Opinion ID: 853359
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Statements to Social Worker

Text: Davenport also challenged the trial court's admission of Dew's statements to a social worker shortly after finding the body. Dew was able to tell the social worker his name, his date of birth, and other background information. He then told the social worker, with a police officer present, that John hurt his mother. The police officer's account of Dew's statement to the social worker was plainly hearsay because it was offered for the truth of the proposition that John injured Dew's mother. The trial court admitted the statement under the excited utterance exception. It seems somewhat of a stretch to conclude that a statement one half-hour after the discovery of the body was still made under the stress of the startling event. Although there is no rigid test of elapsed time, we have found the exception available one half-hour after the startling event only under extreme and continuing stress. See Yamobi v. State, 672 N.E.2d 1344, 1346-47 (Ind.1996) (a victim of a gunshot unable to move). Even if error, however, admission of this statement was cumulative of Dew's testimony and the 911 tape, and was harmless. Davenport contends that because Dew did not testify about the statement at trial, it was inadmissible under Indiana Rule of Evidence 801(d)(1). This is incorrect. In the first place, the cited rule provides a path to admissibility of certain statements. It does not require exclusion of any statement. If its requirements are not met, a hearsay statement may nevertheless be admitted under other provisions. Second, Evidence Rule 801(d)(1) provides that certain statements are not hearsay if the specified conditions are met. These include that the declarant testifies at trial, is subject to cross-examination, and either: (1) the statement is inconsistent with the testimony and was given under oath at another proceeding; (2) the statement is consistent with the testimony and offered to rebut a charge of fabrication or improper motive made before the motive to fabricate arose; or (3) it is a statement of identification made shortly after perceiving the person. Under this provision, admission of Dew's statement does not turn solely on whether he testified at trial about the statement.