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MacCourt v. State

District Court of Appeal of Florida, Fourth District
Jul 11, 1974
296 So. 2d 89 (Fla. Dist. Ct. App. 1974)

Opinion

Nos. 73-510 and 73-511.

May 24, 1974. Rehearing Denied July 11, 1974.

Consolidated appeals from Circuit Court, Broward County; Raymond J. Hare, Judge.

Raymond W. Russell, Fort Lauderdale, for appellants.

Robert L. Shevin, Atty. Gen., Tallahassee, and Frank B. Kessler, Asst. Atty. Gen., West Palm Beach, for appellee.


Based upon our consideration of the briefs and oral argument and from a review of the record of the proceedings below we are of the opinion that the defendants have failed to demonstrate reversible error. With particular regard to the variance between the information, the bill of particulars and the proof adduced at trial we are of the view that no prejudice was shown by the defendants to have resulted from such variance. Barber v. State, Fla. App. 1971, 243 So.2d 2; Fitzgerald v. State, Fla.App. 1969, 227 So.2d 45; Hunter v. State, Fla.App. 1967, 200 So.2d 577; Hale v. State, Fla.App. 1973, 273 So.2d 145; cf. Crowell v. State, Fla.App. 1970, 238 So.2d 690.

Our determination that no reversible error has been shown should not be construed as condoning the practice of a member of the prosecutor's staff testifying as "an expert witness" on behalf of the state. Cf. People v. Mann, 27 Ill.2d 135, 188 N.E.2d 665 (1963). Although the assistant state attorney who was called to testify in the trial below was not involved in the prosecution of the case we find this practice to be highly undesirable. Further repetition will not be countenanced.

Affirmed.

MAGER and DOWNEY, JJ., concur.

WALDEN, J., dissents without opinion.


Summaries of

MacCourt v. State

District Court of Appeal of Florida, Fourth District
Jul 11, 1974
296 So. 2d 89 (Fla. Dist. Ct. App. 1974)
Case details for

MacCourt v. State

Case Details

Full title:DONALD C. MacCOURT AND RONALD L. MacCOURT, APPELLANTS, v. STATE OF…

Court:District Court of Appeal of Florida, Fourth District

Date published: Jul 11, 1974

Citations

296 So. 2d 89 (Fla. Dist. Ct. App. 1974)

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