Opinion ID: 2161601
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 26

Heading: Failure to Disclose Exculpatory Information

Text: This issue concerns a contention by Grandison that since he had made a pretrial request of the State for Brady [22] material in its possession, the trial judge erred in denying his motion to compel the State to turn over to him an FBI report made by an agent who was testifying. It appears that one Janet Bannister had given a statement to federal agents; Bannister was not called as a witness at trial. Grandison, through discovery proceedings in his federal trial, had obtained an edited copy of this statement. It was claimed that Bannister's statement contained exculpatory material in that she referred therein to seeing one Helen Kondilidis in the parking lot at the motel at the time Kondilidis testified she was in the motel lobby and saw Evans shortly before the murders. While there may be merit to Grandison's argument that this material was exculpatory, the agent stated he did not have a copy of the report or the statement. Furthermore, the State's Attorney told the court he did not then, nor did he ever, have this material. There is no question but that Grandison was entitled to any exculpatory material in the hands of the State or under its control. See former Rule 741. However, as the trial judge stated, he could not order the State to turn over something it did not have. In so holding, we observe that Grandison had obtained an edited copy of Bannister's statement through his federal trial and thereby had more evidence than the State.