Opinion ID: 1964537
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Mr. Martel's testimony

Text: Roger Martel, the husband, was permitted to testify as a witness for the State over the defendant's objections, although his identity as a potential State witness had not been disclosed prior to trial. The defendant claims prejudicial error, where Mr. Martel was permitted to testify that he was a joint owner of the premises, that he never had seen or heard of Frank Tullo, nor had he ever given permission to Mr. Tullo to enter his home. The instant record fails to disclose that any motion was made in the trial court for discovery of the names and addresses of the witnesses whom the State intended to call at trial. Tullo does not dispute this fact, but argues that, since a list of State witnesses had been furnished him by the prosecutor, it was reversible error for the Court to permit Mr. Martel to testify at the call of the State on direct examination, where he had not been listed by the State as a potential witness. Rule 16(a), M.R.Crim.P. mandates disclosure by the State, among other things, of written or recorded statements of witnesses on the defendant's timely motion for discovery of the same upon a showing that such statements may be material to the preparation of his defense and that the request is reasonable. Rule 16(a) was not violated in this case, since the rule does not relate to the furnishing of a list of potential State witnesses, but is limited to making accessible to the defendant the written or recorded statements of witnesses in the possession of the State, without regard to the fact, whether these witnesses might be potentially favorable to the State or otherwise. Furthermore, the defendant's failure to comply with the preliminary requirements of Rule 16(a), such as the filing of the discovery motion and the making of the requisite showing of need and reasonableness, would estop the defendant from claiming error under the rule. In the absence of statute or court rule, it is within the discretion of the trial court, whether the State may be ordered to produce a list of the prosecution's witnesses. See United States v. Jordan, 1972, 4 Cir., 466 F.2d 99, cert. den. 409 U.S. 1129, 93 S.Ct. 947, 35 L.Ed.2d 262. The State in special circumstances may have a legitimate interest in keeping confidential the identity of its prospective witnesses. As stated in People v. Lopez, 1963, 60 Cal.2d 223, 32 Cal.Rptr. 424, 437, 384 P.2d 16, at 29, cert. den. 375 U.S. 994, 84 S.Ct. 634, 11 L.Ed.2d 480, reh. den. 376 U. S. 939, 84 S.Ct. 794, 11 L.Ed.2d 660: There must be a balancing of the right of a defendant to discover potentially material witnesses with the probability that such discovery might lead to the elimination of an adverse witness or the influencing of his testimony. In balancing these competing factors the trial court must be allowed great discretion. On the other hand, in ordinary circumstances, it is customary, as was done in the instant case, for the prosecution to submit its list of witnesses to the defendant upon request, without need for court intervention. Such voluntary disclosure of the State's witnesses may gain the defendant the necessary access to information vital to an effective attack on their credibility and, thus, significantly accommodate the defendant's Sixth Amendment's constitutional guarantee of his right of confrontation, and should be encouraged. The information in this respect should be accurate and complete, so that a defendant may not be misled in the preparation of his defense through the State's inaccurate or incomplete listing of its witnesses. Allowing an unlisted witness to testify, however, is within the discretion of the trial court and such action will not be deemed an abuse of judicial discretion in the absence of a showing of surprise or prejudice. People v. Jordan, 1967, 38 Ill.2d 83, 230 N.E.2d 161, 167; State v. Coleman, 1965, 46 N.J. 16, 214 A.2d 393, 399. Defense counsel was undoubtedly aware that Mr. Martel was co-owner of the premises involved and that the State would most probably require his testimony to prove the non-permissive willful attempt to enter the dwelling house. His strategy paid off when he elicited from Mrs. Martel on cross-examination that she did not know as a fact that the people came up to the house were not known to her husband. There is no evidence in this record that the State's omission to list Mr. Martel as a prosecution witness was anything but an honest mistake, which in no way misled the defendant. No claim was advanced that the defendant was placed at any disadvantage by the belated knowledge that Mr. Martel was being called as a witness. Furthermore, the opportunity for cross-examination was present and fully used. We are satisfied that the defendant did not suffer any prejudice from the State's failure to include Mr. Martel's name in the list of witnesses furnished by the State. The trial Court did not abuse its discretion in its ruling concerning the same.