Court Opinion

ID: 9694136
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-25 17:25:48.607674+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:19:56.851021
License: Public Domain

Dissenting Opinion by
Justices Roberts, Nix, and Manderino :
We dissent. The harmless error doctrine may not be utilized by the prosecution as a device to excuse repeated and intentional violations of a rule of law.
The prosecution may not deliberately violate a rule, (substantive or procedural), use that planned infraction to its advantage, and then avoid accountability for its conduct on the ground that the error is harmless. When the prosecution resorts to deliberate creation of error, it must bear the responsibility for imperilling convictions so obtained. See ABA Project on Standards for Criminal Justice, Standards Relating to the Prosecution Function §1.1, 2.8(a) (Approved Draft, 1971). Our jurisprudence does not permit a party to enjoy the benefit of such conduct. This is the essence of a fair trial.