Opinion ID: 1672000
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Admissibility of Abortion Evidence

Text: Walker argues that the evidence concerning his desire that Ms. Jones abort their child was not relevant to showing premeditation or his motive to commit these murders and, even if relevant, it was inadmissible under section 90.403, Florida Statutes (1995), because its weak probative value was outweighed by its unfairly prejudicial effect. As related above, Detective Gary Cunningham of the North Miami Police Department interviewed Walker on July 22, 1991, about a conversation between Mr. Walker and Ms. Jones a few days earlier in which Ms. Jones had told Walker that she was pregnant. Taped excerpts of this interview were played for the jury in which Walker explained to Detective Cunningham that he was willing to pay for Jones to have an abortion and that he had told Ms. Jones that if she insisted to mess up his life or ruin his life, she knew he could make her life miserable. Walker also told the detective that Ms. Jones should have an abortion and it would be the best thing to keep our lives peaceful. The prosecutor argued to the jury in closing that this evidence showed Walker had a motive to murder Joanne and Quinton Jones: Because already, on the very first day of July the 20th, when she told that man that she was carrying his child, he didn't want that baby. I don't know if you understand. But I mean he didn't want that baby. He said, Get an abortion. I'll pay for it. This is what's on tape[defense objection overruled] what's on the tape you're welcome to listen to.... He didn't want to assume responsibility. And as adults we know that if we decide to engage in sexual relations we take a chancewe take the chance the woman could get pregnant. And if she exercises her god-given and her constitutional right-and yes she had a constitutional right tooto carry that child to birth, both parents share responsibility for that poor, innocent child, okay? He had no difficulty in understanding simple math. We know that. Pay for an abortion now, it might be three or $500, or pay for the next 18 years of that child's life. He said to the victim, and he admitted this to Detective Cunningham, If you ruin my life, I'll make your life miserable too. Or I can do that. That's what he said. And he went on to say an abortion would keep their lives peaceful. We begin our analysis with the well-settled rule that relevant evidence is evidence which tends to prove or disprove a material fact, § 90.401, Fla. Stat. (1995), and all relevant evidence is generally admissible unless the law provides otherwise. Id. § 90.402. We agree with the State that the evidence Walker challenges here is part of a long chain of events taking place over a two-year period leading up to the murders which is admissible for the purpose of establishing Walker's motive and intent to kill Ms. Jones and their son, Quinton. In 1991, Walker was initially dissatisfied with Ms. Jones' decision to have the baby, which he wanted her to abort. In April, 1992, shortly after the baby was born, the paternity/child support proceedings commenced and testimony from the prosecutor handling the case showed that Walker was not happy about taking financial responsibility for the child or recognizing his paternity. A few weeks subsequent to the support order becoming final, Walker murdered his son and ex-girlfriend after arguing with her about the support award. As to Walker's alternative claim that, although relevant, the admission of this evidence was unfairly prejudicial to him, section 90.403, Florida Statutes (1995), reads: Relevant evidence is inadmissible if its probative value is substantially outweighed by the danger of unfair prejudice, confusion of issues, misleading the jury, or needless presentation of cumulative evidence. This section shall not be construed to mean that evidence of the existence of available third-party benefits is inadmissible. We explained the balancing test which a trial court must perform under section 90.403 in State v. McClain, 525 So.2d 420 (Fla.1988): This statute compels the trial court to weigh the danger of unfair prejudice against the probative value. In applying the balancing test, the trial court necessarily exercises its discretion. Indeed, the same item of evidence may be admissible in one case and not in another, depending upon the relation of that item to the other evidence. E. Cleary, McCormick on Evidence, § 185 (3d ed. 1984). Professor Ehrhardt explains the application of the statute as follows: Although Section 90.403 is mandatory in its exclusion of this evidence, a large measure of discretion rests in the trial judge to determine whether the probative value of the evidence is substantially outweighed by any of the enumerated reasons. The court must weigh the proffered evidence against the other facts in the record and balance it against the strength of the reason for exclusion. In excluding certain relevant evidence, Section 90.403 recognizes Florida law. Certainly, most evidence that is admitted will be prejudicial to the party against whom it is offered. Section 90.403 does not bar this evidence; it is directed at evidence which inflames the jury or appeals improperly to the jury's emotions. Only when that unfair prejudice substantially outweighs the probative value of the evidence is the evidence excluded. .... In weighing the probative value against the unfair prejudice, it is proper for the court to consider the need for the evidence; the tendency of the evidence to suggest an improper basis to the jury for resolving the matter, e.g., an emotional basis; the chain of inference necessary to establish the material fact; and the effectiveness of a limiting instruction. Id. at 422 (quoting Charles W. Ehrhardt, Florida Evidence § 403.1 at 100-03 (1984 ed.)). Applying these principles to the instant case, it is clear that Walker's statements to Detective Cunningham constituted a significant piece of evidence to demonstrate material facts at issue here, i.e., that Walker had a motive to murder the victims and that unlike some domestic disputes, these murders were planned and premeditatedas opposed to resulting from an emotional outburst. Although evidence of this type may have a tendency to raise emotional responses relating to the morality of abortion in general, the presentation of the evidence and closing argument to the jury in this case reflect that the prosecutor used this evidence solely to establish the long chain of events leading up to the murders shortly after Walker was obligated to make child support payments. Contrary to Walker's suggestion, the prosecutor did not use this evidence to needlessly inflame the jury or provide an improper basis for their verdict. Consequently, we reject Walker's claim and find that the trial court did not abuse its discretion in performing the section 90.403 balancing test and admitting Walker's statements to Detective Cunningham as relevant evidence against him.