State v. Deandre Simone Manns ( 2021 )


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  •       COURT OF APPEALS
    DECISION                                                 NOTICE
    DATED AND FILED                             This opinion is subject to further editing. If
    published, the official version will appear in
    the bound volume of the Official Reports.
    June 22, 2021
    A party may file with the Supreme Court a
    Sheila T. Reiff                   petition to review an adverse decision by the
    Clerk of Court of Appeals              Court of Appeals. See WIS. STAT. § 808.10 and
    RULE 809.62.
    Appeal Nos. 2020AP172-CR                                                         Cir. Ct. Nos. 2016CF0485
    2016CF1048
    2020AP173-CR
    STATE OF WISCONSIN                                                IN COURT OF APPEALS
    DISTRICT I
    STATE OF WISCONSIN,
    PLAINTIFF-RESPONDENT,
    V.
    DEANDRE SIMONE MANNS,
    DEFENDANT-APPELLANT.
    APPEALS from judgments and an order of the circuit court for
    Milwaukee County: MARK A. SANDERS, Judge. Affirmed.
    Before Brash, P.J., Graham and White, JJ.
    Per curiam opinions may not be cited in any court of this state as precedent
    or authority, except for the limited purposes specified in WIS. STAT. RULE 809.23(3).
    Nos. 2020AP172-CR
    2020AP173-CR
    ¶1      PER CURIAM. Deandre Simone Manns appeals judgments of
    conviction entered after he pled guilty to third-degree sexual assault in one case and
    intimidation of a victim as a habitual offender in a second case. He also appeals an
    order denying postconviction relief in both cases. We conclude that the two cases
    were properly joined for trial, severance was not required, and Manns’s trial counsel
    was not ineffective for failing either to oppose joinder or to seek severance.
    Accordingly, we affirm the judgments and the postconviction order.1
    Background
    ¶2      In a criminal complaint filed in Milwaukee County Circuit Court case
    No. 2016CF485, the State alleged that on January 21, 2016, Manns offered D.P. a
    ride home from a casino but instead he brought her to a Milwaukee residence,
    pushed her onto a bed, and forced her to have mouth-to-vagina intercourse. When
    she reached towards her purse for a taser, Manns grabbed her by the neck and
    squeezed, then threatened her with a gun. Manns next threatened to blacken her
    eye, so she cooperated with his demands for penis-to-vagina intercourse. The
    complaint went on to allege that Manns had prior convictions for bail jumping and
    forgery, and that those convictions had not been reversed. The State charged Manns
    with four felonies as a habitual offender: first-degree sexual assault by use of a
    1
    The Honorable M. Joseph Donald presided over the pretrial hearing on joinder and
    ordered the two circuit court cases joined for trial. The Honorable Carolina Maria Stark presided
    over the plea hearing. We refer to both Judge Donald and Judge Stark as the trial court. The
    Honorable Mark A. Sanders imposed sentence, entered the judgment of conviction, presided over
    the postconviction proceedings, and entered the order denying postconviction relief. We refer to
    Judge Sanders as the circuit court.
    2
    Nos. 2020AP172-CR
    2020AP173-CR
    dangerous weapon; second-degree sexual assault; strangulation and suffocation; and
    possession of a firearm by a felon. 2
    ¶3      While Manns was in jail awaiting resolution of the assault and firearm
    charges described above, the State filed a criminal complaint in Milwaukee County
    Circuit Court case No. 2016CF1048, charging him, as a habitual offender, with five
    felony counts of conspiracy to intimidate a victim. This complaint alleged that in a
    series of five recorded telephone calls placed from the Milwaukee County Criminal
    Justice Facility on February 6, 2016, and February 7, 2016, Manns told a woman to
    contact “ole girl” in regard to abandoning the charges against him. In the first
    conversation, he said that “if the victim of the sexual assault [would] ... keep her
    word” and deny that a sexual assault occurred, then he would say that the victim
    “didn’t have [a] taser.” During the next three conversations, Manns directed his
    collocutor to urge other people to contact “ole girl,” to ask as many people as
    possible to “get on her ass,” and to have a third party “call the victim to see if the
    victim wanted money.” In the last conversation, Manns said that “he could beat the
    sexual assault, strangulation and possession of a firearm case if the victim did not
    go to court.” An investigator with the district attorney’s office subsequently met
    with D.P., and she identified the male voice in each recorded call as belonging to
    Manns. D.P. also told the investigator that she had received messages on Facebook
    from people she did not know who all told her that “she shouldn’t go to court in the
    criminal case against” Manns.
    ¶4      The State moved to join the two criminal cases for trial. Manns did
