Opinion ID: 2590797
Heading Depth: 4
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Robert Brunyer and Kristy Barnes

Text: ¶ 77 The next witnesses Pinder identifies in support of his newly discovered evidence claim are Robert Brunyer and Kristy Barnes. Robert is David Brunyer's brother and Barnes is Robert's girlfriend. According to Pinder, both of these witnesses heard David Brunyer confess, after the conclusion of Pinder's trial, that he participated in the actual murders of Flood and Tanner. In the proceedings below, the trial court concluded that the testimony offered by Robert and Barnes was not discoverable before the conclusion of Pinder's trial and that the evidence was not cumulative. The State has not challenged those conclusions. ¶ 78 Despite considering the testimony newly discovered and not cumulative, the trial court ruled that the testimony did not justify the grant of a new trial. The trial court considered the credibility of the two witnesses to be highly suspect and not entitled to any significant weight. As a result of this credibility assessment, the trial court reasoned that the testimony of Robert and Barnes would not have a strong enough impact on a jury to make a different result on retrial probable. We agree. ¶ 79 Robert's testimony is riddled with equivocation and inconsistencies, rendering his credibility highly suspect. To begin with, his story has changed significantly. The trial court found that, sometime after Pinder's conviction, Robert provided Todd Gabler, a defense investigator, with a written statement reflecting comments David Brunyer had made to Robert concerning the murders of Flood and Tanner. The statement Robert provided was consistent with evidence adduced at trial. Robert provided the written statement while he was in jail after being arrested on felony theft charges. Prior to his conviction on those charges, for which he served six months in jail, Robert learned that he had been arrested due to information provided by David. Robert subsequently contacted Pinder's defense team, submitted to interviews, and altered his previous written statement, changing mentions of John [Pinder] and Filo [Ruiz] to  David [ Brunyer ] and Filo [Ruiz]. (Emphasis added.) ¶ 80 In addition to Robert's blatant about-face in his written statement, the testimony he provided at the evidentiary hearing is inconsistent in multiple respects with physical evidence gathered during the investigation of the murders and testimony admitted at trial. For example, he stated that a .50 caliber handgun was used in the murders and that David Brunyer injected Tanner with a mix of lion tranquilizers and methamphetamine prior to the time Tanner was killed. However, during the trial, evidence was introduced that a .10 millimeter gun was used in the shooting, and toxicology reports revealed no evidence of tranquilizers or methamphetamine in Tanner's bloodstream. Robert's account also places Pinder in Wyoming on the night of the murders, even though Pinder himself testified that he was at his ranch that night. ¶ 81 Perhaps most important, it appears clear that Robert is now unwilling to state that David Brunyer ever confessed to participating in the murders. At the evidentiary hearing, Robert testified that David Brunyer didn't come straight out and say he was present, but he knows quite a bit about it. Makes you wonder. Robert also stated that while David Brunyer did not directly tell him that he had beaten Tanner with a baseball bat, Robert believed he did. Given the incompatibility of Robert's testimony with evidence presented at trial and his highly suspect credibility, we determine that the trial court did not abuse its discretion in concluding that the presence of Robert's testimony at a new trial would not result in a more favorable outcome for Pinder. ¶ 82 The testimony of Barnes is similarly of suspect credibility. Barnes, who is currently serving prison time for a theft conviction, was also arrested due to information provided by David Brunyer. Barnes testified that David Brunyer discussed the murders of Flood and Tanner around forty times in her presence and that he confessed his participation in those murders, declaring that Pinder was not present when Flood and Tanner were killed. According to Barnes, other people were present during those conversations many, many times. However, none of the individuals she identified as being present during those discussions, including her boyfriend Robert, corroborate her testimony. ¶ 83 The trial court concluded that both Robert and Barnes have a motive to retaliate against David Brunyer. The trial court also concluded that the testimony provided by the two witnesses conflicted with each other, as well as with testimony provided by defense witnesses at trial, and that the testimony further failed to mesh with physical evidence admitted at trial. ¶ 84 We agree with the trial court that the weight to be accorded to the testimony of Robert and Barnes is so slight that its impact on a jury would be insignificant. The trial court did not abuse its discretion in determining that the presence of the testimony of Robert and Barnes would not make a more favorable outcome on retrial probable.