Danny Sims v. Andrew Pappas and Melissa Pappas , 61 N.E.3d 1285 ( 2016 )

FILED
Oct 13 2016, 5:33 am
CLERK
Indiana Supreme Court
Court of Appeals
and Tax Court
ATTORNEY FOR APPELLANT ATTORNEY FOR APPELLEES
Thomas Rosta Adam J. Sedia
Metzger Rosta, LLP Rubino, Ruman, Crosmer & Polen
Noblesville, Indiana Dyer, Indiana
IN THE
COURT OF APPEALS OF INDIANA
Danny Sims, October 13, 2016
Appellant-Defendant, Court of Appeals Case No.
45A03-1509-CT-1424
v. Appeal from the Lake Superior
Court.
The Honorable William E. Davis,
Andrew Pappas and Melissa Judge.
Pappas, Cause No. 45D05-1306-CT-107
Appellees-Plaintiffs.
Shepard, Senior Judge
[1] During a trial over damages caused by a drunk driver, the defendant
acknowledged his intoxication and responsibility for the collision. He objected
to admitting evidence about two decades-old convictions for alcohol-related
offenses. The objection was overruled and the jury ultimately returned a
verdict, mostly for compensatory damages.
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[2] While we do not embrace his proposal that prior convictions should be barred
outright as they mostly would be in a criminal trial, we conclude that in this
case they neither proved nor disproved any facts that were central to the main
questions the jury decided – compensatory damages and loss of consortium. As
they were not relevant to these issues and unfairly prejudicial (though probably
not to the question of punitive damages), we reverse and order a new trial.
Facts and Procedural History
[3] On May 17, 2013, after working an eight-hour shift, Danny Sims left work at
7:30 a.m., played golf with friends, and then spent the afternoon and evening
drinking with his son at a bar in Crown Point, Indiana. Sims consumed at least
seven alcoholic beverages, including three beers and some alcoholic energy
drinks. Sometime between 9 and 9:30 p.m., Sims was escorted out by two
bouncers, because he fell asleep at the bar and fell when he tried to stand up
from the bar stool. Sims struggled with the bouncers and accidentally struck his
son in the mouth. The bouncers walked Sims to his vehicle, and Sims entered
his vehicle and attempted to drive home.
[4] Sims was travelling southbound on Broadway Avenue and entered the left turn
lane at the intersection of 109th Avenue. Andrew Pappas was driving
1
northbound on Broadway on his way to work. Pappas approached the
1
The only issue before this Court on appeal does not involve Pappas’ wife, Melissa. Therefore, in this
appeal, we use the name “Pappas” to refer to Andrew Pappas.
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intersection of 109th Avenue and attempted to proceed through the
intersection, as the traffic signal indicated a green light. Sims failed to yield the
right-of-way and collided head-on with Pappas’ vehicle.
[5] Pappas was severely injured in the collision. At the time of the accident, Sims’
blood alcohol content measured .18. Sims admitted being at fault and to being
intoxicated at the time of the accident. In the course of criminal charges, Sims
pleaded guilty to operating while intoxicated, as a Class C misdemeanor. 2 He
was fined and sentenced.
[6] Pappas and his wife Melissa sued Sims for personal injuries and loss of
consortium, alleging negligence, recklessness, and willful and wanton
misconduct. At trial, over Sims’ objection, the court allowed testimony about
Sims’ driving record, which included a 1983 conviction for operating while
intoxicated, and a 1996 conviction for reckless driving (based on a failed
3
chemical test).
[7] On July 1, 2015, following a three-day trial, the jury awarded compensatory
damages to Pappas and to his wife, and punitive damages to Pappas. The
compensatory damages were more than ninety percent of the total.
2
See Ind. Code § 9-30-5-1 (2001).
3
In 1996, Sims failed a chemical test. He entered into a stipulated plea agreement and pled guilty to
reckless driving. When the Pappases’ counsel attempted to enter Sims’ driving record into evidence,
which included the 1983 and 1996 convictions, Sims’ counsel objected and the Pappases’ counsel
withdrew the exhibit.
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[8] After trial, Sims resisted entry of judgment on the verdict, arguing improper
admission of evidence about his driving offenses, that the compensatory and
punitive damages awards were excessive, and that the punitive award violated
his due process rights. After a hearing, the trial court deemed Sims’ written
objections a motion to correct error (under Indiana Trial Rule 59), denied the
motion, and entered judgment for the Pappases. This appeal followed.