    not object, and the trial court granted the motion. On the trial date, however, Manns
    2
    In this opinion, we refer collectively to the four charges that arose on January 21, 2016,
    as the assault and firearm charges.
    3
    Nos. 2020AP172-CR
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    decided to resolve both cases with a plea agreement. Under its terms, he pled guilty
    in case No. 2016CF485, to one amended count of third-degree sexual assault, and
    he pled guilty in case No. 2016CF1048, to one count of intimidating a victim as a
    habitual offender. The remaining counts and their enhancers in both cases were
    dismissed and read in for sentencing purposes. At sentencing, the circuit court
    imposed two consecutive, evenly bifurcated ten-year terms of imprisonment.
    ¶5       Manns subsequently filed a postconviction motion seeking plea
    withdrawal. He claimed that joinder was improper and that his trial counsel was
    ineffective for failing to oppose the State’s joinder motion.3 The circuit court
    determined that, because the transcript of the joinder hearing was unavailable, the
    appropriate procedure was to consider the question of joinder anew. Accordingly,
    the parties filed memoranda addressing joinder and severance, and the circuit court
    held a hearing on the matters. Following a thorough discussion from the bench, the
    circuit court ruled that the two cases were properly joined and that severance was
    not warranted. The circuit court therefore concluded that Manns could not show
    that his trial counsel was ineffective. The circuit court entered an order denying the
    motion for plea withdrawal, and Manns appeals.
    DISCUSSION
    ¶6       To prevail on a claim of ineffective assistance of counsel, a defendant
    must demonstrate that counsel’s performance was deficient and that the deficiency
    3
    Manns also moved for plea withdrawal on the ground that he had lost his right to a
    meaningful appeal because a court reporter had failed to file a transcript of the hearing at which the
    trial court ordered his cases joined. In this court, he does not renew that claim for relief, and we do
    not discuss it further. See State v. Schiller, 
    2003 WI App 195
    , ¶6, 
    266 Wis. 2d 992
    , 
    669 N.W.2d 747
    . We observe, however, that—as both parties acknowledge in their respective briefs—the court
    reporter filed the transcript at issue some weeks after the circuit court resolved Manns’s
    postconviction motion.
    4
    Nos. 2020AP172-CR
    2020AP173-CR
    prejudiced the defense. See Strickland v. Washington, 
    466 U.S. 668
    , 687 (1984).
    Whether counsel’s performance was deficient and whether any deficiency was
    prejudicial are questions of law that we review de novo. See State v. Johnson, 
    153 Wis. 2d 121
    , 128, 
    449 N.W.2d 845
     (1990). To demonstrate deficient performance,
    the defendant must show that counsel’s actions or omissions “fell below an
    objective standard of reasonableness.” See Strickland, 
    466 U.S. at 688
    . To
    demonstrate prejudice, “[t]he defendant must show that there is a reasonable
    probability that, but for counsel’s unprofessional errors, the result of the proceeding
    would have been different.” See 
    id. at 694
    . If a defendant fails to satisfy one
    component of the analysis, a reviewing court need not address the other. See 
    id. at 697
    .
    ¶7     Counsel’s “failure to pursue a meritless argument does not constitute
    deficient performance,” see State v. Sandoval, 
    2009 WI App 61
    , ¶34, 
    318 Wis. 2d 126
    , 
    767 N.W.2d 291
    , and counsel’s failure to pursue a legal challenge does not
    prejudice the defense if the defendant cannot establish that the challenge would have
    succeeded, see State v. Ziebart, 
    2003 WI App 258
    , ¶14, 
    268 Wis. 2d 468
    , 
    673 N.W.2d 369
    . Moreover, a claim of ineffective assistance of counsel predicated on
    a failure to challenge a correct trial court ruling cannot establish either deficiency
    or prejudice. See 
    id.
    ¶8     Manns claims here that joinder was improper and that his trial counsel
    was ineffective for failing to oppose the State’s joinder motion. He further claims
    that, if the trial court correctly joined his two criminal cases, then his trial counsel
    was ineffective for failing to seek severance.
    ¶9     Before we address Manns’s claims, we must clarify the procedural
    posture of this appeal and the scope of our review.            In the postconviction
    5
    Nos. 2020AP172-CR
    2020AP173-CR
    proceedings, Manns argued that the circuit court should focus on the actions and
    inactions of his trial counsel and determine whether his trial counsel was ineffective
    in failing to oppose the State’s request for joinder. The circuit court concluded,
    however, that in the absence of a transcript of the joinder hearing, the circuit court
    should take a fresh look at joinder. The circuit court reasoned that if joinder was
    proper and severance was unwarranted, then trial counsel necessarily was not
