Opinion ID: 1913318
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 17

Heading: did the trial court err in denying holland's motion for a criminal history of the victim?

Text: ¶ 65. Holland argues that he was entitled to Krystal King's criminal history. Holland asserts that this information would have been relevant to the question of guilt, or to Miss. Code Ann. § 99-19-101(6)(c). This mitigator/statute allows evidence on the question of [t]he victim was a participant in the defendant's conduct or consented to the act. Miss. Code Ann. § 99-19-101(6)(c) (1994 rev.). [10] ¶ 66. Holland cites Brady v. Maryland, 373 U.S. 83, 87, 83 S.Ct. 1194, 1196-97, 10 L.Ed.2d 215 (1963) for the proposition that a due process violation is automatically triggered upon a suppression of any evidence material to guilt or punishment, regardless of good faith. ¶ 67. However, the United States Supreme Court developed a materiality standard for Brady violations. United States v. Agurs, 427 U.S. 97, 114, 96 S.Ct. 2392, 2402, 49 L.Ed.2d 342 (1976). In Agurs, the Court was faced with a prosecutor who failed to release a victim's criminal record and was consequently attacked with a Brady violation. Agurs, 427 U.S. at 114, 96 S.Ct. at 2402. The Court stated that no Brady violation exists where the evidence in question would not raise a reasonable doubt about guilt under the circumstances. Id. The Court further refined the Brady problem later by stating that there was no violation of a defendant's Brady rights unless the omission of evidence created a reasonable probability of changing the outcome of a given case. United States v. Bagley, 473 U.S. 667, 684, 105 S.Ct. 3375, 3384-85, 87 L.Ed.2d 481 (1985). ¶ 68. Other states have applied Brady to their own caselaw. New York stated that, absent a connection between the victim's criminal record to the crime with which the defendant was charged, the victim's record was collateral and the State could properly move to suppress it. People v. Battee, 122 A.D.2d 526, 505 N.Y.S.2d 10, 11 (1986). Georgia stated that the victim's criminal record was properly withheld when the purpose of its use was inconsistent with the facts and circumstances of the case. Howard v. State, 251 Ga. 586, 308 S.E.2d 167, 169 (1983). ¶ 69. Applying the materiality standard, the facts of Krystal's death should be considered. Holland argues that Krystal's criminal record, regarding use of a knife, would implicate her participation in the crime to her own body. However, Dr. McGarry testified as to the sequence of Krystal's injuries, beginning with the blows to her face, arms, and legs, then the injuries to her vagina and rectum, supposedly consistent with forceful sexual penetration. Only after those injuries did the stab wound to Krystal's heart occur, according to the forensic pathologist. Krystal then suffered a shirt being knotted around her throat and a pair of panties being stuffed into her throat, which caused her death. Krystal also suffered a skull-breaking blow to the back of her head, occurring close to the time of her death. ¶ 70. We hold that any record of Krystal's criminal activity would not meet the Agurs and Bagley materiality standards. Even if Krystal engaged in knifeplay with Holland, she certainly did not help him inflict these additional wounds to her own body, and indeed, many of these injuries occurred before her knife wound. [11] It would be illogical to believe that any human being would consent to having a pair of underwear stuffed into his or her throat, nor would Krystal have possibly helped Holland to hit her with sufficient force to fracture her skull, in the back of her head. [12] As a result, this Court finds that evidence of knifeplay in Krystal's criminal record, assuming arguendo that it exists, would not raise a reasonable doubt as to the outcome of this case. We find no error regarding this issue.