Opinion ID: 852914
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Michael Moody's testimony

Text: Ritchie planned to call his accomplice, Michael Moody, as a witness. Subsequently, Moody invoked his Fifth Amendment rights because the prosecution notified Moody that it planned to charge Moody in connection with the death of Officer Toney. Ritchie contends that the State's charging Moody functionally prevented Moody from testifying and giving exculpatory evidence at trial. [4] Ritchie offers no evidence that the State overstepped its authority or deliberately charged Moody for the purpose of preventing him from testifying. Prosecutorial misconduct may occur when the prosecution chills potential defense testimony by threats of prosecution or vindictive behavior. To prove misconduct of this type, the defendant must show that the State acted with the deliberate intention of distorting the judicial fact-finding process. Moore v. State, 655 N.E.2d 1251, 1253 (Ind.Ct. App.1995) (citations omitted). The mere fact that the State charged Moody after Ritchie listed Moody as a witness does not establish that the State purposely did this to distort fact-finding in Ritchie's case. Ritchie provides no other evidence to support this claim, and this showing is not enough. Unlike United States v. Valenzuela-Bernal, 458 U.S. 858, 102 S.Ct. 3440, 73 L.Ed.2d 1193 (1982), where the government deported the witness, Moody's unavailability resulted from his unilateral election to exercise his Fifth Amendment right.