State v. Perez

Summary

The dissent would uphold the trial court’s discretionary refusal to sever two corruption-related informations because the defendant did not initially provide sufficiently specific details about his proposed testimony and later received the alternative relief he requested. In the dissent’s view, that relief substantially mitigated any prejudice from the joint trial, and the defendant failed to meet his heavy burden under the abuse-of-discretion standard. Justice Vertefeuille, joined by Justice Zarella, would have reversed the Appellate Court’s judgment and remanded for consideration of the defendant’s remaining claims.