Opinion ID: 1187431
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: rebuttal testimony relative to computerized data

Text: On cross-examination of defendant, the county attorney inquired whether or not the former had removed the license plates from his Jeep station wagon and placed them on a rental Ford Econoline van. Defendant's reply was in the negative. The state attempted impeachment through the rebuttal testimony of the Sheridan County Sheriff. He testified that he inspected the Econoline van after defendant was arrested and made a registration check of its license plates, using the National Crime Information Center system. He explained that a teletype request was made to the Colorado Department of Motor Vehicles through Cheyenne, and that the reply was a coded teletype abstract of the license plate registration as recorded on the computer at the Colorado agency. Despite a series of objections by defense counsel, the witness was allowed to testify from this document that the license plate was registered under the name of Marv's Mastercraft [defendant's business], 406 Juanita Street; [sic] Colorado Springs, Colorado, and it was for a 1974 Jeep station wagon. The teletype message was not introduced into evidence. Defendant argues that it was error to admit this testimony inasmuch as: (1) the teletype message was not admissible as a record of regularly conducted activity under Rule 803(6), W.R.E., because the sheriff's testimony did not satisfy the foundation requirement of the rule; (2) the testimony was an improper summary of hearsay statements contained in the document; and (3) the testimony was improper impeachment since evidence of specific instances of conduct to attack credibility is not admissible under Rule 608(b), W.R.E. [4] The state's primary response is that the teletype message was admissible under Rule 803(8), W.R.E., as a public record or report. We hold that error was committed in allowing the witness to testify as to the contents of the teletype reports without introducing the message itself into evidence. Rule 1002, W.R.E. provides that an original is required when the object is to prove the content of a writing, recording or photograph. An original is defined as including any computer printout or other readable output of data stored in a computer or similar device. Rule 1001(3), W.R.E. Although the testimony of a witness may be necessary to interpret or explain the contents of a computer printout, he can do so only after the printout itself is properly in evidence. [5] The error here may have been further compounded by the fact that the admissibility of the document itself may be governed by other provisions of Art. X of the Wyoming Rules of Evidence. For example, the computer data may have been used to show the contents of an original record stored in the computer, in which case, it may be a duplicate under Rule 1001(4), W.R.E., subject to proof of the authenticity or continuing effectiveness of the original. Rule 1003, W.R.E. See 5 Weinstein's Evidence, ¶ 1001(4)[07], pp. 1001-102 to 104 (1978). Its admissibility may have been governed by Rule 1005, W.R.E., which provides that certified copies of public records, including data compilations in any form, may be used as proof of the contents of an original record. These rules illustrate that the teletype message itself should have been placed in evidence before an effort was made to interpret its contents. It is not necessary to concern ourselves with the prejudicial nature of the admission of this testimony inasmuch as the case is being reversed on other grounds and the discussion of this issue is for guidance in event the issue arises in the new trial. Reversed and remanded for a new trial.