Opinion ID: 1190417
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Hearsay statements sought by appellant

Text: During the trial, appellant sought to elicit from one of the state's witnesses an out-of-court statement made by Pendleton. Appellant argued that the statement should be admitted under the co-conspirator exception to the hearsay rule. See NRS 51.035. The state objected, asserting that the statement constituted inadmissible hearsay. The trial court refused to admit the statement, and appellant contends that this refusal constitutes error. Because Pendleton's statement was being offered for, not against, appellant, the co-conspirator exception does not apply. See Johnstone v. State, 93 Nev. 427, 566 P.2d 1130 (1977). Appellant concedes as much in his opening brief, but asserts that the statement was nevertheless admissible at trial under NRS 51.075, NRS 51.315, or NRS 51.345. [3] We disagree. At trial, when appellant asked the state's witness to recount Pendleton's out-of-court statement, the state responded with a hearsay objection. At that point, the trial court excused the jury and invited the parties to present arguments concerning the admissibility of the statement. During this colloquy, the trial court asked appellant several times to provide the hearsay exception under which the statement could be admitted. Appellant offered only the co-conspirator exception which, as noted above, is inapplicable; he did not mention NRS 51.075, NRS 51.315, or NRS 51.345. Because appellant failed to present these hearsay exceptions at trial, the trial court had no opportunity to consider their merit. Consequently, we will not consider them for the first time on appeal. See Old Aztec Mine, Inc. v. Brown, 97 Nev. 49, 623 P.2d 981 (1981).