Opinion ID: 1807431
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 8

Heading: Endorsement of Additional Witnesses

Text: On February 6, 1989, a month prior to the trial, the State filed a motion to endorse upon the information four additional witnesses, Neu, Fred Ruff, Robert Gall, and Jeffrey Patterson. A hearing on the motion was held on February 24, 1989, 10 days prior to trial, after which the district court permitted the endorsement. Boppre asserts that the allowance of the endorsement about 9 days before trial allowed insufficient time for the defense to adequately prepare for those witnesses' testimony at trial. This constitutes surprise to the defense, was unfairly prejudicial... and was an abuse of discretion.... Especially the testimony of witnesses Neu (incriminating statements allegedly made by Defendant) to him and Robert Gall (testimony that he had sold the .32 caliber handgun to Defendant) were extremely important matters, and lack of sufficient time to discover and prepare for their testimony prohibited Defendant from receiving a fair trial. Brief for appellant at 34. Pursuant to Neb.Rev.Stat. § 29-1602 (Reissue 1989), a trial court may, in the exercise of its discretion, permit the names of additional witnesses to be endorsed upon the information after the information has been filed when doing so does not prejudice the defendant in the preparation of his defense. State v. Mecum, 225 Neb. 293, 404 N.W.2d 431 (1987); State v. Ellis, 223 Neb. 779, 393 N.W.2d 719 (1986). The purpose of § 29-1602 is to notify the defendant as to witnesses who may testify against him and give him an opportunity to investigate them. State v. Ellis, supra . We have held that to obtain a reversal on the grounds of an additional endorsement of witnesses, the defendant must have requested a continuance at trial and must demonstrate prejudice. Id. We begin by noting that Robert Gall was not called as a witness by the State but, instead, was called by Boppre during his case; thus, Boppre can certainly show no prejudice as to the claimed late endorsement of Robert Gall. Further, it was not Robert Gall, as Boppre asserts, but Carl Gall who testified that he sold a .32-caliber handgun to Boppre. Carl Gall was endorsed as a witness upon the original information. For at least 1 month before trial, Boppre was aware, from the State's motion, that the witnesses the State wished to endorse might testify at trial. At the hearing on the endorsement motion, the State provided Boppre with information as to the expected content of the witnesses' testimony. Boppre had 10 days thereafter to review the evidence and interview the witnesses. Furthermore, Boppre could have requested a continuance if he needed more time to prepare for these witnesses. At the hearing on the motion, the State stated that witness Neu did not come forward with his testimony until February 3. In light of these factors, we hold that it was not error for the district court to allow the State to endorse the additional witnesses.