Opinion ID: 1242820
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Testimony of Melvin Osborne

Text: At the evidentiary hearing, Osborne testified that he had been acquainted with Whiteley since 1989 and that he had seen Whiteley at a gas station in Beaver, Utah, on January 16, 1991, where they spoke briefly. Osborne testified that, at that time, Whiteley introduced the woman accompanying him. He testified that he observed nothing abnormal about the woman's behavior. Specifically, he testified that the woman moved about the gas station freely and that she did not appear apprehensive, scared or worried. After the initial consideration of this testimony, the district court denied post-conviction relief to Whiteley, based in part upon the following findings: (1) Osborne's testimony would corroborate the observations of the motel clerk in Utah (who did testify at the trial) but would provide nothing new; and (2) Osborne's testimony does not constitute new evidence because Whiteley was aware of this testimony prior to trial but did not communicate it to trial counsel. However, without otherwise amending its findings, the district court upon reconsideration determined that Osborne's testimony was not merely cumulative, but material, because Osborne's observations occurred during the actual kidnaping and raise an inference of innocence. The district court then concluded that Osborne's testimony, coupled with that of the motel clerk, may well result in a different verdict. The district court's order on reconsideration addressed the materiality and cumulative nature of Osborne's testimony. Even though it was argued that the testimony was offered to impeach the credibility of the victim's testimony, the district court did not speak to the impeaching nature of that evidence. The district court, however, did consider how Osborne's testimony might alter the result in a new trial, but the district court did not elaborate as to whether Osborne's testimony would be sufficient to overcome the other evidence of guilt, such as Whiteley's possession of a stun gun and handcuffs which, according to the victim, were used by Whiteley in committing the kidnaping. Moreover, the district court was bound to a stricter standard under Drapeau, that the evidence will probably produce an acquittal, and that standard was not met. As to the remaining factors of Drapeau, the district court left undisturbed its original finding that the evidence was not newly discovered because it was known to Whiteley at the time of trial. Accordingly, we conclude that Osborne's testimony fails the Drapeau test and thus cannot support the district court's decision to grant a new trial on the basis of newly discovered evidence.