Opinion ID: 1688665
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: whether watts' conviction should be reversed and remanded due to the absence of a full, accurate and complete transcript of the trial proceedings in this cause.

Text: ¶ 4. Watts asserts that his conviction and sentence should be reversed due to the absence of a full, accurate and complete transcript of the trial proceedings below, and therefore, he has been deprived of his right to meaningful appellate review. The State, however, contends that Watts is not prejudiced by the missing parts of the record and that a mistrial is not necessitated where this Court can fully review all of the alleged errors assigned by Watts with the record that exists not before the Court. ¶ 5. Ruth Bell-Green was the official court reporter responsible for preparing the record of the trial in this cause. However, because of a physical disability, Bell-Green retired and was unable to complete the record in this cause. Another reporter, LaLisa Ledlow Linemann, was assigned to complete the record for appeal but was unable to decipher Bell-Green's shorthand notes and was forced to rely on cassette tapes to complete the record. However, the cassette tapes were incomplete, and therefore, portions of the trial were unable to be transcribed. The portions that are missing from the record include voir dire, a portion of Watts' cross-examination and redirect examination, and closing arguments of counsel. The trial judge completed a bill of exceptions summarizing the missing portions of Watts' cross-examination and re-direct examination. Watts made no objections to the bill of exceptions. ¶ 6. While this Court has never addressed this issue before, the Mississippi Rules of Appellate Procedure and caselaw from other jurisdictions provide guidance. Rule 11(c) of the Mississippi Rules of Appellate Procedure requires that when a defendant timely and properly perfects an appeal, it is the duty of the court reporter to prepare and file a transcript and to certify the transcript as an accurate account of the proceedings. M.R.A.P. 11(c). In addition, Rule 10(c) provides for the procedure to supplement the record when portions of the trial proceedings are missing as follows: If no stenographic report or transcript of all or part of the evidence or proceedings is available, the appellant may prepare a statement of the evidence or proceedings from the best available means, including recollection. The statement should convey a fair, accurate, and complete account of what transpired with respect to those issues that are the bases of appeal. The statement, certified by the appellant or his counsel as an accurate account of the proceedings, shall be filed with the clerk of the trial court within 60 days after filing the notice of appeal. Upon filing the statement, the appellant shall simultaneously serve notice of the filing on the appellee, accompanied by a short and plain declaration of the issues the appellant intends to present on appeal. If the appellee objects to the statement as filed, the appellee shall file objections with the clerk of the trial court within 14 days after service of the notice of the filing of the statement. Any differences regarding the statement shall be settled as set forth in subdivision (e) of this Rule. M.R.A.P. 10(c) (emphasis added). In the instant case, Watts failed to comply with Rule 10(c) and prepare a statement of the missing portion of the proceedings to complete the record. This Court has held on numerous occasions that `it is the duty of the appellant to see that the record of the trial proceedings wherein error is claim[ed] is brought before this Court.' Jackson v. State, 684 So.2d 1213, 1226 (Miss.1996) (quoting Smith v. State, 572 So.2d 847, 849 (Miss. 1990)); see also Burney v. State, 515 So.2d 1154, 1160 (Miss.1987); Robinson v. State, 345 So.2d 1044, 1045 (Miss.1977). However, Watts does not claim any error from the proceedings, i.e., voir dire, closing arguments, and portions of the testimony of the defendant, which are missing from the record, and therefore, we find that Watts is not prejudiced by the unfortunate missing portions of the record and, thus, reversal is not required. ¶ 7. Watts, however, contends that the mere fact that portions of the trial are missing makes a truly accurate and meaningful review impossible and that the fact that gaps exist at all entitles him to a new trial despite the lack of an ability to show specific prejudice from the missing portions. In support of his argument, Watts cites to United States v. Carrillo in which the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals held that [a] criminal defendant has a right to a record on appeal which includes a complete transcript of the proceedings at trial. United States v. Carrillo, 902 F.2d 1405, 1409 (9th Cir.1990) (citing Hardy v. United States, 375 U.S. 277, 279-82, 84 S.Ct. 424, 11 L.Ed.2d 331 (1964)). However, the Ninth Circuit, in Carrillo, further stated that while court reporters are required by the Court Reporters Act, 28 U.S.C. § 753(b)(1) (1982), to record verbatim all proceedings in open court, their failure to do so does not require a per se rule of reversal.... Rather, some prejudice to the defendant must occur before reversal will be contemplated. Carrillo, 902 F.2d