Opinion ID: 1620060
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 11

Heading: Statements from Witnesses in California

Text: Concerning statements from witnesses to the California crime, the prosecutor testified at the evidentiary hearing that she received documents related to the case and tracked down eyewitnesses and Peede's defense attorney in the case. She also stated that any information the prosecution received would have been given to the defense pursuant to discovery. The prosecutor testified that she had numerous discussions with defense counsel Bronson about how the jury would react to a prior murder conviction, and that Bronson was aware the prosecution intended to use the conviction in trial. Defense counsel DuRocher testified that the defense knew of the California homicide. I think we'd even had some conversation with the lead investigator there. He also admitted that a statement from a witness taken by the same detective that took other witness statements in California was in the Public Defender file for the case. Defense counsel Bronson testified that he was aware of the information surrounding the California shooting, and recalled reading a number of reports. There is no Brady violation where the information is equally accessible to the defense and the prosecution, or where the defense either had the information or could have obtained it through the exercise of reasonable diligence. Provenzano v. State, 616 So.2d 428, 430 (Fla.1993) (citing Hegwood v. State, 575 So.2d 170, 172 (Fla.1991); James v. State, 453 So.2d 786, 790 (Fla.1984)). It is apparent that this rule applies to the California police reports of Peede's involvement in a homicide in that state. Therefore, we affirm the circuit court's finding of no Brady violation. [4]