State v. Darmond , 135 Ohio St. 3d 343 ( 2013 )


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  • [Cite as State v. Darmond, 
    135 Ohio St.3d 343
    , 
    2013-Ohio-966
    .]
    THE STATE OF OHIO, APPELLANT, v. DARMOND ET AL., APPELLEES.
    [Cite as State v. Darmond, 
    135 Ohio St.3d 343
    , 
    2013-Ohio-966
    .]
    The holding in Lakewood v. Papadelis that “[a] trial court must inquire into the
    circumstances surrounding a discovery rule violation and, when deciding
    whether to impose a sanction, must impose the least severe sanction that is
    consistent with the purpose of the rules of discovery” applies equally to
    discovery violations committed by the state and to discovery violations
    committed by a criminal defendant.
    (Nos. 2012-0081 and 2012-0195—Submitted January 9, 2013—Decided
    March 21, 2013.)
    APPEAL from and CERTIFIED by the Court of Appeals for Cuyahoga County,
    Nos. 96373 and 96374, 
    2011-Ohio-6160
    .
    _______________________
    SYLLABUS OF THE COURT
    The holding in Lakewood v. Papadelis, 
    32 Ohio St.3d 1
    , 
    511 N.E.2d 1138
     (1987),
    paragraph two of the syllabus, that “[a] trial court must inquire into the
    circumstances surrounding a discovery rule violation and, when deciding
    whether to impose a sanction, must impose the least severe sanction that is
    consistent with the purpose of the rules of discovery” applies equally to
    discovery violations committed by the state and to discovery violations
    committed by a criminal defendant.
    __________________
    O’NEILL, J.
    {¶ 1} On the first day of a nonjury felony trial, during the testimony of
    the first witness, the trial court became aware that the state had failed to disclose
    to the defendant some evidence related to the case. The record is clear that the
    SUPREME COURT OF OHIO
    discovery violation was unintentional.        The court noted that the undisclosed
    evidence “could be inculpatory or exculpatory,” but it never made a finding one
    way or the other. On motion by the defense, the court declared a mistrial and
    dismissed the charges with prejudice. The appellate court affirmed, concluding
    that the trial court had not abused its discretion. For the reasons that follow, we
    hold that the failure of the trial court to explore whether a less severe sanction was
    appropriate was an abuse of discretion. We accordingly reverse the judgment of
    the court of appeals and remand this cause to the trial court for further
    proceedings.
    {¶ 2} In its analysis, the appellate court considered Lakewood v.
    Papadelis, 
    32 Ohio St.3d 1
    , 
    511 N.E.2d 1138
     (1987), which held that when
    contemplating a sanction for a discovery-rule violation, a trial court must conduct
    an inquiry into the surrounding circumstances and “must impose the least severe
    sanction that is consistent with the purpose of the rules of discovery.” 
    Id.
     at
    paragraph two of the syllabus. The appellate court distinguished Lakewood from
    this case on the basis that Lakewood involved a discovery violation committed by
    a defendant rather than by the state.
    {¶ 3} The appellate court then certified a conflict on that issue because
    other appellate courts have applied Lakewood to cases involving discovery
    violations committed by the state. We accepted the conflict for review and also
    accepted the state’s discretionary appeal.
    {¶ 4} We conclude that under the current discovery rules, Lakewood
    applies to all discovery violations, including those committed by the state. A
    contrary holding would be at odds with this court’s repeated guidance that trials
    are to be conducted on a level playing field and Crim.R. 16’s requirement that
    remedies for discovery violations apply to the defense and the prosecution
    equally. We therefore answer the certified question in the affirmative.
    2
    January Term, 2013
    I. Facts and Procedural History
    {¶ 5} The two defendants-appellees in this case, Demetrius Darmond
    and Iris Oliver, were jointly indicted in August 2010 on felony charges of
    trafficking in drugs and possession of drugs, with specifications, and with
    additional charges as to Darmond. Both defendants pled not guilty and waived
    their right to a jury trial, electing instead to be tried by a judge. The state and the
    defendants (represented by separate counsel) engaged in reciprocal discovery
    upon the defendants’ demands for discovery pursuant to Crim.R. 16, and the case
    proceeded to a bench trial.
