Opinion ID: 1298321
Heading Depth: 4
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: The spanking incident

Text: At trial, the victim's mother and former wife of the defendant testified that on one occasion, the defendant had spanked the victim with a spanking board, leaving bruises on her buttocks. The incident was reported to the police by school officials, who later called on the defendant to investigate the matter. Subsequently, defendant told the victim he would get even with her, and that he would kill her fucking ass. Defendant argues that this evidence was improperly admitted under Arizona Rules of Evidence, 404(a)(1) because defendant's character had not been put in issue. We do not agree. Admittedly, Rule 404(a)(1) precludes the state from introducing character evidence to show that defendant acted in conformity with such character unless the character evidence is first offered by the accused. We need not, however, determine whether the evidence was admissible under this rule. We believe that the evidence of the defendant's troubled relationship with the victim was admissible on the issue of motive pursuant to Rule 404(b), which reads: Evidence of other crimes, wrongs, or acts is not admissible to prove the character of a person in order to show that he acted in conformity therewith. It may, however, be admissible for other purposes, such as proof of motive, opportunity, intent, preparation, plan, knowledge, identity, or absence of mistake or accident. Rule 404(b) Arizona Rules of Evidence. This evidence of prior trouble between the victim and the defendant derives its relevance from the fact that the existence of prior ill will toward the victim not only renders the commission of the crime more probable, but also tends to show the malice or motive of the defendant in perpetrating the crime. Evidence of this prior bad act, taken together with defendant's expressions to get even with the victim, show a continuing state of mind from which a jury could properly infer that the defendant had a motive to kill the victim. State v. Jeffers, 135 Ariz. 404, 418, 661 P.2d 1105, 1119 (1983), cert. denied, Jeffers v. Arizona, 464 U.S. 865, 104 S.Ct. 199, 78 L.Ed.2d 174 (1985), reversed on other grounds, Jeffers v. Ricketts, 832 F.2d 476, 480-481 (9th Cir.1987). [2] We believe the evidence was properly admitted.