ALEXANDER WALDEN, APPELLANT,
v.
THE STATE OF FLORIDA, APPELLEE
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Alexander Walden appealed the denial of his motion to vacate his conviction for robbery and assault with intent to commit murder, arguing that a third party's confession to the crimes should have been admitted at a hearing on his post-conviction motion. The court held that the trial judge properly denied the motion because the witness invoked his Fifth Amendment privilege against self-incrimination, and the appellant failed to present corroborating evidence.
The trial court did not abuse its discretion in denying the motion to vacate and set aside the judgment because the witness was invoking his Fifth Amendment privilege against self-incrimination, which constitutes an exception to a defendant's right to present witnesses. When the Fifth Amendment privilege collides with the Sixth Amendment right to present a defense, the Fifth Amendment must yield. Additionally, a third party's bare affidavit does not compel a trial judge to grant a new trial, particularly where the defendant failed to present corroborating witnesses.
[1] A witness's invocation of the Fifth Amendment privilege against self-incrimination constitutes an exception to a defendant's right to present witnesses in his defense.
[2] The Sixth Amendment right to present witnesses must yield when it collides with the Fifth Amendment privilege against self-incrimination, as requiring a witness to incrim…
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Join FLexlaw to unlock all legal intelligence“In the instant case, the appellant was not encountering an evidentiary rule, but rather a witness invoking his Fifth Amendment privilege against self-incrimination.”
Establishes the core distinction between Chambers v. Mississippi and the present case—that the obstacle was a constitutional privilege, not an evidentiary rule.
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Join FLexlaw to unlock all legal intelligenceWalden was convicted of robbery and assault with intent to commit murder following a non-jury trial on June 30, 1969, and sentenced to 30 years for ro…
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HENDRY, Judge.
Appellant, defendant in the trial court, seeks review of an order denying his motion to vacate and set aside sentence pursuant to CrPR 3.850, 33 F.S.A. Appellant was found guilty of robbery and assault with intent to commit murder on June 30, 1969 following a non-jury trial. On November 21, 1969 he was sentenced to thirty (30) years on the robbery charge and five (5) years Cn the assault with intent to commit murder charge, the sentences to run consecutively.
While incarcerated, appellant met Floyd Perkins who admitted that he committed the crimes of which appellant was convicted. Perkins gave an affidavit to that effect and agreed to testify to the truthfulness of the affidavit. Appellant thereafter petitioned the court to vacate and set aside the judgment and sentence, and grant him a new trial so that Perkins’ confession could be admitted into evidence.
However, at an evidentiary hearing on the motion, Perkins refused to confess in open court on the grounds that it would incriminate him. The, trial judge, therefore, did not acknowledge the confession and refused to allow cross-examination of the witness, Perkins. The judge on January 5, 1973 denied appellant’s motion because of insufficient proof.
Appellant argues that the trial court abused its discretion by refusing to admit the confession into evidence, refusing to allow appellant to cross-examine Perkins, or, alternatively, declining to grant appellant a new trial.
Appellant relies upon a recent U. S. Supreme Court decision, Chambers v. Mississippi, 410 U.S. 284, 93 S.Ct. 1038, 35 L.Ed.2d 297 (1973). We do not agree that the Chambers case is controlling in this situation.
In Chambers, the court was concerned with the Mississippi “voucher” rule which precluded the defendant from impeaching his own witness. The witness, McDonald, at a preliminary hearing and again at trial, repudiated an earlier sworn confession. No claim of protection from self-incrimination was presented in the Chambers case.
Moreover, the court noted in Chambers that since the state’s proof at trial excluded the possibility of more than one defendant, “McDonald’s sworn confession tended to incriminate him, it tended also to exculpate Chambers.” No such showing was made in the cause sub judice.
In the instant case, the appellant was not encountering an evidentiary rule, but rather a witness invoking his Fifth Amendment privilege against self-incrimination. The U. S. Supreme Court has recognized that while a state may not deny a defendant the right to put a witness on the stand, a testimonial privilege such as the privilege against self-incrimination constitutes an exception. See footnote 21, Washington v. Texas, 388 U.S. 14, 87 S.Ct. 1920, 18 L.Ed.2d 1019 (1967). We agree with another federal court that when the Fifth Amendment guarantee collides with the Sixth Amendment in circumstances such as these, the Sixth Amendment right must yield because to require one to incriminate himself in order to afford help to another would be both unwise and unrealistic. Holloway v. Wolff, 351 F.Supp. 1033 (D.Neb.1972).
We do not believe that the trial court abused its discretion by denying appellant’s motion to vacate and set aside the judgment and sentence and grant him a new trial. This court has previously said, “the rule is that the ‘confession’ of a third person is grounds for a motion for a new trial, but does not compel the trial judge to grant a new trial.” Fast v. State (Fla.App.1969), 221 So. 2d 203.
The record does not demonstrate that appellant was prohibited from calling any witnesses to corroborate Perkins’ confession, and no witnesses were called. The trial judge was justified in concluding that Perkins’ bare affidavit was insufficient evidence to grant appellant a new trial.
Accordingly, for the reasons stated and upon the authorities cited, the order appealed is affirmed.
Affirmed.
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McArthur Breedlove v. State, 580 So. 2d 605 (Fla. 1991)…"when the Fifth Amendment guarantee collides with the Sixth Amendment ..., the Sixth Amendment right must yield because to require one to incriminate himself in order to afford help to another would be both unwise and unrealistic.” Walden v. State, 284 So. 2d 440, 441 (Fla. 3d DCA 1973); King v. State, 525 So. 2d 924 (Fla. 3d DCA 1988).…
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Baker v. State, 336 So. 2d 364 (Fla. 1976)…In Florida, as elsewhere, “the rule is that the ‘confession’ of a third person is grounds for a motion for new trial, but does not compel the trial judge to grant a new trial.” Fast v. State, 221 So. 2d 203, 205 (Fla.App.3d 1969); Walden v. State, 284 So. 2d 440 (Fla.App.3d 1973); DeBinder v. United States, 112 U.S.App.D.C. 343, 303 F. 2d 203 (1962). Because we have concluded that admissions against interest need not be excluded as hearsay, testimony of persons who have heard a confession should be consider…
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Tafero v. State, 406 So. 2d 89 (Fla. 3d DCA 1981)…and material evidence, if introduced at trial, would probably have changed the verdict and [*94] finding of the court), neither the existence of third party confessions, see, e. g., Walden v. State, 310 So. 2d 426 (Fla.3d DCA 1975); Walden v. State, 284 So. 2d 440 (Fla.3d DCA 1973); State v. Pitts, 241 So. 2d 399 (Fla. 1st DCA 1970); Fast v. State, 221 So. 2d 203 (Fla.3d DCA 1969); accord, Baker v. State, 336 So. 2d 364 (Fla.1976); State v. Gomez, 363 So. 2d 624 (Fla.3d DCA 1978), nor recantation by trial wit…
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Join FLexlaw to unlock all legal intelligenceAuthorities Cited
- Chambers v. Mississippi, 410 U.S. 284 (U.S. 1973)
- Washington v. Texas, 388 U.S. 14 (U.S. 1967)
- Fast v. State, 221 So. 2d 203 (Fla. 3d DCA 1969)