent at 3-4. The decision clearly
    indicates otherwise. In part VII-A of the opinion, this court concluded that
    “the transcript does not indicate that a true ‘colloquy’ took place.” Han,
    130 Hawaii at 
    90, 306 P.3d at 135
    . We then held, after examining the
    colloquy, that the “failure to ensure that Petitioner understood his rights
    amounts to a failure to obtain the on-the-record waiver required by
    Tachibana.” 
    Id. at 91,
    306 P.3d at 136. The Han court thus concluded that
    the trial court did not have “an objective basis for finding” that Han
    validly waived his rights. 
    Id. Only after
    reaching this conclusion in Part
    VII-A of the opinion did we then go on to consider the salient fact of a
    language barrier. In Part VII-B of the opinion, we noted that the presence
    of a salient fact “underscores the importance of the court’s colloquy as a
    procedural safeguard that protects a defendant’s right to testify or to not
    testify.” 
    Id. at 92,
    306 P.3d at 137. Moreover, we determined that the
    presence of a salient fact--the defendant’s need for an interpreter--only
    made the court’s error in failing to ensure Han’s understanding “more
    (continued . . .)
    13
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    The second time the district court should have engaged
    in a verbal exchange with Celestine to ascertain her
    understanding was after the court stated the following: “Your
    attorney just indicated to the Court that you will not be
    testifying.    Is that correct?”      Celestine’s response of “Yes,
    sir” to the court’s question does not indicate whether she was
    expressing that she did not wish to testify or merely confirming
    that her attorney had just told the court she would not be
    testifying.    See Han, 130 Hawaii at 
    91, 306 P.3d at 136
    (holding
    that although the defendant responded “Yes” to the court’s
    statement that “[t]he decision not to testify is yours and yours
    alone after you have discussed the matter with your attorney,”
    it was unclear if the defendant was responding “Yes”--that he
    understood the decision was his alone, or “Yes”--that he had
    discussed the matter with his attorney).
    The remainder of the district court’s Tachibana
    colloquy only consisted of the following:
    THE COURT: Is anybody forcing you not to testify?
    THE DEFENDANT: No, sir.
    (. . . continued)
    egregious.” 
    Id. (emphasis added).
    The salient fact therefore only
    exacerbated the trial court’s failure. 
    Id. Hence, the
    dissent incorrectly
    contends that Han is distinguishable because there was no showing of a
    salient fact that might have prevented Celestine from understanding the
    court’s advisements. Dissent at 10.
    14
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    THE COURT: Okay.   It’s your own decision?
    THE DEFENDANT: Yes, sir.
    THE COURT: Okay, very good . . . .
    Celestine’s “No” response to the court’s inquiry of whether
    anyone was forcing her not to testify does not indicate that she
    understood she had a constitutional right to testify, only that
    no one was forcing her not to testify.          See Han, 130 Hawaii at
    
