Opinion ID: 2600745
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Mara's motion for continuance and mistrial

Text: Mara next contends that the trial court erred in denying his motions for continuance or, alternatively, for mistrial due to the loss of potential exculpatory evidence that was not brought to his attention before trial. As previously stated, Mara's motions were premised on the contention that the witnesses' statements regarding guns in the trunk of Akopian's vehicle were critical to his theory that he acted in self-defense because such evidence would have supported his contention that he believed Akopian was reaching for a gun when the shooting occurred. However, we do not believe that the trial court abused its discretion in denying the motions because Mara was not materially prejudiced by the unavailability of the purported witnesses. The relevant portion of the court's self-defense instruction stated: The use of deadly force upon or toward another person is justified when a person using such force reasonably believes that deadly force is immediately necessary to protect himself on the present occasion against death or serious bodily injury. The reasonableness of the defendant's belief that the use of such protective force was immediately necessary shall be determined from the viewpoint of a reasonable person in the defendant's position under the circumstances of which the defendant was aware or as the defendant reasonably believed them to be. (Emphases added.) Mara stated that he fired because he believed Akopian, who was seated behind the wheel of the car, was reaching for a gun. The basis of Mara's self-defense argument was thus that it was immediately necessary to shoot before Akopian retrieved a gun from the passenger compartment of the car and shot first. However, the presence of a gun in the trunk of which Mara never claimed to be awareis not probative of Mara's belief that Akopian was reaching for a gun harbored in the passenger compartment of the vehicle. Mara asserts that evidence that there were weapons in the trunk of Akopian's car was relevant to show that Mara was realistic in his belief that Akopian was reaching for a gun. The inference or connection that Mara hoped to make was that someone who carries guns in his car trunk is more likely to carry or probably is carrying guns in the passenger compartment of the vehicle. Even if Mara had a witness available to present such evidence, it would have been marginal at best, as well as cumulative, insofar as there was an abundance of other evidence already before the jury that supported Mara's contention that he believed Akopian was reaching for a gun and that he feared that Akopian might fire it at him. Mara stated that he had stolen a weapon from Akopian a few days earlier and that he knew Akopian had a previous weapons charge against him. Akopian himself acknowledged a previous weapons charge. Mara knew, and Akopian acknowledged, that Akopian had threatened him, and it was undisputed that Akopian was angry at Mara. It was also clear that tensions between Mara and Akopian had been escalating in the days leading up to the shooting. Defense counsel also established that Akopian had a strong motivation to deny that he possessed any weapons at the time of the shooting because he could be returned to prison. Akopian's own testimony that he drove away from the scene of the shooting and then pulled over while talking on his cell phone, before summoning help for Jensen, strongly suggests that he was trying to hide something. Finally, Detective Fitchett acknowledged that there were reports that Akopian was seen running from his car carrying something in his hands and handing it off to someone in the nearby area. [14] In light of all of the above, the jury was adequately apprised of the distinct possibility that Akopian possessed a gun in the passenger compartment of his vehicle and that, therefore, it would have been reasonable for Mara to believe that Akopian was reaching for a gun. On the other hand, considering all of the other evidence regarding what happened at the moment of the shooting, such as Mara's statement to police that he apparently had time to retrieve a gun from the glove box and fire while Akopian was driving away, it would not have been unreasonable for the jury to reject Mara's self-defense theory. The probative value of testimony that there were guns in the trunk was marginal at best. Therefore, it cannot be said that Mara was materially prejudiced by his inability to present the proffered testimony. Accordingly, we hold that the trial court did not err in denying Mara's motion for continuance or for mistrial. [15]