    ineffective for failing to pursue those matters. At the postconviction hearing, Manns
    objected to the circuit court’s approach, but in this court he offers no such objection
    and instead affirmatively advises: “Although the [circuit] court took a somewhat
    unconventional approach, it nevertheless gave Manns all the process he felt was
    due.” Accordingly, we deem abandoned any complaint about the procedure that the
    circuit court followed, and we do not consider whether any basis exists to challenge
    that procedure. See State v. Schiller, 
    2003 WI App 195
    , ¶6, 
    266 Wis. 2d 992
    , 
    669 N.W.2d 747
    . Instead, we review the circuit court’s substantive analysis. We turn
    to that review.
    ¶10      Joinder is governed by WIS. STAT. § 971.12 (2019-20).4 The “statute
    is to be broadly construed in favor of initial joinder.” State v. Prescott, 
    2012 WI App 136
    , ¶15, 
    345 Wis. 2d 313
    , 
    825 N.W.2d 515
     (citation omitted). Such broad
    construction is warranted to serve the statute’s goals and purposes, namely, to
    promote trial economy and judicial efficiency, and “to eliminate multiple trials
    against the same defendant, which promotes fiscal responsibility.” See State v.
    Salinas, 
    2016 WI 44
    , ¶36, 
    369 Wis. 2d 9
    , 
    879 N.W.2d 609
    . Whether crimes are
    properly joined is a question of law that we review de novo. Id., ¶30.
    4
    All references to the Wisconsin Statutes are to the 2019-20 version unless otherwise
    noted.
    6
    Nos. 2020AP172-CR
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    ¶11    Under WIS. STAT. § 971.12(1), crimes may be charged together in the
    same complaint or information if: (1) they are of the same or similar character; or
    (2) they are based on the same act or transaction; or (3) they are based on two or
    more acts or transactions that are connected together; or (4) they are based on two
    or more acts or transactions that constitute part of a common scheme or plan. See
    id.; see also Salinas, 
    369 Wis. 2d 9
    , ¶31. Pursuant to § 971.12(4), two or more
    complaints or informations may be tried together if the crimes alleged in each
    charging document could have been joined in a single charging document.
    ¶12    According to Manns, the charges arising on January 21, 2016, should
    not have been joined with the charges arising on February 6 and 7, 2016, because
    the two sets of charges do not fit within any of the alternative statutory bases for
    initial joinder. The circuit court, however, concluded that the two sets of charges
    were “connected together” within the meaning of WIS. STAT. § 971.12(1).
    ¶13    Salinas directs Wisconsin courts to determine whether crimes are
    “connected together” by examining:
    a variety of factors, including but not limited to: (1) are the
    charges closely related; (2) are there common factors of
    substantial importance; (3) did one charge arise out of the
    investigation of the other; (4) are the crimes close in time or
    close in location, or do the crimes involve the same victims;
    (5) are the crimes similar in manner, scheme or plan; (6) was
    one crime committed to prevent punishment for another; and
    (7) would joinder serve the goals and purposes of WIS. STAT.
    § 971.12.
    Salinas, 
    369 Wis. 2d 9
    , ¶43. Charges may be connected together for purposes of
    joinder when many of the seven listed factors are applicable, notwithstanding the
    inapplicability of some of them. See id., ¶44.
    7
    Nos. 2020AP172-CR
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    ¶14     The circuit court determined that all but one of the Salinas factors
    apply here. Upon our de novo review, we agree.
    ¶15     The two sets of charges against Manns are closely related and share
    components of substantial importance because the victim is the same in both sets of
    crimes, and the victim’s testimony is important in regard to each charge. The first
    and second Salinas factors therefore favor joinder. See id., ¶44.
    ¶16     Regarding the third Salinas factor, the circuit court considered but
    rejected the State’s view that the intimidation charges arose out of the investigation
    of the assault and firearm charges. The State urges us to analyze this factor
    differently than did the circuit court, but we conclude that because two different
    agencies investigated the two sets of crimes—the Milwaukee Police Department as
    to the assault and firearm charges and the district attorney’s office as to the
    intimidation charges—the two investigations are sufficiently distinct as not to
    satisfy this factor.
    ¶17     As to the fourth Salinas factor, the circuit court found that the two
    sets of crimes were “eighteen days apart. That’s pretty close.” We agree. See
    Francis v. State, 
    86 Wis. 2d 554
    , 561, 
    273 N.W.2d 310
     (1979) (stating that incidents
    thirty-five days apart are close in time). This factor favors joinder. See Salinas,
    