    {¶ 6} After the parties’ opening statements, the state called its first
    witness, a special agent with the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Identification and
    Investigation (“BCI”). The BCI agent testified that on March 13, 2010, she was
    on package-interdiction duty at a FedEx facility after receiving a tip from law-
    enforcement authorities. She testified that she had discovered three suspicious
    packages that day, all sent from Arizona, that were similar to each other. After a
    drug-sniffing dog alerted to the packages, she obtained search warrants, opened
    the packages, and found marijuana inside. The packages were addressed to three
    different people at three different addresses.
    {¶ 7} One of those packages, which was addressed to defendant Oliver’s
    street address but stated a name other than that of any resident of the address as
    the addressee, was the basis for the indictment in this case. The agent placed the
    marijuana back in that package and rewrapped it. The package was delivered to
    Oliver’s address under surveillance by officers of the Cuyahoga County Sheriff’s
    Office, who were accompanied by the BCI agent, on March 16, 2010. Defendant
    Darmond later arrived at Oliver’s residence and put the package in his car. He
    was then arrested.
    {¶ 8} The special agent was again on package-interdiction duty on
    March 17, 2010, and discovered four more suspicious packages, all sent from
    3
    SUPREME COURT OF OHIO
    Arizona, that she opened after obtaining warrants. Each contained marijuana.
    One of those packages was addressed to Oliver’s street address but stated a name
    other than that of any resident as the addressee. The agent took that package to
    the Cuyahoga County Sheriff’s Office.            That package was not delivered to
    Oliver’s address, because Darmond had been arrested the previous day. The other
    three packages found on March 17 were addressed to three separate addresses
    different from any address on any of the other packages the agent had already
    intercepted.
    {¶ 9} The agent prepared separate reports for each of the seven
    packages. In the report relating to the package that was delivered to Oliver’s
    address, the agent noted that a second package addressed to Oliver’s residence
    and containing marijuana had been intercepted on March 17, but other than that,
    the reports did not mention the other packages. The agent did not have the other
    reports with her at trial, was not involved with any follow-up investigations that
    might have taken place on the other five packages, and was able to remember
    only sketchy details of the police action regarding those packages after she
    discovered them. As to at least one other package, she believed that a controlled
    delivery had been made to the address on the package and that an arrest had
    resulted, but she was unsure of the specifics.
    {¶ 10} The record clearly supports the fact that the assistant prosecuting
    attorney handling the case and both defense attorneys were unaware of the other
    five packages prior to the BCI agent’s testimony. In response to the defendants’
    pretrial discovery requests, the state had provided the BCI agent’s reports relating
    to the two packages the prosecutor knew to exist and also provided other
    information. After several sidebars during the agent’s testimony, the defense
    attorneys moved the trial court to dismiss the case with prejudice due to the state’s
    failure to disclose prior to the trial the interception of the five additional packages
    and the reports regarding them.
    4
    January Term, 2013
    {¶ 11} The defense attorneys renewed the motion to dismiss after the
    agent completed her testimony, arguing that the undisclosed information was
    exculpatory and that dismissal was the only remedy. In response, the prosecutor
    asserted that the undisclosed packages were not exculpatory evidence. He also
    emphasized that neither he nor the BCI agent had been trying to hide anything.
    {¶ 12} After a one-hour recess, the parties conducted discussions off the
    record, and the case then resumed on the record. The prosecutor again argued in
    opposition to the motions to dismiss that it was not clear that the undisclosed
    packages were exculpatory, and he suggested that they may have instead been
    inculpatory because further investigation may have shown them to be evidence
    implicating the defendants in a scheme to distribute drugs.
    {¶ 13} After the defense attorneys again pressed for dismissal with
    prejudice, the trial court reviewed the details of the situation. The court noted that
    the undisclosed evidence “could be inculpatory or exculpatory” and then stated
    that the full details regarding all seven packages and what occurred in the
    aftermath of their discovery should have been supplied to the defense. The court
    concluded the proceedings by declaring a mistrial and dismissing the case with
    prejudice, barring the state from further indicting the defendants.
    {¶ 14} The Eighth District Court of Appeals affirmed, holding that the
    trial court had not abused its discretion. State v. Darmond, 8th Dist. Nos. 96373
    and 96374, 
    2011-Ohio-6160
    , ¶ 26. In considering the preference expressed in the
    second syllabus paragraph of Lakewood for imposing the least severe sanction
    consistent with the purpose of the discovery rules, the appellate court
    distinguished Lakewood and declined to apply it. Id. at ¶ 15-18. The court in
    essence interpreted that case’s holding as applying only to cases involving a
    defendant’s discovery violation and did not extend it to cases involving a
    discovery violation committed by the state.
