Opinion ID: 1561466
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: guilt phase claims after an evidentiary hearing

Text: Hurst first contends that the State withheld favorable, material evidence in violation of Brady v. Maryland, 373 U.S. 83, 83 S.Ct. 1194, 10 L.Ed.2d 215 (1963), [3] in regard to State's witnesses David Kladitis, Anthony Williams, and Lee-Lee Smith. We disagree and affirm the trial court's denial of postconviction relief on these claims. A Brady violation occurs when the government fails to disclose evidence materially favorable to the accused. Youngblood v. West Virginia, 547 U.S. 867, 869, 126 S.Ct. 2188, 165 L.Ed.2d 269 (2006); see also Riechmann v. State, 966 So.2d 298, 307 (Fla.2007) (citing Mordenti v. State, 894 So.2d 161, 168 (Fla. 2004)). The government's obligation to disclose materially favorable evidence extends to both exculpatory and impeachment evidence, United States v. Bagley, 473 U.S. 667, 676, 105 S.Ct. 3375, 87 L.Ed.2d 481 (1985), and to evidence that is `known only to police investigators and not to the prosecutor.' Youngblood, 547 U.S. at 870, 126 S.Ct. 2188 (quoting Kyles v. Whitley, 514 U.S. 419, 438, 115 S.Ct. 1555, 131 L.Ed.2d 490 (1995)).