Opinion ID: 2292323
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Motion for Discovery Sanctions

Text: Defendant's next contention on appeal is that the presiding justice erred by refusing to grant an M.R.Crim.P. 16(d) sanction of dismissal of the charges against defendant on the ground of alleged State violations of court-ordered discovery. Whether to impose a sanction for violating the discovery rules rests within the discretion of the presiding justice. State v. Davis, 483 A.2d 740, 742 (Me.1984). M.R.Crim.P. 16(d) provides that the presiding justice may take appropriate action to remedy a violation. The primary test for the appropriateness of such action is whether the remedy would be in the furtherance of justice. State v. Landry, 459 A.2d 175, 177 (Me.1983). To establish an abuse of discretion under Rule 16(d) is a difficult task. To do so, an appellant must show that he was in fact prejudiced by the discovery violation despite the court's effort to nullify or minimize its consequences, Landry, 459 A.2d at 177; 1 Cluchey & Seitzinger, Maine Criminal Practice § 16.6 (1985), and that the prejudice rose to the level of depriving him of a fair trial. State v. Sapiel, 432 A.2d 1262, 1268 (Me.1981). The extreme sanction of dismissal should be reserved for extreme cases. M.R.Crim.P. 16 advisory committee's note to 1978 amend., reprinted in 1 Cluchey & Seitzinger, at 16-9. In the case at bar, the refusal to impose the extreme sanction of dismissal was well within the discretion of the presiding justice. Before ruling on defendant's motion, the presiding justice carefully reviewed one-by-one the entire list of alleged discovery violations by the State. In some instances the justice gave relief to defendant. For example, certain material was ordered turned over to defendant, and other evidence, including the entire testimony of one of the State's witnesses, was excluded from the trial. We are not persuaded that defendant was prejudiced at all by the denial of his motion for the extreme sanction of dismissal. Significantly, he never requested a continuance or any lesser sanction than dismissal.