Issue
[9] The dispositive issue is: Whether the trial court erred by admitting evidence of
Sims’ decades-old prior criminal convictions for driving under the influence and
reckless driving.
Discussion and Decision
[10] We evaluate challenges to admission of evidence under a standard that treats
the decision to admit or exclude evidence as lying within the sound discretion
of the trial court, one that is afforded great deference on appeal. Bacher v. State,
686 N.E.2d 791 (Ind. 1997). We will not reverse that decision absent a showing
of manifest abuse of that discretion. Strack and Van Til, Inc. v. Carter, 803
N.E.2d 666 (Ind. Ct. App. 2004). Such an abuse occurs where the trial court’s
decision is against the logic and effect of the facts and circumstances before it.
Santelli v. Rahmatullah, 993 N.E.2d 167 (Ind. 2013). To determine whether
reversal is required, the court considers the probable impact of the evidence
upon the jury. Gibson v. Bojrab, 950 N.E.2d 347 (Ind. Ct. App. 2011). Even if
we find inadmissible evidence was improperly placed before the jury, we only
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reverse if that error was clearly prejudicial. Morse v. Davis, 965 N.E.2d 148 (Ind.
Ct. App. 2012), trans. denied.
[11] Sims argues the evidence in question is inadmissible under Indiana Evidence
Rules 403 and 609(b). Pappas counters the trial court properly admitted the
evidence because 1) the prior convictions were probative of the reprehensibility
of Sims’ actions, which, according to Pappas, outweighed any prejudice; and 2)
Indiana Evidence Rule 609 does not apply to the admission of the prior
convictions, but instead applies only to the admissibility of certain evidence for
purposes of impeaching a witness.
[12] Evidence Rule 609 provides:
(a) General Rule. For the purpose of attacking the credibility of a
witness, evidence that the witness has been convicted of a crime
or an attempt of a crime must be admitted but only if the crime
committed or attempted is (1) murder, treason, rape, robbery,
kidnapping, burglary, arson, or criminal confinement; or (2) a
crime involving dishonesty or false statement, including perjury.
(b) Limit on Using the Evidence After 10 Years. This subdivision
(b) applies if more than ten (10) years have passed since the
witness’s conviction or release from confinement for it,
whichever is later. Evidence of the conviction is admissible only
if:
(1) its probative value, supported by specific facts and
circumstances, substantially outweighs its prejudicial
effect; and
(2) the proponent gives an adverse party reasonable written
notice of the intent to use it so that the party has a fair
opportunity to contest its use.
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Ind. Evidence Rule 609 (2014). Under the rule, evidence that a witness has
been convicted of certain crimes or an attempt of those crimes is admissible for
impeachment purposes. Under section (b) of the rule, evidence of convictions
more than ten years old is admissible only upon advance written notice, and
subject to a Rule 403 balancing test. Indiana Evidence Rule 403 provides that
relevant evidence may be excluded if its probative value is substantially
outweighed by the danger of unfair prejudice, confusion of the issues,
misleading the jury, considerations of undue delay, or needless presentation of
cumulative evidence.
[13] Pappas admits the introduction of Sims’ prior convictions was prejudicial, but
argues the evidence was not unfairly so. According to Pappas,
Because Sims’s prior offenses had a direct bearing on the
reprehensibility of his actions, they served as an entirely legitimate
and proper means of persuasion on the issue of punitive damages.
Also, because their temporal remoteness affected their weight
rather than their admissibility, the [trial] court acted well within its
discretion to admit evidence of them at trial.
Appellees’ Br. p. 14.
[14] Sims concedes that the evidence of his prior convictions was not used to
impeach him, but nevertheless urges application of the ten-year time limitation
in Rule 609(b) under the premise “that evidence of the prior convictions [is not]
indicative of [Sims’] state of mind because they are far too remote in time.”
Appellant’s Br. pp. 7-8. Specifically, he contends, “[t]he law sets a [ten-year]
limitation on the use of such evidence for impeachment, and it is logical to
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4
apply the same limitation for [Sims’] state of mind at the time of the accident.”
Sims further argues: “[j]ust as the passing of time impacts whether a prior
criminal conviction is admissible for impeachment, it follows that the passing of
time should impact admissibility of prior convictions regarding [Sims’] state of
5
mind in this case.”
[15] There is no direct authority for his premise, and indeed such case law that exists
leans against it. Davidson v. Bailey, 826 N.E.2d 80 (Ind. Ct. App. 2005).
[16] Davidson was a personal injury suit arising from a 1999 motor vehicle accident.
