Opinion ID: 1740932
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 7

Heading: was it error to fail to grant a new trial when the prosecution's witnesses failed to cooperate with the defense counsel prior to trial?

Text: Defense counsel attempted to interview each of the officers at the roadblock prior to trial but each refused. Boches now contends that the trial judge should have granted a new trial because Boches had no way to know what their testimony would be thus he was subjected to unfair surprise. Under the authority of United States v. Clingan, 400 F.2d 849 (5th Cir.1968), Boches now asks this Court to adopt a rule which would force all witnesses for the State to submit to interviews and disclose their testimony prior to trial if they work for the State. However, a trial court cannot force any witness to confer with the defendant prior to trial. Blair v. State, 445 So.2d 1373, 1374-75 (Miss. 1984); Gallion v. State, 396 So.2d 621, 624 (Miss. 1981). A defendant is free to confer with or interview witnesses, either on his own or by subpoena, but the witness also retains the right to refuse to discuss his testimony with the defendant. Scott v. State, 359 So.2d 1355, 1360 (Miss. 1978). There is no evidence here that the State instructed the witnesses to refuse to talk to defense counsel or that the State impeded the defense efforts in any way in interviewing the State's witnesses. We specifically decline to adopt the rule suggested by Boches and we find no merit to this assignment.