Court Opinion

ID: 9585151
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-21 22:56:55.279763+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T15:32:53.357161
License: Public Domain

Broadfoot, J.
The defendant contends here that the trial court erred in refusing to permit defendant’s witnesses to testify as to defendant’s alleged alibi regardless of the failure to give written notice thereof. Sec. 355.07, Stats., provides as follows:
“In courts of record, if the defendant intends to rely upon an alibi as a defense, he shall give to the district attorney written notice thereof on the day of arraignment, stating particularly the place where he claims to have been when the crime is alleged to have been committed together with the *540names and addresses of witnesses to his alibi, if known to the defendant. In default of such notice, evidence of the alibi shall not be received unless the court, for good cause shown, shall otherwise order.”
It is admitted that no written notice was given to the district attorney pursuant to said section. However, the trial attorney stated that he had given the district attorney oral notice thereof shortly before the trial and in his opening statement at the trial he had made reference to the proposed alibi testimony. The defendant claims that this was sufficient notice under the statute and amounted to “good cause shown” as provided by statute.
The defendant also contends that, because he was deprived of a substantial right when his testimony to establish an alibi was not received, he should be granted a new trial in the interest of justice.
This statute has been held to be constitutional in State v. Kopacka, 261 Wis. 70, 51 N. W. (2d) 495. That case was also reported in 30 A. L. R. (2d) 476, followed by an annotation dealing with similar statutes in other states. A new trial was also denied in State v. Driscoll, 263 Wis. 230, 56 N. W. (2d) 788. The motion there was on the ground that the trial attorney had failed to give the notice required by said section. The denial of the motion by the trial court was affirmed here. That case differs from the present one because in the Driscoll Case there was no admission by the trial attorney that he was unaware of the provisions of said section.
The language of the statute is plain and unambiguous. Any notice given thereunder must be in writing. The defendant’s attorney was one of his own choice. Whether good cause is shown for permitting the receipt of alibi testimony in the absence of a written notice is a matter within the discretion of the trial court. A review of the record does not indicate any abuse of discretion.
*541A new trial in the interest of justice can also be granted within the sound discretion of the court. The trial court directed the district attorney to check with the witnesses whose testimony had been offered and he had the benefit of the report. Upon the first motion for a new trial the court stated that the defendant had been ably defended, and the trial was fair in all respects. From the record before us we must agree.
By the Court. — Order affirmed.