Opinion ID: 1937631
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: misappropriations outside the statute of limitations

Text: As an aspect of the statute of limitations question, Schaaf claims that any `theft' which occurred more than three years prior to October 16, 1987, was inadmissible for purposes of proof of a crime, and that it was, in fact, prejudicial error for the court to admit evidence of transactions which occurred more than 3 years before the complaint was filed against Schaaf. Brief for appellant at 19. Relevant evidence means evidence having any tendency to make the existence of any fact that is of consequence to the determination of the action more probable or less probable than it would be without the evidence. Neb.Evid.R. 401, Neb.Rev.Stat. § 27-401 (Reissue 1985). Although relevant, evidence may be excluded if its probative value is substantially outweighed by the danger of unfair prejudice, confusion of the issues, or misleading the jury, or by considerations of undue delay, waste of time, or needless presentation of cumulative evidence. Neb.Evid.R. 403, Neb.Rev.Stat. § 27-403 (Reissue 1985). Neb.Evid.R. 404(2), Neb.Rev.Stat. § 27-404(2) (Reissue 1985), provides: Evidence of other crimes, wrongs, or acts is not admissible to prove the character of a person in order to show that he or she acted in conformity therewith. It may, however, be admissible for other purposes, such as proof of motive, opportunity, intent, preparation, plan, knowledge, identity, or absence of mistake or accident. In State v. Craig, 219 Neb. 70, 77-78, 361 N.W.2d 206, 212-13 (1985), we stated: Rule 404(2) of the Nebraska Evidence Rules, as well as its pattern-counterpart, Rule 404(b) of the Federal Rules of Evidence, is an inclusionary rule, permitting the use of relevant, specific acts for all purposes except to prove character of a person in order to show that such person acted in conformity with character.... Thus, under Rule 404(2) as an inclusionary rule, evidence of other acts may be admissible if such acts are relevant for any purpose other than to show a defendant's propensity or disposition to commit the crime charged. However, Rule 404(2) is subject to the overriding protection of rule 403 of the Nebraska Evidence Rules (exclusion, if probative value is substantially outweighed by danger of unfair prejudice, confusion of issues, misleading the jury, causing undue delay, wasting time, or needlessly presenting cumulative evidence).... The purposes set forth in Rule 404(2) are illustrative only and not intended to be exhaustive or mutually exclusive. For instance, McCormick notes categories of permissible purposes beyond those designated in Rule 404(2) such as proof of passion, malice, or perspective.... . . . . Consequently, if there is a distinctive pattern or procedure utilized in separate crimes, the separate act or acts may have probative value in determining the guilt of the defendant. Subject to the balancing test contained in Rule 403, evidence of prior crimes, wrongs, or acts which cannot be criminally prosecuted on account of the statute of limitations may be admissible under Rule 404(2). See, United States v. Anzalone, 783 F.2d 10 (1st Cir.1986) (evidence of prior acts is not rendered inadmissible simply because it relates to a period when prosecution is barred by a statute of limitations); United States v. Means, 695 F.2d 811 (5th Cir.1983) (the statute of limitations is not implicated insofar as the admissibility of other acts is concerned); United States v. Garvin, 565 F.2d 519 (8th Cir.1977); Adrian v. People, 770 P.2d 1243 (Colo.1989) (evidence of prior acts is not limited to incidents within the statute of limitations); People v. Thoms, 30 Ill.App.3d 229, 332 N.E.2d 538 (1975). As the court correctly expressed in United States v. Ashdown, 509 F.2d 793, 798 (5th Cir.1975): The statute of limitations is a defense to prosecution, not a rule of evidence. Therefore, once prosecution is timely instituted, the statute of limitations has no bearing on the admissibility of evidence. It would be a bizarre result indeed if a crime properly prosecuted within the limitations period could not be proven because an essential element, such as intent, could only be established by proof of incidents occurring outside the period. The other acts involving Schaaf and Lenhart Company's checking account were not offered to show Schaaf's character or his propensity or disposition to commit the crime charged, theft by disposition. Rather, the several pre-1985 transactions whereby Schaaf misappropriated Lenhart Company's funds were relevant to prove the charge against Schaaf because those transactions showed a pattern of deliberate acts in Schaaf's protracted and executed plan for obtaining Lenhart Company's funds to benefit Schaaf and 4-S Investments in covering losses sustained in the commodities market. Some of Schaaf's misappropriations of Lenhart Company's funds occurred almost 5 years before the last misappropriation in 1985. However, remoteness, or the temporal span between a prior crime, wrong, or other act offered as evidence under Rule 404(2) and a fact to be determined in a present proceeding, goes to the weight to be given to such evidence and does not render the evidence of the other crime, wrong, or act irrelevant and inadmissible. State v. Rincker, 228 Neb. 522, 423 N.W.2d 434 (1988); State v. Kern, 224 Neb. 177, 397 N.W.2d 23 (1986); State v. Keithley, 218 Neb. 707, 358 N.W.2d 761 (1984). Evidence of other crimes, wrongs, or acts, otherwise admissible under Rule 404(2), may be discretionarily excluded pursuant to the balancing test contained in Rule 403. State v. Craig, 219 Neb. 70, 361 N.W.2d 206 (1985); United States v. Anzalone, supra . We find no abuse of discretion in the trial court's admitting evidence of Schaaf's misappropriations which occurred before October 16, 1984, as other acts in reference to the charge of theft by disposition, § 28-511(2).