Court Opinion

ID: 7844262
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2022-09-08 17:07:23.90595+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T16:21:05.191912
License: Public Domain

BERDON, J.,
concurring. I concur in the majority’s opinion, but I am perplexed at its reluctance to apply the standard regarding the deposing of a potentially unavailable witness in a criminal case. For the sake of providing guidance to our trial courts, I believe it is important to apply that standard to the facts before us today. In this case, I would conclude that it was “more likely than not that [Frances Carrasquillo would] be unavailable at the time of trial.” Accordingly, the trial court improperly denied the defendant’s motion to depose Carrasquillo. I also conclude, however, that that denial was harmless error for the reasons set forth in the majority opinion.