Opinion ID: 1954733
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: order on consideration of the state's motion for reargument

Text: This 16th day of February, 1983, the Court has before it the State's Motion For Reargument, submitted to us on February 14, 1983. It now appears that following issuance of our opinion on January 27, 1983, the State found the clothes seized at the time of defendant's arrest. The State also admits that these items have been in its possession at all times relevant to these proceedings, despite the fact that it was twice ordered by the trial court to search for and produce them, and on each occasion the State represented to the trial court that they could not be found. Indeed, the State denied both here and in the Superior Court that it ever had such items. Even now it continues to base its arguments on that premise. After carefully considering the State's position, we do not believe that this belated discovery of evidence, which the defendant has repeatedly sought at two separate trials, alters our conclusions. If anything, the circumstances which have now come to light only underscore the importance of and need for the rules we announced regarding the State's handling of evidence in criminal matters. Accordingly, the Motion For Reargument is DENIED.