    5
    SUPREME COURT OF OHIO
    {¶ 15} The court of appeals determined that its resolution of the case
    conflicted with the decisions of the Third Appellate District in State v. Engle, 
    166 Ohio App.3d 262
    , 
    2006-Ohio-1884
    , 
    850 N.E.2d 123
     (3d Dist.), and the First
    Appellate District in State v. Siemer, 1st Dist. Nos. C-060604 and C-060605,
    
    2007-Ohio-4600
    , 
    2007 WL 2541121
    .             The court of appeals then certified a
    conflict on the following issue: “Does the holding in Lakewood v. Papadelis, 
    32 Ohio St.3d 1
    , 
    511 N.E.2d 1138
     (1987), apply equally to instances where the state
    has committed a discovery violation?”
    {¶ 16} This court determined that a conflict exists and ordered the parties
    to brief the certified issue (case No. 2012-0195), accepted jurisdiction over the
    state’s discretionary appeal (case No. 2012-0081), and consolidated the two cases
    for consideration, 
    131 Ohio St.3d 1497
     and 1498, 
    2012-Ohio-1501
    , 
    964 N.E.2d 438
     and 439.
    II. Analysis
    {¶ 17} Our consideration is guided by Crim.R. 16, which was extensively
    amended on July 1, 2010. The pertinent provisions for purposes here are Crim.R.
    16(A) and 16(L)(1). Crim.R. 16(A) provides:
    (A) Purpose, Scope and Reciprocity.           This rule is to
    provide all parties in a criminal case with the information necessary
    for a full and fair adjudication of the facts, to protect the integrity
    of the justice system and the rights of defendants, and to protect the
    well-being of witnesses, victims, and society at large. All duties
    and remedies are subject to a standard of due diligence, apply to the
    defense and the prosecution equally, and are intended to be
    reciprocal. Once discovery is initiated by demand of the defendant,
    all parties have a continuing duty to supplement their disclosures.
    6
    January Term, 2013
    {¶ 18} Crim.R. 16(L)(1) provides:
    (L) Regulation of Discovery.
    (1) The trial court may make orders regulating discovery not
    inconsistent with this rule. If at any time during the course of the
    proceedings it is brought to the attention of the court that a party
    has failed to comply with this rule or with an order issued pursuant
    to this rule, the court may order such party to permit the discovery
    or inspection, grant a continuance, or prohibit the party from
    introducing in evidence the material not disclosed, or it may make
    such other order as it deems just under the circumstances.
    {¶ 19} The overall objective of the criminal rules “ ‘is to remove the
    element of gamesmanship from a trial.’ ” Lakewood, 32 Ohio St.3d at 3, 
    511 N.E.2d 1138
    , quoting State v. Howard, 
    56 Ohio St.2d 328
    , 333, 
    383 N.E.2d 912
    (1978).     The purpose of the discovery rules “is to prevent surprise and the
    secreting of evidence favorable to one party.” 
    Id.
    A. The Conflict Issue: Does the Holding in Lakewood Apply to
    Discovery Violations Committed by the State?
    {¶ 20} Sanctions for a Crim.R. 16 discovery violation are within the
    discretion of the trial court and should be imposed equally, without regard to the
    status of the offending party. The state has conceded that it should have disclosed
    the existence of the other five packages prior to the trial pursuant to Crim.R. 16
    and therefore does not contest the trial court’s conclusion that a discovery
    violation occurred. The state asserts that the trial court’s order of dismissal with
    prejudice was flawed because the trial court failed to consider whether less severe
    sanctions were appropriate given the circumstances. We agree.
    7
    SUPREME COURT OF OHIO
    {¶ 21} In Lakewood, the defendant committed a discovery violation by
    failing to turn over his witness list to the city, and as a sanction, the trial court
    excluded the testimony of all the defendant’s witnesses. 32 Ohio St.3d at 2, 
    511 N.E.2d 1138
    . In reviewing the propriety of the sanction, this court first noted that
    the effect of the sanction was to deny the defendant his Sixth Amendment right to
    present a defense. Id. at 4. This court then adopted the rationale of courts in other
    jurisdictions that had reviewed similar situations and held that a trial court must
    inquire into the circumstances surrounding a discovery violation, must balance the
    competing interests, and “must impose the least severe sanction that is consistent
    with the purpose of the rules of discovery.” (Emphasis added.) Id. at 5 and at
    paragraph two of the syllabus.
