Opinion ID: 1561466
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Standard of Review for a Brady Claim

Text: In order to demonstrate a Brady violation, the defendant has the burden to show (1) that favorable evidence, either exculpatory or impeaching, (2) was willfully or inadvertently suppressed by the State, and (3) because the evidence was material, the defendant was prejudiced. Strickler v. Greene, 527 U.S. 263, 281-82, 119 S.Ct. 1936, 144 L.Ed.2d 286 (1999); see also Way v. State, 760 So.2d 903, 910 (Fla.2000). In order to meet the materiality prong of Brady, the defendant must demonstrate a reasonable probability that, had the evidence been disclosed to the defense, the result of the proceeding would have been different. Youngblood, 547 U.S. at 870, 126 S.Ct. 2188 (quoting Strickler, 527 U.S. at 280, 119 S.Ct. 1936). [A] `showing of materiality does not require demonstration by a preponderance that disclosure of the suppressed evidence would have resulted ultimately in the defendant's acquittal.' Youngblood, 547 U.S. at 870, 126 S.Ct. 2188 (quoting Kyles, 514 U.S. at 434, 115 S.Ct. 1555). A reasonable probability of a different result is a probability sufficient to undermine confidence in the outcome. Strickland v. Washington, 466 U.S. 668, 694, 104 S.Ct. 2052, 80 L.Ed.2d 674 (1984); see also Strickler, 527 U.S. at 290, 119 S.Ct. 1936. Postconviction Brady claims present mixed questions of law and fact. Where, as here, the trial court has conducted an evidentiary hearing, we will defer to the factual findings of the trial court that are supported by competent, substantial evidence, but will review the application of the law to the facts de novo. Sochor v. State, 883 So.2d 766, 785 (Fla.2004); see also Lowe v. State, 2 So.3d 21, 29 (Fla.2008). Moreover, this Court will not substitute its judgment for that of the trial court on questions of fact, likewise of the credibility of the witnesses as well as the weight to be given to the evidence by the trial court. Lowe, 2 So.3d at 30 (quoting Blanco v. State, 702 So.2d 1250, 1252 (Fla. 1997)). It is within this framework that we first discuss the Brady claims raised by Hurst. 1. Brady Claim Regarding the Testimony of David Kladitis and Lee-Lee Smith Hurst contends that the State failed to disclose favorable, material evidence that State's witness David Kladitis saw several young black men in the parking lot of the Popeye's at around 7 a.m. on the morning of the murder. At the jury trial, Kladitis testified only that early on the day of the murder, while at the Barnes feed store near Popeye's, he saw Cynthia Harrison drive by in her car about 7:15 or 7:20 a.m., and that a large blue car, driven by a black man, was driving along behind her. He identified the blue car as matching Hurst's blue car. At the evidentiary hearing, Kladitis testified that he was deposed in the case but was never asked about any other observations he made concerning the Popeye's parking lot on the morning of the murder, even though he did report those observations to the Sheriff's Office investigators. That additional information was never disclosed to the defense. Kladitis testified at the evidentiary hearing that on the morning of the murder, he left the Barnes feed store to get a take-out breakfast and then returned to a parking lot near the Popeye's to eat. He saw a white automobile occupied by a couple of young black men drive into the Popeye's parking lot with the windows down and music playing real loud. Another automobile then drove up with several black men in it, also playing loud music. Around 7 a.m., Kladitis moved his car because the music was too loud. Hurst contends that this evidence was favorable because these individuals could be viewed as suspects in the murder, consistent with his theory of defense at trial that some other young black men committed the murder. The postconviction court concluded that the additional information Kladitis gave to investigators does not undermine confidence in the verdict, noting that Harrison was not killed until after 8 a.m., while the men Kladitis saw in the parking lot were there much earlier and were playing loud music. The court concluded that the additional evidence, when considered with the totality of the other evidence in the case, does not demonstrate a Brady violation. We agree. [T]he prosecution is not required to provide the defendant all information regarding its investigatory work on a particular case regardless of its relevancy or materiality. Overton v. State, 976 So.2d 536, 562 (Fla.2007) (citing Carroll v. State, 815 So.2d 601, 620 (Fla.2002)). Compare Rogers v. State, 782 So.2d 373, 384 (Fla.2001) (finding Brady violation for nondisclosure of police reports containing a tape revealing favorable, relevant evidence of coaching by the prosecutor and conflicting accounts of a witness's testimony) with Wright v. State, 857 So.2d 861, 870 (Fla.2003) (rejecting claim that information contained in police files concerning other possible suspects and other criminal activity in the same neighborhood was Brady material). In applying the Brady criteria, the evidence must be considered in the context of the entire record. Floyd v. State, 902 So.2d 775, 779 (Fla.2005). It is the net effect of the evidence that must be assessed. Way, 760 So.2d at 913 (quoting Jones v. State, 709 So.2d 512, 521 (Fla.1998)). We conclude that the additional information Kladitis provided about the men he saw in the parking lot more than an hour before the murder is not exculpatory or impeaching and is of questionable relevance. The additional evidence that Kladitis could have offered did not tie the unidentified men to the Popeye's crimes in any relevant manner, so no Brady violation occurred. Even if the State should have disclosed these additional observations made by Kladitis, any error in the State's failure to disclose this evidence does not undermine our confidence in the verdict when viewed in light of the totality of all the evidence in the case. Thus, the trial court's denial of relief on the Brady claim relating to witness Kladitis is affirmed. Hurst also contends that the State committed a Brady violation in failing to disclose the fact that Lee-Lee Smith would be charged with a crime in connection with the case. Smith was the State's main witness against Hurst and testified at trial that Hurst came to his home around 8:30 a.m. on the morning of the murder and admitted that he had killed Harrison. Smith hid the money Hurst brought with him, washed Hurst's bloody pants, and threw away Hurst's tennis shoes and socks. At the time of trial, Smith had not been charged with any crimes in connection with the Popeye's robbery and murder. After the trial concluded, Smith was charged as a juvenileas an accessory after the factand was subsequently convicted of that charge. Hurst argues on appeal that if the jury had known Smith would be charged in connection with the crime, there would have been no basis for the State's argument below that Smith would do anything that Hurst wanted. Hurst also contends that Smith's credibility before the jury would have been impeached if the jury had known he would be charged. Based on the testimony at the evidentiary hearing, we agree with the trial court that no Brady violation occurred. When Smith testified at the evidentiary hearing, he was uncertain about when he learned he would be charged in the case. The prosecutor, David Rimmer, also testified and denied telling Smith or his mother before trial that Smith would be charged. The prosecutor also denied that he had a plan to charge Smith and said that he did not decide to do so until after the trial was over. The postconviction court denied the claim, finding that the credible evidence demonstrated that the prosecutor did not tell Smith or Smith's mother before trial that he would be charged. The postconviction court found Smith's testimony uncertain and Rimmer's testimony credible, and we will not substitute our judgment for that of the trial court on this question of fact, the credibility of the witnesses, or the weight given to the evidence by the trial court. See Lowe, 2 So.3d at 30. Thus, relief is denied on this claim. [4] 2. Brady and Giglio Claims Regarding the Testimony of Anthony Williams Hurst next contends that the State committed a Brady violation in regard to the trial testimony of Anthony Williams by not disclosing that he was promised leniency by the prosecutor in exchange for his testimony at trial, now alleged to be false, that Hurst confessed to Harrison's murder. Hurst further argues that a Giglio violation occurred in regard to Williams' testimony when the prosecutor argued falsely to the jury that there were no promises of leniency. As we will explain, this claim is also without merit.