Opinion ID: 1995858
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 12

Heading: The Read-Back of Testimony

Text: The defendant also contends that the trial justice erred in permitting the court reporter to read to the deliberating jury as extensively as she did from her notes relative to Stephanie's trial testimony. Specifically, defendant challenges the trial justice's decision to allow the read-back to continue (over defendant's objection) into an area concerning which the jury had not requested a read-back. The defendant points out that, whereas the jury had requested a read-back of Stephanie's testimony as to exactly what happened when she and Kevin were on the couch, the actual read-back of Stephanie's direct testimony continued past the point in time when she was on the couch at the Adefusika home; the testimony that was read back included Stephanie's account of her running from the couch, grabbing a phone, barricading herself in a closet-like room, and calling her mother. The read-back also included Stephanie's direct testimony that defendant had threatened that he was going to hunt [her] down and rape [her]. The trial justice stated that, after receiving the jury's request for a read-back, he had asked the court reporter to locate that testimony; and he also conferred with the attorneys regarding the jury's request. The trial justice then explained to the jury that the court reporter would need to print and proofread her notes before reading Stephanie's testimony back to the jury. The trial justice also noted that neither attorney objected to the reading back of the testimony. He then excused the jury until the following Monday morning. On that Monday morning, the trial justice noted on the record that, before the court reporter actually started to read back Stephanie's testimony, he had attempted to contact defense counsel so that he could go over what was to be read back. However, the trial justice was unable to reach defense counsel, and he permitted the court reporter to read to the jury an excerpted portion of Stephanie's testimony. When a jury makes a request, the trial justice should, if the trial justice deems the request appropriate, conform his or her response to the request. Ros, 973 A.2d at 1176; see also Dumas, 835 A.2d at 443. The trial justice has considerable discretion as to how to respond to such a request. Dumas, 835 A.2d at 443-45; see also Ros, 973 A.2d at 1176. We perceive no abuse of discretion on the part of the trial justice or prejudice to defendant in this case. The trial justice permitted the court reporter to read portions of Stephanie's direct testimony, as well as defense counsel's cross-examination of her. Accordingly, the read-back was neither one-sided nor slanted in favor of either party. And, in any event, it simply consisted of testimony that the jury had already heard at trial; as such, it could be considered cumulative. See Graham, 941 A.2d at 860 n. 11. In conclusion, it is our opinion that the read-back of Stephanie's testimony was fair and impartial and that the trial justice did not abuse his discretion in allowing it. See Pierce, 689 A.2d at 1035; see also Ros, 973 A.2d at 1176.