Opinion ID: 1414732
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: witness list

Text: The trial court ordered that the State and the defendant present to the Court and identify to the Court all witnesses to be called at trial so that I can qualify this jury with some degree of accuracy and pursuant to the law. Powers contends this ruling conflicts with our holdings in State v. Miller, 289 S.C. 316, 345 S.E.2d 489 (1986) and State v. Hall, 268 S.C. 524, 530, 235 S.E.2d 112, 114 (1977). We disagree. In Miller, we held it is error to require, prior to trial, that the defendant supply the state with a list of his witnesses. [2] In Hall, 268 S.C. 524, 530, 235 S.E.2d 112, 114 (1977), we held a defendant is not required to announce in advance the nature of his defense. Miller and Hall are inapposite. Here, Powers was not required to reveal, as a matter of pretrial discovery, his witness list to the state, nor was he required to announce the nature of his defense. He was merely required at the outset of trial to disclose his witnesses to the court for purposes of jury selection. It is the duty of the trial judge to see that a jury of unbiased, fair and impartial persons is impaneled. State v. Matthews, 291 S.C. 339, 353 S.E.2d 444 (1986); State v. Caldwell, 300 S.C. 494, 388 S.E.2d 816 (1990). The determination of whether a juror is qualified to serve on a death penalty case is within the sole discretion of the trial judge and is not reversible on appeal unless wholly unsupported by the evidence. State v. Plemmons, 286 S.C. 78, 332 S.E.2d 765 (1985), vacated on other grounds, 476 U.S. 1102, 106 S.Ct. 1943, 90 L.Ed.2d 353 (1986); State v. Spann, 279 S.C. 399, 308 S.E.2d 518 (1983). Although we have not previously addressed this issue, other courts have mandated a defendant divulge his witness list prior to voir dire of the jury. See State ex rel Hill v. Reed, 199 W.Va. 89, 483 S.E.2d 89 (1996) (lower court acted within its discretion in ordering state and petitioner to provide the court with a list of witnesses on the first day of trial prior to voir dire of jury); People v. Cangiano, 131 Misc.2d 930, 502 N.Y.S.2d 349 (1986) (disclosure of prospective witnesses is required to determine whether any prospective juror is related to or knows any one of them and may be challenged for cause, [3] and disclosure immediately prior to jury selection cannot prejudice defense absent extraordinary circumstances); State v. Ussery, 106 N.C.App. 371, 416 S.E.2d 610 (1992) (no abuse of discretion in requirement that defendant divulge potential witnesses for voir dire purposes); People v. Perry, 210 Ill.App.3d 773, 155 Ill.Dec. 287, 569 N.E.2d 287 (1991); Com. v. Larsen, 452 Pa.Super. 508, 682 A.2d 783 (1996). See also Mau v. North American Asbestos Corporation, 156 Ill. App.3d 926, 109 Ill.Dec. 273, 509 N.E.2d 1112 (1987) (list of witnesses is not work product and statute limiting disclosure of witnesses applied only to pretrial discovery). We find the trial court acted within its discretion in requiring disclosure of Powers' witness list during jury selection.