Court Opinion

ID: 9751293
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-28 16:19:55.852576+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T07:26:42.248024
License: Public Domain

On Petition for Rehearing En Banc
Before REILLY, Chief Judge, KELLY, FICKLING, KERN, GALLAGHER, NEBECKER, YEAGLEY, HARRIS and MACK, Associate Judges.
ORDER
PER CURIAM.
On consideration of appellant’s petition for rehearing en banc, it is
Ordered that appellant’s petition is denied.
Statement of NEBEKER, Associate Judge, with whom REILLY, Chief Judge, and YEAGLEY and HARRIS, Associate Judges, concur:
In its opinion denying the petition for rehearing, the division has stressed that its *520ruling in this case is not to be applied to the “routine criminal case”. Therefore, its value as precedent for discovery of the identity of witnesses to a crime is extremely limited. The bench and bar are now made aware that otherwise routine cases are not to be deemed exceptional or “uncommon” by a mere assertion that the accused cannot prepare his defense because supposedly he does not know and cannot find out what occurred. As I read the opinions of the division, the case is confined to the particular and “unusual combination of circumstances present here”. Nonetheless, while the division thus seems to feel that such circumstances are present, I find nothing in the record (including the allegations of defense counsel) or in the first appellate opinion which persuades me of any need to disclose the names of the witnesses in advance of the trial in this case.
I would add that the decision should not be interpreted as a step toward witness insecurity through pretrial disclosure of a witness’ name and address. The matter of witness security is an extremely serious problem, which quite properly was urged vigorously by the government as a basis for rejecting any erosion of the ordinary rule precluding such disclosure. In many cases, specific concern for the security of government witnesses is demonstrable. There are many more in which witnesses may be reluctant to cooperate with law enforcement authorities because of a general fear that efforts to intimidate them may be made. It is, therefore, extremely important that this court make it clear that no one need expect a relaxation of the former consistent rule of nondisclosure -of the identity of witnesses to crimes. If any reasonable reading of the division’s two opinions could lead the bench or the bar to believe that this court has embarked on a course to change the law on disclosure of such witnesses, I would have voted to rehear the case en banc.