Opinion ID: 1562529
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 10

Heading: The surprise incident

Text: The defendant additionally contends that the trial justice violated Rule 404(b) in permitting into evidence Betsy's testimony concerning the surprise incident; this testimony was unanticipated and presented itself for the first time at trial. However, the record indicates that at no point during Betsy's testimony did defense counsel object to the mention of this additional incident. Further, defense counsel opted to cross-examine Betsy regarding the surprise incident and regarding her failure to disclose it prior to testifying at trial. [24] Although no limiting instruction was given immediately following Betsy's testimony concerning this additional allegation of uncharged sexual misconduct, such an instruction (as it pertained to both Betsy's testimony with respect to the surprise incident and Lisa's testimony about defendant's alleged sexual misconduct towards her) was given when the jury was instructed prior to beginning its deliberations. Although a trial justice is required to give a limiting instruction when admitting evidence of prior bad acts under one of the exceptions to Rule 404(b), it is not required that the instruction be given immediately after the pertinent testimony. State v. Cardoza, 649 A.2d 745, 748 (R.I. 1994) ([T]here is no requirement that this instruction be given immediately after the testimony has been given.); see also State v. Brown, 626 A.2d 228, 234 n. 2 (R.I.1993) (The trial justice always should take it upon himself or herself to offer a limiting instruction when admitting evidence of other sex acts.); Jalette, 119 R.I. at 627, 382 A.2d at 533-34. When a defendant fails to object to the introduction of the evidence at trial, the trial justice's failure to issue a sua sponte cautionary instruction constitutes reversible error only if a defendant does not attempt to utilize the uncharged incidents to his or her advantage. State v. Toole, 640 A.2d 965, 971 (R.I.1994) (using uncharged offenses in an attempt to discredit and challenge the credibility of the complaining witness on cross-examination and in closing argument, coupled with defense counsel's failure to request a limiting instruction, did not constitute reversible error). Since, in both her oral instructions prior to deliberations and in the written instructions with which the jury was provided, the trial justice gave a limiting instruction informing the jury how it should deal with Betsy's testimony concerning the surprise incident, it is our opinion that the trial justice did not abuse her discretion in admitting this testimony pursuant to one of the recognized exceptions to Rule 404(b).