Opinion ID: 2136626
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Testimony of LaMar Walker.

Text: At trial, defense counsel objected to the evidence concerning an argument between Irby and another inmate in the county jail as being irrelevant. His objection was overruled. Likewise, his objection was overruled concerning the statement Irby made during the argument to the effect that he had killed a person and killing one more would not make any difference. The general rule is that evidence which tends to prove another crime is inadmissible to prove the crime for which the defendant is presently charged. State v. Raether (1951), 259 Wis. 391, 393, 48 N. W. 2d 483; 1 Wharton's, Criminal Evidence (Torcia, 13th ed.), pp. 528-531, sec. 240; State v. Stevens (1965), 26 Wis. 2d 451, 132 N. W. 2d 502; State v. Lombardi (1959), 8 Wis. 2d 421, 99 N. W. 2d 829. In Whitty v. State (1967), 34 Wis. 2d 278, 149 N. W. 2d 557, this court stated the rule excluding evidence of prior crimes rests on four bases: . . . (1) The overstrong tendency to believe the defendant guilty of the charge merely because he is a person likely to do such acts; (2) the tendency to condemn not because he is believed guilty of the present charge but because he has escaped punishment from other offenses; (3) the injustice of attacking one who is not prepared to demonstrate the attacking evidence is fabricated; and (4) the confusion of issues which might result from bringing in evidence of other crimes. . . . Id. at page 292. However, as pointed out in Whitty when another crime evidence is relevant or probative with regard to the charge on which the defendant is being tried, it may be admitted in the discretion of the trial court. Here, the threat to another was coupled with an admission of the crime charged or could be so construed. We think the evidence concerning the argument in the county jail and the statement made by Irby during such argument has probative value which would outweigh any prejudice if the other crime rule applies. While the evidence had no value in proving an element of the crime charged, the evidence concerning the argument was relevant in respect to the alleged admission by Irby during the fight in order to put the alleged admission in proper context so that the credibility of Irby could be evaluated. But it would seem that evidence of an admission related to the crime charged even though it occurs in the course of another crime should not be excluded on the basis of prejudice. Here, the admission overshadows any collateral prejudice arising from being put in the context of another crime. We find no error in the trial court in admitting this evidence.