Opinion ID: 2238081
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Admission of Entire Confession for Impeachment

Text: Appellant argues that even if those portions of the confession dealing with the crimes for which he was charged were properly admitted, it was error to allow the transcript of the entire confession to be admitted for impeachment purposes. Evidence may be inadmissible even if it has a tendency to prove or disprove a material fact in issue when its probative value is substantially outweighed by the danger of unfair prejudice to the defendant. Hansford v. State (1986), Ind., 490 N.E.2d 1083. Moreover, evidence of prior criminal acts other than those charged is generally inadmissible unless it is introduced to show intent, motive, purpose, identity, or common scheme or plan. Bedgood v. State (1985), Ind., 477 N.E.2d 869. On direct examination at trial Warner testified that he was offered leniency for himself and his nephew in exchange for a confession and that medical treatment was being withheld from him until he made a statement. During cross-examination, the prosecution sought admission of the transcript of the entire confession to show that these claims were false and that Warner was lucid. (R. 823-24). The State's argument appears to be that the statement itself shows it was given voluntarily because Warner confessed to so many other crimes and because neither leniency or medical treatment was mentioned. The transcript of the entire confession was fifty-one pages long and contained admissions to some seventeen other crimes in addition to those for which Warner was being tried. Only seven pages dealt with crimes actually charged. The probative value of this evidence to show the voluntariness of the confession or Warner's lucidity was modest, and the danger of unfair prejudice was great. The other crimes to which appellant confessed were not connected with the crimes for which he was charged, tried and convicted. Such evidence did not go to prove intent, motive, purpose, identity, or a common scheme or plan. The real probative value of such evidence was to show Warner's criminal propensity or bad character. In a similar case, Brown v. State (1953), 232 Ind. 227, 111 N.E.2d 808, this Court found reversible error where part of a confession relating to collateral, uncharged offenses was admitted into evidence when those portions could have been separated from the part of the confession that related to the charged offense. Brown made a statement about the charged crime; he also confessed to participating in five separate robberies. Id. at 234, 111 N.E.2d at 811. We held the portion of the statement relating to the uncharged crimes inadmissible. Id. Indiana has followed the rule that if the part of the confession bearing upon the issue can be separated from the part relating to other separate offenses, that part material to the issues, and that part only, may be admitted. Id., at 235, 111 N.E.2d at 811. [1] The relevant and material portions of Warner's statement were separable from the remainder of the confession. Indeed, they were separated and properly admitted earlier in the trial. The prejudice from introduction of the entire statement outweighed any impeachment value. That being so, it was error to admit the transcript of the entire confession over Warner's objection. Further, we cannot find the admission of this evidence to be harmless error. To decide if the erroneous admission of prejudicial evidence of extrinsic offences is harmless, we judge whether the jury's verdict was substantially swayed. Gibbs v. State (1989), Ind., 538 N.E.2d 937. If the error had substantial influence, or if one is left in grave doubt, the conviction cannot stand. Stwalley v. State, (1989), Ind., 534 N.E.2d 229, 232 (quoting Kotteakos v. United States, 328 U.S. 750, 765, 66 S.Ct. 1239, 1248, 90 L.Ed. 1557 (1946)). We cannot say that such evidence did not substantially sway the jury's decision to convict. Warner's convictions for burglary, robbery, two counts of criminal confinement, and two counts of theft are therefore reversed.