Opinion ID: 1749529
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 13

Heading: analysis

Text: Section 29-1602 provides: All informations shall be filed in the court having jurisdiction of the offense specified therein, by the prosecuting attorney of the proper county as informant. The prosecuting attorney shall subscribe his or her name thereto and endorse thereon the names of the witnesses known to him or her at the time of filing. After the information has been filed, the prosecuting attorney shall endorse on the information the names of such other witnesses as shall then be known to him or her as the court in its discretion may prescribe, except that if a notice of aggravation is contained in the information as provided in section 29-1603, the prosecuting attorney may endorse additional witnesses at any time up to and including the thirtieth day prior to the trial of guilt. The purpose of § 29-1602 is to notify the defendant as to witnesses who may testify against the defendant and give the defendant an opportunity to investigate them. See State v. Boppre, 234 Neb. 922, 453 N.W.2d 406 (1990). But it has long been the rule in this state that the requirement that the names of the witnesses for the State must be endorsed upon the information has no application to rebuttal witnesses. State v. Canbaz, 259 Neb. 583, 611 N.W.2d 395 (2000). Furthermore, a trial court may allow witnesses to be endorsed after an information is filed when doing so does not prejudice the defendant in the preparation of his or her defense. State v. Gutierrez, 260 Neb. 1008, 620 N.W.2d 738 (2001). In this case, Dr. Okoye testified as a rebuttal witness, and Molina has made no showing of how he was prejudiced by Dr. Okoye's endorsement less than 30 days prior to trial, nor has he assigned error to the overruling of his motion for continuance. It is impossible to conclude that Molina was prejudiced when he received more notice of Dr. Okoye's testimony than was required. In short, no abuse of discretion appears on this record. Molina's assignment of error is without merit.