Court Opinion

ID: 9532703
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-07 04:24:07.950477+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T13:28:49.419613
License: Public Domain

SHIELDS, Judge,
dissenting.
I respectfully dissent. The State failed to show it was prejudiced by Pinkston's delay in pursuing post-conviction relief.
The State based its claim of prejudice solely on the testimony of Sgt. Kehl who testified to the nonexistence of two items: his personal file and the photo display from which Mr. Shoemaker identified Pinkston. However, the expected contents of that personal file are unknown so it is impossible to draw any inference of prejudice from its absence. Also, there is no evidence a new photo display could not be constructed. Pinkston's photo is certainly still available. Further, Kehl acknowledged he had the D.H.C. and the original report, along with the court records in his present possession; 1 Kehl did not know if the prosecutor's file was available.
According to Sgt. Kehl, Mr. Shoemaker, the only person who identified Pinkston as the shoplifter, is presently living in Indianapolis. Sgt. Kehl testified he had called Mr. Shoemaker's home only to discover he was on vacation. Sgt. Kehl left his number for a return call and, although it had not yet been returned, "he could be located, yes, I suppose, when he's back from vacation." Record at 69.
Thus, the State's only evidence of prejudice is that the officer's "file" (the contents of which are unknown),2 is gone, and the only witness who previously identified Pinkston was on vacation at the time of the post-conviction hearing. This evidence is insufficient as a matter of law to meet the State's burden of proving prejudice.
I vote to reverse and remand with instructions to the trial court to enter findings and judgment on the merits of Pink-ston's petition.

. Contrary to the suggestion in the majority opinion that Sgt. Kehl needed his personal file, the Sgt. testified that without the D.H.C., which he had in his possession, he "probably couldn't answer the questions correctly." Record at 62.

. The record reveals the officer's file did not contain any physical evidence of Pinkston's involvement in the theft.