Court Opinion

ID: 9706729
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-26 01:50:42.881199+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:22:24.656608
License: Public Domain

SCHLEGEL, Judge
(specially concurring).
I concur in the result reached by the majority. I agree that Varney has not shown that he is entitled to a new trial, and I agree that he did not bring forth proof of newly discovered evidence. His conviction was proper and should stand.
My concern, however, is that in its reliance on Jones v. Scurr, 316 N.W.2d 905, 907 (Iowa 1982), the majority weakens its holding as to the supposed newly-discovered evidence and elevates dictum to authority for a totally new and unique rule of lack of prejudice. Jones v. Scurr, in dictum, attempts to establish a rule that before newly discovered evidence may cause a new trial (among other requirements), that the defendant must show that with the newly discovered evidence, the result would probably be different. While that is the general thrust of the statement in Scurr, it is not necessary to the outcome of the case — much the same as in this case— and through dictum, states a rule that is without authority.
Were the statement the rule, we would have placed upon a defendant the burden of showing, not that the newly discovered evidence might have an effect upon the outcome, but that it probably would have resulted in an acquittal. I don’t think that is the proper use of dictum.
*652The decision by the majority is correct. It should not be weakened by saying, in effect, “even if we are wrong, it would make no difference anyway, because even so, the party has not shown that the result would probably be different.” We should be secure in the ruling that Varney did not satisfy the requirement that the evidence was in fact newly discovered. We do not need to add dictum which consists of prior dictum.
HAYDEN, J., joins this special concurrence.