    {¶ 22} Lakewood mentions several factors to be considered in the
    balancing test: the extent of surprise or prejudice to the state if the testimony
    were allowed, the impact that excluding the testimony would have on the trial,
    whether the violation was willful or in bad faith, and the effectiveness of less
    severe sanctions. Id. at 5.
    {¶ 23} A number of Ohio appellate courts, including the courts that issued
    the judgments certified as being in conflict with the appellate court’s judgment in
    this case, have determined that Lakewood applies to discovery violations
    committed by the state just as it applies to discovery violations committed by the
    defense.   For example, in Siemer, 
    2007-Ohio-4600
    , at ¶ 9, the First District
    recognized that the balancing test in Lakewood was created in the context of a
    defendant’s discovery violation, but concluded that the holding in Lakewood is
    “equally applicable to cases involving discovery violations committed by the
    state.” The Siemer court cited a number of decisions, from the majority of Ohio’s
    appellate districts, in support of that conclusion. 
    Id.
    {¶ 24} In Engle, 
    166 Ohio App.3d 262
    , 
    2006-Ohio-1884
    , 
    850 N.E.2d 123
    ,
    the Third District applied Lakewood to reverse a trial court’s decision dismissing
    8
    January Term, 2013
    the charges against the defendant as the sanction for a discovery violation
    committed by the state. The Engle court observed that the trial court had failed to
    determine “whether a less severe sanction would be appropriate” and failed to
    “properly balance the need to impose a sanction with the purpose of the discovery
    rules.” Id. at ¶ 10.
    {¶ 25} The appellate court in this case, however, declined to apply
    Lakewood because this case involved a discovery violation by the state, not a
    defendant. In so doing, the court relied on precedent from its district: State v.
    Jones, 
    183 Ohio App.3d 189
    , 
    2009-Ohio-2381
    , 
    916 N.E.2d 828
     (8th Dist.). Jones
    reasoned that Lakewood should not be applied in cases involving the state’s
    failure to provide discovery, because Lakewood was primarily concerned with the
    accused’s ability to present a defense. Jones at ¶ 12, citing State v. Crespo, 7th
    Dist. No. 03 MA 11, 
    2004-Ohio-1576
    , 
    2004 WL 615705
    , ¶ 11 (“the holding in
    Lakewood is not directly applicable in cases where sanctions are imposed upon
    the prosecution”).
    {¶ 26} We recognize that the analysis in Lakewood was driven to a large
    extent by the consideration that the sanction imposed by the trial court effectively
    deprived the defendant of his Sixth Amendment right to present a defense.
    However, we do not agree that this consideration prevents the application of
    Lakewood to a case in which it is the state that has committed a discovery
    violation.
    {¶ 27} In State v. Parker, 
    53 Ohio St.3d 82
    , 86, 
    558 N.E.2d 1164
     (1990),
    which involved a discovery violation committed by the state, this court cited
    Lakewood, 32 Ohio St.3d at 5, 
    511 N.E.2d 1138
    , with approval for the
    propositions that a trial court must inquire into the circumstances of the alleged
    violation of Crim.R. 16 and must impose the least severe sanction consistent with
    the purpose of the discovery rules. Parker strongly supports the state’s position
    on the certified issue.
    9
    SUPREME COURT OF OHIO
    {¶ 28} Even if Parker left room for debate regarding whether Lakewood
    applies to discovery violations committed by the state, the 2010 amendments to
    Crim.R. 16 removed any doubt. Current Crim.R. 16 essentially places the state
    and a criminal defendant who has filed a discovery demand on equal footing as a
    trial court contemplates the imposition of the appropriate sanction for a discovery
    violation.
    {¶ 29} Current Crim.R. 16(A) applies to “all parties in a criminal case,”
    and “all duties and remedies” of the rule apply “to the defense and the prosecution
    equally” and are “intended to be reciprocal.” (Emphasis added.) The Staff Notes
    to the 2010 amendment to Division (A) of Crim.R. 16 state that the purpose of the
    revisions “is to provide for a just determination of criminal proceedings and to
    secure the fair, impartial, and speedy administration of justice.” To that end, the
    Staff Notes point out, the current rule “expands the reciprocal duties in the
    exchange of materials” and “balances a defendant’s constitutional rights with the
    community’s compelling interest in a thorough, effective, and just prosecution of
    criminal acts.”
