Opinion ID: 2360332
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 7

Heading: Informer Privilege In Camera Hearings

Text: It is now well-settled in federal courts that an in camera hearing provides the most suitable method for accomplishing the balancing of competing interests that is required by Roviaro. [27] As in Flowers, most of the United States Circuit Courts of Appeals require the trial judge to interview the informer in camera, rather than rely solely on the statements of the prosecution or the police officers who worked with the informer, to determine whether the informer has information that could materially aid the defense. [28] An in camera interview affords the trial judge the opportunity to ask the informer first-hand about the possible consequences he or she would face if disclosure were required and what testimony he or she could offer to aid the defense. As the Third Circuit has noted, one advantage of interviewing the informer in camera is that it enables the court to view with a keener perspective the factual circumstances upon which it must rule and attaches to the court's ruling a more abiding sense of fairness than could otherwise have been realized. [29] Courts in other jurisdictions have considered conducting in camera proceedings in several different ways. The procedure prescribed by many of the Circuit Courts of Appeals for conducting the in camera hearing with the informer excludes counsel for both parties, and also excludes the defendant and the police officers. [30] The trial judge questions the confidential informer in the presence of the court reporter, and no one else. In using that procedure, the trial judge has discretion to allow the State and the defense to submit interrogatories to be asked of the informer at the in camera hearing. We agree and hold that the foregoing procedure is preferable when the informer is testifying at an in camera hearing. We recognize, however, that D.R.E. 509 gives the trial judge discretion in deciding whether to allow counsel and the parties to attend the hearing. [31]