Giurbino

MEMORANDUM. *

Williams was convicted of first degree murder for killing Ann Glade and of killing her dog. Glade was found dead in a hot tub with her hands bound and with her dead dog with its front and hind legs bound. Williams contended that he and Glade had fallen into the hot tub after a scuffle and that her death was an accident.

The issue certified for appeal was whether the trial judge erred in excluding evidence of Glade’s mental health and desire to commit suicide. Williams contends that the exclusion violated his due process rights because it deprived him of a meaningful opportunity to present a complete defense. See Crane v. Kentucky, 476 U.S. 688, 690 , 106 S.Ct. 2142 , 90 L.Ed.2d 636 (1986). The trial judge excluded the evidence on the basis that it was irrelevant to Williams’ defense that Glade’s death was accidental. Williams contends it was relevant because Glade had asked him in the event of her death to make it look like she was attacked, and not to allow anyone else to have her dog. Thus, Williams contends that in binding her and the dog he was fulfilling her wishes, and that her suicidal tendencies were relevant to his explanation of why the bodies of Glade…