    369 Wis. 2d 9
    , ¶44.
    ¶18     With respect to the fifth and sixth factors, the circuit court found that
    the two sets of crimes were part of a common scheme or plan because the
    intimidation charges reflected Manns’s plan to “get away with” the earlier crimes
    of assault and possessing a firearm while a felon. The circuit court also found that
    the State’s central theory of the case was that Manns committed the intimidation
    crimes to avoid punishment for the assault and firearm charges. In Salinas, our
    8
    Nos. 2020AP172-CR
    2020AP173-CR
    supreme court concluded that crimes were connected together where “the
    intimidation charges involved coercion and threats to manipulate [the victims] to
    withdraw their statements of physical abuse.” 
    Id.
     The fifth and sixth factors
    therefore favor joinder. See 
    id.
    ¶19    As to the seventh and final factor, joinder would permit a single trial
    in circumstances where the evidence and witnesses substantially overlap, thereby
    serving the goals of trial economy, efficiency in judicial administration, and
    eliminating multiple trials against the same defendant. See id., ¶36. This factor also
    favors joinder. See id., ¶44.
    ¶20    In sum, a majority of the Salinas factors apply here and permit initial
    joinder under a theory that the two sets of crimes are connected together. Indeed,
    in circumstances where one set of crimes is committed to avoid punishment for
    another set of crimes, “[t]here can be no dispute” that joinder is authorized by WIS.
    STAT. § 971.12(1). See State v. Bettinger, 
    100 Wis. 2d 691
    , 693-94, 
    303 N.W.2d 585
     (1981) (concluding that a charge of sexual assault was indisputably joined
    properly with a charge of trying to bribe the victim-witness to drop the charge).
    ¶21    We next consider the question of severance. Pursuant to WIS. STAT.
    § 971.12(3), the circuit court may sever crimes that are properly joined if either the
    defendant or the State is prejudiced by the joinder. The proper joinder of criminal
    offenses, however, is presumptively non-prejudicial. See State v. Linton, 
    2010 WI App 129
    , ¶20, 
    329 Wis. 2d 687
    , 
    791 N.W.2d 222
    .               In order to rebut that
    presumption, a defendant seeking severance must show “substantial prejudice to his
    defense; some prejudice is insufficient.” Prescott, 
    345 Wis. 2d 313
    , ¶13. Whether
    to order severance of matters that are properly joined rests in the circuit court’s
    discretion. See Salinas, 
    369 Wis. 2d 9
    , ¶30.
    9
    Nos. 2020AP172-CR
    2020AP173-CR
    ¶22    We therefore must examine whether the circuit court erroneously
    exercised its discretion by denying Manns’s request to sever the charges that arose
    in January 2016, from the charges that arose in February 2016. “In evaluating the
    potential for prejudice, courts have recognized that, when evidence of the counts
    sought to be severed would be admissible in separate trials, the risk of prejudice
    arising because of joinder is generally not significant.” State v. Locke, 
    177 Wis. 2d 590
    , 597, 
    502 N.W.2d 891
     (Ct. App. 1993).
    ¶23    The circuit court correctly concluded that the evidence of the
    intimidation charges would have been admissible at a trial of the assault and firearm
    charges. The long-standing rule in Wisconsin is that “evidence of criminal acts of
    an accused which are intended to obstruct justice or avoid punishment are
    admissible to prove a consciousness of guilt of the principal criminal charge.” See
    State v. Neuser, 
    191 Wis. 2d 131
    , 144, 
    528 N.W.2d 49
     (Ct. App. 1995) (citation
    omitted). Thus, in Neuser, we readily concluded that, at a trial for aggravated
    battery, the trial court properly admitted evidence of the defendant’s threatening
    telephone call to the victim. See 
    id.
     Similarly, we concluded in State v. Bauer,
    
