Opinion ID: 1910680
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: 1-A Issue of Joinder

Text: There was no objection to the motion for consolidation, but Fisher now argues that it was obvious error to order the indictments joined for trial purposes. The phraseology of each indictment was identical except for the defendants' names. There was a single victim of the assault, one Leroy Morton; the State represented it would place both defendants at the scene at the same time, and would offer testimony consistent with proving a joint participation in the assault by the defendants. At the hearing on the State's motion, there was no suggestion that the confession of either defendant would be offered in evidence, and there was assurance that no Bruton problem existed. Bruton v. United States, 391 U.S. 123, 88 S.Ct. 1620, 20 L.Ed.2d 476 (1968). There was no intimation then that there would be antagonistic defenses presented. From this undisputed background we can detect no error in ordering the joint trial, let alone any error that could lead to manifest injustice. The justice below did not exceed discretionary limits by his joinder order. State v. Rich, Me., 395 A.2d 1123, 1128 (1978).