Opinion ID: 2508304
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Specific Contentions as to the Deficiency in Counsel's Performance

Text: When attempting to determine the voluntary and intelligent nature of a plea, the plea colloquy ordinarily serves as confirmation that a criminal defendant is waiving the right to raise certain constitutional claims by pleading guilty. See Rivers v. Strickland, 264 S.C. 121, 213 S.E.2d 97, 98 (1975) (The general rule is that a plea of guilty, voluntarily and understandingly made, constitutes a waiver of nonjurisdictional defects and defenses, including claims of violation of constitutional rights prior to the plea. An accused also waives the right to trial and the incidents thereof and the constitutional guarantees with respect to criminal prosecutions.) (citation omitted). However, [g]iven the seriousness of the matter, the Constitution insists, among other things, that the defendant enter a guilty plea that is `voluntary' and that the defendant must make related waivers `knowing[ly], intelligent[ly], [and] with sufficient awareness of the relevant circumstances and likely consequences.' United States v. Ruiz, 536 U.S. 622, 628, 122 S.Ct. 2450, 153 L.Ed.2d 586 (2002) (quoting Brady v. United States, 397 U.S. 742, 748, 90 S.Ct. 1463, 25 L.Ed.2d 747 (1970)) (alterations in original). Specifically, a defendant entering a guilty plea must be aware of the nature and crucial elements of the offense, the maximum and any mandatory minimum penalty, and the nature of the constitutional rights being waived. Anderson v. State, 342 S.C. 54, 57, 535 S.E.2d 649, 651 (2000) (emphasis removed) (citing State v. Hazel, 275 S.C. 392, 271 S.E.2d 602 (1980)). At the evidentiary hearing, the PCR judge found defense counsel to be more credible than Petitioner. See Solomon v. State, 313 S.C. 526, 443 S.E.2d 540 (1994) (appellate court deference to PCR judge's credibility findings is so great that it required the Court to uphold PCR judge's determination even where testimony at PCR hearing was unequivocally contradicted by the trial record). Through this lens, then, we find that Petitioner had a full understanding and awareness of both the circumstances surrounding the plea negotiations and the implications of rejecting the State's offer. Moreover, the record reveals that Petitioner was aware of the consequences of pleading guilty, rather than proceeding to trial, and voluntarily and intelligently relinquished his constitutional rights to a jury trial and all other attendant trial rights during the plea proceeding. However, insofar as Petitioner argues that the nondisclosure of the videotape renders his waiver involuntary, we address those concerns below.
To the extent Petitioner argues, pursuant to Brady v. Maryland, 373 U.S. 83, 83 S.Ct. 1194, 10 L.Ed.2d 215 (1963), that a criminal defendant may never enter a plea voluntarily without the State first disclosing all of the evidence in its possession, we disagree and hold that no Brady violation occurred in this case. The Brady disclosure rule requires the prosecution to provide to the defendant any evidence in the prosecution's possession that may be favorable to the accused and material to guilt or punishment. Porter v. State, 368 S.C. 378, 384, 629 S.E.2d 353, 356 (2006) (citation omitted). Brady evidence is either favorable exculpatory evidence or favorable impeachment evidence. Porter, 368 S.C. at 384, 629 S.E.2d at 356 (citing United States v. Bagley, 473 U.S. 667, 676, 105 S.Ct. 3375, 87 L.Ed.2d 481 (1985)). Materiality of evidence is determined based on the reasonable probability that the result of the proceeding would have been different had the evidence been disclosed to the defense. Id. (citing Kennerly, 331 S.C. at 453, 503 S.E.2d at 220). A reasonable probability is demonstrated when the suppression undermines confidence in the outcome of the trial. Id. (quoting Bagley, 473 U.S. at 678, 105 S.Ct. 3375). The State must disclose Brady evidence even when a criminal defendant does not specifically request the evidence. Id. (citing United States v. Agurs, 427 U.S. 97, 107, 96 S.Ct. 2392, 49 L.Ed.2d 342 (1976)). In Gibson v. State, 334 S.C. 515, 524, 514 S.E.2d 320, 324 (1999), we held that an applicant may challenge the voluntary nature of his guilty plea in a PCR action by asserting an alleged Brady violation. (citation omitted); see, e.g., State v. Hill, 368 S.C. 649, 657, 630 S.E.2d 274, 279 (2006) (recognizing the Court's extension of the Brady disclosure rule to guilty plea and sentencing procedures). Consequently, we utilized the following framework to evaluate the success of a PCR applicant's claim: (1) whether the evidence in question was favorable to the applicant; (2) whether