Opinion ID: 1119217
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: R.E. 403 establishes a balancing test. The trial court may exclude relevant evidence only if its probative value is substantially outweighed by the danger of unfair prejudice. (Emphasis added.)

Text: The rule of completeness provides a satisfactory basis for the admission of the entire document. In McRae v. People, 131 Colo. 305, 281 P.2d 153 (1955), we held: [I]f a statement made by the defendant in a criminal case is admissible in evidence as an admission or declaration, it is admissible as an entire statement, including the parts thereof which are favorable as well as the parts which are unfavorable to the party offering the same in evidence. 131 Colo. at 311, 281 P.2d 153. By admitting the entire letter into evidence, the possibility of undue prejudice and distortion which would have resulted from taking paragraph 2 out of context was avoided. The defendant's rights were protected, rather than compromised, by the trial court's decision to admit Exhibit Q-1 in its entirety. The testimony and the letter established the circumstances under which the threat was made and the defendant's possible motivation in sending the letter. In addition to Exhibit Q-1, Exhibit Q-2 and the testimony of three of the defendant's fellow inmates at the Denver County Jail were admitted into evidence without objection. Exhibit Q-2 is a letter from the defendant to another inmate. In the letter the defendant admitted killing the child. The three inmates testified that the defendant told them he killed the child. In applying the standards set forth in this opinion, we are persuaded that the trial court did not abuse its discretion in admitting Exhibit Q-1. The exhibit was properly submitted to the jury as part of the evidence in the case.