Opinion ID: 2356004
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: Subpoena for Police Personnel Records

Text: Prior to trial, appellant sought to subpoena the entire personnel files of Officers Vernouski and Painter in the hope, he says, of finding some prior involvement with tampering with evidence or other relevant evidence of misconduct. Appellant's Brief at 28. Following a hearing, the trial court quashed appellant's subpoena duces tecum on grounds of irrelevance. Appellant now claims that the trial court abused its discretion when it denied him access to the personnel files. Appellant argues that this ruling deprived him of a fair opportunity to examine the officers' truthfulness. Appellant cites Commonwealth v. Mejia-Arias, 734 A.2d 870 (Pa.Super.1999), and argues that because he was questioning the truthfulness of the two officers, any allegations that the officers had fabricated, lied, or perjured themselves in the past would be relevant. Appellant argues that, at the very least, the trial court should have conducted an in camera review of the officers' personnel files. The Commonwealth responds that appellant did not articulate any reasonable basis to support his request at trial, and had nothing more than a blind hope that inspection of the records would unveil some piece of information that would aid appellant's defense. Additionally, the Commonwealth notes the strong public interest in protecting the privacy and safety of law enforcement personnel and asserts that requests for such information must be narrowly tailored to target only relevant evidence. While not binding on this Court, the Superior Court panel opinion in Mejia-Arias provides useful guidance with which to evaluate this claim. The panel there opined that, to be permitted to obtain the personnel records of police officers, a defendant must first articulate a reasonable basis for his request; a criminal defendant is not entitled to a wholesale inspection of investigatory files. 734 A.2d at 876; see also Commonwealth v. Herrick, 442 Pa.Super. 412, 660 A.2d 51, 61 (1995) (citing Pennsylvania v. Ritchie, 480 U.S. 39, 59-60, 107 S.Ct. 989, 94 L.Ed.2d 40 (1987) (defendant does not have right to unfettered access to files not in his possession and cannot search untrammeled through Commonwealth files in order to argue the relevance of materials found therein)). As for in camera review, this Court has held that a defendant is entitled to court inspection of investigatory files only where there is an articulable reason to believe that inspection would lead to the discovery of some relevant evidence. See Commonwealth v. Gartner, 475 Pa. 512, 381 A.2d 114, 120 (1977). Appellant's unfounded speculation concerning Officers Vernouski and Painter is not a reasonable basis that would justify inspection, either by appellant or by the court in camera. Appellant presented no evidence that such an inspection would lead to any relevant evidence. In contrast, the defendant in Mejia-Arias, the case upon which appellant relies, articulated a reasonable basis justifying inspection because the officers who were to testify against the defendant were recently suspected of lying in connection with prior search warrants. Mejia-Arias, 734 A.2d at 872-73. Appellant's motion sought nothing more than a wholesale inspection of personnel files, which should certainly require a greater showing of basis and necessity than simply unsupported speculation concerning investigatory files pertaining to a defendant's prosecution. Furthermore, as the Commonwealth notes, the strong public interest in protecting the privacy and safety of law enforcement officers requires a narrowly targeted and supported request for relevant documents. A defendant has no right to obtain or review personnel records in the mere hope that he might uncover some collateral information with which to challenge the credibility of a police officer. Consequently, appellant's claim that the trial court abused its discretion in rejecting his request for access to the officers' personnel files lacks merit.