Opinion ID: 2356771
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 7

Heading: Admissibility of transcript of tape-recorded conversation

Text: During the hearing on the appellant's motion for a new trial, Peter Garcia, a former Assistant County Attorney, testified that in January of 1974 he had met with Ronald Trembly and his attorney in order to obtain information on local criminal activity. According to the prosecutor, the conference was tape-recorded and a transcript of the tape was subsequently prepared at his direction. At the close of Attorney Garcia's testimony, the prosecution offered and the presiding Justice allowed the transcript in evidence over objection. The appellant's initial contention is that the transcript constitutes inadmissible hearsay, and, consequently, that the presiding Justice erred in admitting the document in evidence. Our rules of evidence, in effect at the time of the hearing on the motion for a new trial, [3] define Hearsay as a statement, other than one made by the declarant while testifying at the trial or hearing, offered in evidence to prove the truth of the matter asserted. Rule 801(c) of the Maine Rules of Evidence. In the present case, the presiding Justice stated that he would admit the transcript in evidence solely for the purpose of what it discloses as to either corroborate or contradict what the witness, Ronald Trembly, and Mr. Hamilton and Mr. Garcia, as to their testimony as to what was said at the hearing and not to be used in any way as to whether or not the statements contained herein are true. It would appear from the presiding Justice's ruling that the transcript did not come within the meaning of hearsay evidence as defined by Rule 801(c), supra; the document was not introduced to prove the truth of the matter asserted therein. In any event, an examination of the certification order made part of this record demonstrates that the presiding Justice based his decision solely on the testimony presented during the hearing, and that he was not influenced in any manner by the admission of the transcript. We must accordingly disregard the error, if any, in the admission of the transcript, as the document did not affect any substantial rights of the appellant. See M.R.Crim.P. 52(a). [4] The appellant also maintains that the reception of the transcript in evidence violated Maine's version of the Best Evidence rule (M.R.Evid. 1002), as the State failed to discharge its burden of producing the original tape-recording. However, a party may introduce secondary evidence of the contents of a writing, recording or photograph if [a]ll originals are lost or have been destroyed, unless the proponent lost or destroyed them in bad faith;. . . M.R.Evid. 1004(1). All preliminary matters which must be established to make secondary evidence admissible are questions of fact for the court and the sufficiency of the proof of such preliminary facts as well as the ultimate issue of the admissibility of the secondary evidence is subject to the sound discretion of the trial Justice, and his decision is reviewable only for abuse of discretion. St. Croix Company v. Seacoast Canning Company, 1916, 114 Me. 521, 96 A. 1059; Bain v. Walsh, Administratrix, 1892, 85 Me. 108, 26 A. 1001; Inhabitants of Camden v. Inhabitants of Belgrade, 1886, 78 Me. 204, 3 A. 652. In the present case, Attorney Garcia testified that the practice in the County Attorney's Office at the time of the conference was to have tape-recordings transcribed and then to return the cassettes to general circulation. He stated, moreover, that, at the time of the conference with Trembly, he had no reason to believe that the recording would be involved in future litigation. A search to locate the tape-recording in the County Attorney's Office proved unsuccessful. The evidence was sufficient to support the trial Justice in his ruling that the tape-recording was not lost or destroyed in bad faith. There was no abuse of discretion in admitting the transcript as secondary evidence. On the motion for new trial, the entry will be Appeal denied.