Opinion ID: 1557922
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 6

Heading: Motion for Recess to Review the Hunt Correctional Center Records

Text: The Hunt Correctional Center records, which contained the results of the 1996 and 1999 IQ tests, figured prominently in the State's cross-examination of Dr. Cenac and are the subject of a number of assignments of error. [17] In assignment of error No. 12, defendant asserts the district court erred in denying his motion for a one-hour recess to allow Dr. Cenac the opportunity to review the Hunt Correctional Center records when the prosecutor confronted the witness during cross-examination with the results of these other IQ tests. La.Code Crim. Proc. art. 708 defines a recess as a temporary adjournment of a trial or hearing that occurs after a trial or hearing has commenced. A motion for recess is evaluated by the same standards as a motion for a continuance. State v. Warren, 437 So.2d 836 (La.1983). A motion for continuance may be granted in the discretion of the court if there is any good ground therefor. La.Code.Crim. Proc. art. 712. The decision to grant or deny a recess lies within the discretion of the trial court and will not be overturned absent an abuse of that discretion. State v. Hampton, 98-0331 (La.4/23/99), 750 So.2d 867, 877. Where the defense, at the time the motion was made, did not make a showing of a compelling reason for granting a recess, it cannot be said the trial court abused its discretion by refusing the recess. State v. Richmond, 284 So.2d 317, 326 (La.1973). We find no abuse of the trial court's discretion in the denial of the defendant's motion for recess to review the Hunt Correctional Center records. As previously set forth, any defendant in Louisiana who claims mental retardation as a bar to capital punishment has the burden of proving the claim by a preponderance of the evidence. La.Code Crim. Proc. art. 905.5.1(C)(1). Thus, it was incumbent upon the defense to ensure that its mental health expert, who was to testify in support of the defendant's claims of insanity and mental retardation, was fully cognizant of and had reviewed all necessary and available documents concerning the defendant's mental health status. The trial court evidently found no compelling ground for granting the recess, nor do we find that defense counsel established such at the time of the motion. In this case, the record establishes that the defense had ample opportunity before trial commenced on March 20, 2006, to secure the Hunt Correctional Center records, that a copy of the Hunt records was placed in the trial record, and that defense counsel declined the State's offer of a copy of the records it had received from the Department of Corrections (hereinafter, D.O.C.). At a hearing on April 6, 2005, nearly one year before trial, defense counsel advised the court that he had not obtained all of defendant's records from the D.O.C., even though he had caused a subpoena to issue. The trial judge attempted to expedite the process by instructing counsel that he could easily obtain defendant's records and that it would take however long it takes to drive up to D.O.C. and back, probably, or a phone call ... you know you can get those records yourself through [defendant] requesting them. They don't have to be issued through a subpoena by the court. Defense counsel indicated he would do so. The court, though it denied the defendant's request to change his plea, set a subsequent hearing for counsel to report on the status of developing his case as to defendant's mental status, including the plea of not guilty by reason of insanity. At the May 5, 2005 hearing, defense counsel indicated he could not obtain some of the D.O.C. records, but the State was pretty certain that it had been provided with all the records. Defense counsel declined the State's offer of a copy of the D.O.C. records, indicating he wanted the records from the D.O.C. The trial court again denied the defendant's request to change his plea on the basis that the defense had not provided a psychological report, which defense counsel claimed was due to lack of funds and because he did not have all the records. The State again indicated it would provide the defense with a copy. At a hearing on May 12, 2005, counsel indicated he had funds to hire a psychiatrist, while the trial court stated it now was in possession of the D.O.C. records, would review them, and provide a copy to counsel. Then, on June 21, 2005, the trial court reviewed the D.O.C. records and stated it would provide the defense with a copy and place a copy in the record. The defendant was allowed to enter an insanity plea without objection, and the trial court set a new trial date. Finally, on September 15, 2005, defense counsel indicated that all discovery motions had been satisfied. Although the trial record does not reflect whether the defense ever independently obtained the Hunt Correctional Center records, the record does show the State, and the trial court as well, did obtain the D.O.C. records for the defendant, and that these records were in fact offered to trial counsel, who declined to take the copy offered by the State, preferring instead to secure them himself. There is no doubt that the trial record contains a copy of the Hunt records, as defendant concedes in this court. The possible omission of the Hunt records from the mental health records provided to Dr. Cenac came to light during the state's cross-examination of Dr. Cenac, who responded to the State's query that he had not seen the Hunt records, prompting defense counsel to state: I have Winn Correctional, D.O.C. records and everything else, but, to my knowledge, I don't have the Hunt records or [Dr. Cenac] would have had `em. Defendant and his counsel could have readily obtained the Hunt records, apparently declined the copy offered by the State, could have reviewed the copy placed in the trial record, or may have even been provided with a copy by the trial court. Therefore, we find no abuse of discretion in the trial court's denial of the motion to recess to allow Dr. Cenac to review the Hunt records. [18]