Opinion ID: 160936
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Delp Report

Text: 35 Rojem found the Delp Report after the federal district court granted discovery. The Report indicated that between 2:55 a.m. and 3:25 a.m., when Rojem allegedly was at home, Lawana Delp saw headlights of a vehicle she could not identify by make or model one-third mile from the Delp home in the field where Layla's body was later found. The car was still there at 3:25 a.m. when she went to bed. Her husband stated that the road was used as a shortcut by people coming and going from the bars. 36 The federal district court agreed with Rojem that the State should have given him this Report because it had exculpatory value. Nonetheless, the court determined the Report was not material because there was no reasonable probability disclosure would have resulted in a different outcome at trial. 37 Reviewing de novo, see LaFevers, 182 F.3d at 711, we agree. Even if someone was near the crime scene at the time noted, the Report does not preclude Rojem as a suspect or even strongly suggest someone other than Rojem committed the crime. Other than the timing and location of the headlights, Rojem presented no evidence connecting the vehicle to the murder. 38 In light of the Delp Report, Rojem argues counsel should have known to investigate Schoonover and Bounds as potential suspects. No evidence connects either one with the crime, however. In contrast, the evidence presented at trial pointed to Rojem as the killer. Further, the possibility counsel could have investigated other alleged suspects does not establish a reasonable probability the trial's outcome would have been different. 39 Considering the undisclosed evidence collectively, the State did not fail to disclose material evidence. See Johnson, 169 F.3d at 1255 (citing Kyles v. Whitley, 514 U.S. 419, 436-37, 438-39 (1995)). We therefore conclude there is no reasonable probability the trial result would have been different if all of this evidence had been disclosed before trial. Rojem had a fair trial resulting in a verdict worthy of confidence. See Kyles, 514 U.S. at 434. And the alleged Brady violation did not render his counsel constitutionally ineffective. 8 40