David Davidson operated a vehicle with a blood alcohol content of over twice
the (then) statutory limit of .10, and caused an accident. Evidence of his
subsequent DUI convictions was excluded at trial, but evidence of his four prior
DUI convictions, from 1990, 1991, 1993, and 1995, was admitted. A jury
awarded compensatory and punitive damages against Davidson.
[17] On appeal, Davidson argued (among other things) the trial court erred in
admitting evidence of his prior DUI convictions. According to Davidson,
evidence of the prior DUI convictions was unfairly prejudicial because when
the jury heard the evidence, there was a danger that it would and did punish
him for his past behavior rather than his conduct the night of the accident.
4
See Appellees’ App. p. 29 (Sims’ Memorandum of Law in Support of His Motion Objecting to Entry of
Judgment on the Jury’s Verdict).
5
Id. at 29-30.
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[18] In support of his argument, Davidson pointed to Wohlwend v. Edwards, 796
N.E.2d 781 (Ind. Ct. App. 2003), in which a panel of this court reversed an
award of punitive damages arising out of a motor vehicle accident. As an issue
of first impression, the Wohlwend court held it was reversible error to admit
evidence of defendant’s subsequent acts of drunk driving even if limited to the
issue of punitive damages. In reaching this conclusion, the Wohlwend court
engaged in an extensive discussion of State Farm Mut. Auto. Ins. Co. v. Campbell,
6
538 U.S. 408, 123 S. Ct. 1513, 155 L. Ed. 2d 585 (2003), as well as relevant
case law from other jurisdictions, and expressed concern that admission of
defendant’s subsequent bad acts created a danger that the jury would punish
defendant for subsequent behavior rather than the conduct involving the
plaintiffs. See Wohlwend v. Edwards, 796 N.E.2d 781.
[19] The Davidson panel ultimately found that introduction of Davidson’s prior DUI
convictions (and the fact that he was on probation for the fourth DUI
conviction when the crash occurred) to show his state of mind at the time of the
accident was prejudicial, but not unfairly so. See Davidson, 826 N.E.2d 80. It
6
In State Farm Mut. Auto. Ins. Co. v. Campbell, 538 U.S. 408 (2003), the Court struck down an award of
punitive damages, finding that the reprehensibility prong of the Gore test (found in BMW of No. Am., Inc. v.
Gore, 517 U.S. 559 (1996)) was miscalculated due to the introduction of “perceived deficiencies of State
Farm’s operations throughout the country,” much of which had little or no relation to the tort at issue and
some of which was not proscribed by law where it occurred. Id. at 420.
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thus held that the trial court did not err in admitting evidence of Davidson’s
prior DUI convictions.
[20] Sims attempts to distinguish his case from Davidson by arguing that his past
convictions for driving offenses “w[ere] highly prejudicial and sufficiently
removed in time to have no relevance to [his] state of mind at the time of the
accident;” and that “unlike [Davidson, Sims] was not on probation at the time
of the accident.” Appellant’s Br. pp. 7, 8. Sims also emphasizes that Davidson
had twice the number of convictions as Sims in one-third the time and that all
of Davidson’s convictions were within ten years of the accident.
[21] We think Sims’ proposal to apply the ten-year time limit of Evidence Rule 609
is a bridge too far. As Pappas argues, for example, the principle of 609 and
such case law as exists would seem to make evidence of prior DUI’s admissible
on an issue like punitive damages. A recidivist is worthy of greater punishment
than a one-time offender.
[22] Nevertheless, we determine that unlike in Davidson, the prejudicial effect of the
evidence of Sims’ prior alcohol-related driving offenses substantially outweighs
its probative value. In this trial, those convictions had no relevance or
probative value as respects the claims of compensatory damages which made up
the great majority of the jury’s verdict.
[23] Relevant evidence is defined as evidence having any tendency to make the
existence of any pertinent fact more probable or less probable than it would be
without the evidence. See Ind. Evidence Rule 401. To determine whether
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evidence concerns a material fact, we look to the nature of the case and the
issues being litigated, which are usually set out in the pleadings. State Farm
Mut. Auto. Ins. Co. v. Earl, 33 N.E.3d 337 (Ind. 2015).
