Opinion ID: 2233807
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Evidence of Material Facts

Text: The district court assumed that an expert on death by hypothermia would testify that under the circumstances Karas could not have walked the distance from the location where Schlickenmayer testified Karas left his vehicle, to the location where her body was subsequently discovered. The court concluded that the logical result to be reached from such testimony would be that Schlickenmayer let Karas out of his vehicle at a location different from where he testified that he did. Schlickenmayer asserts that the expert testimony concerning death by hypothermia, discovered through his own effort since trial, is newly discovered evidence which warrants the granting of a new trial, citing State v. McLain, 312 N.W.2d 343 (N.D.1981). Schlickenmayer asserts in the alternative that if this court should determine that such evidence is not newly discovered, the failure of his trial attorney to present such evidence at trial is a further indication of ineffectiveness of counsel. Grounds for post-conviction relief include the situation where there exists evidence of material facts, not previously presented and heard, that requires vacation of the conviction or sentence in the interest of justice. § 29-32-01(d), N.D.C.C. This ground is similar to the ground for a new trial based on newly discovered evidence recognized under Rule 33, N.D.R.Crim.P. In McLain, 312 N.W.2d at 346, and more recently in State v. Hegland, 355 N.W.2d 803, 805 (N.D.1984), we set forth the requirements which must be established for a new trial on the ground of newly discovered evidence: [A] motion for a new trial on the ground of newly discovered evidence will be granted only when all of the following requirements are met: (1) the evidence must have been discovered since the trial, (2) the failure to learn of the evidence at the time of trial was not the result of defendant's lack of diligence, (3) the newly discovered evidence is material to the issues at trial, and (4) the evidence is of such a nature that it would probably produce an acquittal in the event of retrial. We hold that the sufficiency of the showing necessary to obtain a new trial based on newly discovered evidence is the same whether the ground is raised in a motion for new trial or in an application for post-conviction relief. See State v. Sims, 239 N.W.2d 550, 554-55 (Iowa 1976). Even if we were to assume that we are presented with newly discovered evidence, we cannot conclude, in light of the entire record, that the expert's testimony is of such a nature that it would probably produce an acquittal in the event of retrial. In our view, Schlickenmayer has presented no evidence of the existence of a concurrent cause clearly sufficient to produce the death of Karas, which rendered his negligent conduct a clearly insufficient cause. See § 12.1-02-05, N.D.C.C. [2]