    {¶ 30} In Lakewood, this court viewed the sanction imposed by the trial
    court as extremely severe because it effectively deprived the defendant of the
    ability to present a defense, and the court therefore held that the sanction should
    not have been imposed without the trial court’s first weighing and rejecting the
    feasibility of less severe sanctions. In the same way, the sanction of dismissal
    with prejudice in this case is extremely severe because it forecloses the possibility
    of further prosecution; such a sanction should not be imposed without a trial
    court’s specifically weighing and rejecting the feasibility of less severe sanctions.
    {¶ 31} Crim.R. 16’s emphasis on equal and reciprocal treatment of parties
    clarifies that the strong preference expressed in Lakewood for imposing the least
    severe sanction that will further the purposes of the discovery rules is a critical
    consideration that must be taken into account in any criminal case before a severe
    10
    January Term, 2013
    sanction is imposed for a discovery violation. We accordingly conclude that
    Lakewood applies to discovery violations committed by the state, and we
    therefore answer the certified question in the affirmative.
    B. Did the Trial Court Abuse Its Discretion?
    {¶ 32} Having determined that Lakewood applies in this case, we next
    consider whether the trial court abused its discretion in dismissing the case with
    prejudice.
    {¶ 33} As we observed in State v. Parson, 
    6 Ohio St.3d 442
    , 445, 
    453 N.E.2d 689
     (1983), a trial court has discretion in determining a sanction for a
    discovery violation. This long-standing principle continues in force after the
    recent amendments to Crim.R. 16.         Crim.R. 16(L)(1) is identical to former
    Crim.R. 16(E)(3) in detailing a trial court’s authority to issue orders in the wake
    of a party’s failure to comply with discovery obligations, and in particular
    provides that the trial court may issue any order “it deems just under the
    circumstances.” 
    34 Ohio St.2d lvii
    . See also Staff Notes to 2010 amendment to
    Division (L) of Crim.R. 16 (“The trial court continues to retain discretion to
    ensure that the provisions of the rule are followed. This discretion protects the
    integrity of the criminal justice process while protecting the rights of the
    defendants, witnesses, victims, and society at large”).
    {¶ 34} A trial court abuses its discretion when it makes a decision that is
    unreasonable, unconscionable, or arbitrary. State v. Adams, 
    62 Ohio St.2d 151
    ,
    157, 
    404 N.E.2d 144
     (1980). An abuse of discretion includes a situation in which
    a trial court did not engage in a “ ‘sound reasoning process.’ ” State v. Morris,
    
    132 Ohio St.3d 337
    , 
    2012-Ohio-2407
    , 
    972 N.E.2d 528
    , ¶ 14, quoting AAAA Ents.,
    Inc. v. River Place Community Urban Redevelopment Corp., 
    50 Ohio St.3d 157
    ,
    161, 
    553 N.E.2d 597
     (1990). Abuse-of-discretion review is deferential and does
    not permit an appellate court to simply substitute its judgment for that of the trial
    court. 
    Id.
    11
    SUPREME COURT OF OHIO
    {¶ 35} In Parson, 
    6 Ohio St.3d 442
    , 
    453 N.E.2d 689
    , we established three
    factors that should govern a trial court’s exercise of discretion in imposing a
    sanction for a discovery violation committed by the prosecution.         The three
    Parson factors a judge should consider are (1) whether the failure to disclose was
    a willful violation of Crim.R. 16, (2) whether foreknowledge of the undisclosed
    material would have benefited the accused in the preparation of a defense, and (3)
    whether the accused was prejudiced. 
    Id.
     at syllabus. See also State v. Hale, 
    119 Ohio St.3d 118
    , 
    2008-Ohio-3426
    , 
    892 N.E.2d 864
    , ¶ 115.
    {¶ 36} Several of the factors discussed in Lakewood are similar to those
    expounded in Parson, including the degree of prejudice to the opposing party and
    whether the violation was willful or in bad faith. See Lakewood, 32 Ohio St.3d at
    5, 
    511 N.E.2d 1138
    .
    {¶ 37} The application of the three Parson factors to this case is unclear.
