Opinion ID: 1818950
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: Whether Williams Waived This Issue By Failing to Seek a Continuance.

Text: ¶ 26. Uniform Rule of Circuit and County Court Practice 9.04(I) states in pertinent part: . . . .If during the course of trial, the prosecution attempts to introduce evidence which has not been timely disclosed to the defense as required by these rules, and the defense objects to the introduction for that reason, the court shall act as follows: 1) Grant the defense a reasonable opportunity to interview the newly discovered witness, to examine the newly discovered witness, to examine the newly produced documents, photographs or other evidence; and 2) If, after such opportunity, the defense claims unfair surprise or undue prejudice and seeks a continuance or mistrial, the court shall, in the interest of justice and absent unusual circumstances, exclude the evidence or grant a continuance for a period of time reasonably necessary for the defense to meet the non-disclosed evidence or grant a mistrial. URCCC 9.04(I) (emphasis added). ¶ 27. Defense counsel was informed about the existence of the tape on the evening prior to its admission, was allowed to listen to the tape the following morning before court, was allowed sufficient time to interview the witness called to present the tape, and was allowed the requested half hour to do legal research. URCCC 9.04(I)(1) requires the court to grant the defense an opportunity to examine the new evidence. Williams's counsel already had been given an opportunity to examine the tape earlier that morning. ¶ 28. In order for the requirements of Rule 9.04(I)(2) to be invoked, the defense must (1) after such an opportunity, claim unfair surprise and (2) seek a continuance or mistrial. While Williams did claim unfair surprise, he failed to seek a continuance or mistrial. Williams did seek a recess, which was granted. ¶ 29. Rule 4.06 is designed to avoid `ambush' or unfair surprise to either party at trial. McCaine v. State, 591 So.2d 833, 836 (Miss.1991) (decided under a prior version of this rule). In this case, however, the trial judge noted that defense was put on notice of the existence of a 911 call by way of an interrogatory answer during the discovery phase of the case. The defense argues that the unfair surprise was the introduction of a statement contained in the tape not the tape itself. The tape includes a statement made by the victim's wife that Johnson was kidnapped in a Lexus. While this statement did corroborate Johnson's testimony, evidence that a Lexus was used to perpetrate the crime was found throughout the record. Johnson testified that Williams was driving a white Lexus when he kidnapped and robbed him at gunpoint. The prosecution introduced a surveillance video which corroborated Johnson's testimony. Officer Reginal testified that Johnson was robbed by an individual in a white Lexus. Officer McCluskey testified that he arrested Williams in a stolen white Lexus. ¶ 30. Defense counsel requested a recess and not a continuance as required by Rule 9.04, and therefore waived arguing this issue on appeal. See URCCC 9.04. Even if Williams had requested a continuance, the trial court's grant of two recesses complied with the requirements of the rule. Admission of the 911 audiotape was not error. Furthermore, there was no unfair surprise that there was a 911 tape or that it might identify a Lexus. There was ample evidence that a white Lexus was used to perpetrate the crime. Even without the 911 call, there was ample evidence to support Williams's conviction, including the victim's photo line-up identification, the victim's testimony, and the corroborating gas station surveillance video.