Opinion ID: 1188017
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Affidavit of Confession by Price.

Text: The second issue is whether the affidavit containing the confession of Price warrants a new trial. Price executed the affidavit on May 24, 1979, some seven months after the original trial had begun. The affidavit was executed approximately five months after Price pled guilty to the voluntary manslaughter of Stevens. Colby and Stephens rely on State v. Chavez, 87 N.M. 38, 528 P.2d 897 (Ct.App. 1974), to support the contention that a new trial is warranted based upon an affidavit confessing to the commission of a crime. Chavez is not persuasive under the facts in this case because in Chavez the confession to a robbery by another was also corroborated by other eyewitnesses. This case is distinguishable from Chavez, as Price's confession stands by itself as a rank assertion of criminal involvement for the death of Stevens, without benefit of corroboration. We have held that even if another person was prepared to testify, or had confessed that he, and not another, had committed a crime for which another was convicted, that would not be newly discovered evidence since such person could add nothing to testimony defendant could have given at trial. State v. Valdez, 95 N.M. 70, 618 P.2d 1234 (1980). See also United States v. Steel, 458 F.2d 1164 (10th Cir.1972); United States v. Brewer, 360 F.2d 112 (3rd Cir.1966); People v. Gutierrez, Colo., 622 P.2d 547 (1981); Cody v. State, 160 Ga. App. 86, 286 S.E.2d 321 (1981). In this light, the confession of Price is merely cumulative of the alibi defense already proposed by Colby and Stephens and would add nothing new to the trial. The confession of Price must probably produce a new result if a new trial is to be granted. State v. Mabry, supra . Colby and Stephens failed to satisfy the trial judge that the new evidence would probably change the result to an acquittal on retrial. State v. Barry, 25 Wash. App. 751, 611 P.2d 1262 (1980). Accordingly, the motion for a new trial based on the confession of Price was properly denied.