Opinion ID: 1890124
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Is a new trial warranted?

Text: The parties agree that Zackary's newly discovered evidence meets three of the four prongs for assessing whether it merits a new trial: the evidence was not known at trial; its being unknown was not attributable to a failure of due diligence by the defense; and the newly discovered evidence is not merely cumulative or impeaching. The remaining issue is whether the newly discovered evidence is so material that it is likely to produce a different result on retrial. Evidence is considered to likely produce a different result at a new trial if it is credible and reasonably sufficient to raise a substantial doubt in the mind of a reasonable person as to the result of a new trial. State v. Jennings, 326 Mo. 1085, 34 S.W.2d 50, 54-55 (1930).
The State's arguments at the motion hearing challenged the admissibility of the new evidence, arguing that it was inadmissible hearsay. In assessing the availability of a new trial, however, the court's task is to assess the credibility of the newly discovered evidence, not to conjecture as to its future admissibility. See id. After all, the evidence may be offered differently at a new trial. Courts have noted that self-incriminatory statements that are made to close family members shortly after an alleged crime, that also are corroborated by confirmed DNA evidence, carry substantial indicia of reliability that lends to their trustworthiness. See, e.g., Chambers v. Mississippi, 410 U.S. 284, 300-01, 93 S.Ct. 1038, 35 L.Ed.2d 297 (1973) (noting in a discussion about exceptions to the inadmissibility of hearsay that a substantial indicia of reliability was established where the statements at issue were made spontaneously to a close acquaintance shortly after the murder, were corroborated by some other evidence in the case, and were self-incriminatory and unquestionably against interest). The circumstances under which Tim's alleged statements were made lend credence to their credibility: Tim's purported statements to his nephew about his presence at the crime scene were made the day after Victim's murder and were corroborated by Tim's DNA being found on the bloody hat at the crime scene; [12] Tim's purported statements to his brother were uttered shortly after Victim's murder and were made spontaneously in the context of the brothers' conversation about family issues. [13] The credibility of Tim's alleged statements is additionally enhanced by the fact that the evidence was generated by his family memberspresumably Tim's brother and nephew would be more likely to lie to protect Tim, not to vilify him in an effort to protect Zackary. Cf. State v. Rogers, 758 S.W.2d 199, 200-01 (Mo.App. 1988) (noting the untrustworthiness of statements offered in support of a defendant by his own friends and relatives; suggesting that trustworthiness requires a neutral interest toward the defendant). Zackary persuasively argues that the newly discovered evidence of Tim's alleged statements is credible for purposes of granting a new trial.
The State's theory at trial was that Zackary and Leo were the two men Victim referred to in his 911 call. But because no forensic evidence connected them to the crime scene, the State relied on the testimony of Zackary's two cellmates to convince the jury of Zackary's guilt. The newly discovered evidence relating to Tim's purported statements to his brother and nephew, particularly when considered with the now-confirmed DNA evidence linking Tim to the scene, raises serious doubts about the State's theory of the case. If presented to and believed by the jury, Zackary's newly discovered evidence allows him to present an alternative theory in his defense beyond his sister's testimony that he did not leave her home the night of Victim's killing. During retrial, it is likely that the newly discovered evidence will produce a different result because the jury will conclude that the two men referenced by Victim were Tim (who was married to an Eby girl and drove a light-colored vehicle) and another person, not Zackary, who contributed the unknown DNA found at the scene. [14] For these reasons, Zackary's new evidence meets the criteria of being reasonably sufficient to raise a substantial doubt in the mind of a reasonable person as to the result if he is retried. See Jennings, 34 S.W.2d at 54-55.