at 1409 (citing United States v. Doyle, 786 F.2d 1440, 1442 (9th Cir.1986)). The Ninth Circuit declined to find reversible error as a result of the incomplete record and affirmed Carrillo's conviction absent a showing that he was prejudiced by the missing portion of the record. Id. at 1412. Watts additionally cites to Commonwealth v. Goldsmith in which the Pennsylvania Supreme Court reversed and remanded for a new trial the conviction of Goldsmith because meaningful appellate review is impossible absent a full transcript or an equivalent picture of the trial proceedings. Commonwealth v. Goldsmith, 452 Pa. 22, 304 A.2d 478, 480 (1973). However, in the case sub judice, we find that Watts has been afforded an equivalent picture of the trial proceedings, for the trial court filed a bill of exceptions summarizing the only missing testimony at trial, i.e., the missing portions of the cross-examination and re-direct examination of Watts, and Watts made no objections to the bill of exceptions as being inaccurate. ¶ 8. In United States v. Renton, 700 F.2d 154 (5th Cir.1983), the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals was presented with a factually similar situation as this case presents. In Renton, the court reporter who had transcribed the proceedings at Renton's trial died shortly after Renton's appeal was filed and before the proceedings had been transcribed from his shorthand and from the tape recordings of the trial. United States v. Renton, 700 F.2d 154, 156-57 (5th Cir.1983). A substitute court reporter was appointed to transcribe the proceedings, but because of the idiosyncracies of the deceased court reporter's shorthand and lost or indecipherable tapes, the substitute court reporter was unable to completely reconstruct a transcript. Renton, 700 F.2d at 157. The missing portions of the record included portions of the argument to the judge concerning admission of co-conspirators' statements, the ability of a witness to testify after having heard portions of the trial, a defense motion, testimony on the final day of evidence, jury arguments and jury instructions. Id. ¶ 9. The Fifth Circuit relied on its earlier case of United States v. Selva, 559 F.2d 1303 (5th Cir.1977), to conclude that, absent a showing of specific prejudice by Renton due to the faulty transcript, the case should not be remanded for a new trial. Renton, 700 F.2d at 159. The Renton Court stated: In Selva, the court reviewed the pertinent sections in the Court Reporter Act, 28 U.S.C. § 753. The Act requires that the court reporter record verbatim by shorthand or by mechanical means ... (1) all proceedings in criminal cases had in open court.... 28 U.S.C. § 753(b). As was stated in Selva, This language is clear, and its requirements are mandatory. 559 F.2d at 1305. Reviewing the pertinent case law, including the Supreme Court decision in Hardy v. United States, 375 U.S. 277, 84 S.Ct. 424, 11 L.Ed.2d 331 ... (1964), we held that two dominant rules have evolved in cases involving record omissions: The first holds that failure to comply with the Act is not error per se and will not work a reversal absent a specific showing of prejudicei.e., appellant must show that failure to record and preserve the specific portion of the trial proceedings visits a hardship upon him and prejudices his appeal.... An examination of the second body of case law reveals that a different rule obtains in cases involving new counsel on appeal. When, as here, a criminal defendant is represented on appeal by counsel other than the attorney at trial, the absence of a substantial and significant portion of the record, even absent a specific showing of prejudice or error, is sufficient to mandate reversal.... When a defendant is represented on appeal by the same attorney who defended him at trial, the court may properly require counsel to articulate the prejudice that may have resulted from a failure to record a portion of the proceedings. Indeed, counsel's obligation to the court alone would seem to compel him to initiate such disclosure. The attorney, having been present at trial, should be expected to be aware of any errors or improprieties which may have occurred during the portion of the proceedings not recorded. But when a defendant is represented on appeal by counsel not involved at trial, counsel cannot reasonably be expected to show specific prejudice. Renton, 700 F.2d at 157 (quoting Selva, 559 F.2d at 1305-06). The Fifth Circuit held that since Renton was represented by the same counsel on appeal as at trial that Renton was required to show specific prejudice in order to mandate reversal. Id. at 158. The Fifth Circuit found that Renton failed to show specific prejudice by the missing portions of the record and declined to remand the case as a result. Id. at 159. ¶ 10. Likewise, in the case sub judice, Watts is represented by the same counsel on appeal as he was at the trial in this case. Therefore, adopting the Fifth Circuit's rationale in Renton and Selva, Watts is required to show specific prejudice by the missing portions of the record in order to mandate reversal and remand for a new trial. However, Watts does not allege any error from the missing portions of the record or specific prejudice by the missing portions of the record in this case. There is no merit to this issue.