People v. Jaime Gonzalez-Quezada
Date Filed2023-12-28
Docket21CA1229
Cited0 times
StatusPublished
Full Opinion (html_with_citations)
Summary
December 28, 2023
2023COA124
No. 21CA1229, Peo v. Gonzalez-Quezada — Constitutional Law
— Sixth Amendment — Right to Public Trial — Partial
Courtroom Closure —Waller Test
As a matter of first impression, a division of the court of
appeals determines that the exclusion of a disruptive observer from
a Webex electronic broadcast of the trial does not constitute a
partial closure of the courtroom for purposes of a defendant’s right
to a public trial when the physical courtroom remains open to the
public. Moreover, even if the exclusion of the observer could be
considered a partial closure, the division concludes the trial court
made adequate findings to justify a partial closure in accordance
with Waller v. Georgia, 467 U.S. 39 (1984).
The concurring opinion emphasizes that the exclusion of a
disruptive observer from an electronic broadcast should not be
considered a partial closure and therefore should not necessitate
findings under Waller.
COLORADO COURT OF APPEALS 2023COA124
Court of Appeals No. 21CA1229
Weld County District Court No. 19CR2595
Honorable Vicente G. Vigil, Judge
The People of the State of Colorado,
Plaintiff-Appellee,
v.
Jaime Gonzalez-Quezada,
Defendant-Appellant.
JUDGMENT AFFIRMED
Division III
Opinion by JUDGE SCHUTZ
J. Jones, J., concurs
Johnson, J., specially concurs
Announced December 28, 2023
Philip J. Weiser, Attorney General, William G. Kozeliski, Senior Assistant
Attorney General, Denver, Colorado, for Plaintiff-Appellee
Megan A. Ring, Colorado State Public Defender, Jessica A. Pitts, Deputy State
Public Defender, Denver, Colorado, for Defendant-Appellant
¶1 Defendant, Jamie Quezada,1 appeals his second degree
murder conviction. We affirm. In doing so, we conclude that there
was sufficient evidence for the jury to reject the statutory heat of
passion sentence mitigator. We also conclude that the trial court
did not violate Quezada’s right of confrontation or his ability to
effectively test the veracity of an eyewitness to the shooting.
Finally, as a matter of first impression in Colorado, we conclude
that the trial court did not deny Quezada his right to a public trial
by excluding a disruptive observer from remotely viewing the trial.
I. Procedural History and Background
¶2 The trial court admitted evidence from which the jury could
reasonably have found the following facts. Jaime and Alejandra
Nancy Quezada2 were married for five years before the homicide.
Prior to the marriage, Quezada had three children and Nancy had
one child. They had problems throughout the marriage, and on or
1 Quezada was erroneously charged under the name “Jamie
Gonzalez-Quezada.” His correct name is Jaime Quezada, and we
refer to him as such.
2 Alejandra Nancy Quezada, the defendant’s ex-wife, goes by Nancy.
We will refer to her by her first name to avoid confusion; we intend
no disrespect in doing so.
1
around October 6, 2019, Nancy moved out of the marital home and
stayed with a friend while she considered how to move forward.
¶3 Nancy worked as a personal trainer at a local gym. On
October 9, 2019, at 4:18 a.m., she and the victim, Gilberto Marron,
made plans to meet at the gym. They were in an intimate
relationship. At around 4:47 a.m., Nancy and Marron got in the
back seat of her car, which was in the gym’s parking lot. Marron
was on the passenger side, and Nancy was on the driver’s side.
What occurred in the car’s back seat was disputed at trial. Nancy
claimed that they went into the back seat so that he could give her
a hug and then they started talking. She testified that she rested
her head on Marron’s lap for about five minutes during their
conversation. Quezada contended at trial that she appeared to be
performing fellatio on Marron.
¶4 Unbeknownst to Nancy and Marron, Quezada was also in the
parking lot. The area was well-lit, and it was possible to see into
other vehicles even though it was early in the morning. Quezada
claimed that he decided to go to the gym that morning to say “hi” to
Nancy. When he saw her place her head in Marron’s lap, he
retrieved his 9 mm pistol from the center console, drove up to the
2
passenger side of Nancy’s car, got out of his truck, and fired at least
one shot into the car through the back seat window. At some point,
Nancy jumped from the back seat to the front of the car.
¶5 Marron got out of the car and tried to flee, but Quezada fired
about five more shots, one of which struck Marron in the head,
resulting in a fatal injury. Marron was shot a total of six times and
died in the parking lot. Shortly after shooting Marron, Quezada
allegedly said, “[T]his is what happens when you mess with married
women.” He also spoke to Nancy, saying something along the lines
of, “[T]his is what you wanted, right?”
¶6 Quezada drove away in his truck. Nancy then immediately
called the police. During the call, Nancy referred to Marron as a
“friend.” Police did not discover the intimate nature of their
relationship until later.
¶7 Quezada turned himself in to the police about five hours after
the shooting. Before doing so, he confided to friends and family
that he had “wasted” someone after seeing that person with his
wife. He also spoke with a bondsman. The People charged
Quezada with one count of first degree murder, relating to Marron,
and a count of reckless endangerment, relating to Nancy.
3
¶8 The jury trial, which took place in May 2021, was held under
COVID-19 protocols. To limit the number of people who were
physically present in the courtroom, the trial was also live streamed
on Webex. The remote participants in the trial included the court-
approved interpreters who provided interpretation for the benefit of
Quezada’s and Marron’s family members. The court repeatedly
reminded Webex observers to mute themselves during the trial. On
the seventh day of the trial, the court disconnected a line
participating via Webex because the observer at that phone number
repeatedly failed to mute their microphone and the noise was
disrupting the testimony.
¶9 The jury convicted Quezada of second degree murder and
reckless endangerment. The court sentenced him to forty-eight
years in the custody of the Colorado Department of Corrections.
II. Sufficiency of the Evidence
¶ 10 Quezada contends that the prosecution presented insufficient
evidence to disprove the heat of passion mitigator. We disagree.