[24] Still, even relevant evidence may be excluded if its probative value is
substantially outweighed by the danger of unfair prejudice, confusion of the
issues, misleading the jury, considerations of undue delay, or needless
presentation of cumulative evidence. See Ind. Evidence Rule 403. Unfair
prejudice addresses the way in which the jury is expected to respond to the
evidence. Ingram v. State, 715 N.E.2d 405 (Ind. 1999). It looks to the capacity
of the evidence to persuade by illegitimate means, or the tendency of the
evidence to suggest a decision on an improper basis. Id.[25] The remoteness of prior misconduct tends to diminish the probative value of
evidence and weigh against its admission. See, e.g., Spencer v. State, 703 N.E.2d
1053 (Ind. 1999) (evidence of bad acts occurring more than three years before
the charged incident had low probative value); see also, The Past Comes Back to
Haunt You: Yeakley v. Doss, Prior Convictions as Admissible Evidence of Punitive
Damages, 62 Ark. L. Rev. 153, 172-73 (“[A]dmission of prior convictions that
are far back in a person’s past may also be unfair. For example, if a twenty-
two-year-old college student was convicted for [driving while intoxicated], and
then never had an encounter again until he was sixty years old, it is unfair to
allow the jury to consider his first conviction from thirty-eight years ago.”).
“Some proffered evidence may be irrelevant because it is too remote.” Hicks v.
State, 690 N.E.2d 215, 220 (Ind. 1997). Still, there is no bright-line rule
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concerning when prior misconduct becomes too old to have any probative
value.
[26] Just as the foregoing analysis suggested, in this case one of the offenses
occurred thirty years before the collision with Pappas, when Sims was just
eighteen years old. The other conviction was seventeen years in the past.
While these offenses were likewise related to alcohol, their probative value on
the issue of compensatory damages was not great. Whether they establish a
pattern of reckless behavior on the part of Sims may be fairly debated, and if
that were their only use at trial the decision to admit them might stand on
7
firmer ground.
[27] What is not really debatable is their relevance to the issue the jury found the
most weighty – compensatory damages. After all, Sims admitted that he was
responsible for the crash that injured Pappas and admitted that he was
intoxicated at the time.
[28] Furthermore, we cannot say that the jury was unaffected by this evidence.
Pappas’ lawyer apparently regarded the evidence as influential, as he used final
7
Pappas turns this panel’s attention to Catt v. Skeans, 867 N.E.2d 582 (Ind. Ct. App. 2007), trans. denied,
maintaining that “Catt held that admission of prior convictions for [the purpose of showing reprehensibility]
was within the trial court’s discretion.” Appellees’ Br. p. 13. However, Catt does not so hold. In Catt, Catt
operated his vehicle while intoxicated and collided with Skeans, who was driving a motorcycle. Catt
eventually pleaded guilty to operating while intoxicated (OWI). It was his third conviction for the offense.
Skeans sought damages, and following a jury trial was awarded compensatory damages and punitive
damages. Catt appealed, but did not raise any issues on appeal regarding his prior OWI convictions. The
panel in Catt held (among other things) the punitive damages award was not unconstitutionally excessive
under the Due Process Clause, and evidence supported the compensatory damages award. Catt, 867 N.E.2d
at 582.
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argument to declare that the jury should do more than the criminal justice
system had done. Counsel argued at the close of trial that Sims received “light
punishment” for the prior convictions. Regarding the 1996 reckless driving
conviction, counsel argued: “In 1996, he was charged with DUI, [sic] he failed
a [chemical] test. And then he got a lawyer and he got off, and he got it pled
down to reckless driving. For them to stand here and say that, [y]ou know
what[,] he’s just a human and he made a mistake, [sic] if it’s his first offense, I
might see that, [sic] this is the third time he’s done it.” Tr. p. 472. Later in his
closing argument, counsel argued: “The bottom line is, folks, this is no
different than the other two criminal cases, [sic] it’s no different than the
criminal case in this instance. They’re playing the system. And what they do is
they come in here and they argue, [w]oe is me, woe is me . . . .” Tr. p. 474.
[29] Pappas claims that, even if the evidence was erroneously admitted, the error
was harmless and reversal is not required. Harmless error is error that does not
affect the substantial rights of a party given the error’s likely impact on the jury
in light of other evidence presented at trial. See Littler v. State, 871 N.E.2d 276(Ind. 2007) (citation and quotation omitted). In this case, the jury was exposed
to Sims’ decades-old, alcohol-related convictions and the punishment he
received for committing the offenses. The Pappases’ counsel encouraged the
jury to take into account Sims’ plea agreements in determining the amount of
damages to award the Pappases. Because the possibility exists here that the
jury’s damages award punished Sims a second time for his past criminal
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transgressions, we are unable to say that the trial court’s error in admitting the
evidence was harmless.
