Opinion ID: 1983619
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: redacted medical records

Text: Smith's first claim of error relates to the medical records of Anderson's examination at Christiana Hospital on the morning of the assaults. Those records included notations that Anderson had had three pregnancies and had been treated for an infectious vaginal disease. The State planned to introduce the medical records in evidence, but moved to redact the two notations as irrelevant and potentially prejudicial. Smith opposed the redaction of references to Anderson's prior pregnancies and objected to the fact that the State had redacted the medical records before the trial court ruled on its motion. On appeal, Smith argues that the trial judge erred in allowing the prior pregnancies to be redacted and that the error was caused by prosecutorial misconduct. We find this claim to be without merit, whether analyzed as an evidentiary matter or as a claim of misconduct. From an evidentiary perspective, it is clear that there was no abuse of discretion. See Trowbridge v. State, Del.Supr., 647 A.2d 1076, 1078 (1994). The trial judge questioned whether the examining physician would need to know about Anderson's prior pregnancies in order to properly evaluate her physical condition on July 22, 1993. The prosecutor was unable to answer the judge's question, and was given permission to consult with the doctor on that point. The prosecutor then advised the trial judge that, according to the doctor, Anderson's prior pregnancies would have no bearing upon the medical examination. In light of that response, which was not disputed at trial or on appeal, the motion to redact the medical records was granted. That ruling was well within the sound discretion of the trial judge. Smith's argument with respect to prosecutorial misconduct is totally unfounded. He contends that, by redacting the medical records, the State failed in its responsibility to preserve evidence. According to Smith, this alleged misconduct somehow prevented the trial judge from ruling that the redacted material should have been presented to the jury. The short answer to this argument is that there was no destruction of evidence, no misconduct, and no interference with the trial judge's ability to rule. The State merely made redacted copies of the medical records. There is nothing to suggest that the original medical records were tampered with in any way. Thus, the State engaged in no improper conduct and the trial judge was under no compulsion to rule in favor of the State.