    91, 306 P.3d at 136
    (holding that the defendant’s “No” response
    to the court’s inquiry as to whether anyone was threatening or
    forcing him not to testify did not demonstrate his understanding
    of his right to testify).       And the final question (“It’s your
    own decision?”) does not cure the inadequacy in the court’s
    colloquy as the court “did not inquire into other matters of
    constitutional magnitude.”       
    Id. The district
    court thus did not engage in a sufficient
    verbal exchange with Celestine to ascertain whether her waiver
    of the right to testify was based on her understanding of the
    principles related by the district court.15             Because the court’s
    15
    Our decision is not intended to establish that the verbal
    exchange must occur at specific junctures in the colloquy. A trial court is
    required, however, to engage the defendant in a true colloquy to ascertain
    the defendant’s understanding of the significant rights stated and to ensure
    that the defendant’s decision not to testify is made with an understanding of
    these rights. Han, 130 Hawaii at 
    90-91, 306 P.3d at 135-36
    . This approach
    is not mere formalism as asserted by the dissent. Dissent at 6. Rather, it
    enables a court to establish a record that demonstrates a knowing,
    (continued . . .)
    15
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    colloquy with Celestine was deficient as to this essential
    requirement, the record does not demonstrate that Celestine’s
    waiver of the right to testify was knowingly, intelligently, and
    voluntarily made.16     See Han, 130 Hawaii at 
    91-93, 306 P.3d at 136-38
    .    The ICA erred in concluding to the contrary.
    B. The District Court’s Error Was Not Harmless Beyond A
    Reasonable Doubt
    The Tachibana colloquy in this case was deficient
    because the district court did not engage in a true colloquy
    with Celestine to ascertain her understanding of the
    constitutional principles stated and to ensure that Celestine’s
    decision not to testify was made with an understanding of these
    principles.17
    (. . . continued)
    intelligent, and voluntary waiver of the right to testify.   Han, 130 Hawaii
    at 
    90-91, 306 P.3d at 135-36
    .
    16
    The dissent relies on the pretrial advisement that was conducted
    five days before the Tachibana colloquy to “mitigate” the error in this case
    and to thus support the conclusion that Celestine’s waiver of the right to
    testify was made knowingly and voluntarily. Dissent at 10. However, the
    pretrial advisement not only omitted the advisory that was also absent from
    the Tachibana colloquy--that if Celestine wanted to testify no one could
    prevent her from doing so--but the dissent’s assumption of mitigation is also
    inconsistent with our rejection of an approach that “treats all defendants
    alike in terms of their ability to understand and recall the initial
    advisory.” State v. Eduwensuyi, 141 Hawaii 328, 
    409 P.3d 732
    , 739 (2018).
    17
    More than twenty years ago, the Tachibana court concluded that
    the colloquy requirement “will best protect defendants’ rights while
    maintaining the integrity of the criminal justice system.” Tachibana, 79
    Hawaii at 
    234, 900 P.2d at 1301
    . In so concluding, the Tachibana court
    stated that trial courts “must obtain an on-the-record waiver of that right
    (continued . . .)
    16
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    “Once a violation of the constitutional right to
    testify is established, the conviction must be vacated unless
    the State can prove that the violation was harmless beyond a
    reasonable doubt.”     Pomroy, 132 Hawaii at 
    94, 319 P.3d at 1102
    (quoting Tachibana, 79 Hawaii at 
    240, 900 P.2d at 1307
    ).             The
    relevant question “is whether there is a reasonable possibility
    that [the] error might have contributed to [the] conviction.”
    Han, 130 Hawaii at 
    93, 306 P.3d at 138
    (quoting State v.
    Schnabel, 127 Hawaii 432, 450, 
    279 P.3d 1237
    , 1255 (2012)).
    From our review of the record, we cannot conclude that the
    district court’s error was harmless because it is not knowable
    whether Celestine’s testimony, had she given it, could have
    established reasonable doubt that she operated a vehicle under
    the influence of an intoxicant in violation of HRS § 291E-
    (. . . continued)
    in every case in which the defendant does not testify.” 
    Id. at 236
    , 900 P.2d
    at 1303. A trial court’s failure to engage in a true verbal exchange with
    the defendant to ensure the defendant understood his or her rights amounts to
    a failure to obtain the on-the-record waiver that Tachibana requires. Han,
    130 Hawaii at 
    91, 306 P.3d at 136
    . When the Tachibana colloquy is inadequate
    to provide an “objective basis” for finding the defendant “knowingly,
    intelligently, and voluntarily” relinquished the right to testify, the
    constitutional right to testify is violated. State v. Eduwensuyi, 141 Hawaii
    328, 
    409 P.3d 732
    , 737 (2018) (quoting Han, 130 Hawaii at 
    91, 306 P.3d at 136
    ).
    17
    ***FOR PUBLICATION IN WEST’S HAWAIʻI REPORTS AND PACIFIC REPORTER***
    61(a)(1).18    See Pomroy, 132 Hawaii at 
    94, 319 P.3d at 1102
    .
    Thus, Celestine’s conviction under HRS § 291E-61(a)(1) must be
    vacated.19
    IV.   CONCLUSION
    Based on the foregoing, the ICA’s July 26, 2016
    Judgment on Appeal and the district court’s September 17, 2013
    and December 17, 2013 Notices of Entry of Judgment and/or Order
    and Plea/Judgment are vacated, and the case is remanded to the
    district court for further proceedings.
    James S. Tabe                             /s/ Sabrina S. McKenna
    for petitioner
    /s/ Richard W. Pollack
    /s/ Michael D. Wilson
    18
    At trial, the responding officer testified to the following:
    Celestine explained to him that her GPS had led her to where her vehicle was
    discovered; it is possible to fail the field sobriety tests without being
    under the influence of alcohol or drugs; and the tests provide only “clues”
    to further the investigation.
    19
    Celestine was also convicted under HRS § 291E-61(a)(3) based on
    the results of her breath test. Pursuant to State v. Won, 137 Hawaii 330,
    
    372 P.3d 1065
    (2015), Celestine’s conviction under HRS § 291E-61(a)(3) must
    also be vacated. See Won, 137 Hawaii at 349, 355 
    n.49, 372 P.3d at 1084
    ,
    1090 n.49 (holding that because “the threat of criminal sanctions inherently
    precludes a finding of voluntariness,” the defendant’s consent to a breath
    test was not voluntary and therefore the district court erred in not
    suppressing the results of the defendant’s breath test).
    18
    

Document Info

Docket Number: SCWC-14-0000335

Citation Numbers: 415 P.3d 907

Judges: McKenna, Pollack, Wilson, Recktenwald, Nakayama

Filed Date: 4/12/2018

Precedential Status: Precedential

Modified Date: 10/19/2024