State v. Rogers

419 P.2d 102, 4 Ariz. App. 198
CourtCourt of Appeals of Arizona
DecidedOctober 7, 1966
Docket2 CA-CR 61
StatusPublished
Cited by4 cases

This text of 419 P.2d 102 (State v. Rogers) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals of Arizona primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
State v. Rogers, 419 P.2d 102, 4 Ariz. App. 198 (Ark. Ct. App. 1966).

Opinion

MOLLOY, Judge.

This is an appeal from a conviction of two counts of burglary, first degree, upon which conviction consecutive sentences were imposed.

The charges in question arise from the breaking and entering into two retail establishments in the City of Tucson, Arizona, in the early morning hours of September S, 1964. One establishment so entered was the Ft. Lowell Market, a grocery store with a liquor department. The other establishment was the Lampost Liquor Store. Both establishments were entered by the breaking of a window with a large boulder, which, in each case, was found inside the store after the entry. The Ft. Lowell Market was entered at approximately 1 a. m. on the morning in question and the Lampost Liquor Store at approximately 3 a. m. From each store, certain alcoholic beverages in bottles were removed and this liquor was recovered by the police at the apartment of a Vernon Musgrove. 1

The defendant was charged jointly with one Ronald Slay for burglarizing the Ft. Lowell Market and the Lampost Liquor Store. Prior to trial, Slay pleaded guilty to count two of the information (the Lampost Liquor Store burglary), and count one (Ft. Lowell Market burglary) was dismissed as to Slay. The remaining facts per *200 tinent to this opinion will be discussed in connection with specific questions presented for- review.

The first attack made upon the judgment below is that the trial court committed error in denying a motion for bill of particulars and a motion for discovery. The motion for bill of particulars filed demanded that the state answer fifty-four questions pertaining to the crimes charged. The state voluntarily answered the first interrogatory, pertaining to the names of the persons in possession of the buildings burglarized, but resisted the bill of particulars as to the remáining 'fifty-three questions. On appeal, the defendant singles out the following seven questions as being those which he had the right to- have answered:

“2. Did defendant (herein ‘defendant’ applies to defendant Rogers) give any statement or utterance in writing, or that was reduced to writing? If so, to whom, or who reduced same to writing? And whom else, if anyone, was present when any such communications occurred?
“3. In whose possession are any such communications at the present time?
“4. Did defendant make any oral statement, confession, admission or other communication of which the State has knowledge and will use at trial?
“5. If so, to whom were such oral communications made and whom else, if anyone, was present?
“6. Specify the exact wording, or substance, of such communications.
“7. Specify the exact date and approximate time of each such oral communication.
“8. Was defendant warned of his constitutional rights to counsel and to remain silent prior to any and all oral or written communications? If so, who warned him, and what was said by such person, and who else, if anyone, was present?”

In addition, a motion for discovery was filed seeking discovery of ten items, among which were .any written statements taken from either of the co-defendants, Rogers or Slay.

The lower court ordered the state to produce any written statements taken from either defendant and the results of any tests and experiments which had been performed in connection with the investigation of the crime, but otherwise denied both the motion for bill of particulars and the motion for discovery.

On appeal, the defendant selects items 4 and 8 of the motion for discovery as being those which he had the right to obtain:

“4) any statement (s) of defendant in writing, or any notes relative to any oral conversation, including any portion of any police or other reports thereto ;
* * * * * *
“8) all written statements, or notes relating to oral statements, of co-defendant Slay on the ground these may have material hearing on defendant’s cause at trial, and on this Court’s decision relative to defendant’s Motion for Severance
* * * * * *

There were no written statements of either defendant introduced during the trial of this action, and the only argument made on appeal as to any prejudice to the defendant by the denial of the subject motions was in connection with an oral statement of the defendant that he was in the company of Slay from approximately 12 midnight on the evening in question until the two were apprehended by the police at about 3:50 a. m., which statement was testified to by the two police officers who arrested the defendant. The defendant asserts that failure to disclose the details of the making of this admission against interest “hopelessly prejudiced” the defendant in the preparation of his case, and that when testimony was introduced of such an admission, the de *201 fendant was “entirely unprepared to test” this testimony. The defendant does not go beyond this in showing prejudice.

The preliminary hearing was conducted as to the charges against both defendants. Though the defendant Slay was represented by counsel at this preliminary hearing, the defendant Rogers was not, and no transcript was made of the preliminary hearing. There are unverified statements in this record that at the preliminary hearing there was a full disclosure of all of the testimony introduced at the trial of this action, including the testimony as to the admission in question.

A full dose of the discovery procedures prevalent in civil actions in this state would certainly have an aerating effect upon the whole criminal trial procedure. However, so long as the defendant may withhold until the time of trial the testimony that he will give to explain any evidence produced by the state, it seems to us that it would be unfair to force the state to make full disclosure of its case in advance of trial. Our Supreme Court has held that the degree to which discovery will be granted to the defendant should be left to the sound discretion of the trial court. State v. McGee, 91 Ariz. 101, 370 P.2d 261 (1962). We see no abuse of discretion in this regard in the instant case.

The next question presented for review is in connection with the testimony of the accomplice, Ronald Slay. At the trial of the action, Slay, after preliminarily seeking to invoke the Fifth Amendment, was required by the trial court to testify as to the circumstances of the Lampost Liquor Store burglary, the one to which he had pleaded guilty. In his testimony, Slay implicated the defendant as being with him and helping him carry the liquor from the store to the car used to transport the stolen property from the scene. The court indicated that Slay’s claim of the Fifth Amendment would be honored as to the other count, as to which the charge against Slay had been dismissed.

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Related

State v. Bussdieker
621 P.2d 26 (Arizona Supreme Court, 1980)
State v. Korte
566 P.2d 318 (Court of Appeals of Arizona, 1977)
State v. Hunt
471 P.2d 303 (Court of Appeals of Arizona, 1970)
State Ex Rel. Corbin v. SUPERIOR COURT IN & FOR COUNTY OF MARICOPA
433 P.2d 65 (Court of Appeals of Arizona, 1967)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
419 P.2d 102, 4 Ariz. App. 198, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-v-rogers-arizctapp-1966.