Opinion ID: 1924787
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 10

Heading: Adequacy of Opportunity to Cross-Examine Witness

Text: The decision as to whether or not to admit former testimony lies in the sound discretion of the trial justice, and we will not overturn such a decision unless there has been an abuse of that discretion. State v. Sharp, 708 A.2d 1328, 1330 (R.I. 1998); see also State v. Ouimette, 110 R.I. 747, 754, 298 A.2d 124, 130 (1972). The defendant argues that the trial justice erred in finding that defendant had had an adequate opportunity to cross-examine Floyd because the cross-examination of that witness occurred during a federal trial concerning a different charge. We disagree. As we explain below, it is our opinion that the trial justice reached the correct conclusion as to this issue, and, therefore, we uphold his ruling. The Sixth Amendment to the United States Constitution, made applicable to the states pursuant to the Fourteenth Amendment, provides in pertinent part: In all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall enjoy the right    to be confronted with the witnesses against him   . It should be noted that the right of confrontation is not absolute; it is limited by practical considerations and by concerns relating to judicial economy. State v. Sosa, 839 A.2d 519, 524 (R.I.2003). As a result of the United States Supreme Court's exegesis of that explicit constitutional provision, it is now established that, when testimonial hearsay evidence is concerned, the Confrontation Clause requires proof of (1) the witness's unavailability and (2) a prior opportunity for cross-examination. Crawford v. Washington, 541 U.S. 36, 68, 124 S.Ct. 1354, 158 L.Ed.2d 177 (2004); [27] see also Davis v. Washington, ___ U.S. ___, ___, 126 S.Ct. 2266, 2273, 165 L.Ed.2d 224 (2006); Feliciano, 901 A.2d at 640; State v. Lynch, 854 A.2d 1022, 1039 (R.I.2004). Rule 804(b)(1) allows previous sworn testimony of an unavailable witness to be admissible if the party against whom admission is sought was afforded an adequate opportunity to cross-examine the witness in the prior proceeding. [28] Sharp, 708 A.2d at 1329. Admission of prior testimony under this rule does not violate the Confrontation Clause of the Sixth Amendment because both of the judicially established criteria relative to that clause (see preceding paragraph) are satisfied if there has been adherence to the rule. See Sharp, 708 A.2d at 1329-30. We have previously held that we adhere to the so-called liberal rule when determining the adequacy of prior opportunities to cross-examine witnesses. Ouimette, 110 R.I. at 757, 298 A.2d at 131; see also Sharp, 708 A.2d at 1330. Under that rule, it is required only that there be a substantial identity of issues and of parties before former testimony will be deemed admissible. Ouimette, 110 R.I. at 757, 298 A.2d at 131; see also Sharp, 708 A.2d at 1330. In the present situation, it is clear to us that such a substantial identity of both issues and parties existed. While the specific crimes at issue in the two trials differed slightly, both trials related to the same sequence of events. After considering the arguments of both the prosecution and defendant, the trial justice in this case denied defendant's motion to prohibit the prosecution from introducing at trial the prior federal trial testimony of Floyd. The trial justice declared Floyd to be unavailable and then ruled that, for the purpose of satisfying the criteria set forth in Rule 804(b)(1), the cross-examination of Floyd had been more than adequate and rather effective. He noted that the cross-examination covered the events which occurred before, during, and after the carjacking and killings. He emphasized that the cross-examination was not required to be exhaustive, but only needed to constitute a sufficient probing of the witness's credibility. The trial justice then pointed out that defense counsel in the federal court trial had impeached Floyd concerning certain details about what transpired before the killings. In addition, the trial justice stated that defendant had been present during the federal court testimony, giving him the ability, through his attorney, to confront the witness there. He concluded that defendant not only had ample opportunity to cross-examine Floyd, but also that he had in fact seized that opportunity. The trial justice properly analyzed and concluded that defendant had had an adequate opportunity to cross-examine Floyd at the prior proceeding. [29] The trial justice certainly did not abuse his discretion in admitting the prior recorded testimony.