Attorneys for former Columbus police officer Adam Coy are seeking a new trial on grounds of prosecutorial misconduct, as they allege crucial evidence had been withheld during Coy's trial for the murder of Andre Hill. Following a Nov. 5 conviction, Coy faces a sentence of 15 years to life in prison, and attorneys Mark Collins and Kaitlyn Stephens have filed a motion accusing Deputy Chief Counsel Anthony Pierson and Assistant Franklin County Prosecutor Renee Hamlin of failing to disclose evidence, The Columbus Dispatch reports.
The suppressed evidence pertains to Jamie Borden, a retired Nevada police officer and expert witness, who was reportedly contacted by Pierson and later dismissed before providing an official report. Borden's opinion suggested that Hill's shooting was reasonable under the circumstances, a perspective differing from that of Seth Stoughton, the prosecution's expert witness in Coy’s trial. According to a statement obtained by ABC6, Stoughton had testified contrary to Borden's undisclosed opinion. Coy's attorneys argue this evidence could have favored their client, and its omission undermines the judicial process.
In response to the allegations, Prosecutor Pierson stated, "We will be responding to their motion," declining further comment when reached out by The Columbus Dispatch. The legal standard in question is the Brady rule, originating from the 1963 Supreme Court decision in Brady vs. Maryland, which obligates prosecutors to share any material, exculpatory evidence with the defense. An investigation discovered after the verdict by Coy's attorneys brought the contact with Borden to light.
If a Brady violation is confirmed, the most likely judicial outcome is an overturned conviction on appeal, as indicated by the Legal Information Institute at Cornell University’s Law School and referenced in the NBC4i report. Hill, who Coy shot as the latter responded to a disturbance call, was an unarmed black man, and the shooting has incited ongoing debates about police use of force. Sentencing, set for Nov. 25, hangs in the balance as Judge Stephen McIntosh deliberates over the motion presented by Coy's defense team.
