Defendant appealed a decision of the trial judge sustaining a violation of G.L. 1956 § 31-27-2.1 (refusal to submit to a chemical test). Defendant was taken into custody under a suspicion of driving under the influence. At the police station, Defendant agreed to take a chemical test, but initially failed to supply enough air into the breathalyzer. The officer gave Defendant a second opportunity to give a sufficient breath sample, but Defendant refused to take the test unless the officer informed him of when the breathalyzer was last calibrated. The test was then terminated, and Defendant was charged with the aforementioned violation. Defendant argued that a negative inference should have been drawn against the State because the video surveillance provided to Defendant lacked audio and failed to depict the refusal. Rule 11(e) of the Rhode Island Traffic Tribunal Rules provides that a discovery “request shall be made only within fourteen (14) days after the first appearance or at such reasonable later time as the court may permit.” Here, Defendant’s discovery request was almost two months past the deadline, and Defendant failed to present any evidence to justify the delay. Furthermore, Defendant asserted that the State failed to preserve video evidence of the refusal. “Speculative assertions as to the existence of documents do not suffice to sustain a motion for spoliation of evidence.” See Tri-County Motors, Inc. v. Am. Suzuki’s Motor Corp., 494 F. Supp. 2d 161, 177 (E.D.N.Y. 2007). Defendant’s conclusion that the video was improperly withheld or destroyed was merely an assertion that was not supported by “even a scintilla of evidence that another video exist[ed].” As such, the Appeals Panel held that the trial judge’s decision to not draw a negative inference against the State was not affected by error of law. Accordingly, the Appeals Panel affirmed the decision of the trial judge.
State of Rhode Island v. Abraham Kaba, No. T15-0032 (April 8, 2016)
Case Index
- Refusal to Submit
- Anonymous Tips
- Arrest
- Availability of a Breathalyzer Machine/ Operator
- Burden of Proof
- Coercion by Officer
- Collateral Estoppel
- Constitutional Issues
- Constructive Refusal to Submit
- Credibility Determinations
- Default Judgment
- Deficient Sample
- Discovery
- Dismissal
- Double Charging
- Evidence
- Fellow-Officer Rule
- Field Sobriety Tests
- Identifying the Defendant
- Inability to Cure a Refusal by Subsequently Submitting
- Jurisdiction of Police Officers
- Knowing and Voluntary Decision
- Missing or Incomplete Transcript
- Motion to Vacate
- Operation of Motor Vehicle
- Penalty
- Physical Inability to Submit to a Chemical Test
- Preliminary Breath Test
- Preliminary Suspension
- Procedure
- Reasonable Grounds/Probable Cause
- Reasonable Suspicion to Stop
- Right to an Independent Medical Examination
- Right to Appeal
- Right to Counsel
- Rights for Use at Station
- Rights for Use at the Scene
- Summons
- Sworn Report
- Telephone Call
- Trial Judge's Findings of Facts
- Traffic Violations
- Aggressive Driving
- Airport Regulations
- Appellate Procedure
- Axle Restriction
- Bailee Plates
- Bolstering
- Burden of Proof
- Care in Starting from Stop
- Clearance for Overtaking
- Colin B. Foote Act
- Collateral Estoppel
- Commercial Motor Vehicle Violation
- Conditions Requiring Reduced Speed
- Constitutional Issues
- Cost and Fees
- Credibility
- Crosswalk Violation
- Default Judgment
- Discovery
- Dismissal
- Double Jeopardy
- Due Care by Drivers
- Evidence
- Failure to Maintain Control
- Failure to Prosecute
- Good Driving Statute
- Hearsay
- Identification
- Immediate Notice of Accident
- Inspection Laws
- Interval between Vehicles
- Issuance of License
- Judicial Notice
- Jurisdiction
- Jurisdiction of Police Officers
- Laned Roadway Violation
- Leaving the Scene
- License on Person
- Manner of Turning
- Newly Discovered Evidence
- Obedience to Devices
- Obedience to Police Officers
- Open Container
- Operating an Unregistered Vehicle
- Operating without Insurance
- Operation by person other than Lessee
- Overtaking on Right
- Overtaking on the Left
- Parking or Stopping Prohibited
- Parties to an Offense
- Passing
- Pedestrians on Freeways
- Penalties
- Places Where U-Turns Prohibited
- Procedure
- Salvage Laws
- School Bus Violations
- Scituate Town Ordinance 7.2(a)
- Seat Belt Use
- Speeding
- Stop sign
- Summons
- Text Messaging While Driving
- Toll Violation
- Traffic Control Signals
- Transporting Animals
- Turn Signal Required
- Unauthorized Practice of Law
- Venue
- Visibility of Plates
- Weight Restrictions