Opinion ID: 2197819
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Plain Error Review Standard

Text: Flamer's trial began on Thursday, June 21, 2007. Defense counsel learned of the existence of the tape recorded telephone conversation on Monday, June 18, 2007, and listened to it on Tuesday, June 19, 2007. Prior to trial, defense counsel made a verbal motion to suppress, arguing that Flamer's Sixth Amendment right to counsel had been violated. The trial judge concluded there was no factual basis to conclude that Sellers was a State agent at the time Flamer called her on the telephone from prison. Therefore, the motion to suppress was denied. The State advised the trial judge that it would not be playing the entire tape for the jury but that this disc only contains a four minute snippet. For the first time on appeal, Flamer argues that the trial judge erred in not requiring the prosecutor to play the entire tape recording of the telephone conversation between Flamer and Sellers, rather than a four-minute segment. Flamer contends that as a result, the trial judge violated his right to due process under the United States Constitution and the Delaware Constitution and also violated Delaware Rule of Evidence 106. The record reflects that defense counsel objected at trial to the introduction of the four-minute tape recording on Sixth Amendment right to counsel grounds but did not object on the basis of the issues being raised in this appeal, i.e., whether the trial judge should have permitted the entire recorded conversation to be played rather than one segment of it. Because the trial judge never made an evidentiary ruling regarding the remaining part of the tape recorded conversation, we review that argument only for plain error. To obtain a reversal based upon the plain error standard of appellate review, the appellant has the burden of demonstrating that the error complained of is so clearly prejudicial to substantial rights as to jeopardize the fairness and integrity of the trial process. [1]