Opinion ID: 2551524
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 6

Heading: pro se defendant

Text: Scott argues pro se that it was error for the prosecutor to play a portion of his interview with police but not to play the exculpatory portions of the tape. A prosecutor has a duty to disclose exculpatory evidence. State v. Aikins, 261 Kan. 346, Syl. ¶ 17, 932 P.2d 408 (1997). In State v. Carmichael, 240 Kan. 149, 152, 727 P.2d 918 (1986), we stated: A defendant has a constitutionally protected privilege to request and obtain from the prosecution evidence that is material to the guilt or innocence of the defendant. Suppression of such evidence is a violation of the defendant's Fourteenth Amendment due process rights. [Citation omitted.] Prosecutors are under a positive duty, independent of court order, to disclose exculpatory evidence to a defendant. To justify a reversal of a conviction for failure to disclose evidence, the evidence withheld by the prosecution must be clearly exculpatory and the withholding of the evidence must be clearly prejudicial to the defendant. In this case, the prosecutor gave copies of the tape to defense counsel long before trial. There was no attempt by Scott to introduce the tape at trial. The State made no attempt to block the introduction of the evidence at trial. This issue is without merit. Last, Scott argues in his pro se brief that (1) he was prejudiced because there was no corroborating evidence that Ramsey had been attacked and cut with a knife, and (2) Ramsey did not testify at trial and did not present evidence that Scott did not intend to kill Chappell. These issues are also without merit. Affirmed.