Opinion ID: 1236569
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: failure to disclose witness to state

Text: First, with regard to the failure to disclose the witness to the state, the defense counsel indicated that he had known about Johnson for at least three months when the defendant told counsel that Johnson had allegedly loaned money to him. However, the defense counsel indicated that he had not anticipated using Johnson as a witness because the forensic reports concerning the cash recovered from the Pied Piper indicated that no blood was discovered on any of that money. However, it is clear that the state did fully disclose forensic reports to the defendant and there was no surprise at trial concerning the information contained in the forensic reports. Thus, defense counsel's non-disclosure lacked logic. The purpose of the witness' testimony was to explain how the defendant came into the money, not how bloodstains could have gotten on it. West Virginia Rules of Criminal Procedure 16(b)(1)(C) & 16(c) provides: (C) Defense Witnesses.If the defendant requests disclosure under subdivision (a)(1)(E) of this rule, upon compliance with such request by the State, the defendant, on the request of the state, shall furnish the state with a list of the names and addresses of the witnesses he intends to call in the presentation of the case in chief. When a request for discovery of the names and addresses of witnesses has been made by the State, the defendant may be allowed to perpetuate the testimony of such witnesses in accordance with the provisions of Rule 15.