Opinion ID: 1090851
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 18

Heading: Failure to Obtain Certain Discovery

Text: ¶ 126. Russell next argues that defense counsel was ineffective in discovery for failure to follow up the State's failure to provide all of the inmate Internal Affairs interviews. Russell states that defense counsel should have called witnesses to show where the interviews might be, or should have presented evidence in this regard, or should have called the law enforcement officials who took the statements, or should have investigated and interviewed the witnesses whose statements were missing. ¶ 127. The record shows that defense counsel first began raising questions about inmate interviews in the preliminary hearing in April of 1990. At a subsequent hearing that month, defense counsel stated as follows: At the preliminary hearing, it became apparent or at least our understanding that a number of inmates at Unit 24-B where this incident occurred had been interviewed by various investigators of the State and, that certain statements may have been taken from some, if not all of them, and that certain documents referred to as questionnaires, I believe had been filled out by some of these inmates, if not all of them, signed by them. We have been furnished none of those if such exist. The trial judge stated that defense counsel should make a specific request in writing to the district attorney, and in absence of compliance, defense counsel could follow up with a motion. ¶ 128. On May 30, 1990, defense counsel filed a supplemental request for the production of documents, asking for copies of all questionnaire forms signed by inmates of what they saw or heard of the stabbing; statements of inmates; a list of inmates in Unit 24-B and their cell numbers on July 18, 1989; a copy of the pass-on log for Unit 24-B on July 18, 1989; copies of tapes of interviews with Russell, not limited to the one conducted by Charles Rogers; the personnel file of Officer Cotton; copies of investigation reports concerning money order schemes in which Cotton is mentioned; copies of disciplinary action taken against Cotton; and a copies of personnel files of Russell. ¶ 129. On the same day, defense counsel also requested all evidence from the District Attorney, Office of Internal Affairs of Parchman or MDOC or the Highway Patrol; and Sunflower County Sheriff's Office pertaining to this case. ¶ 130. At a hearing the next day, defense counsel continued to ask for inmate questionnaires, stating that it had gotten some of them but not all. Defense counsel also noted that there were apparently two separate investigations done, one by Internal Affairs and one by Charles Rogers and the Highway Patrol, and defense counsel asked to see both files. Defense counsel then repeated the request for investigative files and inmate questionnaires or interviews. The circuit court stated that could be taken up on June 6. ¶ 131. At that hearing, defense counsel stated that there were approximately sixty inmates housed in the applicable area at the time of the stabbing, and defense counsel had received forty-five questionnaires. Defense counsel asked about these missing questionnaires and if there were any other materials that had not been turned over or had been disposed of. Sharon McFadden, an Internal Affairs officer, was questioned about the missing questionnaires and any additional interviews. McFadden stated that most of the missing questionnaires appeared to be from one officer, Office Jones, and she would check with him. There is nothing else in the record on this matter. ¶ 132. We find that defense counsel made more than a satisfactory effort to obtain the evidence in question. Particularly where defense counsel had access to the most important witness to the stabbing, it does not appear that Russell suffered prejudice here.