Court Opinion

ID: 9763097
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-29 02:36:39.955207+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T07:29:39.383692
License: Public Domain

John I. Purtle, Justice, dissenting. I disagree with the results but I generally agree with the law as stated in the majority opinion. Trial courts will be no better off with this opinion than they were before because the opinion does not tell them whether pretrial closure is proper or not. In the present case I would deny the writ because I believe the trial judge proceeded correctly. He properly expressed his reasons for closing the suppression hearing. Clearly Gannett Co. v. DePasquale, 433 U.S. 368 (1979) held a suppression hearing may be closed when there is a reasonable probability of prejudice to the defendant. Two of the burdens cast upon the proponents of closure are that (1) irreparable harm will result from an open hearing and (2) alternatives to closure are inadequate. The sixth amendment guarantees an accused a fair trial but it does not guarantee the public the right to attend all phases of the trial or any of it for that matter. On the other hand the first amendment guarantees the public the right to attend all phases of the trial. Therefore, we have two competing interests, both guaranteed by the constitution, calling for different conclusions about the same problem. Neither amendment is superior to the other but nevertheless one has to yield in this situation. I think the right to a fair trial is absolute. If so, first amendment rights would have to be slightly delayed, at least until the end of a hearing. If the court decided to admit the evidence the public could be notified immediately. If the court suppressed the evidence the public would have to wait until the trial to learn what was suppressed. In the case before us, if the public learns that a confession was given no power on earth will erase that fact from the minds of the public. The jury will be selected from these same people. I need neither precedent nor rule of law to know that once it is learned that a confession was given, it can never be completely disregarded by the jurors. Little harm is done to the public by waiting a few hours or a few days to learn what was not allowed in evidence. It is my opinion that the trial judge in this case correctly decided there was a reasonable probability that the rights of the accused would be prejudiced if the public, including prospective jurors, were informed that the defendant had signed a confession. Such knowledge leaves an indelible impression and it matters little, if any, that the confession was obtained by fraud, force or otherwise. It is obvious that the court considered all the alternatives to closure. I would hold that whenever a trial court considers the alternatives to closure and finds them inadequate to guarantee the right of fair trial and further finds that there is a reasonable probability of prejudice to the rights of the accused if the hearing is not closed, then he should close the proceedings to the public. On review we would consider the trial court’s discretionary procedure in the same manner as in other exercises of discretion matters. That is, absent an abuse of discretion we would not disturb the ruling of the trial court.