Court Opinion

ID: 9693023
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-25 16:16:01.259589+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:19:38.908595
License: Public Domain

LOUIS J. CECI, J.
(dissenting). While the majority purports to follow the procedure articulated in DeLeon for determining whether defendant’s conviction should be reversed, I do not believe that the requirements of that case have in fact been met here. As such, I respectfully dissent.
The majority position is that DeLeon requires no more than that the appellant allege that there is "some likelihood that the missing portion [of the trial transcript] would have shown an error that was arguably prejudicial." Majority opinion at page 103. It states that neither DeLeon nor the appeals court’s decision below "requires that there be an initial *116showing of 'prejudicial error.’ ” Id. I do not believe that this language comports with the requirements set forth in DeLeon. Rather, I believe that a threshold allegation of actual prejudicial error is necessary under the DeLeon analysis. An allegation of prejudicial error would ensure the reviewing court that significant judicial resources are not wasted where only "small or insignificant omissions” in the trial transcript are actually at issue. DeLeon, 127 Wis. 2d at 79.
DeLeon set out a two-step process which a trial court must follow where questions concerning the adequacy of the trial transcript are involved. The first step mandates that a trial court make an inquiry to determine whether the appellant has established a "facially valid claim of error.” 127 Wis. 2d at 80. This inquiry is conducted only after the appellant has actually alleged that some "error in the missing portion of the proceedings” has occurred. Id. "[Cjommon sense demands that the appellant claim some reviewable error occurred during the missing portion of the trial.” Id.
Only after a reviewable error has been- claimed and a determination made by the court that that claim is "facially valid,” id., does the court move on to the next step, which is to inquire as to whether the missing portion of the trial transcript can be reconstructed. Id. at 81. If the court determines that efforts to reconstruct will be insurmountable, then a new trial should be ordered. Id.
In this case, Perry has not established with the requisite specificity that a "reviewable error” has occurred, and, therefore, it is my position that the majority should not have moved on to the second step of the DeLeon analysis. Perry argues that prosecutori*117al misconduct permeated the entire trial. In support, he refers to several allegedly inflammatory remarks made by the prosecutor during trial. In addition, in his brief to this court, he states that the reporter’s notes from part of the prosecutor’s closing argument were among those which were lost, portions of which "very well could have contained more instances of prosecu-torial misconduct.” Based upon these allegations, and given that a prosecutor’s prejudicial comments during closing argument may provide grounds for reversal, Perry contends that a "colorable need” for a complete transcript has been established.
DeLeon plainly stated that the appellant must claim that "some reviewable error occurred” during the missing portion of the transcript. 127 Wis. 2d at 80. Perry’s conclusory and speculative statements about what may have occurred during trial do not satisfy DeLeon’s mandate that an allegation be made that some prejudicial error has in fact occurred. Obviously, Perry could not provide a word-for-word account of the statements made by the prosecutor which were allegedly prejudicial. However, he should be required to provide an allegation of error which is concrete and as detailed as practically possible. A generalized statement that the closing argument may have included further instances of prosecutorial misconduct is not sufficient under DeLeon. Because I believe that Perry has failed to carry his burden under DeLeon, I cannot join in the majority’s opinion.
I am authorized to state that JUSTICE ROLAND B. DAY joins in this dissenting opinion.