Opinion ID: 1641388
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: did the trial court err in denying the defendant's motion for a mistrial, or in the alternative, an adequate continuance for a discovery violation?

Text: During the State's case-in-chief, Smith testified regarding her investigation of sexual abuse concerning this child. During her testimony, the defense objected that Smith was reading from a document. The defense requested to know the nature of the document. Smith testified that she was using an anatomical drawing she kept in her notes. Smith had made these notes during her emergency room visit with the child. The defense objected that the anatomical drawing had been withheld from a discovery request. The State replied that Smith had provided the drawing only immediately prior to the witness taking the stand. The trial court excused the jury. The trial court then conducted a hearing on the discovery violation. The trial court determined that as the State was planning to solicit testimony from Smith regarding this diagram, a discovery violation had occurred. Further, the trial court found the diagram surprised the defendant. The trial court found no intentional violation by the State. The trial court granted the defense a two-day continuance pursuant to Rule 4.06 of the Uniform Criminal Rules of Circuit and County Court Practice. When trial reconvened two days later, defense counsel renewed its request for a mistrial, or in the alternative, a longer continuance, stating it had not had an opportunity to prepare. Defense counsel stated on the record that three experts, physicians, had been contacted, each of whom would testify that the anatomical drawing was highly suggestive to the child. Defense counsel stated that he had personally contacted each of these physicians. Defense counsel gave the trial court the telephone numbers of each physician contacted. Defense counsel stated that one physician could testify the next day and requested the continuance extend to that time. The trial court denied both motions. On appeal, Young contends that the lower court did not grant him an adequate continuance reasonably necessary to investigate the credibility of the evidence and prepare an adequate response to it, citing Box v. State, 437 So.2d 19, 23 (Miss. 1983) (Robertson, J. specially concurring). Rule 4.06 provides, in part, that: [I]f, after such opportunity, the defense claims unfair surprise or undue prejudice and seeks a continuance or mistrial, the court should, in the interest of justice and absent unusual circumstances, exclude the evidence or grant a continuance for a period of time reasonably necessary for the defense to meet the non-disclosed evidence or grant a mistrial. Unif.Crim.R.Cir.Ct.Prac. 4.06(i)(2). The State urges this Court to find that there was nothing suggestive in the method of using the drawing and therefore, the use of the drawing did not prejudice the defendant. The central question on appeal is whether the trial court's denial of one additional day of continuance was an abuse of discretion where the defendant sought expert testimony to attack the investigative procedures of a social worker. In West v. State , this Court reviewed a discovery violation where the lower court failed to grant a sufficient delay for defense counsel to prepare for surprise expert testimony. In that case, the prosecution informed the defendant that Dr. Rodrigo Galvez, a board certified pathologist and psychiatrist, would be testifying as an expert in the field of pathology. When Dr. Galvez was examined at trial, however, the district attorney elicited testimony regarding Galvez's expertise in psychiatry. As fate would have it, this testimony, addressing the psychosexual disorder of necrophilia, became a crucial element in the State's theory of the case. When faced with defense objection, the lower court allowed Dr. Galvez to testify, but granted defense counsel, in essence, a one day continuance to prepare for the cross-examination. This Court found that this delay was insufficient. We stated: Precisely because the prosecution's necrophilia theory was so central to the question whether West could be exposed to the death penalty, a day's break in the action was an inadequate antidote for the prosecution's discovery violation. This is the sort of prosecution theory which, had the defense known of it prior to trial, may well have altered the entire defense strategy. It is the sort of theory which would no doubt have sent the experts scurrying to the books for study and reflection. With all else that must of necessity be juggled in the course of a capital murder trial, unreality attends any suggestion that defense counsel can stop in midstream and become sufficiently informed on a subject like necrophilia to cross-examine with competence. Jenkins v. State, 607 So.2d 1171, 1178 (Miss. 1992) quoting West v. State, 553 So.2d 8 (Miss. 1989) However, this Court has also stated, By no means does this mean invariably that the defendant will be entitled to a continuance until the next term of court. There will no doubt be cases where postponement of a day or two, or in some cases even an hour or two, will suffice. Stewart v. State, 512 So.2d 889, 892-93 (Miss. 1987). In the instant case, the trial court granted a reasonable continuance to the defendant to prepare his response to the drawing. His ability to cross-examine the witness regarding the drawing was unlimited. He had two days to prepare for his cross-examination. Finally, the evidence itself was cumulative and the facts established by the document were corroborated by other independent evidence. This Court does not find that the trial court abused its discretion in failing to grant an additional day.