Neely v. State
Neely v. State
Opinion
[EDITORS' NOTE: THIS PAGE CONTAINS HEADNOTES. HEADNOTES ARE NOT AN OFFICIAL PRODUCT OF THE COURT, THEREFORE THEY ARE NOT DISPLAYED.] *Page 704
Patrick Neely was indicted and convicted for trafficking in cannabis in violation of Alabama Code 1975, §
The first defense witness was Buddy Hacker, who testified that Neely had a "very good" reputation for good character. On cross examination, the assistant district attorney asked:
"Q. Mr. Hacker, have you heard, prior to November of this past year, that Mr. Pat Neely has had drug arrests?
"A. No, sir.
"Q. You never have heard that?
"A. No.
"Q. You never have heard that he'd been arrested by the City of Guntersville here?
"A. Not to my knowledge."
After this witness finished testifying and outside the presence of the jury, defense counsel made a motion in limine to prevent the State "from using the term charged with a drug offense and there's no such offense . . . as a drug offense, and we object to that, and that's an attempt by the State, as usual, to try to prejudice the defendant." The trial court overruled the motion stating, "I think the State has a right to ask the witness if he has heard of certain things."
The prosecutor asked three other defense character witnesses if they had ever heard that "Neely was arrested by the City of Guntersville for possession of marijuana", but no objection was made.
The prosecutor's questions were proper.
"Where a witness testifies as to the general reputation or character of the defendant, the knowledge of the witness as to such reputation or character may be tested on cross-examination by asking him if he had heard of the defendant being charged with other offenses or of specific acts of bad conduct on the part of the defendant." Aaron v. State,
271 Ala. 70 ,83 ,122 So.2d 360 (1960).
The ground of objection raised on appeal was never asserted at trial. "It is improper for the prosecutor `to ask a question which implies a factual predicate which the examiner knows he cannot support by evidence or for which he has no reason to believe that there is a foundation of truth.'" Wysinger v.State,
From the record, it appears that immediately after the jury was instructed to start deliberating the trial court directed the attorneys "to go over the exhibits and determine . . . and if you have any dispute as to what should go to the jury room the court will settle your dispute." There was no objection to this procedure and it was not raised in the motion for new trial. Here, there is simply no showing that the trial court abused its discretion. Alabama Code 1975, §
The trial court examined Walden's statement and found only two "slight difference[s]" between Walden's statement and his testimony at trial: "I don't see anything is any help to you, but the mere possibility is two instances . . . I don't know whether that's enough of a difference to make any difference or not, but I think you're entitled to know about it. I see nothing in there that is going to have any substantial effect on this case." The judge determined that defense counsel was not entitled to the entire statement and informed counsel of the discrepancies.
On cross examination, Deputy Walden admitted using a copy of the December 6th statement to the District Attorney during his testimony. The trial court ruled that defense counsel had "a right to see what he's refreshing his memory from." The record does not show whether or not counsel examined the statement.
After Walden testified and immediately before the State rested its case, defense counsel objected, claiming that the State had not produced all the statements of its witnesses recounting statements made by Neely after his arrest. The trial court ordered the State to make copies of any statement attributed to the defendant and deliver them to defense counsel "so he can further cross-examine any witness that he wants to." The court allowed a recess to allow compliance with this order. When trial resumed, defense counsel made no objection or request with regard to this matter, although in his motion for new trial he complains that "the Court erred by denying Defendant access to certain extra-judicial *Page 706 written statements of certain State's witnesses until it was too late for Defendant to make use of the statements."
The record shows that Walden testified at the preliminary hearing and defense counsel had a copy of that testimony. Walden's statement to the District Attorney is not in the record on appeal.
We find no error. The production of the requested information "was all done by agreement", and there was no order of the court granting the motion for discovery. If the State was tardy in producing, defense counsel should have called the delay to the attention of the trial court before "it was too late . . . to make use of the statements." Although the trial occurred one month before the effective date of Rule 18.5 (a), A.R.Crim.P.Temp., governing relief for noncompliance with an order of discovery, defense counsel sought no continuance or recess to allow him time to review the produced material.
Once the trial judge was aware of the nonproduction, he followed the procedures established in Ex parte Pate,
Here, the informant not only saw the marijuana "hanging from the rafters underneath the house" but had been told "that there was approximately 2 pick up loads of marijuana in the basement and that this marijuana was brought into the residence from out of state."
At trial, the court ordered that the search warrant not go to the jury room "under any circumstances." Defense counsel responded: "I don't want the . . . identity of any informant, no sir. * * * I'm not interested in that." There was no contention that the informant's identity was essential to Neely's defense or that it was necessary to show his innocence. Clearly, there was no showing that there was any exception to the general rule that the prosecution is entitled to withhold the identity of the informant. Roviaro v. United States,
Considering the quantity of marijuana involved (13 or 14 garbage bags), the place where it was found, and Neely's own statements acknowledging not only its presence but his responsibility for its being there, any contention that the State did not present a prima facie case is unfounded.
The judgment of the circuit court is affirmed.
AFFIRMED.
All Judges concur.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- Patrick Neely v. State.
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