Opinion ID: 2161601
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Failure to Inquire into Mental Capacity of State Witness Sparrow

Text: Grandison complains that his constitutional right of witness confrontation and cross-examination was impaired by the trial court's refusal to permit appropriate steps to be taken to determine the mental capacity and veracity of State's witness Charlene Sparrow. Vernon Evans raised the same issue in his trial in the Circuit Court for Worcester County. In Evans v. State, 304 Md. 487, 508, 499 A.2d 1261, 1272 (1985) we stated in pertinent part: In determining whether a request for a mental examination should be granted, however, a trial judge should carefully balance the demonstrated necessity for a compelled examination against the existence of important countervailing considerations. In affirming the denial of a motion for a psychiatric examination of a government witness, the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, in United States v. Benn, 476 F.2d 1127, 1131 (D.C. Cir. 1972), listed some of the factors to be considered: `[A] psychiatric examination may seriously impinge on a witness' right to privacy; the trauma that attends the role of complainant ... is sharply increased by the indignity of a psychiatric examination; the examination itself could serve as a tool of harassment; and the impact of all these considerations may well deter the victim of ... a crime from lodging any complaint at all. Since there is no exact measure for weighing these kinds of dangers against the need for an examination, the decision must be entrusted to the sound discretion of the trial judge in light of the particular facts.' Accord, United States v. Butler, 481 F.2d 531 (D.C. Cir.1973). See Rasnick v. State, 7 Md. App. 564, 571-572, 256 A.2d 543 (1969), cert. denied, 400 U.S. 835, 91 S.Ct. 70, 27 L.Ed.2d 67 (1970). What we stated in Evans is applicable here and is dispositive of the issue. Hence, the trial court did not commit reversible error.