A. Standard of Review and Applicable Law
¶ 11 We review a sufficiency of the evidence claim de novo,
evaluating “whether the relevant evidence, both direct and
4
circumstantial, when viewed as a whole and in the light most
favorable to the prosecution, is substantial and sufficient to support
a conclusion by a reasonable mind that the defendant is guilty of
the charge beyond a reasonable doubt.” People v. Donald, 2020 CO
24, ¶ 18(quoting Clark v. People,232 P.3d 1287, 1291
(Colo. 2010)). Our analysis is guided by four well-established principles. First, we give the prosecution the benefit of all reasonable inferences that might fairly be drawn from the evidence. Id. at ¶ 19. Second, we defer to the jury’s resolution of the credibility of witnesses. Butler v. People,2019 CO 87, ¶ 20
. Third, we may not serve as a thirteenth juror by weighing various pieces of evidence or resolving conflicts in the evidence.Id.
Fourth, a conviction cannot
be based on guessing, speculation, conjecture, or a mere modicum
of relevant evidence. Donald, ¶ 19.
¶ 12 A person commits murder in the second degree if the person
knowingly causes the death of another person. § 18-3-103(1)(a),
C.R.S. 2023. Second degree murder may be mitigated from a class
2 felony to a class 3 felony if it is committed under the heat of
passion. Heat of passion is defined as a serious and highly
provoking act by the intended victim that affected the defendant
5
sufficiently to excite an irresistible passion in a reasonable person.
§ 18-3-103(3)(b). But if, between the provocation and the killing,
there is an interval sufficient for the voice of reason and humanity
to be heard, the killing is a class 2 felony. Id. Heat of passion
provocation is a mitigating factor for attempted second degree
murder. People v. Tardif, 2017 COA 136, ¶ 6. If there is sufficient evidence to support giving an instruction on heat of passion, the prosecution is required to disprove the mitigator beyond a reasonable doubt.Id.
B. Application
¶ 13 To support his contention that the People failed to meet their
burden on the sentence mitigator, Quezada points to evidence in
the record from which the jury could reasonably have concluded
that he was acting under a sudden heat of passion: (1) he was
unaware of Nancy’s relationship with Marron until the events at
issue; (2) he allegedly went to the gym to say hello to his wife; and
(3) there were just a few seconds between when he saw Nancy lower
her head into the victim’s lap and when he fired the first shot.
¶ 14 The trial court properly instructed the jury on the People’s
“burden to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that Quezada was not
6
acting upon a sudden heat of passion.” The court also properly
instructed the jury on the definition of “heat of passion.” Thus, the
question is whether there was sufficient evidence from which the
jury could conclude, beyond a reasonable doubt, that Quezada did
not act under a sudden heat of passion when he murdered the
victim. We conclude that there was.
¶ 15 The jury could have found against Quezada on the heat of
passion mitigator based on the following facts: (1) Quezada was
arguably lying in wait for Nancy and Marron to arrive; (2) Quezada
knowingly placed himself in a situation where he could discover
their relationship, thus undermining the suddenness component of
the mitigator; (3) there was time for Quezada to reflect before he
fired the fatal shot; (4) his statement to Marron about “messing”
with married women may have indicated premeditation; and (5) his
question to Nancy about whether this is what she wanted also may
have led the jury to conclude that he was not acting under a heat of
passion. Viewing this evidence in the light most favorable to the
prosecution, we conclude that a reasonable jury could find beyond
a reasonable doubt that the prosecution disproved the heat of
passion mitigator, and thus reject Quezada’s sufficiency challenge.
7
III. Fifth Amendment Invocation
¶ 16 Quezada also argues that the trial court erred by (1) allowing
Nancy to testify even though she planned to invoke her Fifth
Amendment rights as they related to sexual assault charges
pending against her and (2) excluding extrinsic evidence that would
have identified the victim of Nancy’s alleged sexual assault. We
disagree.
A. Fifth Amendment
1. Additional Facts
¶ 17 During the investigation into the shooting, Nancy revealed that
she had a sexual relationship with Quezada’s biological son, who
was nineteen at the time of the disclosure. Further investigation
revealed that the relationship started when Quezada’s son was a
minor. In April 2021, the month before Quezada’s trial, Nancy was
charged with one count of aggravated incest and two counts of
sexual assault. The prosecutor in that case was also the prosecutor
in Quezada’s case.
¶ 18 Quezada’s defense counsel filed a motion in limine to exclude
Nancy’s testimony in light of her potentially invoking her Fifth
Amendment right to remain silent. The People filed a motion in
8
limine to exclude evidence of Nancy’s charges or limit how much the
jury could hear about them. The trial court held pretrial hearings
on the respective motions and denied defense counsel’s motion to
bar Nancy’s testimony in its entirety on the grounds that she could
be effectively cross-examined without identifying Quezada’s son as
the alleged victim of the sexual assault. The trial court then
entered an order prohibiting Quezada’s counsel from asking Nancy
who the victim of the alleged offense was but permitting counsel to
introduce evidence that she had been charged with sexual assault
involving incest allegations.
2. Standard of Review and Applicable Law
¶ 19 Both parties agree that the issue is preserved; however, they
dispute which standard of review applies. Quezada contends that
the trial court’s ruling violated his right to confront witnesses and
should be reviewed de novo. The People agree that the propriety of
allowing a witness to testify knowing they will invoke a right to a
degree that could deprive a defendant of the right of confrontation is
reviewed de novo. But they assert that if the court’s ruling is
limited in a manner that does not deprive a defendant of the right to
9
effectively test the witness’s credibility, the ruling is reviewed for an
abuse of discretion.
¶ 20 We review de novo a possible Confrontation Clause violation.
People v. Dominguez-Castor, 2020 COA 1, ¶ 67. “The Sixth Amendment right to confrontation and the Fifth Amendment right to due process of law require only that the accused be permitted to introduce all relevant and admissible evidence.”Id.
at ¶ 68 (quoting People v. Harris,43 P.3d 221, 227
(Colo. 2002)). A Confrontation Clause violation may exist where a defendant “was prohibited from engaging in otherwise appropriate cross-examination designed to show a prototypical form of bias on the part of the witness.” Kinney v. People,187 P.3d 548, 559
(Colo. 2008) (quoting Delaware v. Van Arsdall,475 U.S. 673, 680
(1986)). ¶ 21 “It does not follow, of course, that every restriction on a defendant’s attempts to challenge the credibility of evidence against him, or even every erroneous evidentiary ruling having that effect, amounts to federal constitutional error.” Krutsinger v. People,219 P.3d 1054, 1062
(Colo. 2009). Thus, a defendant may successfully
assert a constitutional violation only where “the trial court’s ruling,
under the circumstances of each case, effectively barred the
10
defendant from meaningfully testing evidence central to
establishing his guilt.” Dominguez-Castor, ¶ 70 (quoting Krutsinger,
219 P.3d at 1062). ¶ 22 Nonconstitutional evidentiary rulings, including those regarding cross-examination, are reviewed for an abuse of discretion. People v. Campos,2015 COA 47, ¶ 26
.
