State v. Woods

156 N.W.2d 786, 182 Neb. 668, 1968 Neb. LEXIS 449
Nebraska Supreme Court·Decided March 1, 1968·No. 36709·Published·Cited by 16 cases

Opinion

Newton, J.

This is a criminal action in which defendant was charged with the robbery of the Goodrich Dairy in Omaha, Nebraska, on February 18, 1967. Trial was had to a jury commencing April 24, 1967, a verdict of guilty returned, and judgment entered in conformity therewith. Defendant appeals.

The only assignments of error urged deal with two propositions. First, the endorsement of the names of additional witnesses on the information at the commencement of and during the trial, the giving of testimony by *669 such witnesses, and the denial of the defendant’s motion for a continuance. Second, the admission into evidence of an alleged confession of the defendant, designated as exhibit 12.

The practice of some prosecuting officers of failing to prepare a case for trial in such manner as to familiarize themselves with the witnesses required for trial, resulting in a failure to endorse the names of such witnesses on the information at the time it is filed, must be condemned but is not ordinarily fatal. The record, insofar as it pertains to the first assignment of error mentioned, reflects that the names of two witnesses who were police officers and who testified as to foundational matters with reference to the confession of defendant were endorsed on the information at the commencement of the trial. A notice of intention to apply for permission to endorse such names on the information had been filed and served on defendant’s attorney 11 days prior to the commencement of the trial and no objection was made thereto until the morning of the trial when the motion was made. Defendant moved for a continuance on the ground of surprise. During the course of the trial, the State was permitted to endorse the name of another police officer on the information. Defendant had been arrested shortly after the time of the robbery and wheji apprehended was in his automobile. The automobile was subsequently towed to the police garage, a search warrant obtained, and certain exhibits introduced at the trial were found therein. During the course of the trial, it was discovered that the evidence of the State failed to reflect surveillance of the automobile and noninterference therewith during the time it was towed to the garage, and a police officer, whose name was endorsed on the information during the course of the trial,'was called to supply this missing link in such foundational evidence.

It would seem clear that the endorsement at the commencement of the trial of the names of the officers who *670 took defendant’s confession could not have taken the defendant by surprise, or in any way have constituted an abuse of discretion, as the defendant was apprised of the names of the witnesses and of the intention to call them, as well as the endorsement of their names on the information, 11 days prior to trial, and had ample opportunity to ascertain the purpose for which they would be called and to obtain any available testimony in rebuttal thereof. Regarding the endorsement of the name of the officer who helped to tow the defendant’s car to the police, garage, his evidence was in the nature of a simple foundational matter linking the automobile with the defendant, and showing that it was in the same conditon on arrival at the police garage as it was at the time of defendant’s arrest. Certainly evidence along this line connecting the defendant with the automobile and the exhibits found therein, and showing no change in the car or its contents prior to its search, would have been anticipated by any competent defense attorney. It is difficult to see how defendant could have been surprised and thereby prejudiced by such evidence. “A trial court may, in the exercise of its discretion, permit the names of witnesses to be endorsed upon an information before or after the trial has begun when there is no showing of prejudice to the rights of the defendant.” Waite v. State, 169 Neb. 113, 98 N. W. 2d 688. See, also, Svehla v. State, 168 Neb. 553, 96 N. W. 2d 649; Phillips v. State, 157 Neb. 419, 59 N. W. 2d 598, 58 A. L. R. 2d 1141. “An application for a continuance is addressed to the sound discretion of the trial court and its ruling thereon will not be disturbed unless it appears that the rights of the defendant were prejudiced thereby.” Svehla v. State, supra. In support thereof, see Phillips v. State, supra.

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

State v. Woods, 156 N.W.2d 786, 182 Neb. 668, 1968 Neb. LEXIS 449 (Neb. 1968).

156 N.W.2d 786 (State v. Woods) — published by Counsel Stack Legal Research, free access to 12M+ legal documents.

Related

State v. Munro
295 N.W.2d 437 (Supreme Court of Iowa, 1980)
State v. Nielsen
280 N.W.2d 904 (Nebraska Supreme Court, 1979)
State v. Welch
337 So. 2d 1114 (Supreme Court of Louisiana, 1976)
State v. Boyce
233 N.W.2d 912 (Nebraska Supreme Court, 1975)
State v. Krueger
231 N.W.2d 364 (Nebraska Supreme Court, 1975)
State v. Coleman
208 N.W.2d 690 (Nebraska Supreme Court, 1973)
State v. Kennedy
203 N.W.2d 106 (Nebraska Supreme Court, 1972)
State v. Moore
202 N.W.2d 740 (Nebraska Supreme Court, 1972)
Nash v. State
477 S.W.2d 557 (Court of Criminal Appeals of Texas, 1972)
State v. Graves
250 So. 2d 727 (Supreme Court of Louisiana, 1971)
State v. Johns
177 N.W.2d 580 (Nebraska Supreme Court, 1970)
State v. Schumacher
171 N.W.2d 181 (Nebraska Supreme Court, 1969)