Opinion ID: 2064880
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Order of joint trial

Text: Millett's final point of appeal involves the trial Justice's order at the State's request and over the defendant's objection that the firearm possession charges against Millett be tried with the armed assault brought against his codefendant James. [4] In arguing for a separate trial, Millett sought to convince the presiding Justice that his testifying might provoke a reprisal from James and, given such possible undesirable effect if he did take the stand, Millett indicated that he would be reluctant to be a witness in his own defense, if a joint trial were held. The Justice below, however, in granting the State's motion, ruled that separate trials would be inappropriate for the reason that the alleged offenses arose out of the same incidents and the same witnesses would be involved. The propriety of consolidation for trial of separate bills of indictment against several defendants is to be determined by the same standard which this Court applies in cases where the point on appeal is, whether a requested severance of the trial of jointly charged defendants was properly denied. State v. Coty, Me., 229 A.2d 205 (1967). The decision of the trial court will not be reversed on appeal unless the appellant demonstrates a manifest abuse of discretion, which will depend upon the whole situation in each case. The appellant must make a clear showing of facts presented to the trial justice prior to trial which should have caused him to believe that the defenses of appellant and his codefendant were necessarily antagonistic or that he would be prejudiced by a joint trial. State v. Niemszyk, Me., 303 A.2d 105, 113 (1973), cert. denied 414 U.S. 1042, 94 S.Ct. 544, 38 L.Ed.2d 333; State v. Coty, supra; State v. Bobb, 138 Me. 242, 255, 25 A.2d 229, 236 (1942). See also State v. Wing, Me., 294 A.2d 418 (1972). The record discloses that the matter of consolidation was taken up in chambers and that, as reported by the Court, certain representations were made to the presiding Justice: [T]here had been the suggestion of possible discussion or interference in the judicial process, the obstruction of justice by certain persons talking with State's witnesses and certain State's witnesses have indicated possible threats with respect to their forthcoming testimony and there has been some discussion some might raise the privilege of self-incrimination or change in testimony, different than (sic) what they demonstrated to the Prosecuting official. Such bare suggestions of possible interference and possible threats with State's witnesses (neither defendant took the stand nor presented any witness) by persons unidentified, without the benefit of any recorded evidence, do not measure up to that clear showing that the defendants' positions at the time were necessarily antagonistic. Such an indefinite record does not permit us to test properly the question of abuse of discretion. It is true that at trial counsel for James attempted to demonstrate in his cross-examination of the State's witnesses that Millett, rather than his client, might have fired the shotgun at Osborne in the early evening of April 5, 1976. The record does not indicate that, at the time of the hearing on the motion for consolidation, the Justice below was made aware of counsel's prospective trial strategy. Even if we should consider this aspect of the defendant's claim of prejudice under the obvious error-manifest injustice rule, the defendant's position has no merit. Bearing in mind that the trial Justice had instructed the jury that [o]n the evidence in this case, I am instructing youunless you find beyond a reasonable doubt that Mr. James discharged that firearm in an attempt to strike, hit, touch or do violence to another, you must find him not guilty. In other words, he is either guilty of an assault while armed with a firearm by virtue of his firing that gun at, I think, Jessie Osborne or other persons around, or nothing at all. There is no other charge against him. He is either guilty of an armed assault and that assault means the firing of that weapon, that firearm at a person, or he is not guilty, we believe it to be clear beyond dispute that the codefendant's trial strategy to pin the actual armed assault upon the defendant was thoroughly ineffective, since the defendant James was found guilty of that charge. Thus, the jury verdict completely refutes any possible harmful effect upon the defendant Millett. Millett's further contention that the joint trial interfered with his right to testify in his own defense is not persuasive. The record discloses no evidence that the suggested threats to some prosecution witness were directed against Millett. The defendant's reference to the chilling atmosphere which confronted him in his upcoming decision to exercise his right personally to present testimony in his favor would seem to have been motivated by an apprehension that his previous manslaughter conviction would become admissible if he did testify, rather than any fear of his codefendant James as he claimed. [5] There was no abuse of discretion in granting the State's motion to consolidate. The entry will be Appeal denied. Judgment affirmed.