3. Application
¶ 23 Quezada contends that Nancy’s pending criminal matter was
inextricably linked to Quezada’s case. Thus, Quezada contends it
was necessary to confront Nancy about the fact that Quezada’s son
was the victim of Nancy’s alleged sexual assault. By precluding
such testimony, Quezada says, the trial court deprived him of the
opportunity to establish Nancy’s bias and motive to testify against
him.
¶ 24 The People reason that though defense counsel was prohibited
from asking Nancy about the victim’s identity, counsel was
nonetheless able to cross-examine her about the fact that she was
charged with sexual assault based on incest. Additionally, the
People note that Quezada’s counsel was allowed to test Nancy’s
credibility through questions about her divorce from Quezada, her
11
affair with Marron, her prior inconsistent statements to law
enforcement, and her hopes of leniency on her pending charges.
Therefore, the People contend Quezada was not deprived of his right
to confrontation.
¶ 25 For the following reasons, we agree with the People that
allowing Nancy to testify knowing that she would invoke her right to
remain silent concerning the identity of the alleged victim of the
assault did not deprive Quezada of his right to confrontation.
¶ 26 First, we disagree with Quezada’s contention that the identity
of the alleged sexual assault victim in Nancy’s criminal matter was
inextricably linked to the shooting. Quezada was not aware of the
alleged abuse of his son until after his arrest. Thus, the fact that
his son was the alleged victim could not have impacted his mental
state at the time of the shooting.
¶ 27 Second, Nancy was a critical witness because she was the only
person who could describe certain events surrounding the shooting.
Her testimony provided the jury with valuable evidence about what
occurred that morning.
¶ 28 Moreover, Quezada’s counsel was not so constrained by
Nancy’s invocation of her right to remain silent that he could not
12
adequately cross-examine her. For example, defense counsel cross-
examined her about inconsistencies and gaps in her story, her
failure to disclose the romantic nature of the relationship with
Marron to police, and the circumstances of her divorce from
Quezada. Defense counsel also asked Nancy whether she was
hoping for leniency from the prosecution in exchange for her
testimony, and that questioning revealed that the pending charges
included incest and sexual assault. There is nothing in the record
to suggest that the limitation placed on Quezada’s counsel
effectively precluded counsel from being able to meaningfully test
the evidence against Quezada. Dominguez-Castor, ¶ 70.
¶ 29 Based on this record, we conclude that the trial court did not
err by denying defense counsel’s motion to bar Nancy’s testimony in
its entirety.
B. The Exclusion of Other Evidence Regarding the Identity of the
Victim of Nancy’s Alleged Sexual Assault
¶ 30 Quezada also contends that the trial court erred by precluding
his counsel from asking a detective to tell the jury the identity of
Nancy’s alleged sexual assault victim. He reasons that such
evidence should have been permitted because it directly impacted
13
Nancy’s credibility. The trial court excluded such evidence under
CRE 608(b). Its ruling was based on two grounds. First, it
concluded that Rule 608 supplanted common law methods of
impeaching a witness’s credibility. Second, the court concluded
that Rule 608 only permits impeaching a witness’s credibility on
cross-examination.
1. Standard of Review Applicable Law
¶ 31 We review a trial court’s evidentiary rulings for an abuse of
discretion. People v. Stewart, 55 P.3d 107, 122(Colo. 2002). A trial court abuses its discretion if its ruling is arbitrary, unreasonable, or unfair.Id.
CRE 608(b) states as follows:
Specific instances of the conduct of a witness,
for the purpose of attacking or supporting the
witness’ character for truthfulness other than
conviction of crime as provided in [section] 13-
90-101, may not be proved by extrinsic
evidence. They may, however, in the discretion
of the court, if probative of truthfulness or
untruthfulness, be inquired into on cross-
examination of the witness (1) concerning the
witness’ character for truthfulness or
untruthfulness, or (2) concerning the character
for truthfulness or untruthfulness of another
witness as to which character the witness
being cross-examined has testified.
14
We agree with Quezada that Rule 608(b) does not control this issue
and the trial court erred by relying on it to preclude the testimony.
However, we may affirm a trial court’s ruling denying evidence on
any basis supported by the record. People v. Quintana, 882 P.2d
1366, 1371(Colo. 1994), abrogated on other grounds by Rojas v. People,2022 CO 8
; People v. Everett,250 P.3d 649, 653
(Colo. App.
2010).
2. Application
¶ 32 We agree with Quezada that the trial court erred by
concluding that Rule 608 displaced the common law rule permitting
the introduction of extrinsic evidence through a third-party witness
that impeaches another witness’s testimony. See, e.g., People v.
Taylor, 190 Colo. 210, 213,545 P.2d 703, 705
(1976) (“[A] party who on cross-examination inquires into bias is not bound by the denial of the witness but may contradict him with the evidence of other witnesses.”). We also conclude that CRE 608(b) does not limit impeaching testimony to that which is elicited solely through the cross-examination of the witness whose testimony is being impeached. See, e.g., People v. Thomas,2014 COA 64, ¶ 43
(“We
conclude that the doctrine of specific contradiction allowed this
15
evidence to be introduced here, and that CRE 608(b) is no
impediment to the introduction of such evidence.”).
¶ 33 Nonetheless, we conclude, for independent reasons, that the
trial court properly excluded testimony that the identified victim in
Nancy’s sexual assault charges was Quezada’s son.
¶ 34 CRE 403 applies to evidence offered under CRE 608(b). “[T]he
trial court should ‘exclude evidence that has little bearing on
credibility, places undue emphasis on collateral matters, or has the
potential to confuse the jury.’” People v. Williams, 2014 COA 114,
¶ 36(quoting People v. Knight,167 P.3d 147, 153
(Colo. App.
