Opinion ID: 1205283
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 9

Heading: Witness Identification

Text: Before trial, defense counsel became aware that the DCI agent investigating the murder had shown a witness an eightman photo lineup which included Kerns. The witness, Kelly Wilson, was in the Silver Spur Bar on the date of the murder. Other witnesses had placed Kerns at the bar on the date of the murder and testified that Kerns was playing pool with the victim. Wilson told the agent she recognized Kerns but that he was not in the bar on the night of the murder. The agent told Wilson that her testimony would not be needed and did not issue a report concerning this exculpatory evidence. The defense contends this was relevant and exculpatory but was not revealed to the defense by the State. An individual prosecutor has a duty to learn of any favorable evidence known to the others acting on the government's behalf in the case, including the police and is responsible for disclosing known, favorable and material evidence. Kyles, ___ U.S. at ___, 115 S.Ct. at 1567-1568. Information that this defendant was not in the Silver Spur Bar or in Big Piney on the Sunday that the victim was last seen was favorable evidence. This information should have been furnished to Kerns pursuant to Brady and Bagley and its materiality will be considered. In this case, disclosure of the suppressed evidence to competent counsel would not have made a different result reasonably probable. Two weeks before trial, the defense learned of Wilson's statement to DCI and she did testify. The prosecution's failure to disclose it does not undermine confidence in the verdict. There was no Brady error in this trial.