Opinion ID: 2461900
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 8

Heading: Testimony of Ruth Kohlmeier

Text: [¶ 20] The pathologist who performed the autopsy on the victim in 1984 was physically unable to testify at trial. In his stead, the State called Dr. Ruth Kohlmeier, a forensic pathologist who had reviewed the original autopsy report and related materials. Although the State listed Kohlmeier as a witness in its first witness list, her report was not prepared or provided to defense counsel until the month before trial. Prior to obtaining the report, the State did, however, file a response to the appellant's motion in limine, indicating that Kohlmeier would testify to the autopsy, concurring with all of [the original pathologist's] findings except his observation of the mid-line nose and his omission of any mention of the bruise above the victim's eye. Eventually, Kohlmeier's report was provided to defense counsel on the date required by the district court. Shortly before trial, Kohlmeier filed an amended report in which she indicated that she had changed her mind as to certain conclusions in her first report. The primary change was that she now concluded that the gunshot wound to the victim's chest would have been fatal. [¶ 21] Defense counsel interposed an objection during Kohlmeier's trial testimony, which objection was heard outside the jury's presence. In addition to the belated change to Kohlmeier's report, counsel complained that Kohlmeier's testimony as to the temporal order in which the wounds to the victim occurred went beyond Kohlmeier's expert designation. After hearing the objection, the district court allowed Kohlmeier to testify as to the order in which the wounds had been inflicted upon the victim. [4] [¶ 22] On appeal, the appellant repeats his trial objections to Kohlmeier's testimony: (1) the relative lateness of the report and the amended report; (2) the report's contradiction of the original autopsy report; (3) Kohlmeier's testimony as to the order of the wounds, which defense counsel characterized as crime scene reconstruction; and (4) the testimony exceeded the scope of Kohlmeier's expert designation. The appellant contends that this was a prejudicial discovery violation that left him without notice of what Kohlmeier's testimony would be. [¶ 23] Once again, we review this issue for abuse of discretion. Consequently, our task is to determine whether the district court reasonably could have admitted Kohlmeier's testimony, and reasonably could have determined not to grant the new trial motion as it related to that testimony. First, we note that an Order Upon Status Conference filed on July 30, 2009, gave a date for the parties to submit witness lists, along with a summary of each witness's testimony, but allowed supplementation of such if witnesses are discovered after this date. Second, Kohlmeier was listed as a may call witness in the State's pre-trial memorandum, filed two months before the trial, with the following designation as to her potential testimony: MAY testify to her professional qualifications as a forensic scientist, her forensic testing, respectively of the exhibits herein, the protocol and procedures used in conducting such testing, the results of the same, participation in the chain of custody of evidence in this case, as well as all other matters within her knowledge having relevance in this case. [¶ 24] In response to another pre-trial defense motion, the State provided the following additional information about Kohlmeier's expected testimony: 2. Dr. Ruth Kohlmeier. [W.F.] is the pathologist that performed the autopsy on the victim [] twenty five years ago. Because [W.F.] is alive, the State initially expected to call him to testify as to the forensic pathology of this case. The State then discovered that [W.F.] suffers from [d]ementia and has lost the ability to speak. The State immediately began its search for a forensic pathologist to examine [W.F.'s] findings and prepare to testify to the autopsy and forensic pathology, and ultimately enlisted Dr. Ruth Kohlmeier for this purpose. The State has advised the Defendant that we have not yet received a report from Dr. Kohlmeier and that a copy of that report would be forwarded to the Defendant as soon as we receive it. The state has contacted Dr. Kohlmeier and requested all speed in her submission of the report. The state has advised the Defendant that while we do not yet have the report, Dr. Kohlmeier has verbally indicated that she will be testifying to the autopsy, concurring with all of [W.F.'s] findings except his observation of the mid-line nose and his omission of any mention of the bruise above the victim's eye. Finally, as mentioned above, Kohlmeier's consultation report was provided to defense counsel on the date required by the district court. [¶ 25] Under the circumstances set forth above, we cannot conclude that the district court abused its discretion in allowing Kohlmeier to testify. The pathologist who performed the autopsy was unavailable, and the State detailed its reasonable efforts in obtaining replacement testimony. The record indicates that the State met the deadlines imposed by the district court in these discovery matters, including production of Kohlmeier's report on the date required. It appears from the record that only this original report, and not Kohlmeier's later amended report, was admitted into evidence. Even before Kohlmeier's report was available, the State informed the appellant that Kohlmeier would disagree with portions of the original autopsy report. While the summary of Kohlmeier's proposed testimony did not specify that she would testify as to the temporal order of the victim's wounds, the appellant has not provided the Court with any authority that a summary of testimony must contain details of that nature, and it certainly should come as no surprise that, where a victim has been shot more than once, the pathologist may testify as to the order in which the victim received her wounds. [5] [¶ 26] The district court is obligated to pursue the matter when there has been an allegation of a discovery violation. Seivewright v. State, 7 P.3d 24, 27 (Wyo.2000). Further, if a violation is found to have occurred, the district court is obligated to exercise its discretion in determining the appropriate sanction. State v. Naple, 2006 WY 125, ¶ 24, 143 P.3d 358, 365 (Wyo.2006). Here, the district court made extensive inquiry into the discovery process as it related to Kohlmeier's report, amended report, and testimony. Eventually, while it did not grant the appellant's motion to strike Kohlmeier's testimony, it did limit the State to asking one additional question after the objection was interposedthat question being whether the chest wound or the head wound was the last wound. The appellant has not shown that he was unfairly prejudiced by the district court's rulings.