Court Opinion

ID: 9636204
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-22 14:19:34.736335+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:09:42.882120
License: Public Domain

STEADMAN, Senior Judge,
concurring in part and dissenting in part.
I join in part III and agree with the majority’s analysis in part II of the factors to be taken into account in the decision whether to sever in this case and the conclusion that the trial court failed to fully consider all relevant factors, thereby itself constituting an abuse of discretion. However, in this case I would not at this point make a determination that the trial court had but “one option” but rather would follow our normal course and remand to allow the trial court to consider the issue with the guidance of the majority opinion. A trial court has broad discretion in this area and “[a]n order denying severance may be reversed only upon a clear showing of abuse of discretion.” Dancy v. United States, 745 A.2d 259, 266 (D.C.2000). Where a trial court in exercising its discretion has failed to consider fully all factors, I am inclined to think the more appropriate course will normally be to let the trial court properly address the discretionary issue in the first instance and to benefit from its on-the-scene analysis, at least where the “one option” is not clear on its face as I believe not to be the case here. Cf. Robinson v. United States, 878 A.2d 1273, 1291 (D.C.2005) (concurring/dissenting opinion of Steadman, J.). If the trial court rules in favor of a new trial for Smalls, that of course will be the end of the matter.