Opinion ID: 1702189
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 9

Heading: Failure to Request a Mistrial or Move for a Continuance

Text: ¶ 26. During the original trial, both the defense and the State learned that Investigator Gore had received an anonymous letter suggesting that Bounds may have been murdered in a case of mistaken identity. Berry claims that counsel was ineffective in failing to request either a continuance or mistrial after this discovery and that such failure waived review of the evidence under Brady v. Maryland, 373 U.S. 83, 83 S.Ct. 1194, 10 L.Ed.2d 215 (1963) (quoted with favor in Smith v. State, 500 So.2d 973, 976 (Miss.1986) (the suppression by the State of evidence favorable to an accused upon request violates due process where the evidence is material either to guilt or to punishment, irrespective of the good faith or bad faith of the prosecution.)). This rule encompasses impeachment evidence as well as exculpatory material. Malone v. State, 486 So.2d 367, 368 (Miss.1986) (citing United States v. Bagley, 473 U.S. 667, 105 S.Ct. 3375, 87 L.Ed.2d 481 (1985)). ¶ 27. Following the acknowledgment of the letter, defense counsel questioned Gore regarding, inter alia, its contents and whether the allegations were further pursued. Defense counsel then requested the letter be admitted into evidence. This request was followed by arguments regarding the letter's exculpatory nature and relevancy. After a fifteen minute break, when asked by the circuit judge, defense counsel declined to request a continuance. Subsequently, the circuit court did not allow the letter to be entered into evidence. We affirmed this ruling, citing precedent on discovery violations, including Box v. State, 437 So.2d 19 (Miss.1983). Berry I, 575 So.2d at 10. We found that Berry had waived review of the issue because trial counsel did not request a continuance. Id. ¶ 28. We have set out guidelines for trial judges to follow when dealing with discovery violations. The guidelines include: 1) Upon defense objection, the trial court should give the defendant a reasonable opportunity to become familiar with the undisclosed evidence by interviewing the witness, inspecting the physical evidence, etc. 2) If, after this opportunity for familiarization, the defendant believes he may be prejudiced by lack of opportunity to prepare to meet the evidence, he must request a continuance. Failure to do so constitutes waiver of the issue. 3) If the defendant does request a continuance, the State may choose to proceed with trial and forego using the undisclosed evidence. If the State is not willing to proceed without the evidence, the trial court must grant the requested continuance. Ramos v. State, 710 So.2d 380, 385 (Miss.1998) (emphasis added). ( See also Russell v. State, 789 So.2d 779, 785 (Miss.2001)). ¶ 29. We find that this issue is without merit. First, counsel, upon discovery, sufficiently familiarized himself with the letter and determined that the lack of opportunity to prepare did not prejudice the defense. Second, Berry fails to demonstrate or allege how a lack of an opportunity to prepare actually prejudiced his defense. Moreover, the decision not to request a continuance or a mistrial falls within the ambit of trial strategy.