Powers v. State

The Supreme Court reversed the rulings of the district court in this appeal from the denial of Defendant’s application for postconviction relief and remanded for further proceedings.As part of his application, Defendant alleged that between the time of his convictions for two counts of sexual abuse and his sentencing, the police department was investigating claims of sexual abuse that his victim was making against local gang members. Defendant further alleged that the ongoing investigation was concealed from his trial counsel and that, prior to sentencing, the police determined that the claims made against the gang members were false. The district court denied disclosure of the investigative reports to Defendant and ruled that all evidence and testimony related to the alleged false claims of the victim would be excluded from the postconviction-relief trial. The Supreme Court reversed and ordered the disclosure of these investigative reports, holding that the reports were relevant, and Defendant advanced a good-faith factual basis demonstrating how the information was reasonably calculated to lead to admissible evidence germane to an element or fact of the claim or defense. View "Powers v. State" on Justia Law