Court Opinion

ID: 9543697
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-07 16:48:08.903831+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T15:10:56.755475
License: Public Domain

SHIELDS, Judge,
concurring.
I concur in the majority opinion. However, because I am at a loss to understand the frequency with which the situation occurs I am compelled to express my concern with the state’s failure to comply with the court order and the appearance it engaged in the “sharp” or “shoddy” practice condemned in Thorne v. State, (1981) Ind., 429 N.E.2d 644, 647.
On April 16, 1981 the state filed a Notice of Discovery Compliance which stated, in part, it had provided defendant with all relevant written or recorded statements. The Notice further acknowledged the state’s continuing duty to comply if counsel learns of any “additional items” subject to discovery. Nevertheless, the letter written by the prosecuting witness to Detective Trather approximately a week after the *1179February 17,1981 incident was not provided to the defense until the noon recess on the first day of trial, July 30, 1981.
Again, I remind the prosecution it has an obligation to make a reasonable effort to determine the existence of any material subject to discovery and then to promptly make it available to the defense. Long v. State, (1982) Ind.App., 431 N.E.2d 875.
I caution that a strong argument can be made that the frequent and continued neglect or abuse of discovery orders should lead to a reevaluation of the effectiveness of the court’s current position that a continuance is a deterrent and an appropriate remedy for failure to comply with a discovery order.
Finally, I reconcile this court’s opinion in Long with my concurring vote in this case on the basis the prejudicial circumstances surrounding the discovery abuse in Long which involved the defendant’s own incul-patory statement with the resultant prejudice to Long are not present in this case which involves an innocuous statement by the prosecuting witness involving events outside those which constituted the offense.