Opinion ID: 1760832
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: State's Failure to Disclose the Computer's Contents

Text: Gill claims that the motion court clearly erred by not finding that the State committed a Brady v. Maryland violation by failing to disclose the contents of the victim's computer prior to trial. In Brady, the United States Supreme Court held that the State violates due process if it suppresses evidence that is favorable to the accused and material to either the guilt phase or the penalty phase. 373 U.S. 83, 87, 83 S.Ct. 1194, 10 L.Ed.2d 215 (1963). The State violates due process regardless of whether it withheld the evidence in good faith or in bad faith. Id. Brady applies where, after trial, the defense discovers new information that the prosecution knew at trial. State v. Salter, 250 S.W.3d 705, 714 (Mo. banc 2008). If the defense knew about the evidence at the time of trial, no Brady violation occurred. Id. Here, a month before trial, the State disclosed the contents of the computer to defense counsel by sending a copy of the report, which listed all the computer's file folders or directories. Although defense counsel may not have thoroughly examined the report, they possessed it. There was no Brady violation, and the motion court's findings and conclusions regarding this point are not clearly erroneous. [5]