    The record definitively shows that the discovery violation here was not willful,
    but was instead unintentional. However, as to the second and third factors, in
    light of the trial court’s stated acknowledgement that it was not possible to
    ascertain whether the undisclosed information was exculpatory or inculpatory, it
    is not at all clear that foreknowledge of the information would have benefited the
    defense or that there was prejudice.
    {¶ 38} In addition to the Parson factors, Lakewood also focused on the
    effectiveness of less severe sanctions as an important factor in the balancing test.
    Id. at 5. The trial court did not indicate that it had considered whether a less
    severe sanction than a dismissal with prejudice would have accomplished the
    purposes of the discovery rules. While the trial court’s decision was generally in
    accord with earlier holdings by the Eighth District, which declined to apply
    Lakewood to discovery violations committed by the state, those holdings are
    clearly at odds with the mandates of current Crim.R. 16. To the extent that this
    12
    January Term, 2013
    position may have been justifiable under former Crim.R. 16, the current rule
    makes clear that that is no longer the proper view.
    {¶ 39} The state opposed the defendants’ motions to dismiss on several
    grounds, including that the evidence that was not disclosed was not particularly
    material to the defendants’ case and that there was a substantial possibility that
    the undisclosed evidence could have been inculpatory rather than exculpatory.
    Although it would have been helpful for the state in opposing the dismissal
    motions to offer the trial court specific alternatives to dismissal with prejudice,
    the trial court nevertheless should not have dismissed this case with prejudice
    without first giving the parties the opportunity to develop the record regarding the
    other packages and then weighing the relevant factors.
    {¶ 40} Although we are not mandating a specific procedural course of
    conduct in this case, we note that rather than dismissing the case with prejudice,
    the trial court could have continued the case to allow further inquiry into the
    details regarding the other packages. See Lakewood, 32 Ohio St.3d at 5, 
    511 N.E.2d 1138
     (a continuance should be ordered if it is feasible and would allow for
    an opportunity to minimize any surprise or prejudice caused by the discovery
    violation). This was a bench trial, and the defendants were out on bond. Clearly,
    a continuance to clear up the facts of the discovery violation would have been a
    feasible alternative.
    {¶ 41} Based upon the above analysis, we conclude that the trial court
    abused its discretion.    We emphasize that we do not hold that a discovery
    violation committed by the state can never result in the dismissal with prejudice
    of a criminal case.      That option remains available when a trial court, after
    considering the factors set forth in Parson and in Lakewood, determines that a
    lesser sanction would not be consistent with the purposes of the criminal
    discovery rules.
    13
    SUPREME COURT OF OHIO
    III. Conclusion
    {¶ 42} For all the foregoing reasons, we hold that the holding in
    Lakewood, 
    32 Ohio St.3d 1
    , 
    511 N.E.2d 1138
    , paragraph two of the syllabus, that
    “[a] trial court must inquire into the circumstances surrounding a discovery rule
    violation and, when deciding whether to impose a sanction, must impose the least
    severe sanction that is consistent with the purpose of the rules of discovery”
    applies equally to discovery violations committed by the state and to discovery
    violations committed by a criminal defendant. Applying that holding to this case,
    we determine that the trial court abused its discretion.
    {¶ 43} We therefore reverse the judgment of the court of appeals and
    remand the cause to the trial court for further proceedings consistent with this
    opinion.
    Judgment reversed
    and cause remanded.
    O’CONNOR, C.J., and O’DONNELL, LANZINGER, KENNEDY, and FRENCH,
    JJ., concur.
    PFEIFER, J., dissents.
    __________________
    PFEIFER, J., dissenting.
    {¶ 44} We need look no further than Crim.R. 16(L)(1) to decide this case.
    The rule states:
    If at any time during the course of the proceedings it is brought to
    the attention of the court that a party has failed to comply with this
    rule or with an order issued pursuant to this rule, the court may
    order such party to permit the discovery or inspection, grant a
    continuance, or prohibit the party from introducing in evidence the
    14
    January Term, 2013
    material not disclosed, or it may make such other order as it deems
    just under the circumstances.
    This court’s only inquiry should be whether the trial court abused its discretion in
    making an order it deemed “just under the circumstances.” The trial court gave
    detailed reasoning for its dismissal of the case against the defendants, and there is
    no reason for this court to overturn its ruling.
