Opinion ID: 1702383
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: whether the trial court erred in allowing the jury to consider testimony from persons who heard other witnesses testify in baine's previous trials?

Text: Prior to the trial in the instant case, Baine had been convicted in separate trials on two severed counts. The Rule was invoked in each trial, but the witnesses apparently were permitted to remain in the courtroom after they had been finally excused. Some of these witnesses testified in the trial below. Baine argues that the trial court erred in permitting witnesses to testify who had heard evidence in previous trials of related crimes. Baine was able to muster no caselaw to support his proposition that a sequestration order applies in trials subsequent to the one in which it is entered. This Court has never addressed the question. Cases are plentiful in other jurisdictions, however, wherein witnesses were allowed to testify in subsequent related trials despite sequestration orders in earlier trials. See, e.g., State v. Harrell, 67 N.C. App. 57, 64, 312 S.E.2d 230, 236 (N.C. Ct. App. 1984); State v. Jackson, 265 S.C. 278, 217 S.E.2d 794, 795 (1975); State v. Tropiano, 158 Conn. 412, 262 A.2d 147 (1969), cert. denied, 398 U.S. 949, 90 S.Ct. 1866, 26 L.Ed.2d 288 (1970). Where witnesses testify for the state concerning essentially the same matters in two successive trials, the defendant is able to detect intervening collusion and tailoring of testimony by comparing the second testimony with the first. Applying this rationale, courts have found that trial courts may properly refuse to sequester witnesses who have told their stories in previous trials. See Commonwealth v. Davis, 363 Pa.Super. 562, 581, 526 A.2d 1205, 1215 (Penn.Sup.Ct. 1987), app. denied, 518 Pa. 624, 541 A.2d 1135 (1988); Jackson, 217 S.E.2d at 795; Commonwealth v. Yount, 455 Pa. 303, 318, 314 A.2d 242, 250 (1974). In the instant case, Baine had the opportunity to cross-examine the repeat witnesses and could have pointed out discrepancies had any existed. There is nothing in the record to suggest that these witnesses altered their testimony as a result of what they heard at Baine's prior trials. Even if the prosecution did violate the sequestration rule by putting on witnesses who attended Baine's other trials, the error is harmless since the appellant has demonstrated no resulting prejudice. See Douglas v. State, 525 So.2d 1312, 1319 (Miss. 1988) (sequestration rule violation was harmless where defendant suffered no unfair prejudice); Bullock v. State, 391 So.2d 601, 607 (Miss. 1980) (where witnesses discussed testimony prior to trial, admission of testimony was not erroneous where record indicated no prejudice to defendant), cert. denied, 452 U.S. 931, 101 S.Ct. 3068, 69 L.Ed.2d 432 (1981). In any event, application of the sequestration rule is a matter residing within the trial court's discretion. Davis v. State, 472 So.2d 428 (Miss. 1985); Bell v. State, 443 So.2d 16 (Miss. 1983); Bullock, 391 So.2d at 607. Nothing here suggests that the lower court abused its discretion by allowing these witnesses to testify. The assignment of error has no merit.