Opinion ID: 1716639
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 17

Heading: Failure to Call Witnesses Who Testified Before the Grand Jury

Text: Defendant objects because the State failed to call as witnesses at trial several persons who testified before the grand jury. He limits his argument here to one witness, Robert Dean Jones. We restrict our discussion accordingly. Defendant says Robert Dean Jones possessed exculpatory information and that the State was obligated to produce him as a witness. His motion to that effect was rejected. Later defendant called Jones as his witness. We discuss his testimony in detail later. Two principles are involved. First, the State may not suppress exculpatory information. To do so is reversible error. State v. Peterson, 219 N.W.2d 665, 674 (Iowa 1974). Secondly, the State need not call every witness who testifies before the grand jury. State v. Hinsey, 200 N.W.2d 810, 817 (Iowa 1972); State v. Christ, 189 Iowa 474, 483, 177 N.W. 54, 58 (1920). Defendant does not claim the State suppressed the exculpatory evidence. Indeed he was at all times aware of the information Jones had and, as heretofore noted, used Jones as his own witness. His complaint is that the State did not call this man as a prosecution witness; but the State was under no compulsion to do so. There is no merit in defendant's argument to the contrary.