Court Opinion

ID: 9545479
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-07 17:13:11.049345+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T15:14:52.512835
License: Public Domain

STRUCKMEYER, Chief Justice,
concurring.
It bears repeating that Cruz Martinez, a juvenile, had entered into a plea agreement with the prosecution by which, in return for his testimony against Morales, he would be treated as a juvenile rather than being tried for murder as an adult. In this situation, I think a defendant against whom a juvenile is expected to testify should have the right to examine the juvenile’s file to discover any defensive relevant matters, particularly statements which would be inconsistent with the juvenile’s possible testimony.
I am therefore of the opinion that the right to discovery should not be dependent upon whether prior information has been obtained, possibly surreptitiously, from a counselor or from others who may have *288breached the confidentiality of the juvenile record.