    The Inapplicability of Lakewood
    {¶ 45} Lakewood v. Papadelis, 
    32 Ohio St.3d 1
    , 
    511 N.E.2d 1138
     (1987),
    has no application in this case. In Lakewood, this court addressed a trial court’s
    discovery sanction that excluded all the witnesses the defendant had intended to
    call at trial. This court found that “the effect of the sanction of exclusion imposed
    on [the defendant] was to deny him the right to present a defense.” Id. at 4. The
    court stated that “exclusion may infringe on a criminal defendant’s Sixth
    Amendment right to present a defense, particularly where, as in this case, all the
    defendant’s witnesses are excluded.” Id. at 5.
    {¶ 46} In Lakewood, this court looked to other states’ jurisprudence on the
    exclusion of witnesses in determining whether the trial court’s sanction had been
    too harsh:
    The courts of other states, when presented with the claim
    that exclusion of a criminal defendant’s witnesses is too harsh a
    sanction, have held that the trial court must make an inquiry into
    the surrounding circumstances prior to excluding a party’s
    witnesses. Before imposing the sanction of exclusion, the trial
    court must find that no lesser sanction would accomplish the
    purpose of the discovery rules and that the state would be
    prejudiced if the witnesses were permitted to testify.
    15
    SUPREME COURT OF OHIO
    (Emphases added.) Id.
    {¶ 47} It was because the sanction imposed in Lakewood was an
    exclusion—which affected the defendant’s Sixth Amendment right to present a
    defense—that this court concluded that the trial court should have considered
    lesser sanctions: “In this case, the trial court did not indicate that it balanced the
    state’s interests against [the defendant’s] Sixth Amendment right to present a
    defense by considering any sanction other than excluding the testimony of his
    witnesses.” Id.
    {¶ 48} Lakewood does not apply to every discovery sanction; it and the
    cases it cites deal with the exclusion of evidence offered by a defendant. The
    holding of Lakewood is that a court must apply a balancing test before imposing
    discovery sanctions against a defendant that result in exclusion of testimony or
    evidence, but that “[i]t is only when exclusion acts to completely deny [a]
    defendant his or her constitutional right to present a defense that the sanction is
    impermissible.” Id.
    {¶ 49} Which of the state’s constitutional rights was violated in this case?
    {¶ 50} There is no right of complete equality of treatment between the
    state and a defendant, and the Constitution has seen to that. Is it unfair that the
    state must prove its case beyond a reasonable doubt rather than by a
    preponderance of the evidence, or that it must prepare its case quickly so that a
    defendant may have a speedy trial? Defendants have special rights, and courts
    must respect those.       In determining appropriate discovery sanctions for
    defendants, courts must be careful to tailor the sanctions so they do not infringe
    on a defendant’s constitutional rights. The state does not have those same rights;
    thus, a trial court is not constrained to impose the least severe sanction possible to
    preserve those nonexistent rights.
    16
    January Term, 2013
    The Trial Court Did Not Abuse Its Discretion
    {¶ 51} The trial court was not required to give the state the least severe
    discovery sanction available. The trial court’s duty in this case was to simply
    abide by Crim.R. 16(L)(1). It did, by making an order it deemed just under the
    circumstances. It made clear that the fact that the state had failed to disclose to
    the defendants that it had intercepted similar packages addressed to different
    addressees meant that additional evidence—all the evidence related to those other
    packages—was also not provided to the defendants.           In short, the agent’s
    testimony had opened Pandora’s (FedEx) box. The trial court reasoned:
    I agree it could be inculpatory or exculpatory. The issue
    that I am faced with now is, as this witness testified, it became
    known to the State of Ohio * * * and now defense counsel, about a
    number of other packages that were recovered on the 13th and the
    17th of March of 2010.
    In looking at those, I’ll point out on the record there are a
    number of items which I believe would be important to the defense
    to have the ability to review or research that may be beneficial or
    may not be with respect to the case.
    Just pointing out some of those, even that the special agent
    pointed out, the addresses. She had all the addresses. She was not
    able to give those specifically because they were on different
    papers that she had back at her office.
    She was able to point out the names, again, similarities in
    names, relationships in names. I believe at least of the eight or of
    the seven, as I look at them, there may be seven females on all the
    names. Is there a possibility of a relationship? Are the addresses
    17
    SUPREME COURT OF OHIO
    related?   Are the possibilities of prosecution or any of those
    individuals indicted, are they charged?
    The special agent indicated that there was a single report
    for each of those boxes, so possibly six additional reports that
    would have been, I believe, needed to be provided in order for the
    case to be looked at in a fashion that was fair to both of the
    Defendants charged.
