People v. Severin

The People appeal the trial court’s order reducing charges against defendant, Richard Severin, as a sanction for a discovery violation. We dismiss the appeal.

Defendant was charged with first degree arson, a class three felony, based on allegations that he set afire a tent in which another person lived. At trial, after the jury was sworn, defendant sought to preclude the testimony of the alleged victim, based on the prosecution’s failure to provide a criminal history, as required by Crim. P. 16(I)(a)(l)(V). Through his own investigation, defendant had just the night before discovered that the…