Opinion ID: 2517123
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: the trial court properly denied defendant's motion for a new trial

Text: {31} Finally, Defendant argues that the trial court erred in refusing to grant him a new trial so that he could present expert witness testimony regarding his inability to form a specific intent defense. We review for abuse of discretion. State v. Chavez, 98 N.M. 682, 684, 652 P.2d 232, 234 (1982). {32} Defendant argues that the absence of expert testimony concerning his inability to form specific intent resulted in prejudicial error, and thus he is entitled to a new trial. In so doing, he relies heavily on Balderama, in which the trial court excluded expert witness testimony about the defendant's ability to form specific intent. 2004-NMSC-008, ¶ 18, 135 N.M. 329, 88 P.3d 845. This Court held that excluding the evidence constituted reversible error. Id. ¶ 2. Analogizing his case to Balderama, Defendant claims in his reply brief that [t]he only difference between the cases is the reason why the expert could not testify. Defendant's reliance Balderama misses the mark. In Balderama, the trial court excluded the expert testimony. Id. In the instant case, Defendant's expert witness refused to testify on her own accord, and Defendant did not mitigate the loss by subpoenaing her or moving for a continuance to secure a replacement expert. {33} The facts of this case more closely resemble those in State v. Torres, in which this Court granted the defendant a new trial because one of his witnesses failed to testify. 1999-NMSC-010, ¶¶ 1, 6, 9, 127 N.M. 20, 976 P.2d 20. In Torres, when the defendant's witness did not appear despite having been subpoenaed, he moved for a continuance. Id. ¶ 6. The trial court denied that continuance, which this Court held to be reversible error. Id. ¶ 9. The distinguishing factor between the instant case and Torres is that the defendant in Torres moved for a continuance due to the witness's absence, whereas here Defendant simply proceeded with trial. After Dr. Martinez refused to testify, Defendant never subpoenaed her or any other expert to testify about his inability to form specific intent, nor did he move for a continuance to secure such testimony. {34} The record shows that Defendant was on notice that Dr. Martinez might change her opinion in light of the material that the State planned to provide her and that she would not testify on limited information. Dr. Martinez also advised the parties that it would be wise to obtain another expert's opinion about Defendant's inability to form specific intent, and Defendant had named two other experts on his pretrial Notice that he could have called to testify on the matter. Once he became aware that Dr. Martinez would not testify, Defendant could have moved for a continuance to secure testimony from another expert and Torres would have supported that motion. See id. ¶ 9. However, Defendant chose not to do so. {35} Furthermore, during the hearing on his motion for a new trial, Defendant merely speculated that he could have found an expert willing to testify about his inability to form specific intent. He did not submit a written diagnosis or evaluation supporting his inability to form specific intent claim, nor did he offer an expert's testimony or affidavit to that effect. Ultimately, as the State points out, Defendant presented no expert testimony to support his inability to form specific intent claim because he did not pursue the options available to him by which he could have obtained such testimony. And, equally important, Defendant has never demonstrated that, with sufficient time, he could have presented an expert to testify about his diminished capacity. Therefore, we are left to speculate about any prejudice to Defendant caused by his counsel's decision not to request a continuance. {36} We conclude that the trial court did not abuse its discretion in denying the motion for a new trial, and we will not disturb its ruling.