2006)). Rule 403 precludes the admission of evidence if “its
probative value is substantially outweighed by the danger of unfair
prejudice, confusion of the issues, or misleading the jury, or by
considerations of undue delay, waste of time, or needless
presentation of cumulative evidence.”
¶ 35 Recall that the trial court permitted introduction of the fact
that Nancy had been charged with sexual assault and that the
charges involved incest. All that was excluded was testimony
specifically identifying Quezada’s son as the victim of the alleged
assault. Quezada argues that the identity of the victim was relevant
16
because it impacted Nancy’s motive to lie. More specifically,
Quezada argues that Nancy had a motive to lie because she
understood that Quezada was likely to be called as a witness at her
trial on the sexual assault charges, and she would benefit if
Quezada was convicted of these homicide charges because he could
then be impeached with his prior felony conviction. See § 13-90-
101, C.R.S. 2023.
¶ 36 But any such motivation had nothing to do with the victim’s
identity. In other words, Nancy would have a motive to lie to obtain
a conviction against Quezada regardless of whether the alleged
victim in her case was Quezada’s son or some other relative. And to
the extent that Quezada argues that the fact his son was the victim
makes it more likely that Quezada would be a witness at Nancy’s
trial, we reject the premise. Regardless of whether the victim was
Quezada’s son or some other family member, it was highly probable
that Quezada would be called as a witness to testify about an
alleged sexual assault of a family member that occurred while he
and Nancy were married.
¶ 37 Thus, disclosing to the jury that Quezada’s son was the
alleged victim had de minimis, if any, relevance to the legitimate
17
assessment of Nancy’s credibility. On the other hand, the
explosively prejudicial nature of such testimony is self-evident.
Those who perpetrate sexual assaults against any person are
viewed with significant scorn. That prejudice is amplified when the
victim is the child of a spouse. Thus, the prejudicial impact of the
proffered identification of Quezada’s son was great, and it
substantially exceeded the de minimis probative value of that
evidence.
¶ 38 For these reasons, we conclude that Rule 403 precluded the
admission of evidence that Nancy had been accused of sexually
assaulting Quezada’s son. Therefore, we further conclude — albeit
on different grounds — that the trial court did not abuse its
discretion by excluding such evidence.
IV. Public Trial
¶ 39 Quezada contends that the trial court deprived him of his right
to a public trial by excluding a disruptive observer from the Webex
live stream of the proceedings. Specifically, he argues that the
exclusion constituted a partial closure of the courtroom, and that
the trial court’s failure to make express findings under Waller v.
Georgia, 467 U.S. 39 (1984), before excluding the observer deprived
18
him of his right to a public trial as guaranteed by the United States
and Colorado Constitutions. See U.S. Const. amends. VI, XIV;
Colo. Const. art. II, § 16. We disagree.
A. Additional Facts
¶ 40 The trial in this case occurred during the COVID-19 pandemic.
As was common during that period, the trial court live streamed the
proceedings online using Webex. But the court also maintained
public access to the courtroom itself, as it discussed in the following
exchange:
Prosecutor: I think, for the record, since the
WebEx [sic] was off during the initial portion of
Detective Finch’s testimony, I — I — it — it
should be clear that this is still an open
courtroom, that people could come and go as
they wanted, even though the WebEx [sic] feed
wasn’t working at that time.
Court: I’m happy to make a record of that. I
know that we do have some attendees present
in person. I know that at previous portions of
this proceeding, that we’ve had many people
attending in person. The doors are unlocked.
The courtroom is not closed to the public.
....
Court: And the Court does note that the
courtroom is open. There are several —
probably a dozen or so people, if not more,
present in the courtroom today. The Court
also posted a message on its WebEx chat
19
function indicating the technical issues and
informing the observers that they may observe
in person if they are able to do so as space
permits.
During the trial, the court apparently streamed the testimony of
witnesses, but it disconnected the Webex feed during some portions
of the trial. There were also occasional lapses in the streamed
testimony, due to human error or technological limitations.
¶ 41 The court noted various occasions when one or more Webex
observers failed to mute their microphones, resulting in noises and
communications from those observers or those near them being
broadcast into the courtroom. The court reminded participants on
multiple occasions of the need to keep their microphones on mute
unless they were specifically communicating something directly to
the court.
¶ 42 One Webex observer repeatedly failed to mute themselves and
disrupted the court proceedings. The court eventually interrupted a
witness’s testimony to confront that observer:
So I have repeatedly warned the observers that
they need to mute their microphone. We are
conducting a trial.
I have already had to expel the phone number
starting with 9-1-7 who has been a repeat
20
offender and has repeatedly had their
microphone unmuted and has caused
background noise.
I am going to specifically tell whoever is
observing by phone number 9-1-7 and ending
in 6-5, I am going to expel you again from
these proceedings. I have warned the
observers multiple times to not have their
microphones unmuted, and we have had
background noise from this particular number
multiple times.
It is an order of the Court that you be expelled
from these proceedings and that you not
continue to observe these proceedings due to
the disruption that your failure to mute your
microphone has provided multiple times.
So I am expelling you at this time and, again,
you are not to return to observe these
proceedings because you apparently cannot
follow the instructions of the Court not to be
disruptive.
The record does not disclose the identity of the excluded observer,
or their relationship, if any, to Quezada or Marron.
¶ 43 Quezada characterizes the court’s exclusion of the unidentified
observer as a partial closure of the courtroom in violation of his
right to a public trial. The People disagree, arguing that no closure
occurred, and that even if this exclusion could be considered a
partial closure, it did not violate Quezada’s rights.
21
B. Standard of Review
¶ 44 Whether the trial court violated a defendant’s right to a public
trial presents a mixed question of fact and law. People v. Hassen,
2015 CO 49, ¶ 5. We accept the trial court’s factual findings absent an abuse of discretion. People v. Jones,2020 CO 45, ¶ 14
. We review its legal conclusions, including the application of the determined facts to the controlling law, de novo.Id.
