Opinion ID: 1404220
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Critical Stage

Text: Anderson also alleges that if the jury replayed the tape, it constituted a substantial step, or in other words a critical stage in the criminal proceeding against him requiring that he be present with counsel. It is a basic principle of both our state's and our nation's constitutional law that a criminal defendant has the right to be present in person and by counsel at any critical stage in his or her case. Smith v. State, 343 Ark. 552, 39 S.W.3d 739 (2001); Davlin, supra . A criminal defendant has a Sixth Amendment right to an attorney at every critical stage of the proceedings. Hammett v. Texas, 448 U.S. 725, 100 S.Ct. 2905, 65 L.Ed.2d 1086 (1980). A criminal defendant has a due process right to be present at critical stages of the proceeding. Kentucky v. Stincer, 482 U.S. 730, 107 S.Ct. 2658, 96 L.Ed.2d 631 (1987). The complete denial of counsel during a critical stage of a judicial proceeding mandates a presumption of prejudice because the adversary process itself has been rendered presumptively unreliable. Roe v. Flores-Ortega, 528 U.S. 470, 120 S.Ct. 1029, 145 L.Ed.2d 985 (2000). A critical stage in a criminal proceeding is every stage where substantial rights of the criminal defendant may be affected. Mempa v. Rhay, 389 U.S. 128 (1967). A critical stage in a criminal proceeding is characterized by an opportunity for the exercise of judicial discretion or when certain legal rights may be lost if not exercised at that stage. Commonwealth v. Johnson, 574 Pa. 5, 13, 828 A.2d 1009, 1014 (2003). The dissent argues that Davlin, supra , stands for the proposition that any representation of evidence constitutes a substantial step or critical stage in the proceedings and must be undertaken in the presence of counsel and the defendant. That interpretation is not consistent with Davlin or the law. Davlin stands for the proposition that the taking of evidence, or in other words the presentation of evidence to the jury for the first time, constitutes a substantial step and requires the presence of counsel and the defendant. In Davlin , portions of the videotape had been deleted when presented at trial, and the record did not reveal whether the deleted portions were reviewed by the jury in the jury room. If the deleted portions were reviewed by the jury, that would constitute the presentation of new evidence. There is no allegation of additional or new evidence being on the tape in the present case. Anderson objected to submitting the tapes to the jury during deliberations. He argued that it had to be done in open court with him present and represented by counsel. The circuit court refused and allowed the tapes to go to the jury along with all the exhibits admitted into evidence. If replaying the tapes had constituted the presentation of new evidence, Anderson's position would be correct because presentation of new evidence is a critical stage. Perry v. Leeke, 488 U.S. 272, 109 S.Ct. 594, 102 L.Ed.2d 624 (1989). However, there is nothing in the record to show that the jury would have been exposed to anything other than what was already played at trial. Anderson was present with counsel when the tapes were played at trial and had the opportunity to object and be heard at that time. He does not argue on appeal that the circuit court erred in denying his motion to exclude the tapes. There is nothing about replaying the tapes that would have been any more incriminating to Anderson than the incrimination that may have arisen from playing the tapes at trial. Nor was this a step in the proceedings that was critical to the outcome where his presence would have contributed to the fairness of the procedure. Stincer, supra . The jury was simply given exhibits already admitted into evidence. We hold that the jury's replaying during deliberations audiotapes of an out-of-court statement admitted into evidence and made an exhibit at trial is not a critical stage in criminal proceedings. There was nothing in this case to indicate that Anderson would suffer any new prejudice by the jury's replaying the tapes.