State v. Anthony C. Johnson

The State of Florida petitions this court for a writ of certiorari to quash an order that excluded two of its witnesses from testifying at trial. Although we understand the trial court’s frustration with the State’s late disclosure of the names of the two witnesses, we nevertheless grant the petition and quash the order because the trial court departed from the essential requirements of law by not utilizing a less severe alternative sanction than the exclusion of the witnesses.

Respondent, Anthony Chris Johnson, was charged by information with violating section 893.13(l)(a)l., Florida Stat…