Opinion ID: 1936045
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Severance of Co-defendant's Case

Text: Walls argues on appeal that his co-defendant, Hernandez, presented an antagonistic defense and that the Superior Court erred in failing to sever the co-defendant's trial. Severance is a matter within the sound discretion of the Trial Court; and the defendant has the burden of demonstrating `substantial injustice' and unfair prejudice. Lampkins v. State, Del.Supr., 465 A.2d 785, 794 (1983) (citing Bates v. State, Del.Supr., 386 A.2d 1139, 1141 (1978)). See also Wiest v. State, Del.Supr., 542 A.2d 1193, 1195 (1988). This Court has stated that: What constitutes abuse of discretion depends upon the facts and circumstances of each case.... Ordinarily, an abuse of discretion will not arise from the mere fact that the [statements or evidence] of a co-defendant implicating the moving defendant and not admissible against him, will be introduced at the joint trial. Some other factors must be present, such as: (1) absence of other substantial, competent evidence of the movant's guilt; (2) antagonistic defenses as between the co-defendant and the movant; and (3) difficulty of segregating the evidence as between the co-defendant and the movant. Jenkins v. State, Del.Supr., 230 A.2d 262, 272-73 (1967) (citations omitted). Walls' trial counsel did not file a motion for a severance in the Superior Court. When a party has not raised and not fairly presented a question to the trial court, this Court will generally decline to review the issue on appeal. Probst v. State, Del. Supr., 547 A.2d 114, 119 (1988); Supr.Ct. Crim.R. 8. Therefore, we must ascertain whether the Superior Court's failure to sever the co-defendants' trials, sua sponte, was erroneous as a matter of law, and, if so, whether that error so affected Walls' substantial rights that it should be accorded review by this Court, notwithstanding its nonassertion at trial. Wainwright v. State, Del.Supr., 504 A.2d 1096, 1100, cert. denied, 479 U.S. 869, 107 S.Ct. 236, 93 L.Ed.2d 161 (1986); Supr.Ct.Crim.R. 8. In this case, both Walls and his co-defendant, Hernandez, (1) denied committing the offenses; (2) presented separate alibi defenses; and (3) claimed to be the victims of misidentification. Even in this appeal, Walls does not contend that either he or Hernandez offered evidence that was antagonistic to the other's defense during the course of the trial. Walls' argument that Hernandez presented an antagonistic defense rests solely upon a portion of the closing argument to the jury which was made by Hernandez's attorney. In her closing argument, Hernandez's attorney directed the jury's attention to the photograph of both Carlos and Efrain Hernandez that had been found at Walls' house. The State had introduced the photograph into evidence, as proof that Walls and his co-defendant were acquainted. Hernandez's attorney used that same photograph to suggest to the jury that it was Carlos, not her client, who more closely matched the description of the second robber which had been given by the victims. Therefore, Hernandez's attorney argued the Pancoasts may have mistaken her client for his brother, Carlos Hernandez. We have reviewed the record. We find that none of the factors enunciated in Jenkins are present in this case. When Hernandez's attorney asked the jury to consider the photograph, she was attempting to raise a reasonable doubt in the minds of the jurors, as to Hernandez's guilt. The record reflects that in the context of this case, Hernandez's innocence was not antagonistic to Walls' defense. We find that Walls has failed to demonstrate unfair prejudice or a substantial injustice from his joint trial with Hernandez. Accordingly, we find no abuse of discretion and no plain error in the Superior Court's failure to sever, sua sponte, the trials of Walls and Hernandez. Cf. Brittingham v. State, Del.Supr., 559 A.2d 1234 (1989).