Angel Garcia-Berrios v. State of Indiana ( 2020 )

FILED
Apr 17 2020, 6:13 am
CLERK
Indiana Supreme Court
Court of Appeals
and Tax Court
ATTORNEY FOR APPELLANT ATTORNEYS FOR APPELLEE
P. Jeffrey Schlesinger Curtis T. Hill, Jr.
Appellate Division Attorney General of Indiana
Office of the Public Defender Caryn N. Szyper
Crown Point, Indiana Deputy Attorney General
Indianapolis, Indiana
IN THE
COURT OF APPEALS OF INDIANA
Angel Garcia-Berrios, April 17, 2020
Appellant-Defendant, Court of Appeals Case No.
19A-CR-2405
v. Appeal from the Lake Superior
Court
State of Indiana, The Honorable Samuel L. Cappas,
Appellee-Plaintiff. Judge
Trial Court Cause No.
45G04-1703-MR-2
Brown, Judge.
Court of Appeals of Indiana | Opinion 19A-CR-2405 | April 17, 2020 Page 1 of 15
[1] Angel Garcia-Berrios appeals his convictions for murder and battery by means
of a deadly weapon as a level 5 felony and his criminal gang enhancement. We
affirm.
Facts and Procedural History
[2] On January 24, 2016, Garcia-Berrios, Rolando Manuel Leal, Jr., 1 and Rito
Maciel, Jr., 2 went to a bar in East Chicago, and at some point Thaddeus
Rodriguez, Jr., 3 contacted Maciel. Garcia-Berrios had a problem with
Rodriguez and believed he had stolen a gold chain from his sister. Garcia-
Berrios, Leal, and Maciel left the bar and drove around as Rodriguez and
Maciel exchanged messages. Leal stopped the vehicle, retrieved a nine-
millimeter Smith & Wesson and a nine-millimeter Glock from a door in the
vehicle, and gave the Smith & Wesson to Garcia-Berrios. Maciel placed
Rodriguez on speakerphone, and at some point Rodriguez revealed his
location. The men drove to near the location and parked, and Leal and Garcia-
Berrios exited the vehicle and told Maciel to stay in the vehicle.
[3] At some point, Rodriguez walked out of a residence, and Jesus Acosta, who
was a neighbor outside making a phone call, greeted him. Garcia-Berrios and
1
Leal was a member of the Renegade Imperial Gangsters.
2
Maciel was a member of Gangster Two Six.
3
Rodriguez was a member of Renegade Two Six.
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Leal ran towards Rodriguez and Acosta carrying their guns. Garcia-Berrios
said “Merry Christmas . . . mother-f-----” and shot Rodriguez multiple times.
Transcript Volume IV at 35. Leal grabbed Acosta, struck him on the head with
his gun, took him between two houses, threw him on the ground, and shot at
him three times, striking him in the leg. Garcia-Berrios and Leal ran back to
their vehicle and drove away. As they rode away, Garcia-Berrios said “[y]ou
should’ve seen the look in his eyes when he seen me,” “I told him, Merry
Christmas, mother-f-----,” and “he shouldn’t have stole . . . my sister’s chain.”
Transcript Volume V at 143. Rodriguez’s friend and neighbors called 911. A
friend took Acosta to the hospital. Police responded and found Rodriguez
unresponsive.
[4] Leal later gave the nine-millimeter Smith & Wesson to Luis Perez-Correa and
told him to “get rid of the weapon because it was used on that Thaddeus thing.”
Id. at 9. Police later discovered the gun following a traffic stop of Perez-Correa.
Further, law enforcement obtained a recorded conversation between Maciel
and Leal in which Leal stated that he and a person by the name of “Angel”
were at the scene of Rodriguez’s murder. Transcript Volume VI at 57.
Rodriguez’s friend reported to police that, before he went outside, Rodriguez
had been on the phone and referred to a person with the name of Angel, he did
not state a last name, and she knew a person named Angel Feliciano. Police
eliminated Feliciano as a suspect after confirming he was at work at the time of
the murder. Six recovered nine-millimeter spent casings and other bullet
fragments were determined to have been shot from the Smith & Wesson.
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[5] The State charged Garcia-Berrios with: Count I, murder of Rodriguez; Count
II, battery by means of a deadly weapon of Acosta as a level 5 felony; and
Count III, criminal gang activity as a level 6 felony. It also filed an information
alleging a criminal gang enhancement. Garcia-Berrios filed a motion in limine
requesting the court to exclude the audio recording of Leal made by Maciel.
