Opinion ID: 1720066
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: New Trial for Newly Discovered Evidence

Text: The appellant claims he should have a new trial because the testimony of Jacob Johnson, Jr., stating Belinda Burton was not present at the scene and only testified to reduce her sentence, is adequate impeachment of Burton's eyewitness testimony to meet the two-prong test of Florida Rule of Criminal Procedure 3.600(a)(3) as (1) new and material evidence, that if introduced at the trial would probably have changed the verdict ... and (2) that the defendant could not with reasonable diligence have discovered... . The trial court found that the evidence was discovered not after the trial but rather before closing arguments on the guilt phase. The court held that under Robinson v. State, 50 Fla. 115, 39 So. 465 (1905), the appellant did not use proper diligence and could have properly moved the court to permit him to reopen and introduce such testimony at any time prior to the jury's retiring to consider its verdict. In considering the effect of Johnson's testimony, the trial court held: [T]he newly discovered evidence was directed toward the impeachment of one of the State's witnesses and did not go to the merits of the case within the meaning of the aforesaid requirements. The new witness, John Jacobson [sic], knew nothing about the facts regarding the murder. He was not at the scene of the crime. His testimony was sought to be elicited to impeach the credibility of one of the state's witnesses... . We agree that Johnson's testimony pertained only to the credibility of Burton. We reject an absolute rule that impeachment testimony can never satisfy that portion of rule 3.600(a)(3) which requires that new evidence would probably have changed the verdict. In this case, however, we find the new evidence did not satisfy the new trial standard under rule 3.600. The record reflects that Johnson's character was itself susceptible to impeachment, the new evidence was nonsubstantive in nature, and the advisory jury rejected Johnson's testimony in recommending the death penalty. Having held the new trial standard was not met, we need not address the issue of timeliness of the new trial request. We do, however, note that appellant had effectively blocked the state from reopening the testimony to put on additional witnesses and the presentation of Johnson's testimony would have opened the door to allow the state to call other witnesses which this record reflects were knowledgeable about the incident.