    2000 WI App 206
    , ¶¶1-2, 
    238 Wis. 2d 687
    , 
    617 N.W.2d 902
    , that at a trial for
    attempted first-degree intentional homicide, the trial court properly admitted
    evidence that the defendant solicited the murder of two potential State’s witnesses.
    Relying on Neuser, we held in Bauer that the solicitation was admissible because
    it “was a criminal act intended to obstruct justice and avoid punishment[,] which
    demonstrates consciousness of guilt.” See Bauer, 
    238 Wis. 2d 687
    , ¶7.
    ¶24    Here, the intimidation charges that arose on February 6-7, 2016,
    constituted evidence of criminal acts that Manns performed to obstruct justice and
    to avoid punishment for the earlier-arising assault and firearm charges. Pursuant to
    10
    Nos. 2020AP172-CR
    2020AP173-CR
    Neuser and Bauer, the evidence of intimidation would therefore have been
    admissible at a trial on the earlier-arising charges.
    ¶25    The circuit court also correctly concluded that the evidence of
    Manns’s assaults of D.P. on January 21, 2016, and his unlawful possession of a
    firearm during those assaults, would have been admissible at a trial of the later-
    arising intimidation charges. Pursuant to WIS. STAT. § 904.04(2), evidence of a
    party’s other crimes, wrongs, or acts is admissible if it satisfies a three-step test
    requiring a determination of whether: (1) the evidence is offered for a permissible
    purpose, as required by § 904.04(2)(a); (2) the evidence is relevant within the
    meaning of WIS. STAT. § 904.01; and (3) the probative value of the evidence is not
    substantially outweighed by unfair prejudice or other concerns enumerated in WIS.
    STAT. § 904.03. See State v. Sullivan, 
    216 Wis. 2d 768
    , 772-73, 
    576 N.W.2d 30
    (1998).
    ¶26    Whether evidence is admissible under Sullivan rests in the circuit
    court’s discretion. See State v. Payano, 
    2009 WI 86
    , ¶¶51-52, 
    320 Wis. 2d 348
    ,
    
