Tanner v. State
Tanner v. State
Opinion of the Court
Jacqueline Delores Tanner was indicted for the murder of Richard. Tillison, III. She was convicted of voluntary manslaughter following a jury trial, and she brings this appeal following the trial court’s denial of her motion for new trial.
1. Defendant’s first enumeration cites as error the trial court’s allowing testimony into evidence from the pathologist who conducted the autopsy on Tillison, the victim. Defendant contends that the testimony of the pathologist as to his medical findings, the autopsy and the cause of death should have been excluded and suppressed because this information was contained in his official report, a copy of which had not been provided by the state in response to her timely demand for discovery pursuant to Code Ann. § 27-1303 of any scientific reports the state intended to use at trial. The trial court ruled that the pathologist could not rely on his report to testify but could use the report only to refresh his recollection. The trial court instructed the pathologist that he could not read from the report “but any testimony you give will have to be from your recollection and if you can’t recollect, then you can’t give it.”
The 1980 General Assembly amended Code Ch. 27-13 “so as to provide for discovery in criminal cases of statements made by defendants while in police custody and of scientific reports; to provide for procedure in relation thereto; [and] to provide for an exclusionary rule...” Ga. L. 1980, p. 1388. As is here pertinent, that enactment (Code Ann. § 27-1303) provides: “(a) In all criminal trials, felony and misdemeanor, the defendant shall be entitled to have a complete copy of any written scientific reports in the possession of the prosecution which will be introduced in whole or in part against
In Garner v. State, 159 Ga. App. 244 (1) (282 SE2d 909) (1981), this court examined Code Ann. § 27-1302, which contains provisions similar to those in Code Ann. § 27-1303, to determine the legislative purpose and intent when the state failed, after timely demand, to provide a criminal defendant with a transcript of his tape-recorded, in-custody statement at least 10 days before trial. In addition, the trial of this matter revealed that incriminating oral statements by the defendant had also been made to the police. Although the statements themselves were not offered into evidence, one of the arresting officers testified in his own words as to what the defendant had said. Defendant’s objections to this testimony were overruled. This court reversed, holding that “[t]he stated purpose of the statute is to provide for discovery in criminal cases ... [and] the legislature has determined that [a criminal defendant] is entitled to ‘at least 10 days’ with which to review such information before trial... [T]he burden of compliance with the requirements of Code Ann. § 27-1302 is on the state. [Cit.] To hold otherwise would make the statute ‘ “a toothless tiger,” “a fish that cannot swim,” indeed, a law that it is not necessary to enforce.’. . . Accordingly, if the state elects to use a defendant’s statement in the prosecution of its case but 10 days have not elapsed from the time defendant was provided a copy thereof, the state’s remedy is to announce not ready at the call of the case for trial and request a continuance.” Id. at 245.
The General Assembly has seen fit to provide certain discovery rights to criminal defendants, and it is the duty of this court to give full force and effect to all provisions of that statute. Garner, supra; see Mitchell v. Union Bag &c. Corp., 75 Ga. App. 15, 17 (42 SE2d 137) (1947). This court held in Garner that the district attorney’s failure to comply with the provisions of the criminal discovery statute would require the exclusion and suppression of testimony and evidence arising therefrom at any retrial of the case. However, any harm which would result to a criminal defendant from the state’s failure to provide the requested information prior to the original trial would be eliminated if the district attorney were to timely comply with the statute prior to any retrial of the case. Therefore, the judgment of the trial court is reversed and remanded with direction that testimony and evidence arising from the pathologist’s report be excluded and
2. Defendant’s remaining enumerations of error are without merit.
Judgment reversed with direction.
Concurring Opinion
concurring specially.
I concur specially with Division 1 of the opinion, and concur with Division 2.
I agree with the statement in Division 1 that the state should not be allowed to offer oral testimony based on a witness’ recollection of the report, in lieu of the written report (prepared by the same witness) requested by the defendant pursuant to the provisions of Code Ann. § 27-1303 (b), thus rendering this section ineffective. Nevertheless, I continue to subscribe to the dissenting opinion of Chief Judge Quillian in Garner v. State, 159 Ga. App. 244 (1) (282 SE2d 909) (1981), where he stated, in referring to a similar discovery statute: “[W]e have held that the proper remedy for a violation thereof is not a defense motion for exclusion of the testimony but a [defense] motion for continuance.”
In Garner the majority stated, as reiterated in the majority opinion here: “[T]he state’s remedy is to announce not ready at the call of the case for trial and [the state should] request a continuance” in the event the requested statement has not been furnished to the defendant at least 10 days prior to trial. While this procedure ostensibly affords the state relief, I can foresee an occasion when the state, faced with a second term deadline after a demand for trial (Code Ann. § 27-1901; Durham v. State, 9 Ga. 306 (2) (1851): Nix v. State, 5 Ga. App. 835 (1) (63 SE 926) (1909)) and, thus, unable to ask for a continuance, finds it cannot comply with §§ 27-1302 or 1303 due to an unavoidable administrative delay on the part of a coroner, pathologist or other expert. Hence, the state would be forced to try a criminal case with inadequate evidence, or face dismissal of criminal charges for failure to comply with §§ 27-1302 and 27-1303. This result
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