[30] We do not say that evidence of decades-old, alcohol-related offenses can never
be admissible in civil actions for damages arising from motor vehicle accidents.
But in this case, in light of Sims’ admissions of fault and to being intoxicated at
the time of the accident, and taking into consideration the evidence regarding
the circumstances of the accident that was presented at trial, and the inferences
made by the Pappases’ counsel that Sims was not punished properly for the
prior convictions, the prejudicial effect of evidence of a thirty-year-old
conviction for OWI and a seventeen-year-old conviction for reckless driving
outweighs any probative value the evidence can serve.
Conclusion
[31] The trial court erroneously admitted evidence of Sims’ prior alcohol-related
convictions from 1983 and 1996, and the error was not harmless. The trial
court’s judgment entered on the jury verdict is reversed and this cause is
remanded for retrial.
Riley, J., concurs.
Altice, J., dissenting with separate opinion.
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IN THE
COURT OF APPEALS OF INDIANA
Danny Sims,
Appellant-Defendant, Court of Appeals Case No.
45A03-1509-CT-1424
v.
Andrew Pappas and Melissa
Pappas,
Appellees-Plaintiffs.
Altice, Judge, dissenting.
[32] I agree with the majority’s conclusion that the ten-year limit set out in Ind.
Evidence Rule 609 does not apply in this context. I cannot agree, however,
with the majority’s ultimate conclusion, based on an Ind. Evidence Rule 403
analysis, that the trial court abused its discretion by admitting evidence of
Sims’s 1983 and 1996 prior alcohol-related offenses.
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[33] On more than one occasion, the majority observes that the prior convictions
had no relevance or probative value with respect to the determination of
compensatory damages. This is true but beside the point. A review of the
record, especially closing arguments, 8 makes clear that the evidence of Sims’s
prior offenses was admitted for the sole purpose of establishing punitive
damages. The evidence had a direct bearing on the reprehensibility of Sims’s
actions and his state of mind at the time of the accident. See Catt v. Skeans, 867
N.E.2d 582, 587 (Ind. Ct. App. 2007) (“Catt had been convicted twice before of
this same offense; thus, it was not an isolated incident. The degree of
reprehensibility of Catt’s conduct, therefore, is rather significant.”), trans. denied;
Davidson v. Bailey, 826 N.E.2d 80, 86 (Ind. Ct. App. 2005) (“evidence of
Davidson’s four previous DUI convictions was clearly relevant to his state of
mind at the time of the accident and whether his actions were willful and
wanton justifying the imposition of punitive damages”).
8
Plaintiffs’ counsel carefully confined any discussion of the prior offenses to the issue of punitive damages.
In closing argument, counsel discussed compensatory damages in depth with no mention of the prior offenses
and then briefly addressed the wife’s loss of consortium claim. Counsel then turned to punitive damages:
Punitive damages. We’ve asked for punitive damages and we think that clear and convincing
evidence suggests that the Defendant was committing reprehensible behavior. And it is to
punish, it is to punish. But, again, the reason it’s to punish and the reason it’s brought is to stop
things like this from happening.
And if you feel that’s there clear and convincing evidence that you need to send a message, you
know, to Mr. Sims that this must stop. Three times is enough. What’s going to happen the
fourth time? Totally your discretion. However much you feel is appropriate to send that
message. That’s your decision….
Transcript at 451-52. Defense counsel also addressed the prior offenses expressly in the context of punitive
damages. In rebuttal, plaintiffs’ counsel discussed the prior offenses in a bit more depth, as quoted by the
majority, but counsel qualified his statements: “Again, that goes to the punitive and that’s up to you guys.”
Id. at 472.
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[34] Though relevant to the issue of punitive damages, the prior convictions’
remoteness in time does tend to diminish their probative value. In my mind,
however, this should go to the weight of the evidence 9 rather than its
admissibility, and I cannot say that the trial court abused its discretion in this
regard. See Spencer v. State, 703 N.E.2d 1053, 1056 (Ind. 1999) (even though
remote crimes had low probative value and the Court was “inclined to think
this evidence should not have been admitted”, the Court found no abuse of
discretion in the trial court’s admission of the evidence). Accordingly, I
respectfully dissent.
9
The majority places great emphasis on the jury’s verdict and the fact that the vast majority of the damages
awarded were compensatory rather than punitive. To me, this indicates that the jury carefully weighed the
evidence admitted regarding punitive damages and gave little weight to the prior convictions due to their
remoteness in time.
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