¶ 45 The parties disagree about whether Quezada preserved these issues, and relatedly what standards of review and reversal govern. ¶ 46 The People note that Quezada’s counsel failed to object to the exclusion of the Webex observer at the time it occurred or at any other point during the trial. Consequently, the People argue, Quezada waived any error attributed to the exclusion order. See Stackhouse v. People,2015 CO 48, ¶ 5
(finding waiver of the defendant’s right to claim that he was denied a public trial where counsel was aware of the closure but failed to object); Forgette v. People,2023 CO 4, ¶ 34
(finding waiver of the defendant’s right to
claim that he was denied a jury trial, even though a juror had slept
through significant portions of trial testimony, because defense
counsel did not make a contemporaneous objection). If we
22
conclude the issue was not waived, the People argue that any error
should be reviewed under the plain error standard. We reverse for
plain error only if the error was obvious and so undermined the
fundamental fairness of the trial that it casts serious doubt on the
reliability of the conviction. Hagos v. People, 2012 CO 63, ¶ 14. ¶ 47 Quezada counters that the court acknowledged that it had previously excluded the observer without informing the parties before doing so. Thus, Quezada contends, his attorney had no opportunity to object to this initial exclusion, and therefore waiver cannot bar his claim on appeal. See People v. Rediger,2018 CO 32, ¶ 39
(Waiver is “the intentional relinquishment of a known right or privilege.” (quoting Dep’t of Health v. Donahue,690 P.2d 243, 247
(Colo. 1984))).
¶ 48 Quezada argues that the initial exclusion of the observer
should be reviewed for constitutional harmless error. Such an error
requires reversal unless it was harmless beyond a reasonable
doubt. Hagos, ¶ 11. With respect to the second exclusion of the
offending observer, Quezada acknowledges his attorney had an
opportunity to object and did not. Nevertheless, he claims the
failure to object was the product of counsel’s negligence rather than
23
a knowing decision. Therefore, he contends, the error was forfeited
but not waived, and we should review for plain error. People v.
Garcia, 2023 COA 58, ¶¶ 15-16 (forfeiture arises when a defendant
neglects to make a timely objection; we review forfeited error under
the plain error standard).
¶ 49 Quezada also contends that if we determine that the trial
court’s error amounted to a deprivation of his right to a public trial,
any such error is structural and must be reversed irrespective of
any prejudice analysis. See Jones, ¶ 45 (applying structural error
to improper partial closure of courtroom in violation of defendant’s
right to a public trial).
¶ 50 We need not resolve the parties’ competing positions on these
issues, however, unless we conclude the trial court erred by
excluding the disruptive observer. We turn now to that question,
beginning with a summary of the applicable legal principles.
C. Applicable Law
¶ 51 The constitutional guarantee to a public trial serves multiple
noble purposes. It protects the rights of a defendant because the
public’s observation reminds the court and counsel of their
essential roles in ensuring that a defendant is treated fairly and has
24
their rights respected. Id. at ¶ 16. The presence of a defendant’s
family members and friends also reminds the participants of a
defendant’s humanity and the corresponding right to be treated
with dignity. See id. In addition to promoting the accountability of
the court and counsel, a public trial may also have the effect of
encouraging potential witnesses to come forward with relevant
information and discouraging testifying witnesses from committing
perjury. Id. at ¶ 17; People v. Lujan, 2020 CO 26, ¶ 14. “A public
trial also protects the public’s and the press’s qualified First
Amendment rights to attend a criminal trial,” thereby protecting the
greater community’s interest in monitoring the fair administration
of the criminal justice system. Jones, ¶ 18. These essential
functions are compromised when a court is closed to the public.
¶ 52 But the right to a public trial is not absolute. Lujan, ¶ 15. In
some instances, competing interests may require closure of the
courtroom. See Jones, ¶ 20 (sometimes the right to a public trial
must yield to a higher interest, such as the protection of a
defendant’s right to a fair trial or the government’s interest in
protecting inappropriate disclosure of sensitive information). To
accommodate this tension, the Supreme Court has articulated four
25
requirements, known as the Waller factors, that must be met to
justify a courtroom closure:
(1) “the party seeking to close the [proceeding]
must advance an overriding interest that is
likely to be prejudiced”; (2) “the closure must
be no broader than necessary to protect that
interest”; (3) “the trial court must consider
reasonable alternatives to closing the
proceeding”; and (4) the court “must make
findings adequate to support the closure.”
Lujan, ¶ 15 (quoting Waller, 467 U.S. at 48).
¶ 53 It is undisputed that there was not a complete closure of the
courtroom. But Quezada argues that the exclusion of the
disruptive observer constituted a partial closure requiring reversal.
¶ 54 A partial closure may also violate a defendant’s right to a
public trial. Jones, ¶ 27. In some circumstances, the exclusion of a
single person may constitute a partial closure. Id. at ¶ 34. But the
Colorado Supreme Court has also recognized that sometimes a
partial closure of the courtroom is so trivial that it does not violate a
defendant’s right to a public trial. Lujan, ¶ 24 (under the trivial
closure exception, no error occurs through a partial closure if the
closure did not implicate the concerns animating the Sixth
Amendment).
26
D. Analysis
¶ 55 Quezada contends that the exclusion of the disruptive
observer resulted in a partial closure of the courtroom. Because the
trial court did not expressly apply the Waller factors before
excluding the observer, Quezada argues that reversal is mandated.
¶ 56 The People counter with multiple arguments. First, they
contend that no closure occurred because the courtroom was never
closed. Second, to the extent a partial closure occurred, the People
contend it was trivial. Finally, even if a non-trivial partial closure
occurred, the People contend that the trial court’s factual findings
— though they did not expressly reference Waller — were sufficient
to satisfy the Waller criteria. We agree with the People’s first and
third arguments and therefore do not reach the second.
1. No Closure Occurred
¶ 57 While it is undisputed that the trial court barred the
disruptive observer from continuing to watch the proceedings via
Webex, it is equally true that the courtroom itself remained open
during the entirety of the trial. Quezada acknowledges this fact but
argues that, once the court made the decision to permit some
members of the public to attend the proceedings via Webex, it was
27
required to maintain the Webex connection for all persons observing
via Webex unless it applied the Waller factors before excluding any
attendee. In effect, Quezada contends that Webex observers are in
the courtroom because its physical confines have been expanded by
the use of remote viewing technology.
¶ 58 Quezada concedes that there is no constitutional right to
attend a proceeding via Webex. But he analogizes the situation to
one in which a state court, without a constitutional mandate,
chooses to provide direct appeals. In such situations, though the
direct appeal is not constitutionally mandated, once a state chooses
to provide such a right, it must comply with constitutional
guarantees in administering the appeal. See Griffin v. United
States, 351 U.S. 12, 18 (1956) (if a state elects to provide appellate
review, courts must assure equal protection and due process in the
administration of those appeals). Having provided the option of
attending a proceeding via Webex, Quezada argues, the court was
required to apply the Waller factors before excluding a remote
observer.
