Opinion ID: 1145036
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Scope of the Sanction

Text: Although we have concluded that the defendant's due process rights have been violated, the question remains whether the trial court's order excluding all evidence pertaining to the severed fingertip was proper in light of the evidence presented at the hearing on the motion to suppress. This court has recognized a broad discretion in fashioning a proper remedy for the loss or destruction of evidence. People v. Poole, 192 Colo. 56, 555 P.2d 980 (1976). Many remedies short of total suppression can be imposed which will adequately protect the rights of the defendant. See Judicial Response to Governmental Loss or Destruction of Evidence, 39 U.Chi.L.Rev. 542 (1972). The responsibility of the trial court is to fashion an appropriate remedy which is no more restrictive than necessary to protect the defendant's right to due process. The People urge on appeal that the trial court's order suppressing all evidence concerning the lost fingertip was too broad in its scope. Although we are inclined to agree with the appellant's contention based on the record before us, the People have failed to provide us with a sufficient record to permit us to fully review the merits of this claim. The record which was provided to this court reveals that the trial court read the entire transcript of the defendant's preliminary hearing, which by the trial court's ruling was made part of the record. Furthermore, it is obvious from the record before us that the trial court believed that evidence revealed in the transcript was important and necessary in resolving the issue. We also note that the district attorney in arguing before the trial court referred to testimony at the preliminary hearing. See footnote 2, supra. This transcript was not included in the record certified to this court. C.A.R. 4.1(d) provides that the record in an interlocutory appeal shall include the reporter's transcript of all testimony taken at the hearing on said motions . . . . In addition, C.A.R. 10(b) places the duty on the appellant to provide all relevant evidence in the record to support his contention: If the appellant intends to urge on appeal that a finding or conclusion is unsupported by the evidence or is contrary to the evidence, he shall include in the record a transcript of all evidence relevant to such finding or conclusion. It is a well-settled principle of appellate practice that this court must presume that the trial court's findings and conclusions are supported by the evidence where the appellant has failed to provide a complete record on appeal. E. g., Furer v. Allied Steel Co., 174 Colo. 171, 483 P.2d 212 (1971); White v. Jackson, 41 Colo.App. 433, 586 P.2d 243 (1978). The order of the trial court suppressing all evidence relating to the severed fingertip is affirmed.