the prosecution knew of or had the evidence in its possession; (3) whether the prosecution suppressed the evidence; and (4) whether the evidence was material to Petitioner's guilt or punishment. Gibson, 334 S.C. at 524, 514 S.E.2d at 324 (citations omitted). We held that these factors applied in the guilty plea context to both exculpatory evidence and evidence to be used for impeachment purposes. Id. (citations omitted). Finally, we held [a] Brady violation is material when there is a reasonable probability that, but for the government's failure to disclose Brady evidence, the defendant would have refused to plead guilty and gone to trial. Id. at 525, 514 S.E.2d at 325 (citations omitted). Petitioner cannot satisfy any of the factors delineated in Gibson to establish a Brady violation with respect to the videotape. Tantamount to any Brady claim is the withholding of evidence. Under the present facts, it is undisputed that the solicitor disclosed the videotape to defense counsel. Therefore, in order to find that this action amounts to impermissible suppression under Brady, we must first assume that the Constitution requires disclosure of Brady evidence to a criminal defendant personally. We are unwilling to make that sweeping assumption, and find that disclosure to defense counsel was satisfactory under the present circumstances. Further, because we deem the manner of disclosure appropriate, Petitioner cannot satisfy the materiality prong of Brady. See Porter v. State, 368 S.C. 378, 384, 629 S.E.2d 353, 356 (2006) (Materiality of evidence is determined based on the reasonable probability that the result of the proceeding would have been different had the evidence been disclosed to the defense.  (emphasis added) (citing Kennerly, 331 S.C. at 453, 503 S.E.2d at 220)). Finally, Petitioner has not proven that the videotape was favorable to him. By all accounts, including defense counsel's testimony, the videotape depicted Petitioner engaged in a drug transaction with a confidential informant. Because the evidence at issue is inculpatory, Brady is inapplicable. Therefore, no violation of Brady occurred under these facts.
In addition, Petitioner argues that, because he was not permitted to watch the videotape personally in violation of Rule 5 of the South Carolina Rules of Criminal Procedure, counsel was ineffective. We disagree. Rule 5 permits inspection of evidence in the State's possession which [is] material to the preparation of his defense or [is] intended for use by the prosecution as evidence in chief at the trial, or were obtained from or belong to the defendant upon request by the defendant. Rule 5(a)(1)(C), SCRCrP. Compliance with Rule 5 is a fact-based inquiry. Under the present facts, the State not only disclosed the existence of the videotape, but also made the evidence available for inspection by defense counsel. The State even took the extra step of generating still photographs to assuage Petitioner's concerns about the contents of the videotape. Plea negotiations were ongoing until the day before jury selection, and there is no indication that the State would have withheld the videotape if a full trial on the merits followed. In fact, the identity of the informant had been disclosed to the defense by the time Petitioner pleaded guilty, removing any remaining impediment to Petitioner's access to the videotape in time for his trial. We note that, in cases involving a confidential informant, a criminal defendant's interest in access to certain evidence must be weighed against the State's interest in protecting the identity and safety of the informant. See State v. Humphries, 354 S.C. 87, 90, 579 S.E.2d 613, 614-15 (2003) (Although the State is generally privileged from revealing the name of a confidential informant, disclosure may be required when the informant's identity is relevant and helpful to the defense or is essential for a fair determination of the State's case against the accused. For instance, if the informant is an active participant in the criminal transaction and/or a material witness on the issue of guilt or innocence, disclosure of his identity may be required depending upon the facts and circumstances. (internal citations omitted)). Here, the State struck the appropriate balance by allowing defense counsel to view the videotape and providing Petitioner with stills during negotiations. Therefore, under these circumstances, the manner and extent of disclosure to defense counsel was satisfactory under Rule 5 of the South Carolina Rules of Criminal Procedure. Accordingly, it cannot be said that defense counsel acted unreasonably in failing to seek to compel disclosure of the videotape to defendant personally under the facts of this case.