Opinion ID: 2097440
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Effect of Discovery Violation

Text: Apparently, the testimony about the clean-up statement came as a surprise to Van Cleave's attorney, who had not been told by his client or by the State that Van Cleave admitted to the burglaries. At the hearing on the motion to correct error, prosecutor Goldsmith testified that after Van Cleave pled guilty but before the sentencing hearing, his paralegal discovered Van Cleave's reference to the multiple burglaries in his confession to another burglary. Goldsmith asked her to determine whether guns had been stolen in these burglaries. She found an interdepartmental police memorandum listing ten of the burglaries by address and case number and indicating that guns had been stolen in the crimes. The clean-up statement itself was not found until after the sentencing hearing, so Van Cleave had been impeached with the information from the police memorandum. [1] Prosecutor Goldsmith testified that he decided the memorandum was not relevant to the State's case-in-chief and that its applicability, if any, would be during the cross-examination or rebuttal, that is, coupled with the possible work product applications, were enough to me to decide on my own not to turn it over. Nevertheless, the court agreed with Van Cleave that the State's failure to disclose the information constituted a discovery violation. In denying appellant's motion to correct error, however, the court concluded he was not substantially prejudiced by the violation. The court stated in part: It is, therefore, this court's opinion that the clean-up statement made by the defendant was covered by the Court's rules on discovery and should have been provided to the defendant prior to the sentencing hearing. The failure of the prosecutor to disclose this statement was a clear violation of this Court's rules on discovery. It is necessary, therefore, to determine next whether the withholding of this information by the prosecutor so prejudiced the defendant that it is incumbent upon this court to set aside the defendant's plea of guilty, or in the alternative to set aside the death sentence and impose the plea bargained sixty (60) year sentence. It is apparent from the testimony produced at the hearing on the Motion to Correct Errors that the State first learned of the defendant's clean-up statement shortly before the sentencing hearing, but after the defendant entered his plea of guilty to the murder charge. The State's failure to provide this statement, therefore, cannot have any bearing on the defendant's plea of guilty as the State cannot be charged with the responsibility of producing that which they do not have; nor would it be reasonable to presume the State knew or should have known of this statement prior to plea negotiations or prior to the actual taking of the defendant's guilty plea. The State's failure to produce the defendant's clean-up statement is not an issue bearing on the defendant's plea of guilty to murder and the judgment of conviction as to the Murder charge must stand. Was the defendant, however, prejudiced at the sentencing phase by this failure to disclose? The death sentence statute provides the State must prove beyond a reasonable doubt the existence of at least one of the aggravating factors alleged. The State did this. The defendant may produce additional evidence relevant to the alleged aggravating circumstances or any of the mitigating circumstances enumerated in the statute. The defendant submitted evidence. The statute further states the Court may only impose the death sentence if it finds that the State proved the aggravating circumstances beyond a reasonable doubt and that any mitigating circumstances that exist are outweighed by the aggravating circumstance. The defendant testified as to his previous criminal conduct originating as a juvenile and including two felony convictions as an adult. The defendant also admitted that he was on bond for an arrest when this murder was committed, and that he had been in fact expelled from school for striking a teacher. It was only on cross-examination by the Prosecutor that the defendant admitted to 25 burglaries contained in the clean-up statement which had not been disclosed to the defendant by the State. The question, then, is whether or not this information as presented by way of impeachment so harmed the defendant that this Court must set aside the death sentence and impose the bargained for 60 year sentence. This question arises in the context of whether the State's failure to disclose this information so impaired the defendant's lawyer's ability to prepare for the hearing and to properly counsel his client so as to be a violation of the defendant's right to counsel. The answer to that question can only be answered in the negative. The State could properly have presented the evidence of the defendant's prior criminal conduct during the State's portion of the evidence presentation, but chose not to do so. Even a motion in limine would not have been successful in keeping out this evidence at the sentencing hearing. ( Brewer v. State, supra ) Only when the defendant failed to be completely honest, did this statement come into evidence. Presuming that evidence of the clean-up statement had not been presented to the Court at any stage of the hearing, there is sufficient evidence in the record to warrant a finding that the defendant had a significant history of prior criminal conduct and was, therefore, not a mitigating circumstance to be given great weight. Van Cleave challenges the court's conclusion that he was not prejudiced by the violation. He claims it denied him his right to counsel because, unaware of the existence of a clean-up statement, his attorney was unable to prepare effectively for the sentencing hearing. He claims further that the discovery violation made impossible an intelligent waiver of his rights. He claims he would not have persisted in his plea of guilty had he known the evidence of the clean-up statement would be used. Van Cleave also claims his decision to waive his rights against self-incrimination and to testify was not knowing and voluntary without the knowledge that the State had the clean-up information. Finally, Van Cleave claims the State withheld exculpatory evidence when it failed to disclose the information. The trial court is in the best position to determine the effect of violations of its discovery orders. This is all the more true where the hearing is to the bench alone. Therefore, it is afforded