After hearing argument, the court stated the recording did not contain
statements in furtherance of a conspiracy. The State responded the recording
could potentially be used for rebuttal if the defense were to open the door, and
the court agreed.
[6] During trial, defense counsel argued in his opening statement that Maciel gave
law enforcement Garcia-Berrios’s name, “[t]he difficulty with that is other
information surfaces over the course of the months after Thaddeus Rodriguez’s
murder, which includes information about Rolando Leal and his crew called
EBK crew, which stands for Everybody Killer crew,” “Leal and the three other
members of that crew were implicated in some way by some source that made it
to the detectives,” and “[v]irtually no investigation was done to eliminate those
-- that crew as the culprits here.” Transcript Volume III at 156-157. Perez-
Correa testified on cross-examination by defense counsel that Richie Campos,
Josue Anaya, and Dequan Birdsong were members of Leal’s crew called
“EBK,” which stood for “Everybody killer.” Transcript Volume V at 16-17.
Perez-Correa indicated that, after his arrest with the gun he received from Leal,
he gave law enforcement the names of Leal, Campos, Anaya, and Birdsong as
the actors in Rodriguez’s murder. On redirect examination, Perez-Correa
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testified that he heard the information about Leal, Campos, Anaya, and
Birdsong from Leal. The State moved to use the recording of Leal, stated
Perez-Correa indicated he obtained his information about the EBK being
present at the time of the murder from Leal, and argued it should be able to use
the recording to show Leal and “Angel” were the only two people present at the
time of the murder. Id. at 27. The court took the request under advisement.
Later, during Maciel’s testimony, the court told defense counsel “if you start
saying . . . those four guys were involved . . . then I’m going to let [the
prosecutor] play this,” and defense counsel replied, “I understand.” Id. at 157.
[7] On cross-examination of Hammond Police Detective Stuart Hinson, defense
counsel asked if he was aware of “the information Luis Perez-Correa offered up
. . . about Rolando Leal and the EBK crew’s involvement,” and Detective
Hinson responded that Birdsong had already been eliminated as a suspect.
Transcript Volume VI at 33. Defense counsel asked if Anaya was questioned
about the murder, and Detective Hinson replied Anaya had already been
eliminated as a suspect. When asked “[b]y limiting the focus of your
investigation to only two people, you saw no need to interview Mr. Anaya or
Mr. Birdsong or Mr. Campos any further after you spoke with Rito Maciel . . .
isn’t that true,” Detective Hinson replied “I wasn’t aware of those names
specifically myself as being involved in this crime until Luis Perez-Correa brings
that information in August” and “[b]y that time we had already been able to
eliminate them as suspects.” Id. at 39.
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[8] The State renewed its motion to admit a portion of the recorded conversation
between Leal and Maciel to explain the reason certain people were eliminated
as suspects. Garcia-Berrios argued he had not opened the door. The court
stated the defense’s theme had been “[t]hat all [these] people were involved in
this thing” and “[s]o [Detective Hinson] should be able to say no, I didn’t
interview him because I have [] Leal on tape in front of [] Maciel saying that he
and Angel were there.” Id. at 46. Defense counsel noted Leal said “Angel,”
and the prosecutor indicated she could say that no last names were used. Id.
The court did not admit the recording but allowed the prosecutor to ask
Detective Hinson why he eliminated certain people as suspects.
[9] On redirect examination of Detective Hinson, the State asked why Campos,
Anaya, and Birdsong had been eliminated as suspects, and Detective Hinson
testified: “I was in possession of recorded conversation between Rito Maciel
and Rolando Leal in which Rolando Leal says that he and a person by the
name of Angel were at the scene, at the Thaddeus Rodriguez’ homicide.” Id. at
57. The prosecutor asked “[w]as a last name given in that recording,” and
Detective Hinson answered “[n]o.” Id.
[10] The jury found Garcia-Berrios guilty of murder under Count I, battery by
means of a deadly weapon as a level 5 felony under Count II, and criminal gang
activity as a level 6 felony under Count III. The jury later found Garcia-Berrios
guilty of the allegations in the criminal gang enhancement information. The
court sentenced Garcia-Berrios to sixty years for murder under Count I and
enhanced the sentence by sixty years. It sentenced him to three years under
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Count II, concurrent with the sentence under Count I, and did not enter
judgment on Count III.
