Opinion ID: 2547047
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: witness's competency to testify at trial

Text: Hunter contends that the circuit court erred in denying an evidentiary hearing on his claim of newly discovered evidence of witness Taurus Cooley's incompetence to testify at Hunter's trial. Hunter argues that Cooley's adjudication of not guilty by reason of insanity in proceedings that occurred in 2001, years after Hunter's trial in 1993, established that Cooley was incompetent to testify at Hunter's trial. The circuit court denied this claim, concluding that the evidence could not be considered newly discovered evidence and noting that Hunter did not allege that Cooley was also incompetent to testify at the prior postconviction proceedings in which Hunter called Cooley as a witness. The circuit court also held that the claim was facially insufficient in numerous respects, observing that Hunter failed to provide the relevant details about proposed expert witnesses as required by rule 3.851, failed to allege that Cooley was consenting to submit to a mental status examination, and failed to allege any facts showing how Cooley's 2001 post-trial adjudication would have any relevance to his competence to testify at Hunter's trial in 1993. On appeal, Hunter contends that the evidence may be properly considered newly discovered evidence, citing this Court's decisions in State v. Mills, 788 So.2d 249 (Fla.2001), and Scott v. Dugger, 604 So.2d 465 (Fla.1992). The State disagrees, citing among other cases this Court's decisions in Porter v. State, 653 So.2d 374 (Fla.1995), and Kearse v. State, 969 So.2d 976 (Fla. 2007). Because we conclude that the circuit court correctly determined that Hunter's claim was facially insufficient in several respects, we need not decide whether the evidence qualifies as newly discovered evidence. As explained below, we conclude that the circuit court's summary denial of this claim was proper. Hunter claimed that Cooley was incompetent to testify at Hunter's trial. Hunter alleged that Cooley was declared legally insane and not guilty by reason of insanity on several felony charges in proceedings that occurred after Hunter's trial. While Hunter asserted that the adjudication occurred after the original postconviction proceedings, Hunter provided no other facts in support of this claim, including any facts demonstrating Cooley's incompetence in 1993. Further, he did not identify when or where the adjudication occurred. Although the circuit court's order denying postconviction relief noted that the adjudication occurred in 2001 in Volusia County, Hunter failed to allege these facts in his motion. Thus, Hunter failed to provide detailed allegations of the factual basis for this claim as required by rule 3.851(e)(1)(D). Furthermore, while Hunter asserted in his motion that evidence to support the claim included court documents of Cooley's proceedings, no documents from Cooley's proceedings were attached to the motion in the record that this Court has on appeal. Thus, it appears that Hunter failed to attach the documents he relied upon, in contravention of rule 3.851(e)(2)(C)(iii). In support of his claim, Hunter asserted that he may also produce expert witness testimony as to the nature and extent of Mr. Cooley's longstanding disorder and its impact on Mr. Cooley's competence to have testified against Mr. Hunter. However, as the circuit court acknowledged, Hunter failed to provide the name, address, and telephone number of the expert witness supporting the claim, contrary to the requirements of rule 3.851(e)(2)(C)(i). In sum, as the circuit court found, Hunter failed to sufficiently allege facts to show how Cooley's post-trial adjudication of not guilty by reason of insanity in 2001 would have any relevance to Cooley's competence to testify at Hunter's trial in 1993, and also failed to meet several pleading requirements of rule 3.851. [7] Even if we were to find that Hunter sufficiently alleged his claim and that the evidence properly qualifies as newly discovered evidence, Hunter has not satisfied the second prong of Jones. The evidence alleged by Hunter is not of such a nature that it would probably produce an acquittal on retrial. The record demonstrates that other witnesses testified as to the same matters to which Cooley testified. The other surviving victims, Howard and Troutman, and two of Hunter's companions, Cowan and Pope, testified that Hunter was armed with a chrome handgun and was present at the scene of the robberies and shootings. Moreover, Howard testified that Hunter shot Cooley, and Pope gave testimony clearly implying as much. While no other witness apart from Cooley explicitly testified that he or she saw Hunter shoot the other victims, the testimony of Cowan and Pope suggested that Hunter retained possession of the gun after all four victims were shot. In light of the strong testimonial evidence establishing Hunter's guilt, we conclude that the evidence of Cooley's alleged incompetence would not probably produce an acquittal on retrial as required by Jones. Accordingly, we hold that the trial court did not err in denying an evidentiary hearing on Hunter's claim of newly discovered evidence that Cooley was incompetent to testify at Hunter's trial.