Opinion ID: 1188889
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Court's refusal to pay for videotapes of television interviews with witnesses to the shooting

Text: Shortly before trial was scheduled to begin, Defendant asked the court to authorize payment to several local television stations for news videotapes of witness interviews made just after the shootings. The court noted that the trial was imminent, and Defendant could have presented the request much earlier. The judge also said he believed Defendant could get the information in other ways, such as by sending out the investigator. Defendant now argues that the court's failure to pay for the tapes deprived him of his rights to a fair trial and due process guaranteed by U.S. Const. amend. 5 and Ariz. Const. art. 2, §§ 4 and 24. He advances several reasons for the proposition that later interviews would not have been an acceptable substitute for the original interviews. Because Defendant was indigent, the trial court had both a constitutional and statutory duty to provide him with certain essential tools of trial defense. United States v. Sims, 617 F.2d 1371, 1375 (9th Cir.1980); see also A.R.S. § 13-4013(B); Ake v. Oklahoma, 470 U.S. 68, 76-77, 105 S.Ct. 1087, 1092-93, 84 L.Ed.2d 53 (1985). However, an indigent defendant does not have an unlimited right to all items that he believes are necessary for his defense. State v. Yanich, 110 Ariz. 172, 176, 516 P.2d 308, 312 (1973). The decision to expend public monies to assist the defense rests within the trial court's sound discretion. State v. Clabourne, 142 Ariz. 335, 342, 690 P.2d 54, 61 (1984); State v. Knapp, 114 Ariz. 531, 540-41, 562 P.2d 704, 713-14 (1977), cert. denied, 435 U.S. 908, 98 S.Ct. 1458, 55 L.Ed.2d 500 (1978). Whether a court's refusal to provide such funds is a violation of due process depends on whether there were good reasons for the requested expenditure. State v. Watson, 120 Ariz. 441, 451, 586 P.2d 1253, 1263 (1978), cert. denied, 440 U.S. 924, 99 S.Ct. 1254, 59 L.Ed.2d 478 (1979). At the time Defendant made this request, there were other alternatives to paying for the tapes. One alternative was to obtain free copies. It is undisputed that one station had already provided its tape free of charge and that another station had agreed to make its tape available, hoping the court would later order payment. Only one channel said, no payment, no tape. Had the free tapes revealed useful information, Defendant could then have made a convincing argument to the court regarding the need for the third tape. Another alternative was to conduct further investigation to at least determine what was on the tapes and then explain to the court why they would be useful. We recognize that it may be difficult or even impossible for a defendant to show the need for a certain piece of evidence, or to later show prejudice, without ever having seen it. However, we also recognize that courts cannot, consistent with limited budgets, be put in the position of having to pay for every item a defendant thinks may be useful. There must be sufficient reason to think that the assistance is likely to be reasonably necessary for presentation of an effective defense. State v. Michael Apelt, 176 Ariz. 349, 366, 861 P.2d 634, 651 (1993). Thus, a defendant requesting a court to authorize payment should at least advise the court of the general lines of inquiry the requested material will help to pursue. Cf. Mason v. Arizona, 504 F.2d 1345 (9th Cir.1974), cert. denied, 420 U.S. 936, 95 S.Ct. 1145, 43 L.Ed.2d 412 (1975); People v. Faxel, 91 Cal. App.3d 327, 154 Cal. Rptr. 132 (Cal. App. 1979). Here, only one tape was unavailable without prepayment, and Defendant failed to explain to the court specifically how it would have helped his case. Nor is there any evidence in the record that Defendant used the court-appointed investigator to conduct interviews to find out what the tape contained so that Defendant could justify expending funds to obtain it. Defendant's failure to demonstrate prejudice from the court's decision precludes relief. State v. Rigsby, 160 Ariz. 178, 181-82, 772 P.2d 1, 4-5 (1989). We find no abuse of discretion, nor any evidence of prejudice to Defendant, and hold that the trial court's refusal to authorize payment for the tapes did not deprive Defendant of a fair trial or due process of law.