Court Opinion

ID: 9669465
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-24 02:56:50.081937+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:15:56.932773
License: Public Domain

SABERS, Justice
(concurring in part and concurring in result in part III and V).
I concur in result on Issue III on the basis that Defendant has not shown that *908the testimony was “unavailable” at the time of trial or that it was “new.” Defendant testified at the hearing for new trial that the witness had warned him two years earlier. Although pre-trial attempts were made to contact the witness by leaving messages, no subpoena was issued and no continuance was requested. The trial court correctly ruled that “unavailability” of the evidence was not shown. Therefore, this evidence was not “newly discovered” and did not warrant a new trial under SDCL 15-6-59(a)(4).
Separately, I would not consider Defendant’s claim of ineffective assistance of counsel (Issue V) on direct appeal because the preferred method is habeas corpus. State v. Aliberti, 401 N.W.2d at 732. Nor would I consider it under the plain error doctrine under these circumstances because no opportunity was provided to defense counsel to explain his actions. Id. The plain error doctrine was never intended to be used as an afterthought for insubstantial claims of ineffective assistance of counsel. See SDCL 23A-44-15. It was intended to be used for serious claims affecting substantial rights discovered during the appellate process. State v. Dornbusch, 384 N.W.2d 682, 686 (S.D.1986).