¶ 59 But Quezada’s argument presupposes that the observer had
no means of attending these proceedings other than via Webex.
28
The record does not support that conclusion. The doors to the
courtroom remained open, and we reject the notion that Webex
observers are somehow in the courtroom. Read in context, it is
clear that the trial court excluded the observer from further Webex
participation because they ignored or neglected to abide by the
court’s order to stay muted. The court began by noting that the
observer had repeatedly failed to stay muted, as ordered by the
court. And in excluding the observer, the court stated, “It is an
order of the Court that you be expelled from these proceedings and
that you not continue to observe these proceedings due to the
disruption that your failure to mute your microphone has provided
multiple times.”
¶ 60 The court’s order was clearly based on the observer’s failure to
mute their microphone while observing via Webex. Thus, the
observer was precluded from further attendance via Webex. But
the record contains no indication that the excluded observer was
not permitted or able to travel to the courtroom to attend the trial in
29
person.3 Thus, the excluded observer was not precluded from
attending the trial. Stated otherwise, the remote observer could still
have attended the trial in the same manner people have for
centuries — by going to the courtroom. Thus, there was no closure
of the courtroom, partial or otherwise.
¶ 61 We note that, after the completion of briefing in this case, a
division of this court addressed a somewhat analogous situation.
See People v. Bialas, 2023 COA 50. The trial in Bialas also
occurred during the COVID-19 pandemic. Id. at ¶ 3. Initially, the
physical courtroom was open to members of the public, but due to
social distancing concerns, in-person seating was limited. Some
public observers were in the courtroom and seated close to one or
more jurors. Id. Other members of the public were permitted to
3 In reaching this conclusion, we acknowledge that the court also
said, “I am expelling you at this time and, again, you are not to
return to observe these proceedings because you apparently cannot
follow the instructions of the Court not to be disruptive.”
Considered in isolation, this statement could be interpreted as a
complete exclusion of the observer from the trial proceedings,
whether via Webex or in person. But we do not read a trial court
order’s statements in isolation; instead, we view them in their
totality. Read in context, it is clear the court excluded the observer
from further Webex participation because of their repeated failure to
stay muted.
30
watch a Webex live stream of the proceedings from a different
courtroom. Id.
¶ 62 During the trial, one of the jurors reported to the judge that a
member of the public in the courtroom was making remarks about
the trial that the juror could hear. Id. at ¶ 4. In response, the trial
court closed the courtroom to all members of the public, including
the defendant’s family. Id. at ¶ 5.
¶ 63 On appeal, a division of this court concluded that the broad
exclusion of the entire public from the courtroom constituted a
closure even though observers could view the proceedings via
Webex from another courtroom. Id. at ¶ 15. In reaching this result,
the division placed significant weight on the fact that the judge,
lawyers, and others in the courtroom could not view the
participants who were observing via Webex. This arrangement, the
division concluded, deprived the court and participants of the
ability to see the defendant’s family, and thus compromised the
important purpose that family members play in ensuring that the
purposes of the Sixth Amendment are fulfilled.
The exclusion of Bialas’s family during her
testimony likewise cuts against the assurance
of a public trial. Even if Bialas’s family could
31
still view a livestream of the trial, the jury, the
judge, and counsel were unable to see Bialas’s
family. Again, “the presence of interested
spectators” is important to remind the triers of
“the importance of their functions.”
Id. at ¶ 13 (quoting Jones, ¶ 16).
¶ 64 Bialas is distinguishable from the situation here. No members
of Quezada’s family or the general public were excluded from the
courtroom. Thus, there was no evidence that the judge, lawyers,
and participants were deprived of the important reminder served by
the presence of Quezada’s family members. Moreover, in contrast
to the broad exclusion order entered in Bialas, here, only one
disruptive observer was precluded from viewing the trial via Webex.4
¶ 65 Quezada’s reliance on Vazquez Diaz v. Massachusetts, 167
N.E.3d 822(Mass. 2021), is misplaced. There, the court addressed whether a defendant who had waived his right to a speedy trial could insist upon having a suppression hearing in person rather than virtually. Id. at 827-28. In analyzing this issue, the court recognized the general propriety of proceeding virtually during the 4 As previously mentioned, the record does not disclose the identity of the excluded observer. See People v. Morgan,199 Colo. 237
, 242- 43,606 P.2d 1296, 1300
(1980) (it is the appellant’s duty to provide
the court with record support for contentions raised on appeal).
32
pandemic and that such proceedings do not amount to a de facto
violation of a defendant’s right to a public trial. Id. at 839-40. But
the court did not address the circumstances in which a disruptive
participant may be excluded from virtual proceedings. Therefore,
the case has limited relevance to the present dispute.
¶ 66 We also reject Quezada’s argument that, if a court provides a
means of virtual attendance at court proceedings while at the same
time permitting in-person attendance, any exclusion of a disruptive
virtual participant constitutes a partial or complete closure of the
courtroom. Absent extraordinary circumstances not present here, if
a courtroom remains open during the subject legal proceedings, the
partial cessation of virtual proceedings does not amount to a
closure of the courtroom for purposes of the constitutional right to
a public trial.5
5 We recognize that the General Assembly has recently enacted
legislation requiring courts to make criminal proceedings available
for remote public viewing and listening in real time. See § 13-1-
132(3.5)(a), C.R.S. 2023. This legislation was passed after the trial
in this case and is therefore not at issue on appeal. But we note
that the legislation does not purport to preclude trial courts from
exercising their discretion to exclude disruptive virtual participants.
See § 13-1-132(3.5)(e)(IV) (trial courts shall take reasonable steps to
ensure compliance with sequestration orders and ensure a fair trial,
including terminating remote observation).