Discussion
I.
[11] Garcia-Berrios first claims the trial court improperly admitted a portion of
Detective Hinson’s testimony. The trial court has broad discretion to rule on
the admissibility of evidence. Bradley v. State, 54 N.E.3d 996, 999 (Ind. 2016).
A trial court’s ruling on the admission of evidence is generally accorded a great
deal of deference on appeal. Hall v. State, 36 N.E.3d 459, 466 (Ind. 2015), reh’g
denied. We do not reweigh the evidence; rather, we consider only evidence that
is either favorable to the ruling or unrefuted and favorable to the defendant.
Beasley v. State, 46 N.E.3d 1232, 1235 (Ind. 2016).
[12] Garcia-Berrios argues Detective Hinson’s testimony regarding Leal’s statement
was inadmissible hearsay and was extremely prejudicial to him. He also argues
he was denied his right of confrontation and, while he did not object on that
basis below, the error was fundamental error. The State responds that Garcia-
Berrios opened the door as part of his defense strategy and cannot show
fundamental error.
[13] “Opening the door refers to the principle that where one party introduces
evidence of a particular fact, the opposing party is entitled to introduce evidence
in explanation or rebuttal thereof, even though the rebuttal evidence otherwise
would have been inadmissible.” Wilder v. State, 91 N.E.3d 1016, 1023 (Ind. Ct.
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App. 2018) (quoting Sampson v. State, 38 N.E.3d 985, 992 n.4 (Ind. 2015)).
Evidence which opens the door must leave the trier of fact with a false or
misleading impression of the facts related. Id. When that happens, the State
may introduce otherwise inadmissible evidence if it is a fair response to
evidence elicited by the defendant. Id.[14] The jury heard Perez-Correa’s testimony that he had given law enforcement the
names of Leal, Campos, Anaya, and Birdsong in connection with Rodriguez’s
murder and that he had obtained the information from Leal. Garcia-Berrios’s
counsel later asked Detective Hinson about why he saw no need to interview
Anaya, Birdsong, and Campos, and Detective Hinson answered that they had
been eliminated as suspects. Defense counsel’s questioning could have left the
jury with a false or misleading impression. The trial court did not admit the
recording but permitted the prosecutor to ask a limited question so that
Detective Hinson was able to explain why Anaya, Birdsong, and Campos were
eliminated as suspects. The prosecutor’s question on redirect examination and
Detective Hinson’s reply was a fair response to testimony elicited by Garcia-
Berrios’s counsel. Based upon the record, we cannot say the trial court abused
its discretion in admitting the challenged portion of Detective Hinson’s
testimony. See Wilder, 91 N.E.3d at 1023 (holding the defendant opened the
door to a detective’s testimony when he attacked the police investigation and
the State was entitled to elicit testimony about why it brought charges without
first interviewing certain persons).
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[15] To the extent Garcia-Berrios refers to his right to confrontation and asserts
fundamental error, we note the fundamental error exception is extremely
narrow and applies only when the error constitutes a blatant violation of basic
principles, the harm or potential for harm is substantial, and the resulting error
denies the defendant fundamental due process. Halliburton v. State, 1 N.E.3d
670, 678 (Ind. 2013). The error must either make a fair trial impossible or
constitute clearly blatant violations of basic and elementary principles of due
process. Id. This exception is available only in egregious circumstances. Id.See Durden v. State, 99 N.E.3d 645, 652 (Ind. 2018) (“[I]f the judge could
recognize a viable reason why an effective attorney might not object, the error is
not blatant enough to constitute fundamental error.”). Defense counsel opened
the door to the challenged portion of Detective Hinson’s testimony. The trial
court could recognize a viable reason why Garcia-Berrios’s defense counsel
wished to question Detective Hinson about eliminating other suspects even if
the questioning opened the door to the challenged portion of his testimony. In
light of all the evidence before the jury as set forth in the record, the admission
of the limited testimony of Detective Hinson on redirect examination did not
make a fair trial impossible or result in fundamental error.
II.