    Now, you take all of that that wasn’t given. Then you say,
    Well, okay, if that wasn’t given, why should it have been given? Is
    there any other connection? None of those names matched the
    Defendants in this case, the addresses didn’t match the Defendants
    in this case. And so why should the other information come in?
    I think the tie possibly comes, as the special agent
    continued to testify, that all seven of the boxes were very similar in
    nature and all were the same box size. All seven of them were
    addressed and came from either the Phoenix or Tempe, Arizona
    area from a Kinko’s store.
    All of them were handwritten with the same handwriting.
    Possibly the inside packaging on some of them were not exactly
    the same, but all of them came in a very similar packaging,
    birthday packaging, birthday cards, and so forth.
    To then relate these seven boxes together, that I believe all
    the other information should have been supplied, the reports, the
    addresses, the names, the investigation, whether there were
    charges, and quite possibly maybe if there was an indictment,
    which I don’t know if there was or wasn’t, and I don’t think
    anyone can speak to that.
    18
    January Term, 2013
    You know, based on those indictments, did someone own
    up to a scheme that maybe would have been information and
    evidence that could have been brought in here and testimony by
    another person to exonerate the two individuals that were charged
    in this case.
    Based on that and the testimony given by this witness that
    then became known to all of us here this morning and then later
    this afternoon, I am going to find that the State of Ohio is going to
    be barred from future prosecution of this case and that double
    jeopardy does attach.
    {¶ 52} The trial court made its decision after giving each side the
    opportunity to argue whether dismissal was appropriate. It granted a recess at the
    prosecutor’s request so that the prosecutor could research the issue. The state
    never sought a continuance on the record, in contrast to the state’s request in one
    of the cases in conflict with the court’s decision below, State v. Siemer, 1st Dist.
    Nos. C-060604 and C-060605, 
    2007-Ohio-4600
    , 
    2007 WL 2541121
    , ¶ 4. In the
    other conflict case, State v. Engle, 
    166 Ohio App.3d 262
    , 
    2006-Ohio-1884
    , 
    850 N.E.2d 123
     (3d Dist.), the trial court never gave the state a chance to respond to
    the defendant’s motion to dismiss. Finally, Demetrius Darmond had previously
    been under indictment in case No. CR-535469 for the same charges. That case
    was dismissed without prejudice by the state on August 9, 2010, “for further
    investigation.” The state reindicted him in this case on August 11, 2010. State v.
    Darmond, 8th Dist. Nos. 96373 and 96374, 
    2011-Ohio-6160
    , 
    2011 WL 5998671
    ,
    ¶ 2, fn. 1.
    {¶ 53} Can we really say that the trial judge abused his discretion in
    dismissing this case with prejudice? Should the trial judge have continued this
    case until the attorneys for Darmond and his mother-in-law, Iris Oliver, chased
    19
    SUPREME COURT OF OHIO
    down every lead that might have arisen from the undisclosed packages? Would it
    be in the best interest of justice to routinely grant long continuances to correct
    prosecutorial ball-fumbling? How many mistakes are prosecutors allowed in one
    case before a continuance to allow for further investigation is deemed too weak a
    sanction?
    Conclusion
    {¶ 54} The state made a mistake in this case, a mistake not easily or
    quickly corrected.   Out of that mistake, the state has somehow become the
    wronged party, and it asks this court to ensure that in future cases, trial courts
    impose the least severe sanction possible upon the state when it innocently
    withholds evidence from defendants. This request is based upon the fact that in
    Lakewood, this court protected the constitutional rights of defendants by requiring
    that discovery sanctions not infringe on a defendant’s right to present a defense.
    The state’s premise is that the state and defendants are equals; but the fact is that
    we have a Constitution because the state and individuals are not equal. The intent
    of the discovery rules is to guarantee fair play between the state and the
    defendant, not to change the nature of the game.
    __________________
    William D. Mason, Cuyahoga County Prosecuting Attorney, and
    Katherine Mullin, Assistant Prosecuting Attorney, for appellant.
    John P. Parker, for appellee Demetrius Darmond.
    Jeff Hastings, for appellee Iris Oliver.
    Joseph T. Deters, Hamilton County Prosecuting Attorney, and Philip R.
    Cummings, Assistant Prosecuting Attorney, urging reversal on behalf of amicus
    curiae Ohio Prosecuting Attorneys Association.
    ______________________
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