Opinion ID: 1988537
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: denial of witness' testimony

Text: The defendant argues that the trial judge denied his right to due process by refusing to allow his girlfriend, Caroline Mangum, to testify before the jury. He asserts that his Sixth Amendment right to present defense witnesses was denied. The defendant contends that Ms. Mangum had material evidence on the exact terms of the plea agreement and on the voluntariness of his prior statements. The Sixth Amendment to the United States Constitution allows criminal defendants to offer testimony of witnesses on their behalf. See State v. Counts, 452 A.2d 1141, 1143 (R.I. 1982). We have held that there is no constitutional right to introduce irrelevant, immaterial, or prejudicial evidence and no constitutional right to introduce hearsay evidence even if it is relevant. Advisory Opinion to the House of Representatives, 469 A.2d 1161, 1165 (R.I. 1983). The defendant argues that the testimony of Ms. Mangum related to his plea agreement and the voluntariness of his statements. Neither of these topics was relevant or material to the jury's determination of defendant's guilt or innocence of the crimes charged. The record indicates that there was no issue of the existence of or the terms of the plea agreement. Further, the issue of the voluntariness of defendant's prior statements had been fully heard and decided at a pretrial motion. A rehearing of the same issue in front of the jury would be inappropriate, misleading, and redundant. [Q]uestions as to the character of the evidence offered, and the manner and extent of its presentation, are largely within the discretion of the Trial Court, and the exercise of that discretion will not be interfered with unless there has been an abuse to the prejudice of the defendant   . State v. Bowden, 113 R.I. 649, 660, 324 A.2d 631, 638 (1974) (quoting State v. Reardon, 101 R.I. 18, 25, 219 A.2d 767, 771-72 (1966)). The record indicates that Ms. Mangum's testimony did not substantively impeach the defendant's statements or offer any additional relevant information from her personal knowledge that would make the denial of her testimony prejudicial to the defendant. Ms. Mangum's testimony was based on hearsay statements related to her by Malone and the police. The trial judge properly excluded her hearsay and cumulative testimony from consideration by the jury. Upon a review of the issues raised by the defendant on appeal and our analysis thereof, we conclude that in the instant case the issues are without merit. Hence the defendant's appeal is denied and dismissed, and the judgment of the Superior Court is affirmed.