[16] Garcia-Berrios next claims the evidence is insufficient to support the criminal
gang enhancement. When reviewing claims of insufficiency of the evidence, we
do not reweigh the evidence or judge the credibility of witnesses. Jordan v. State,
656 N.E.2d 816, 817 (Ind. 1995), reh’g denied. Rather, we look to the evidence
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and the reasonable inferences therefrom that support the verdict. Id. We will
affirm the conviction if there exists evidence of probative value from which a
reasonable jury could find the defendant guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. Id.We apply the same standard when reviewing the sufficiency of the evidence for
a sentencing enhancement. See Woods v. State, 939 N.E.2d 676, 677 (Ind. Ct.
App. 2010), trans. denied.
[17] Garcia-Berrios argues there is insufficient evidence to show he was a member of
a criminal gang as defined by statute. He also asserts the enhancement statute
violates Article 1, Section 16 of the Indiana Constitution. The State responds
the testimony of Perez-Correa, Maciel, Special Agent Jason Gore, and
Detective Hinson support the enhancement.
[18] At the time of the offense, Ind. Code § 35-50-2-15(d) provided that, if the jury
“finds that the state has proved beyond a reasonable doubt that the person
knowingly or intentionally was a member of a criminal gang while committing
the felony offense and committed the felony offense at the direction of or in
affiliation with a criminal gang,” the court shall sentence the person to an
additional fixed term of imprisonment equal to the sentence imposed for the
underlying felony, if the person is sentenced for only one felony, or an
additional fixed term of imprisonment equal to the longest sentence imposed for
the underlying felonies, if the person is being sentenced for more than one
felony. (Subsequently amended by Pub. L. No. 25-2016, § 29 (eff. July 1,
2016)). A “criminal gang” was defined as a group with at least three members
that “(1) either: (A) promotes, sponsors, or assists in; or (B) participates in; or
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(2) requires as a condition of membership or continued membership; the
commission of a felony . . . or the offense of battery . . . .” Ind. Code § 35-50-2-
1.4 (subsequently amended by Pub. L. No. 25-2016, § 27 (eff. July 1, 2016)).
[19] To the extent Garcia-Berrios argues Ind. Code § 35-50-2-15 violates Article 1,
Section 16 of the Indiana Constitution, which provides “[a]ll penalties shall be
proportioned to the nature of the offense,” this Court observed in Armstrong v.
State that the provision is violated only when the criminal penalty is not
graduated and proportioned to the nature of the offense. 22 N.E.3d 629, 638
(Ind. Ct. App. 2014), trans. denied. Given the enhancement under Ind. Code §
35-50-2-15 is graduated and proportioned to the nature of the offense, and in
light of the circumstances surrounding the murder of Rodriguez in this case, we
cannot say the enhancement violates Article 1, Section 16. See id. at 639
(holding, given the enhancement in Ind. Code § 35-50-2-15 is graduated and
proportioned to the nature of the offense and the circumstances surrounding the
murder, the enhancement did not violate Article 1, Section 16).
[20] Perez-Correa testified there were multiple criminal gangs in East Chicago
which originated in Chicago, the gangs in East Chicago do not function with
the same level of loyalty as those in Chicago, there were “Renegade” factions of
the gangs which did not always follow the rules of their organizations, and
Renegade Two Six and Renegade Imperial Gangsters were in East Chicago in
2016. Transcript Volume V at 2. He testified he lived in an Imperial Gangsters’
neighborhood, members of Two Six frequented his house, his stepdaughter was
involved with Renegade Two Six member Richie Campos, and Garcia-Berrios
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had visited his house when other Two Six members were present. He indicated
that, based on his interactions with Garcia-Berrios, he believed Garcia-Berrios
was a member of Two Six. He testified Dequan Birdsong was a Renegade
Gangster Disciple, Josue Anaya was a Renegade Two Six, and Leal was a
Renegade Imperial Gangster.
[21] Perez-Correa further testified Rodriguez was not in good standing with Two Six
and had a reputation for being a thief. He indicated members of traditionally
opposing gangs would sometimes come together if they were Renegades, which
was called “cliqued up.” Id. at 13. He indicated that, in gang culture, if a
member of a gang had a beef with an individual and it affected the gang,
generally the other members would also have a beef with the individual. He
testified that, if someone did something to him or his family, he would be
required to respond in some manner because “you’re not supposed to let
anybody know you’re a punk” or “[a] lame, like you can’t handle no business.”
Id. at 14. He indicated the retaliation could range from “a beat down” to being
“[g]unned down.” Id. In addition, he testified that Leal, Campos, Anaya, and
Birdsong were Renegades and also members of Leal’s “EBK” crew, which
stood for “Everybody killer.” Id. at 16-17.
