Opinion ID: 2520968
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Admissibility under the confrontation clause

Text: Evidence may be admissible pursuant to the hearsay rules and yet violate a defendant's constitutional right to confront adverse witnesses. State v. McGriff, 76 Hawai'i 148, 156, 871 P.2d 782, 790 (1994); United States v. Mokol, 939 F.2d 436, 439 (7th Cir.1991). Hearsay evidence must meet one of the following two requirements in order to be admissible pursuant to HRE Rule 804(b) (declarant unavailable): (1) the statement must fall within a firmly rooted hearsay exception; or (2) the statement must show particularized guarantees of trustworthiness. State v. Sua, 92 Hawai'i 61, 71, 987 P.2d 959, 969-70 (1999). Whether a statement falls within a firmly rooted hearsay exception is a question of law reviewed de novo. Id. at 68-69, 987 P.2d at 966. Whether a statement has particular guarantees of trustworthiness is reviewed for an abuse of discretion. Id. at 68-69, 987 P.2d at 966-67; State v. Swier, 66 Haw. 448, 450, 666 P.2d 169, 170 (1983).