Opinion ID: 858503
Heading Depth: 4
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Dave Huber Interview

Text: [¶40] On July 26, 2011, the prosecutor’s investigator interviewed Dave Huber, a member of Kovach’s hunting camp who was present when Kovach returned to the camp with the Ribelin brothers. This interview was recorded and transcribed, but it was not provided to defense counsel. [¶41] As noted above, the burden is on Kovach to prove that material exculpatory evidence was suppressed. See Wilkening, ¶ 12, 172 P.3d at 388. On appeal, however, Kovach has made no argument as to what portion of the Huber interview was exculpatory or how the evidence was material to the outcome of the trial. Kovach does no more than identify the interview as evidence the prosecution failed to turn over, and he thus has not met his burden of proving a Brady violation. [¶42] Additionally, the record shows that defense counsel had the same information the prosecution had as to any evidence Mr. Huber could provide. See Thomas, ¶ 16, 131 P.3d at 353 (“The essence of Brady is the discovery of information after the trial, which was known to the prosecution but unknown to the defense during the trial.”). Specifically, the record contains an affidavit signed by Mr. Huber in which he attested: 5. I was interviewed by an investigator from the [defense counsel’s] office. 6. I w a s a l s o i n t e r v i e w e d b y [ t h e p r o s e c u tor’s investigator], an investigator from Sublette County, in late July of 2011 about this matter. 7. A f t e r b e i n g i n t e r v i e w e d b y [ t h e p r o s e c u tor’s investigator], the investigator from Sublette County, I was also interviewed by [defense counsel] about this matter. My interview with [defense counsel] occurred before December, 2011. During this interview, I told [defense counsel] I had 17 given a tape recorded interview to [the prosecutor’s investigator] at my home in Wyoming. 8. During each interview with both investigators and [defense counsel], I told the same story about what I recalled from the confrontation at the Kovach hunting camp on October 15, 2010. 9. During each interview, I stated that I heard Travis Kovach and one of the other men arguing with each other. Although I don’t recall what was said, I do recall telling each interviewer that both men were using loud voices. 10. During each interview, I stated that I did not see Travis Kovach hit anyone. 11. During each interview, I state[d] that I never heard anyone mention at camp that Travis Kovach had fired his gun or used his gun to hit the other gentlemen. [¶43] Based on our reasoning above, we are unable to find a Brady violation in the prosecution’s failure to disclose the Huber transcript to defense counsel. Nonetheless, we do not condone the failure to disclose the evidence, and we remind prosecutors that when they “fail … to disclose exculpatory evidence they not only fail in their duty and risk otherwise justifiable convictions, but expose themselves to the charge that they have violated Rule of Professional Conduct 3.8.” Lawson, ¶ 53, 242 P.3d at 1009.