Opinion ID: 2612942
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Confrontational Unavailability

Text: Medina argues that, in all events, Casanova was not unavailable for confrontation purposes. The state argues that the prosecutor indeed made good faith efforts, but those efforts were thwarted by federal authorities. An absent witness is unavailable within the meaning of Rule 804(a)(5), Ariz. R.Evid., when the declarant's attendance cannot be procured by process or other reasonable means. The unavailability requirement under the Confrontation Clause is at least as strict as that under hearsay principles. [7] Thus, the prosecutor must use existing formal procedures for obtaining the presence of witnesses before a court may conclude that the prosecutor made a good faith effort. See State v. Ray, 123 Ariz. 171, 173, 598 P.2d 990, 992 (1979) (prosecutor did not make good faith effort when Uniform Act to Secure the Attendance of Witnesses From Without a State in Criminal Proceedings not used); State v. Mokake, 171 Ariz. 179, 180, 829 P.2d 1225, 1226 (App. 1991) (prosecutor who failed to use formal procedures for obtaining witness from Lesotho did not make good faith effort). Here, although the state moved for a second writ of habeas corpus ad testificandum and a second writ was prepared, it was not served upon the federal authorities in Texas. It was not served because the prosecutor implied that the authorities might not honor a second writ. Yet, it is the policy of the United States Bureau of Prisons to permit federal prisoners to testify in state court criminal proceedings pursuant to writs of habeas corpus ad testificandum issued by the state. Barber, 390 U.S. at 724, 88 S.Ct. at 1321. Even if the state writ were not honored, the state could have unequivocally secured Casanova's presence through a petition to the federal district court. 28 U.S.C. § 2241(c)(5); see also Stone v. Morris, 546 F.2d 730, 737 (7th Cir.1976). If the prosecutor had reason to doubt the efficacy of a second state writ under these unique circumstances, she had an obligation to seek a federal writ. We are not persuaded by the state's argument that the prosecutor's original effort to produce Casanova, pursuant to the first writ, satisfies the state's burden of making a good faith effort. Affirmative measures must be taken if there is a possibility, albeit remote, of successfully producing the declarant. Roberts, 448 U.S. at 74, 100 S.Ct. at 2543. Because it was virtually certain that Casanova could be produced with more effort, the prosecutor was required to undertake that effort. For these reasons, we hold that Casanova was not unavailable for confrontation purposes. We are not unmindful of the problem presented to the trial judge. It was the third day of trial and somebody removed one of his witnesses from jail. But the trial was likely to last 10 days. There was no showing that the witness had to be produced right then and there. The order of witnesses could have been juggled. If necessary, the trial could have been continued from day to day. Indeed, the prosecutor asked for a continuance and Medina did not object. The trial judge could have called his federal counterpart in Texas and explained that a key witness in a capital trial had been whisked away from custody. It is likely that, with cooperative efforts, the federal judge in Texas would have granted immediate relief to get the witness back. We realize that, in the heat of trial, it is not always easy to think of such things. But the burden is on the state to prove unavailability and, in a capital case, no stone should have been left unturned.