33
2. Adequacy of Trial Court’s Factual Findings
¶ 67 Although there was no closure of the courtroom, even if we
were to assume, for sake of argument, that a non-trivial partial
closure did occur, we conclude that the trial court’s factual findings
were sufficient to satisfy the Waller factors.6
¶ 68 The parties agree, as do we, that the trial court articulated an
overriding interest7 that was likely to be prejudiced by the
disruptive observer’s continued participation via Webex. The
unmuted microphone allowed those present in the courtroom to
6 The concurring opinion concludes that no courtroom closure
occurs when a Webex observer is excluded from the live stream of
the proceedings for being disruptive. In doing so, our colleague
addresses a multitude of potential scenarios that may arise in the
future, and the difficulties they may pose for trial court judges who
may also be tasked with making Waller findings in each such
instance. While we appreciate our colleague’s practical concerns,
we believe they are best assessed on a case-by-case basis, if and
when they may arise.
7 We note that, in the context of a partial closure, some courts have
replaced the “overriding interest” component in factor one of the
Waller analysis with the lower standard of a “substantial reason.”
See People v. Jones, 2020 CO 45, ¶ 24 (collecting cases). The
Colorado Supreme Court has not yet addressed that issue. See id.
at ¶ 27 (“[W]e save for another day the decision regarding whether
the first Waller factor requires a ‘substantial reason’ or an
‘overriding interest’ in this context.”). We need not resolve the
debate because we conclude the trial court’s findings satisfy the
more rigorous standard.
34
hear the statements being made by the observer and those around
them. These repeated disruptions compromised the orderly
presentation of the evidence and posed the risk of contaminating
the jury with prejudicial information. The avoidance of such
occurrences was necessary to protect the parties’ overriding
interests in a fair trial.
¶ 69 The parties also agree, and so do we, that the second Waller
factor was met because the court’s remedy was narrowly tailored to
exclude only the repeat violator.
¶ 70 The parties part company with respect to the third and fourth
factors. Quezada contends the court did not consider a less drastic
alternative to excluding the offending observer. Quezada argues
that the court could have muted all remote observers, rather than
excluding the disruptive observer completely. But, as the People
note, this was not a viable alternative because the interpreters, who
were attending the proceedings virtually, needed to be able to
inform the court in real time when they were not able to hear the
audio feed well enough to effectively interpret the proceedings.
Similarly, if the attendees’ microphones were always locked on
mute, other observers could not inform the court if they were
35
unable to hear the proceedings. Additionally, the court did not
exclude the observer on the first offense, but only after repeated
violations of the court’s order. Under these circumstances, we
conclude there was not a reasonable alternative to excluding the
observer from the virtual proceedings.
¶ 71 We also reject Quezada’s contention that the trial court made
inadequate factual findings to support excluding the observer.
Although the court did not expressly reference Waller, it made
substantial factual findings explaining the observer’s repeated
violations of the court’s order and the rationale behind its decision
to exclude them from the proceedings. We do not reverse a trial
court’s closure order simply because it fails to include an
incantational reference to Waller. People v. Turner, 2022 CO 50,
¶ 35. Rather, our focus is on whether the trial court’s factual
findings support the closure, given the considerations articulated in
Waller and its progeny. Id. at ¶¶ 35-36. For the reasons previously
articulated, we conclude that the trial court’s exclusion of the
disruptive observer served that purpose.
¶ 72 Finally, we reject Quezada’s assertion that the initial exclusion
order violated his right to a public trial because the trial court failed
36
to make a contemporaneous record of its decision or the reasons
therefor.
¶ 73 The advent of virtual proceedings during the pandemic placed
extraordinary demands on trial courts. Not only were they required
to continue to manage the complexities of a typical criminal trial —
which include listening to the evidence, ruling on objections,
monitoring the courtroom activities, ensuring jurors only receive
admitted evidence, and a myriad of other tasks. But with the
advent of remote proceedings, trial court judges were also required
to enable and monitor the attendance and online behavior of virtual
attendees. Often these substantial tasks were complicated by the
limited capacity of new technology and the inherent vagaries of
internet connectivity. Given these dynamics, we respectfully
disagree with Quezada’s suggestion that it is a minor inconvenience
to require the trial court judge to make a contemporaneous record
of the Waller factors every time a disruptive observer is excluded
from the proceedings or the virtual proceedings are interrupted.
¶ 74 While contemporaneous findings for such events are ideal,
that does not foreclose the possibility that a trial court can make an
appropriate record of its actions later. Here, the trial court
37
explained that it had previously excluded the offending observer
because they disregarded the court’s order and had interfered with
the orderly presentation of the evidence. Moreover, this disclosure
did not generate any objection from Quezada’s counsel. Thus, the
delay in making the record was of no consequence in this case.
¶ 75 For these reasons, we conclude that the trial court did not
violate Quezada’s right to a public trial.
V. Disposition
¶ 76 The judgment is affirmed.
JUDGE J. JONES concurs.
JUDGE JOHNSON specially concurs.
38
JUDGE JOHNSON, specially concurring.
¶ 77 I agree with the majority opinion in its overall disposition. But
I write separately to address some of the majority’s analysis
concerning the courtroom closure in Part IV. I agree that the facts
— a disruptive observer on Webex was expelled from the electronic
platform when the person continued to violate the court’s directive
that all participants must remain muted — do not constitute a
courtroom closure. Supra ¶ __.
¶ 78 But I do not agree with the path the majority took to arrive at
its conclusion. It reasoned that there was no courtroom closure
because the disruptive Webex observer theoretically could have
attended in-person proceedings, as the courthouse and the physical
courtroom remained open to the public. Supra ¶ __. The majority
uses a “belt and suspenders” approach to conclude there was no
closure of the courtroom, but even if there was, it satisfied the
factors under Waller v. Georgia, 467 U.S. 39 (1984). But the
majority’s analysis tries to put a square peg into a round hole.
What do I mean by this? Two things.
¶ 79 First, there should be a difference between a courtroom
closure that possibly violates a defendant’s constitutional right to a
39
public trial, thus triggering an analysis under Waller, and a trial
judge’s exercise of discretion to exclude a disruptive individual from
the courtroom (or Webex), which should not. Instead, when a judge
removes a disruptive individual from the proceedings, this simply is
part of the court’s authority to maintain an orderly administration
of justice, as the judge deems appropriate and necessary.
