Opinion ID: 2211681
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 10

Heading: admissibility of johnson's statement

Text: Before addressing this issue, we pause to comment about the interrogation tactics used in obtaining Johnson's statement. The record reflects that Johnson, an 11-year-old child, was detained at the police station for approximately 7 hours. Much of the interrogation took place in the absence of Johnson's mother, even after he indicated to the officers that he wanted to see her. Johnson was obviously tired and fell asleep during portions of the interrogation. Johnson began crying during the interview, repeatedly asked the officers when he could go home, and eventually made up a story because he thought he would then be allowed to go home. This method of interrogation, particularly when used on such a young child, is most troubling to this court. However, the circumstances used by the police in obtaining Johnson's statement do not affect the admissibility of Garner's statement, and we determine that Johnson's statement was not admissible for the truth of the matter asserted. Relying on Chambers v. Mississippi, 410 U.S. 284, 93 S.Ct. 1038, 35 L.Ed.2d 297 (1973), Garner contends that the refusal of the trial court to enter into evidence the tapes of Johnson's statements to the police violated his right to present a defense. Johnson's taped statements constituted hearsay. See Neb.Rev.Stat. § 27-802 (Reissue 1995). The record indicates that the only applicable exception for which evidence or foundation was provided was the residual exception pursuant to Neb. Rev.Stat. § 27-803(22) (Reissue 1995). Section 27-803 provides exceptions to the rule prohibiting hearsay under which the availability of the declarant is immaterial. Section 27-803(22), now found at § 27-803(23) (Supp.1999), provides in part an exception: A statement not specifically covered by any of the foregoing exceptions but having equivalent circumstantial guarantees of trustworthiness, if the court determines that (a) the statement is offered as evidence of a material fact, (b) the statement is more probative on the point for which it is offered than any other evidence which the proponent can procure through reasonable efforts, and (c) the general purposes of these rules and the interests of justice will best be served by admission of the statement into evidence. The residual hearsay exception is to be used rarely and only in exceptional circumstances. State v. Plant, 236 Neb. 317, 461 N.W.2d 253 (1990). An appellate court will affirm a trial court's ruling on whether evidence is admissible under the residual hearsay exception unless the trial court has abused its discretion. State v. Jacob, 253 Neb. 950, 574 N.W.2d 117 (1998). In Chambers v. Mississippi, supra , the U.S. Supreme Court stated that few rights are more fundamental than that of an accused to present witnesses in his defense. The Court further determined that in cases where constitutional rights directly affecting the ascertainment of guilt are implicated, the hearsay rule may not be applied mechanistically to defeat the ends of justice. Id. However, such statements must be offered under circumstances that provide considerable assurance of their reliability. Lilly v. Virginia, 527 U.S. 116, 119 S.Ct. 1887, 144 L.Ed.2d 117 (1999). See Chambers v. Mississippi, supra . We conclude that the trial court did not abuse its discretion in refusing to play the tapes of Johnson's statements under the residual hearsay exception and that the refusal to admit the statement as evidence that Johnson committed the crime did not preclude Garner from presenting a defense. Johnson was present at trial and testified. Thus, Garner was able to present testimony from Johnson himself regarding police interview techniques and the statement Johnson made incriminating himself in Leu's death. As Johnson testified at trial, and as reflected by the tapes of his statement, Johnson made up the incriminating statement because he wanted to go home. The record reflects that Johnson was distressed at the time the statement was made. In addition, the details of the crime available throughout the record strongly show that Johnson's statement was false and thus was not reliable. The circumstances Johnson briefly admitted to do not at all match the evidence found at the crime scene. Under these circumstances, there were not considerable assurances of reliability. Thus, the trial court was correct in limiting the purpose for which evidence of Johnson's statement could be used.