Opinion ID: 2639482
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: Prosecution Misconduct in Failing to Reveal a Plea Agreement with Frankie Cruz

Text: Because Frankie Cruz committed suicide before defendant's trial, the prosecution used his preliminary hearing testimony. Defendant claims that the prosecution improperly failed to reveal before the trial that it had entered into a plea bargain with Cruz before the preliminary hearing, thereby preventing defense counsel from cross-examining Cruz concerning that bargain. Defendant claims that the failure to disclose the plea bargain denied him due process of law under Brady v. Maryland (1963) 373 U.S. 83, 87, 83 S.Ct. 1194, 10 L.Ed.2d 215, which held that the suppression of evidence favorable to the accused violates due process when the evidence is material as to guilt or punishment. He also argues that his counsel was ineffective because he did not object to the admission of Cruz's preliminary hearing testimony on the ground that the prosecution had concealed its plea bargain with Cruz. There is, however, no evidence in the appellate record that the prosecution made a plea bargain with Cruz. Defendant argues that it is reasonable to suppose such a bargain was made, because (a) Cruz would probably not have testified favorably to the prosecution without getting some benefit in return, and (b) the prosecution made a plea bargain with Najee Muslim before the preliminary hearing, but did not reveal it until after the hearing. But a reasonable surmise does not substitute for record evidence. The record on appeal is insufficient to support defendant's claim. Defendant argues that the prosecutor committed misconduct when he told the jury in his closing argument that there was no evidence of a plea bargain with Cruz. In fact, there was no evidence before the jury of any such bargain. We do not decide defendant's claim that the prosecutor's comment should nevertheless be considered misconduct because the prosecutor knew there had been such a bargain even though it was not in evidence; that issue depends upon proof in a habeas corpus proceeding that such a bargain existed.