Delaware v. Robinson

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In 2015, Jacquez Robinson was indicted for his alleged involvement in separate shootings on November 25 and 26, 2014, which left two people injured and one person dead. The issue his appeal presented for the Delaware Supreme Court's review centered on whether the State violated Robinson’s Sixth Amendment right to the effective assistance of counsel, and if yes, whether the trial court erred in dismissing his indictment for first degree murder. The Supreme Court affirmed the trial court’s conclusion that the State violated Robinson’s Sixth Amendment right to counsel as a result of its wrongful and unjustified intrusion into his attorney-client privileged materials. "But based upon our assessment of the record, and on our interpretation of 'Morrison’s' requirement that the remedy must be tailored to the harm, we reverse the Superior Court’s dismissal of the indictment. Although the Superior Court has discretion to sanction litigants, it failed to tailor its remedy to the violation and actual prejudice that it found." The trial court’s dismissal of the indictment failed to adequately "preserv[e] society’s interest in the administration of criminal justice." The matter was remanded for further proceedings. View "Delaware v. Robinson" on Justia Law