    768 N.W.2d 832
    . If the circuit court applied appropriate legal standards, examined
    the relevant facts, and explained its rationale, we will uphold the circuit court’s
    exercise of discretion “unless it can be said that no reasonable judge, acting on the
    same facts and underlying law, could reach the same conclusion.” See id., ¶51
    (citation omitted). We search the record for reasons to uphold a circuit court’s
    discretionary decision. See State v. Manuel, 
    2005 WI 75
    , ¶24, 
    281 Wis. 2d 554
    ,
    
    697 N.W.2d 811
    .
    ¶27    The first step of the Sullivan analysis requires only that the proponent
    of the evidence identify an acceptable purpose for the evidence. See Payano, 
    320 Wis. 2d 348
    , ¶63. This step is “hardly demanding.” See 
    id.
     (citation and emphasis
    11
    Nos. 2020AP172-CR
    2020AP173-CR
    omitted). Here, the State argued that evidence of the assaults and of Manns’s
    possession of a firearm while a felon would demonstrate Manns’s motivation for
    the conduct giving rise to the intimidation charges. “Motive” is listed in WIS. STAT.
    § 904.04(2), as an acceptable purpose for other acts evidence. Accordingly, the
    evidence satisfies the first step of the Sullivan analysis.
    ¶28    The second step of the Sullivan analysis requires the proponent of
    other acts evidence to demonstrate its relevance. According to Manns, the State
    failed to satisfy this step because “the State is not required to prove motive to get a
    conviction on the intimidation charge[s]. So motive is a red herring.” We reject
    this argument. Although “motive” is not an element of the crime of intimidation of
    a victim, see WIS JI—CRIMINAL 1296, “motive ʻmay be shown as a circumstance
    to aid in establishing’” guilt. See State v. Wilson, 
    2015 WI 48
    , ¶62, 
    362 Wis. 2d 193
    , 
    864 N.W.2d 52
     (citation omitted). Indeed, evidence of motive is “clearly
    relevant insofar as it tend[s] to increase the probability of [the defendant’s] guilt.”
    See Kelly v. State, 
    75 Wis. 2d 303
    , 318, 
    249 N.W.2d 800
     (1977). The evidence of
    motive has such a tendency here. See Bettinger, 
    100 Wis. 2d at 698
     (explaining that
    evidence of a sexual assault demonstrates the motive for an act of bribery).
    ¶29    The third step of the Sullivan analysis requires the party opposing the
    other acts evidence to show that the probative value of the evidence is substantially
    outweighed by, inter alia, unfair prejudice. See Payano, 
    320 Wis. 2d 348
    , ¶80.
    Here, Manns claims that his status as a felon is prejudicial per se and that disclosure
    of his status in a trial of the intimidation charges would outweigh the probative value
    of evidence of his assaults and possession of a firearm as a felon. We have
    recognized that some prejudice may arise in similar circumstances. See Prescott,
    
    345 Wis. 2d 313
    , ¶18 (acknowledging some prejudice from joining a charge of
    reckless injury with a charge of possessing a firearm as a person previously
    12
    Nos. 2020AP172-CR
    2020AP173-CR
    convicted of a felonious act).       We determined in Prescott, however, that the
    prejudice was not substantial, for three reasons: (1) at trial, the defendant stipulated
    to his status as a felon, so the jury did not learn the specifics of the felonious act that
    the defendant committed; (2) the trial court gave a limiting instruction requiring the
    jurors to consider each charge separately, and “[w]e presume that juries follow
    instruction”; and (3) the evidence was overwhelming. See id., ¶¶19-20.
    ¶30     We need not and do not consider whether, at a trial of the intimidation
    charges, Manns might adopt a strategy allowing for a stipulation, or whether the
    recordings of Manns’s allegedly threatening statements and the other evidence of
    intimidation would overwhelm any defense he might mount. Regardless of his trial
    strategy or the persuasive power of the evidence against him, Manns could address
    any potential prejudice arising from the admission of other acts evidence by
    requesting an instruction limiting the purpose for which the jury could consider that
    evidence. See Payano, 
    320 Wis. 2d 348
    , ¶100 (reflecting that a limiting instruction
    is required if requested by the defendant). “If an admonitory instruction is properly
    given by the court, prejudice to a defendant is presumed erased from the jury’s
    mind.” See 
    id.,
     ¶99 n.20 (citation omitted). A reasonable judge could rely on that
    presumption to conclude that, under the facts here, Manns failed to carry his burden
    of proving that the probative value of the other acts evidence would be substantially
    outweighed by unfair prejudice.
    ¶31     The foregoing analysis demonstrates that at a trial of the assault and
    firearm charges that arose on January 21, 2016, evidence would have been
    admissible that Manns participated in a conspiracy to intimidate D.P. during the
    period of February 6-7, 2016. See Neuser, 191 Wis. 2d at 144. Conversely, at a
    trial of the intimidation charges that arose on February 6-7, 2016, evidence would
    have been admissible that Manns assaulted D.P. and unlawfully possessed a firearm
    13
    Nos. 2020AP172-CR
    2020AP173-CR
    as a felon on January 21, 2016. See WIS. STAT. § 904.04(2). Prejudice from joinder
    of the two sets of charges therefore was not significant, see Locke, 177 Wis. 2d at
    597, and severance was not required.5
    ¶32     At this juncture, we observe that Manns faults the circuit court for
    failing to sever the charge of felon in possession of a firearm from the three assault
    charges that arose at the same time. However, he has not directed us to a point in
    the record where he made such an argument in the circuit court. See State v. Caban,
    
