Opinion ID: 1694339
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Whether the trial court erred in allowing rebuttal witness Linda Johnson to testify?

Text: On rebuttal, the State called Linda Johnson, a patron at the OK Corral on the night of the shootings. Her testimony was intended to show that Hodges was unarmed at the time of the shooting, thus destroying Powell's claim of self-defense. Powell's counsel opposed the testimony after it was proffered outside the presence of the jury. She asserted that Johnson had been in the witness room with other witnesses who previously had testified and possibly had discussed the questions they were asked by the defense attorney. The circuit court overruled the objection. Johnson testified that she did not see the shooting, but heard a firecracker-like sound and saw Hodges fall to the ground. Johnson further testified that after she turned Hodges over to check her condition, she immediately picked up her purse, which had a closed zipper, and put it in the back seat of the car. Powell sets forth two assignments of error with respect to Johnson's testimony: (a) the witness sequestration rule was violated and she should not have been allowed to testify, and (b) she was not a proper rebuttal witness since she should have been called in the State's case-in-chief.