Court Opinion

ID: 9642095
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-22 17:48:10.180835+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:10:42.973338
License: Public Domain

DONNELLY, Judge,
dissenting.
On October 9,1973, this Court, as part of its Rules of Criminal Procedure, provided for pretrial discovery in criminal cases. See present Rule 25. Rule 25 represents an attempt to provide the process due the people of Missouri (the public, the victims, and the accused) in the administration of criminal justice. Mo.Const., art. I, §§ 2 and 10. See ABA Standards Relating to Discovery and Procedure Before Trial (1970).
This appeal is the latest in an alarming number of cases involving noncompliance with the rule that have reached our appellate courts. See, e. g., cases where the state has failed to comply: State v. Carter, 572 S.W.2d 430 (Mo. banc 1978); State v. Davis, 556 S.W.2d 45 (Mo. banc 1977); State v. Barton, 593 S.W.2d 262 (Mo.App.1980); State v. Lorenze, 592 S.W.2d 523 (Mo.App.1979); State v. Miller, 588 S.W.2d 237 (Mo.App.1979); State v. Gormon, 584 S.W.2d 420 (Mo.App.1979); State v. Bebee, 577 S.W.2d 658 (Mo.App.1979); State v. Davis, 572 S.W.2d 243 (Mo.App.1978); State v. Barker, 572 S.W.2d 185 (Mo.App.1978); State v. Flenoid, 572 S.W.2d 179 (Mo.App.1978); State v. Washington, 570 S.W.2d 838 (Mo.App.1978); State v. Friend, 570 S.W.2d 817 (Mo.App.1978); State v. Couch, 569 S.W.2d 789 (Mo.App.1978); State v. Wood, 562 S.W.2d 699 (Mo.App.1978); State v. Sykes, 559 S.W.2d 643 (Mo.App.1977); State v. Broyles, 559 S.W.2d 614 (Mo.App.1977); State v. Helms, 559 S.W.2d 587 (Mo.App.1977); State v. Fields, 547 S.W.2d 893 (Mo.App.1977); State v. Wendell, 547 S.W.2d 807 (Mo.App.1977); State v. Moten, 542 S.W.2d 317 (Mo.App.1976); State v. Stapleton, 539 S.W.2d 655 (Mo.App.1976); State v. Dayton, 535 S.W.2d 469 (Mo.App.1976); State v. Buckner, 526 S.W.2d 387 (Mo.App.1975). See, e. g., cases where the accused has failed to comply: State v. Inscore, 592 S.W.2d 809 (Mo. banc 1980); State v. Stevenson, 589 S.W.2d 44 (Mo.App.1979); State v. Umfleet, 587 S.W.2d 612 (Mo.App.1979); State v. Thomas, 579 S.W.2d 145 (Mo.App.1979); State v. Ellis, 567 S.W.2d 454 (Mo.App.1978); State v. Eddy, 564 S.W.2d 938 (Mo.App.1978); State v. Burton, 544 S.W.2d 60 (Mo.App.1976); State v. Cox, 542 S.W.2d 40 (Mo.App.1976); State v. Favell, 536 S.W.2d 47 (Mo.App.1976).
Historically, the test followed on appeal has been whether “the failure to produce resulted in fundamental unfairness * State v. Davis, 556 S.W.2d 45, 48 (Mo. banc 1977). In my view, if this Court is to make its criminal discovery procedure work so as to preserve its integrity and purpose, we must make the failure to comply more costly. We must insist that Rule 25 be followed by the state and defendants.
Accordingly, where there is a failure to comply with Rule 25, prejudicial error *138should “be presumed unless it is made perfectly clear * * * that no prejudice could have resulted from such [failure].” Brown v. St. Louis Pub. Serv. Co., 421 S.W.2d 255, 259 (Mo. banc 1967).
I recognize that if this position were adopted, trial judges would be much inclined to declare mistrials in cases where there has been a failure to comply with Rule 25. And, I recognize the constraints of the Double Jeopardy Clause of the United States Constitution when mistrials are declared. See P. Westen & R. Drubel, Toward a General Theory of Double Jeopardy, 1978 Supreme Court Review 81, 85-97; United States v. Perez, 22 U.S. (9 Wheat.) 579, 6 L.Ed. 165 (1824); Arizona v. Washington, 434 U.S. 497, 98 S.Ct. 824, 54 L.Ed.2d 717 (1978). See also State v. Stevenson, 589 S.W.2d 44, 49 (Mo.App.1979). Adoption of the approach I espouse would involve a degree of brinksmanship. However, there is some reason for optimism since the declaration of a mistrial for noncompliance would be “designed to implement a legitimate state policy, with no suggestion that the implementation of that policy * * * could be manipulated so as to prejudice the defendant.” Illinois v. Somerville, 410 U.S. 458, 469, 93 S.Ct. 1066, 1073, 35 L.Ed.2d 425 (1973). The Supreme Court has recognized that “a defendant’s valued right to have his trial completed by a particular tribunal must in some instances be subordinated to the public’s interest in fair trials designed to end in just judgments.” Wade v. Hunter, 336 U.S. 684, 689, 69 S.Ct. 834, 837, 93 L.Ed. 974 (1949). I would hope that if the Court were faced with a choice between a state policy of meaningful discovery in criminal cases and “a defendant’s valued right to have his trial completed by a particular tribunal,” the latter would yield. See Brennan, Remarks on Discovery, 33 F.R.D. 56 (1963); Henry v. Mississippi, 379 U.S. 443, 447, 448, 85 S.Ct. 564, 567, 13 L.Ed.2d 408 (1965).
I respectfully dissent.