Opinion ID: 2378907
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Cross-examination of Jollie Shurn

Text: Jollie Shurn, the defendant's uncle, testified for the defense during the penalty phase. Defense counsel inquired, Have you ever known him to be a man given to violence, either in his youth or as a man today? Jollie Shurn flatly answered, No. On cross-examination, the prosecutor asked Jollie Shurn if he was aware that the defendant had been arrested for murder in 1981, first degree assault in 1981, and first degree assault and robbery in 1981. Defense counsel objected, but the trial court overruled the objection. Shurn claims that the trial court erroneously permitted this cross-examination. The cross-examination was relevant and clearly within the scope of the direct examination. Previous death penalty cases have permitted such cross-examination during the penalty phase. State v. Sweet, 796 S.W.2d 607, 614 (Mo. banc 1990), cert. denied, 499 U.S. 932, 111 S.Ct. 1339, 113 L.Ed.2d 270 (1991); State v. Byrd, 676 S.W.2d 494, 505 (Mo. banc 1984), cert. denied, 469 U.S. 1230, 105 S.Ct. 1233, 84 L.Ed.2d 370 (1985). Shurn also argues that the state violated his right to due process by failing to disclose the arrests. However, the state has no duty to disclose a defendant's prior arrests before cross-examining about them. See, e.g., State v. Brock, 778 S.W.2d 13,14-15 (Mo.App.1989).