Opinion ID: 2338070
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: Admonishing Jury to Disregard Evidence

Text: Fugett's last argument relates to the court's decision to exclude evidence that the victims may have been in possession of a stolen 9mm pistol months prior to the incident. No one disputes the fact that the only guns recovered following the incident were a shotgun and a dark gray or black 9mm pistol. The shotgun belonged to Steve Davison, a man who had a long-term relationship with Ray's mother. Davison, formerly a licensed firearms dealer, retained many guns, including several 9mm pistols. However, the 9mm pistol recovered from Fields was not owned by Davison. It had been stolen from Anthony Jenkins during a burglary four months prior to the shooting. Fugett attempted to introduce evidence concerning a third pistol. During trial, a clerk from the Chevron station stated that months before the incident Ray and Robbins had shown him a pistol that they claimed to have stolen. In response to the Commonwealth's objection, Fugett argued the evidence rebutted the Commonwealth's theory that he had brought the stolen 9mm pistol to the drug sale. Initially, the court agreed and allowed Johnson, the clerk, to testify. As the testimony developed, it became apparent that the pistol Johnson had seen was silver and could not be the one involved in the incident. The Commonwealth moved the court to reconsider its decision as to admissibility. The Commonwealth argued the evidence lacked the corroborating circumstances required under Kentucky Rule of Evidence (KRE) 804(b)(3). The Commonwealth pointed out that while Johnson claimed he was not a friend of the victims, it appeared that they thought he was. Further, the evidence suggested they were attempting to impress Johnson. Fugett replied that sufficient corroborating circumstances had been shown. Fugett suggested the victims had no reason to lie, that they believed they were talking to a friend, that the disclosure appeared to be spontaneous, and that Ray did not have unlimited access to the guns belonging to Davison. After considering the arguments, the court concluded corroborating circumstances were absent and it reversed its decision. In addition to the Commonwealth's arguments, the court noted there was no evidence that the gun was actually stolen. Further, the court felt Fugett's argument would have been stronger if Davison had not owned several 9mm pistols. Having found Fugett had failed to satisfy the requirements of KRE 804(b)(3), the court instructed the jury to disregard the evidence. The admissibility of evidence under KRE 804(b)(3) is left to the discretion of the trial court. See generally United States v. Guillette, 547 F.2d 743, 754 (2nd Cir.1976). KRE 804(b)(3) creates an exception to the hearsay rule for statements against interest. In the case of statements against penal interest, the rule states that [a] statement tending to expose the declarant to criminal liability is not admissible unless corroborating circumstances clearly indicate the trustworthiness of the statement. The burden of establishing the requirements under the rule rests with the proponent of the statement. This Court, in Crawley v. Commonwealth, adopted the broader approach used by the federal rules in evaluating declarations against interest. 568 S.W.2d 927, 931 (Ky.1978). In Crawley, this Court, citing to Chambers v. Mississippi, 410 U.S. 284, 93 S.Ct. 1038, 35 L.Ed.2d 297 (1973), set out four considerations relevant to the trustworthiness of statements under KRE 804(b)(3), including: (1) the time of declaration and the party to whom made; (2) the existence of corroborating evidence in the case; (3) the extent to which the declaration is really against the declarant's penal interest; [and] (4) the availability of the declarant as a witness. Id. As noted in Guillette, these factors are not intended to be exhaustive or absolute. 547 F.2d at 754. Thus, the court must consider the totality of the circumstances, including not only the circumstances surrounding the making of the statement, but also other evidence at trial that corroborates the truth of the statement. See dissenting opinion in Harrison v. Commonwealth 858 S.W.2d 172, 180 (Ky.1993). A review of the record confirms that the trial court applied the appropriate factors when it considered this issue. The court was free to accept the Commonwealth's interpretation. In particular, the court agreed the declarants may have had a motive to lie, and that they appeared to be bragging. Further, the court pointed out that the surrounding circumstances failed to support Fugett's interpretation. The court noted there was no evidence confirming the pistol shown to Johnson was actually stolen. Finally, the record supported the conclusion that Davison possessed several pistols. Under these circumstances, we cannot say the court abused its discretion when it concluded Fugett had failed to establish the corroborating circumstances required under KRE 804(b)(3). [6]