[22] Maciel testified he was a member of Two Six for about ten years including in
January 2016. He testified the Indiana faction of the gang was called a
Renegade faction and had the “[s]ame colors [and] basic symbols” as its parent
organization in Chicago. Id. at 118. He testified that Two Six and the Imperial
Gangsters were traditionally in opposition to each other but that, in Northwest
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Indiana, it was different and “[t]hey just pick and choose who they want to . . .
have any type of relationship with.” Id. at 120. He indicated that, in January
2016, there was “cliquing up going on between the Renegade IGs and the
Renegade Two Sixes.” Id. He testified that Rodriguez was a member of
Renegade Two Six and Leal was a Renegade Imperial Gangster. Maciel
testified he met Garcia-Berrios on the night of the murder, he knew Garcia-
Berrios had two brothers who were members of Two Six, and Garcia-Berrios
greeted him using a handshake which was “a greeting amongst your fellow
gang members.” Id. at 127. He demonstrated the handshake for the jury and
testified “[i]t’s just a symbol like of the bunny ears, and the symbol of Two Six
is the bunny, Playboy bunny, and with the right ear bent.” Id. at 127-128. He
testified the handshake was an indication of gang membership. When asked
what gang he knew Garcia-Berrios to be from, Maciel answered Two Six.
[23] Maciel further testified he spoke with Garcia-Berrios sometime after the murder
and Garcia-Berrios used the phrase “on the bunny,” and when asked what the
phrase meant, he testified “[t]hat’s almost like a statement being made on behalf
of the gang,” “so on saying, ‘on the bunny,’ means like on the symbol of our
gang,” “[s]o that’s kind of solidifying like this is what this is on, just kind of
basing a truth -- something truthful,” and “putting it ‘on the bunny’ means
almost like, you know, putting your right hand on the Bible type of thing, but
which is the wrong way.” Id. at 146-147. In addition, when asked if Rodriguez
“had been green-lighted, meaning a ‘shoot-on-sight order’ . . . since 2012,”
Maciel replied “I knew he was in bad terms with the gang, and that’s what they
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kind of phrased it as, I guess,” and he confirmed “SOS” meant “Shoot on
sight” and to “green light” meant “giving other members the okay to go ahead
and take someone’s life.” Id. at 173-174. He indicated he believed Garcia-
Berrios murdered Rodriguez because he had stolen from his sister and, when
asked if there were other reasons, replied “[l]ots of them” such as “[s]tanding
amongst other people” and “peer pressures.” Id. at 178.
[24] Special Agent Jason Gore with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and
Explosives testified he had been investigating street gangs in Northwest Indiana
since 2010 and there were three or more members in each of Two Six,
Renegade Two Six, and Renegade Imperial Gangsters. He testified Garcia-
Berrios was a member of Two Six, Garcia-Berrios’s brother, half-brother, and
stepfather were also members of Two Six, the street gangs are highly structured,
and “in a lot of these street gangs you find father-son, uncle-nephew, brothers.
It’s very generational.” Id. at 213. He testified that problem gang members
could be sanctioned financially, beaten, or killed depending on the violation.
He testified Rodriguez was a member of Two Six, a problem member, and “a
thief. He stole a lot, and he stole from members, and that was a real problem.”
Id. at 214.
[25] Detective Hinson testified Garcia-Berrios was a Renegade Two Six and Leal
was a Renegade Imperial Gangster. He testified it was common for the
Renegade sections of these gangs to intermingle and “clique up” together and
Rodriguez was a problem for his gang. Transcript Volume VI at 24. He
testified that a person’s status in a gang was correlated to how the person
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protected his name, the gang culture revolves around violence and respect, the
purpose of the gang is to have support from others, and “if you’re part of the
same gang, or say, for instance, part of the same clique, who’s linked up, your
problems become their problems, their problems become your problems.
You’re working together. You’re a gang.” Id. at 27.
[26] Based upon the record, we conclude the State presented sufficient probative
evidence that Garcia-Berrios was a member of a criminal gang while
committing the offenses and committed the felony offenses in affiliation with a
criminal gang.
[27] For the foregoing reasons, we affirm Garcia-Berrios’s convictions and criminal
gang enhancement.
[28] Affirmed.
Najam, J., and Kirsch, J., concur.
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