Opinion ID: 2264062
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 23

Heading: Twist Ties

Text: Because of the state's failure to seize and inventory a twist tie seen in the interior of defendant's pickup truck, defendant argues that the state violated its discovery obligations with respect to the testimony of two different witnesses: Sergeant William Magee (Magee) and Officer Michael Gridley (Gridley). At trial, the state sought to link defendant to the crime scene by proving that twist ties were found both at the crime scene and in defendant's pickup truck. Both Magee, the officer who searched defendant's vehicle, and Gridley, the policeman who took the photographs of the interior of the vehicle, testified to their respective roles in the search of defendant's car. In his argument, defendant acknowledges the fact that a twist tie was not seized from the pickup truck. Furthermore, he admits that the state produced to him a photograph of the interior of his vehicle, the same photograph that the state used to prove that a twist tie was in defendant's pickup truck when the police searched it. The defendant nonetheless argues that the fact that he was unaware that the state had evidence to connect him to the crime scene constitutes a discovery violation. We disagree with defendant on this point because the state handed over the very evidence that it used to prove the existence of the twist tie: the photograph of the interior of defendant's vehicle. The defendant nonetheless argues that he should have been notified expressly about the twist tie in the vehicle. The state is not required to provide defendant with a detailed narration of the testimony of a witness. State v. Pona, 810 A.2d 245, 249-50 (R.I.2002). [9] We also have stated that defendant's failure to use the provided discovery for investigatory purposes should not lead to a dismissal of the case. State v. Beaumier, 480 A.2d 1367, 1371 (R.I.1984), overruled on other grounds by State v. Rios, 702 A.2d 889, 889 (R.I.1997). Minimal investigation was required by defendant in this instance. First, defendant was aware that twist ties were discovered at the crime scene. Second, despite defendant's factual assertions to the contrary, our review of the photograph that was provided to defendant in the discovery process clearly reveals a single black twist tie on the blue driver's seat of defendant's pickup truck. Finally, the state's failure to seize the item from the vehicle only compromised its own case and did not prevent the state from using the photograph to attempt to prove that a twist tie similar to ones found at the crime scene was found in defendant's pickup truck. [10] Accordingly, the twist tie evidence does not amount to a violation of Brady or Rule 16 because defendant was not deprived of any evidence. 3