Opinion ID: 6108499
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Sealing Summary of Privileged Communications Contained within the Master's Report

Text: Healea first argues this Court should issue a writ of mandamus ordering the trial court to seal portions of the master's report containing specific content of the conversation between Healea and his counsel. The parties agree the surreptitious recording of Healea's conversation with his attorney was a violation of Healea's Sixth  Amendment right to counsel. 2 The State conceded no portion of the DVD should be available for viewing and listening. Included in the master's report was paragraph 10, which described the substance of questions Healea posed to his attorney. Yet the master noted the conversation did not involve trial strategy. Accordingly, the master recommended a remedy less drastic than dismissal of all charges, such as an order excluding all evidence concerning the conversation, should be sufficient to eliminate any prejudice to the [Healea's] fundamental right to a fair trial before an impartial jury. Despite the master finding portions of the recording to be unintelligible or completely inaudible, paragraph 10 described the substance of questions Healea posed to his attorney. This confidential conversation, as referred to in paragraph 10, should be sealed. The State agreed this Court should seal paragraph 10. Consequently, the trial court shall order the circuit clerk to seal paragraph 10 of the master's report. The circuit clerk shall unseal the remainder of the master's report as it contains no confidential statements by Healea or his attorney. The trial court will have a continuing duty to not allow anything containing privileged communications to be filed unless it is filed under seal.