Opinion ID: 2584196
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: The prosecution's case-in-chief and the bench conference regarding Plichta's statements to the examiners

Text: In its case-in-chief, the prosecution relied on the testimony of, inter alios: (1) persons who were present at the store when Plichta damaged a number of the cars parked outside of the store; (2) Sayson, who Plichta attacked with pepper spray; (3) HPD officers, who arrested Plichta; and (4) HPD evidence specialists, who investigated the scene after Plichta's arrest. The prosecution did not call any of the examiners because Plichta's claim of lack of penal responsibility is an affirmative defense for which he had the burden of proof, see State v. Uyesugi, 100 Hawai`i 442, 456, 60 P.3d 843, 857 (2002). After the prosecution rested, the circuit court conferred with the parties regarding the prosecution's prospective questioning of the medical examiners concerning Plichta's statements to them, and the court asked the prosecution about the types of statements it intended to explore. The prosecution responded, I do not believe that [Plichta] gave the same version of the facts that I heard during opening statement to these doctors. The prosecution explained that: If [the examiners are] informed that [Plichta] may have made statements to others or in court that differ from the statements he made to them, that may have an impact on their opinion as to whether or not he malingered when he spoke to them originally. . . . I don't really know what the defense is going to put forward but . . . they made an opening statement that caught me by surprise. The court responded: I'm going to have to wait to hear what testimony arises. It may be that I give a cautionary instruction and limit the use of any statements that are being used. You're using it for impeachment to challenge the credibility. I may limit it just to that and it cannot be used as an admission to establish guilt, or something of that nature. . . .