¶ 80 I know that our supreme court appears to have rejected this
viewpoint in People v. Turner, 2022 CO 50, ¶¶ 23-24. There, the
court said that “the exclusion of even a single individual from the
courtroom, regardless of the reason for the exclusion, constitutes a
partial closure that implicates the Sixth Amendment and the Waller
test.” Id. at ¶ 23. Turner reasoned that exempting exclusion of
individuals “for cause” — ostensibly including a disruptive
individual — would be problematic because it “would leave trial
courts guessing where cause ends and the public trial right begins.”
Id.
¶ 81 But I fall into the non-majority camp — described by Chief
Justice Boatright in his concurrence in Turner — that not every
exclusion of an individual from the courtroom requires Waller
findings. He said that, when removing a disruptive individual from
40
the courtroom, “judges in th[o]se instances are merely exercising
their discretion to ensure the safety, fairness, and efficiency of the
trial.” Id. at ¶ 49 (Boatright, C.J., concurring in the judgment); see
also People v. Jones, 2020 CO 45, ¶ 104 (Boatright, J., dissenting)
(because the individual who was removed from the courtroom was
disruptive, that type of exclusion should be reviewed for an abuse of
discretion).
¶ 82 This majority recognizes that “[t]he advent of virtual
proceedings during the pandemic placed extraordinary demands on
trial courts,” so much so that it also recognizes that it is not “a
minor inconvenience to require the trial court judge to make a
contemporaneous record of the Waller factors every time a
disruptive observer is excluded from the proceedings or the virtual
proceedings are interrupted.” Supra ¶ __. Therefore, when a Webex
observer is being disruptive by remaining unmuted, the person’s
removal should be no different than if the individual were physically
in the courtroom gallery and refusing to comply with the judge’s
orders because he continues to listen to music, talk on his phone,
or speak loudly to other spectators.
41
¶ 83 I sat on the division for People v. Bialas, 2023 COA 50. My
position in that case is not at all inconsistent with this one. The
majority says that the “division placed significant weight” on the
fact that, even though family and friends could view the proceedings
in a different room with a live stream broadcast, the court’s ouster
of individuals from the courtroom was a closure. Supra ¶ __.
Regardless of the live streaming aspect present in Bialas, the
closure in that case was overly broad, included the defendant’s
family (who the record showed were not part of the comments or
actions giving rise to the closure), and lacked court findings to
determine whether a more narrowly tailored approach could have
addressed the situation. Bialas, ¶¶ 19, 22, 26.
¶ 84 I acknowledge that the court in this case did not make
findings when it first excluded the observer from Webex (i.e.,
findings as to how the person was disruptive and why the court
took the action, not Waller findings). As a result, the court’s first
unannounced exclusion of the observer on Webex — who joined a
second time and then continued to remain unmuted — is
concerning. But the court’s later remarks revealing that the same
observer continued to misbehave are, in my view, sufficient to
42
conclude that in this instance, the court did not abuse its
discretion.
¶ 85 Second, because of Turner, the majority walks a fine line,
coming close but not crossing it, by definitively concluding that
Webex is not an extension of the “courtroom,” thus implicating the
same concerns and considerations addressed in Waller. If trial
judges are required to make Waller findings every time the court
expels a disruptive individual from a remote platform, I predict the
courts will see a significant uptick in public closure cases. And this
is not just because of the majority’s analysis. As the majority
points out, the General Assembly recently passed section 13-1-132,
C.R.S. 2023, which mandates remote public viewing of criminal
proceedings in real time. Supra ¶ __ n.4.
¶ 86 That legislation gives discretion to judges to suspend or modify
the remote viewing based on various authorized reasons, such as
the court’s lack of technology or funds to obtain the necessary
equipment, safety concerns and risks to parties or others, or to
protect confidential information and sequestration orders. See
§ 13-1-132(3.5)(a)(I), (3.5)(a)(IV)(A), (3.5)(d). And the General
Assembly authorizes judges to exercise discretion by ensuring that
43
their actions to suspend or modify remote proceedings employ the
“less restrictive alternative.” § 13-1-132(3.5)(a)(IV)(B). The statute
defines that phrase as “allowing remote audio-only observation
while disabling video observation or turning off remote observation
for particular witnesses or discrete portions of the proceeding.” Id.
Ostensibly a court will make findings to comply with these statutory
bases to suspend or modify remote viewing.
¶ 87 Because the General Assembly has indicated its preference for
live streaming court proceedings, when is the Webex (or other
technology) a courtroom and when is it not? This seems to create
just as much murky water that Turner was supposedly trying to
avoid because it was not clear where the disruptive individual being
removed for cause ends and the right to a public trial begins.
¶ 88 But consider the questions raised by this scenario: there is a
high-profile case and many people — interested public, family and
friends, the press — want to view the proceedings. The judge will
now need to monitor every person who has joined the Webex and
stop proceedings to make findings under Waller before the court
has authority to eject a person from the remote platform? What if
the person is writing remarks for everyone to read in the chat
44
feature, possibly unseemly ones or ones that specifically target
certain people or comment on the evidence being presented? Or the
person has the video feature on and is making rude and
inappropriate gestures while onscreen? Or the person is wearing
clothing that is inappropriate, because the outfit makes a statement
about the case or overly reveals certain physical attributes?
¶ 89 True, people in the courtroom — significantly the jurors or
witnesses, given their functions in the case — likely will not see the
antics of the online observers. But all the other viewers on the
Webex may see these activities. Because technology now makes it
possible for all criminal proceedings to be observed by anyone —
even people from out of state or another country — I pose this
question: Is remote viewing really going to be considered an
extension of the courtroom that, under current supreme court
precedent, is likely to trigger courtroom closure considerations
under Waller?
¶ 90 For instance, under the majority’s reasoning, the person
expelled in this case might very well have been out of state, and the
individual could not just hop in a car to be “present” in the physical
courtroom; it might have been a theoretical possibility but not a
45
practical reality. We are treading on shaky ground if, first, we
consider remote proceedings to be an extension of the physical
courtroom in all cases and, second, the court cannot simply, in the
exercise of its discretion, expel individuals from the remote platform
who act inconsistently with or disrupt the orderly administration of
justice.
Even if technology improves over time, thus eliminating or
decreasing some of my concerns, the court must retain its
traditional authority to manage decorum in the courtroom — which
seems to, at times, and increasingly so, include the electronic
platform and the people on that platform — with greater flexibility
than what is required under Waller v. Georgia, 467 U.S. 39 (1984),
and its progeny.
46