Opinion ID: 734982
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Disclosure of Evidence

Text: 6 Williams contends that the trial court's protective order rendered his trial fundamentally unfair by delaying the disclosure of evidence. Williams additionally contends that his placement in administrative segregation during the trial rendered his trial fundamentally unfair. We disagree. 7 A state court's evidentiary ruling is grounds for habeas corpus relief only if it renders the state proceeding so fundamentally unfair as to violate due process. Bueno v. Hallahan, 988 F.2d 86, 87 (9th Cir.1993) (per curiam); see also Estelle v. McGuire, 502 U.S. 62, 68 (1991) (emphasizing that federal habeas court may not reexamine state court determinations on state law questions). 8 At Williams' trial, the court issued a protective order and placed him in administrative segregation after considering evidence that Williams had threatened witnesses and the facts surrounding his first degree murder charge. See Haw.R.Pen.P. 16(e)(4). The protective order was limited to evidence concerning Officer Barboza's murder and did not prevent the full discovery of evidence pertaining to the firearm and drug charges. The trial court subsequently modified its protective order by permitting Williams' counsel to obtain witness statements and police reports regarding the murder charge prior to counsel's opening statement. In addition, the trial court minimized any potential harm by giving Williams' attorney the opportunity to request a recess after each witness testified and by allowing counsel an evening to prepare his cross-examination. Accordingly, Williams fails to show that the delayed disclosure of evidence rendered his trial fundamentally unfair. See Bueno, 988 F.2d at 87. 9 Williams additionally contends that his placement in administrative segregation rendered his trial fundamentally unfair because he was prevented from examining McAllister's written statement for inconsistencies. However, inasmuch as Williams' counsel had access to all of McAllister's witness statements, Williams fails to demonstrate that his placement in administrative segregation rendered his trial fundamentally unfair. See id.