Opinion ID: 1734443
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 8

Heading: Whether the trial court erred in denying a continuance of the suppression hearing.

Text: ¶ 6. Jacobs filed his motion to suppress alleging his statement was unconstitutionally obtained by improper coercion and duress and/or promises of suggestion of leniency. He also argued that at the time of his arrest, officers were informed that an attorney had been called, yet they proceeded to question Jacobs. At the hearing, defense counsel requested a continuance because the videotape was inaudible, and he could not adequately represent his client until he knew what the tape said. The trial court denied the continuance. On appeal to this Court, Jacobs avers that the hearing on the motion to suppress should have been continued until a transcript of the tape was available to the defense in order to completely explore the implied promises of leniency contained in the tape. ¶ 7. We will reverse the denial of a motion for continuance only when manifest injustice appears to have resulted from the decision to deny the continuance. Johnson v. State, 631 So.2d 185, 189 (Miss. 1994). Whether a continuance should be granted or denied is within the sound discretion of the trial court. Id. When analyzing whether there was an abuse of discretion or manifest injustice, it must be determined whether the absence of the transcript of Jacobs's statement worked to his prejudice. ¶ 8. Jacobs argues that without the transcript, his attorneys were unable to thoroughly cross-examine Ranger Wardlow regarding his implication to Jacobs that they would work with his statement and other implied promises of leniency in the tape. However, the State points out that the trial judge, the prosecutor and defense counsel all listened to the tape, and all except the defense attorney found the tape to be audible. The State further asserts that the denial of continuance did not prevent counsel from making his arguments, or cross-examining the witness regarding the constitutional challenges to the statement. Therefore, there was no prejudice. This Court finds that the judge did not abuse his discretion because he listened to the tape and determined it to be audible. Additionally, the judge allowed the defense up to three additional weeks to supplement the evidence before the court with affidavits. Therefore, Jacobs was not prejudiced by the refusal of the court to make the transcripts of the tape available to defense counsel. This issue is without merit.