Opinion ID: 1369544
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: The memo written by Ms. Smith to Mr. Ahsens

Text: This memo is dated December 4, 1995. It is from correspondence between Smith and the prosecuting attorney regarding State v. Chaney, 967 S.W.2d 47 (Mo. banc 1998). It states: After visiting with you last Tuesday it occurred to me that this Winters case has some of the most complicated trace exams that I have ever testified on. There is so much here. I want to help you all I can. The following is a text of mock questions and answers. This is probably very abbreviated, but they cover the main points and you will no doubt expand the questions. I mainly wanted to lead you through the convoluted course of my examinations in hopes I can give you some prior insight. . . . [T]his will help you predict better just how I will answer certain questions. I feel confident that your charming ways will inspire a lucid, coherent and utterly convincing testimony out of me. (!!!). This memo has nothing to do with Storey's trial. It is not Brady material. Storey's conviction trial was in 1991. This memo was not even written until 1995. Ms. Smith did not testify in Storey's 1999 penalty trial. Storey's counsel obtained this memo in an unrelated case. Even if the memo had existed in 1991, the duty to disclose impeachment evidence is not so broad. If all five of these claims, improperly referred to as Brady claims, had been preserved for consideration by the motion court, they still would not amount to a Brady violation. All of these claims concern information that was as incriminating as it was exculpatory. All were about subject matters of which Storey was already aware. Furthermore, each item was similar to the initial report provided to him. Storey has made no indication of how he was prejudiced. The evidence Storey complains about does not undermine confidence in the outcome. Phillips, 940 S.W.2d at 517.