Opinion ID: 1561133
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 6

Heading: Rush to Judgment

Text: Foley contends that his RCr 11.42 attorneys needed additional time to prepare and present issues. In this case, Foley had sufficient time to prepare issues for the RCr 11.42 motion. His conviction was affirmed in 1996 and certiorari was denied by the U.S. Supreme Court. Foley did start preparing for his RCr 11.42 hearing by faxing a 15-page motion to the circuit court just three days after certiorari was denied. The motion had attached to it the affidavits of two potential RCr 11.42 witnesses which were signed on September 26, 1996 and November 22, 1996, approximately one year before the evidentiary hearing would eventually be scheduled. Foley and his lawyers were well aware of what was coming and had the commendable foresight to begin preparations even before the direct appeal was affirmed. As previously stated, the purpose of a RCr 11.42 proceeding is to provide a forum for known grievances, not to provide an opportunity to research for grievances. Gilliam, supra . There was no valid reason for the circuit court to grant additional preparation time. RCr 9.04 provides a standard for postponing a trial or evidentiary hearing. It requires the defendant to demonstrate what witnesses or evidence counsel has been unable to obtain in time for the hearing, the materiality and that due diligence has been exercised to obtain it. Foley did not comply with the requirements of this rule. Foley was unable to identify with any particularity, any witnesses or evidence of claims that they would have been able to present had they been granted a continuance of the RCr 11.42 hearing. Foley mentions three missing witnesses but of those he only gives the name of one, Ronnie Dugger. He provides no affidavits to indicate what he believes Dugger's testimony would be. He merely claims that Dugger lied during trial, and yet he presented the testimony of two witnesses at the RCr 11.42 hearing that Dugger had lied. He claims in a vague general way that he learned of useful information that could have been presented by other witnesses, but no mention of these individuals is made and what they would have specifically testified about. In addition, there is no indication as to what a ballistics expert and a social worker would have testified or why their testimony was material. Again, no affidavits of any nature were filed. Thus, there was no need to grant a continuance based on either of these suggested sources of testimony. Neither of these witnesses would have been reasonably necessary and the trial court was correct in not granting funds. Foley's complaint about discovery issues is without merit because pretrial discovery rules do not apply in RCr 11.42 proceedings. Sanborn v. Commonwealth, Ky., 975 S.W.2d 905 (1998). In regard to the missing evidence of medical records, there is no showing as to what those records would say or if he was ever taken to a doctor and if there were any medical records in existence. He did not comply with RCr 9.04 and was not entitled to a postponement of the hearing. Foley contends that an RCr 11.42 proceeding requires a virtual reinvestigation. We disagree. This proceeding is not a retrial. He had ample time in which to prepare for the hearing and there is no legitimate RCr 11.42 claim which would justify the extraordinary relief available in an RCr 11.42 proceeding. There was no abuse of discretion or error of any kind in not granting a continuance.