Opinion ID: 1452891
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Declaration of the Children

Text: On redirect examination Mrs. Nichols testified that one or both of the girls had said it was defendant who rang the doorbell so persistently shortly before the discovery of the fire. Defendant objected to the admission of these declarations on the ground that they were inadmissible hearsay, citing sections 1250, subdivision (b), and 1252 of the Evidence Code. [2] His reliance on these sections is misplaced. (3) During cross-examination, the defense impugned Mrs. Nichols' motives for accusing her husband of setting the fire, insinuating motives for fabrication. On redirect the prosecution could properly offer evidence of the reasonable basis for her testimony to rebut the inference of bias raised by the defense on cross-examination. ( People v. Perez (1954) 128 Cal. App.2d 750, 757 [276 P.2d 72]; Witkin, Cal. Evidence (2d ed. 1966) § 1277, p. 1181, and authorities cited therein; see People v. La Macchia (1953) 41 Cal.2d 738, 749 [264 P.2d 15].) The children's declarations were introduced for that purpose rather than to prove the truth of the matter stated and did not constitute hearsay. (Evid. Code, § 1200.) The court properly instructed the jury concerning the limited purpose for which they were admitted (4) Moreover, even if it was error to admit those statements, defendant's own properly admitted confession that he had set fire to his wife's car would make it impossible to hold the error prejudicial as it is not reasonably probable that a result more favorable to defendant would have been reached in the absence of the claimed error. ( People v. Watson, supra, 46 Cal.2d 818, 836.)