    210 Wis. 2d 597
    , 604, 
    563 N.W.2d 501
     (1997) (holding that an appellant has the
    burden of showing where an issue was raised below). Moreover, we have not
    identified such an argument in our own review of the postconviction proceedings.
    Rather, Manns contended in his postconviction motion that the trial court erred by
    joining the case that arose on January 21, 2016, with the case that arose on
    February 6-7, 2016, and that his trial counsel was ineffective for failing either to
    object to the joinder or to seek severance of the two cases.                          Indeed, his
    postconviction memorandum explicitly asked the circuit court to “deny the State’s
    motion for joinder or, in the alternative, sever the cases if it does grant the motion.”
    ¶33     As a matter of judicial administration, we normally do not consider
    claims raised for the first time on appeal. See Townsend v. Massey, 
    2011 WI App 160
    , ¶23, 
    338 Wis. 2d 114
    , 
    808 N.W.2d 155
    . Because the State has responded to
    Manns’s new claim, however, we elect to depart from our normal practice and
    address his contention in the interest of completeness. According to Manns, his
    5
    Manns argues in his reply brief that joinder of the intimidation charges with the assault
    and firearm charges would have substantially prejudiced his defense against the latter set of crimes
    because the charge of intimidating a victim carries an assumption that someone was victimized and
    thus erases the presumption of innocence. Manns did not raise this argument in the circuit court or
    in his opening appellate brief. Because neither the circuit court nor the State had an opportunity to
    address his argument, we decline to consider it. See State v. Mechtel, 
    176 Wis. 2d 87
    , 100, 
    499 N.W.2d 662
     (1993) (we do not consider issues raised for the first time in a reply brief).
    14
    Nos. 2020AP172-CR
    2020AP173-CR
    status as a felon “label[ed] him as a bad man” and therefore was so prejudicial as to
    require the circuit court to sever the firearm charge from any trial of the assault
    charges. The claim fails. Notwithstanding possible prejudice to the defendant,
    “severance is unnecessary where the charges are ‘so inextricably intertwined so as
    to make proof of one crime impossible without proof of the other.’” See Bailey v.
    State, 
    65 Wis. 2d 331
    , 347, 
    222 N.W.2d 871
     (1974) (ellipses and citation omitted).
    In this case, the evidence that Manns committed three assaults, including first-
    degree sexual assault by use of a dangerous weapon, was essential to prove the
    circumstances under which D.P. observed him in possession of a firearm while he
    was felon; and the evidence that Manns possessed a firearm while a felon was
    essential to prove his intent to commit assaults and the way in which he committed
    them. Moreover, as we explained in Prescott, a defendant can minimize any
    prejudice from trying charges together by requesting an instruction directing the
    jurors to consider the crimes separately. See 
    id.,
     
    345 Wis. 2d 313
    , ¶19.
    ¶34    In sum, all of the charges were properly joined and severance was not
    required. Accordingly, Manns’s trial counsel was not ineffective for failing to
    challenge the joinder or for failing to request severance. See Ziebart, 
    268 Wis. 2d 468
    , ¶14. For all the foregoing reasons, we affirm.
    By the Court.—Judgments and order affirmed.
    This    opinion   will   not    be   published.    See     WIS. STAT.
    RULE 809.23(1)(b)5.
    15
    

Document Info

Docket Number: 2020AP000172-CR, 2020AP000173-CR

Filed Date: 6/22/2021

Precedential Status: Non-Precedential

Modified Date: 9/9/2024