Opinion ID: 1112237
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 11

Heading: officer taguma's falsifications.

Text: Estrada contends that Officer Taguma's failure to reveal the true nature of his forced resignation from HPD on his application for employment with MPD adversely affects credibility so should have been revealed to the jury. Estrada also raises Officer Taguma's concealment of the true reasons why Junette left him. State replies that Officer Taguma committed no lies under oath but merely characterized his 1) leaving HPD as a desire to move to Maui and resume his police career; and 2) break-up with Junette as a decision to have his police career assume top priority in his life. We conclude that Officer Taguma's alleged falsifications were relevant towards a determination of his credibility. The jury should possess all relevant evidence that Officer Taguma may have lied to obtain and keep his current job. Cf. Bagley v. Lumpkin, 798 F.2d 1297 (9th Cir.1986). It is for the jury to decide how much weight to give to the falsifications. See State v. Bogdanoff, 59 Haw. 603, 585 P.2d 602 (1978). The apparent falsification should have been admitted under the guidelines established in HRE Rule 608(b).