Opinion ID: 1768076
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Disqualification of the Commonwealth's Attorney

Text: Bowling argues that the trial court erred in denying his motion to disqualify Commonwealth's Attorney, Tom Handy, from representing the Commonwealth in the evidentiary hearing on the RCr 11.42 motion. While we agree with the trial court's ruling, we believe that Handy should have disqualified himself. But, based upon the facts of this case, we can offer Bowling no relief. Prior to the evidentiary hearing on his RCr 11.42 motion, Bowling filed a motion for the trial court to recuse Handy because he was going to be a material witness at the hearing. This motion was based on defense counsel's stated intention to call Handy as a witness in connection with the alleged Brady violations outlined above and additional allegations of prosecutorial misconduct in connection with two witnesses who testified at trial. At a pre-hearing conference, the Commonwealth urged the trial court to deny the motion. The Commonwealth argued that Handy was not the only witness available to testify to the matters alleged in Bowling's RCr 11.42 motion. Further, the Commonwealth argued that to grant the motion would allow Bowling to control who prosecuted his case in the evidentiary hearing. The trial court denied the motion on grounds that Bowling had not established a sufficient basis to disqualify Handy. KRS 15.733(3) provides: Any prosecuting attorney may be disqualified by the court in which the proceeding is presently pending, upon a showing of actual prejudice. We cannot say that the trial court erred in concluding that no actual prejudice had been shown by the defense, especially in light of the Commonwealth's assertion that other witnesses were available to testify about the relevant matters. But KRS 15.733(2)(d) provides in pertinent part: Any prosecuting attorney shall disqualify himself in any proceeding in which he ... [i]s to the prosecuting attorney's knowledge likely to be a material witness in the proceeding. Contrary to the Commonwealth's assurances at the pre-hearing conference, Handy did testify at Bowling's evidentiary hearing about material matters involving Bowling's allegations. At some point, Handy should have disqualified himself, but we do not believe that Handy's failure to disqualify himself unduly prejudiced Bowling. This was an evidentiary hearing in which a judge was the trier of fact, and not a trial by jury. Further, Bowling had the burden of proof at the hearing and not the Commonwealth. The trial judge in this case is a seasoned and able judge. We have no doubt that he was not unduly influenced by Handy's participation as both prosecutor and witness in this case.