broad discretion in ruling on discovery matters, and this Court reverses its decisions only in cases of clear error. Wallace v. State (1985), Ind., 474 N.E.2d 1006. A discovery violation will generally not result in reversal unless prejudice has resulted. The trial court did not err. Although the commission of the several burglaries added significantly to appellant's criminal history, the trial court stated that the additional information did not alter the final decision to impose the death sentence. The State had already proven to the satisfaction of the trial court the alleged aggravating factor  an intentional killing during an attempted robbery  and appellant's attempt to show in mitigation that he had no significant criminal history had already failed in light of other testimony about two felony convictions, several arrests, and the jail uprising. The trial court correctly ruled that the State's violation did not deny Van Cleave his right to effective counsel. Appellant claims his attorney could not competently advise him about his decisions to plead guilty, waive a jury, and take the stand, while ignorant of the existence of the clean-up statement. The prosecutor was not aware of the statement until after the plea was taken. If the information about the clean-up statement had been produced in discovery, its production would nonetheless have occurred after appellant's plea. Thus, the violation had no bearing on his decision to plead guilty and waive his right to trial by jury. We disagree with appellant's statement that this case is on all fours with Long v. State (1982), Ind. App., 431 N.E.2d 875, in which the Court of Appeals held that the State's discovery violation did deprive Long of effective representation. There, the decision had been made for Long to take the stand. While testifying about his innocence, he was impeached with a confession he had made to that crime, a confession which the State had never produced in discovery. One's decision to accept an attorney's advice to waive the Fifth Amendment and testify is never a counselled decision when the State lies in wait with a confession to the crime charged. Reversal is proper where the impact is prejudicial, as it clearly was in Long. Here, the withheld evidence only added to the evidence which had already eliminated the possibility of proving an insignificant criminal history. Thus, its impact was not prejudicial and does not require a remedy on appeal. Furthermore, Van Cleave's decision to testify could not have been significantly founded on his misunderstanding of the extent of the State's evidence about his criminal history. Strategically, it appears his only hope was to take the stand in an attempt to negate the State's evidence that the shooting was intentional. Counsel's preparation for the hearing was not rendered ineffective by the revelation of the burglaries. Appellant asserted during the hearing on the motion to correct error that willful and blatant discovery violations were not at issue here. He now asserts this is a case of such gross intentional violation that an institutional remedy ought to be granted for its deterrent effect. We note that prosecutor Goldsmith testified under oath that he made a determination that the interdepartmental memorandum was not discoverable because it was to be used only as impeachment and because he believed it to be protected work product. This is not an appropriate case for an institutional remedy absent prejudice to appellant. Appellant argues he was denied due process because, he claims, the State's discovery violation constituted withholding material evidence. He cites United States v. Agurs, 427 U.S. 97, 96 S.Ct. 2392, 49 L.Ed.2d 342 (1976), and Birkla v. State (1975), 263 Ind. 37, 323 N.E.2d 645, in support of his claim. They stand for the proposition that grounds for reversal may exist where the State has withheld evidence material to guilt or punishment. Material evidence in that sense means evidence which creates a reasonable doubt which otherwise did not exist. Agurs, 427 U.S. at 112, 96 S.Ct. at 2402, 49 L.Ed.2d at 355. Here, the evidence of Van Cleave's several burglaries, which was ultimately revealed and was not withheld throughout the proceedings, was only cumulative of that which was already shown  that appellant's criminal history was not insignificant. Van Cleave states in his brief that this Court, must consider whether or not a clean-up statement ... is exculpatory in the context of a death penalty hearing. He argues that the fact appellant once admitted to twenty-five burglaries shows his willingness to acknowledge guilt and indicates a punishment less than death is appropriate. Thus, he claims, the State was guilty of withholding exculpatory evidence. While it is not entirely inconceivable that a sentencing judge might look favorably upon a defendant's past confessions, it is not the required point of view. A confession to twenty-five burglaries is certainly not exculpatory in its common sense. Furthermore, the evidence was ultimately revealed at trial, albeit after a discovery violation, and the appellant had the opportunity to try to convince the court the evidence was favorable to him. Appellant was not denied due process. We discern no error in the court's determination that the discovery violation did not so prejudice Van Cleave that reversal is required. Appellant raises for the first time on appeal an issue pertaining to the proceedings which followed the attempted escape from the jail. Van Cleave testified in court that he thought he had been found guilty of possession of contraband. Then, the custodian of the jail records testified from records he said he had with him that appellant pled guilty to attempted escape. During the hearing on the motion to correct error, the parties stipulated that a representative of the sheriff's department was present and, if called, would testify that the jail records purporting to show Van Cleave pled guilty to attempted escape could not be found after a diligent search. From this, appellant frames the issue as whether or not the State ... improperly withheld ... a certain record allegedly documenting that appellant entered a plea of guilty to the offense of attempted escape and other administrative offenses. Appellant lodged no complaint to the jail records keeper's testimony, and the records were never admitted into evidence. His allegation that the State withheld the records is unsupported by argument, citation to authority, or factual basis. The issue is impossible for the Court to review.