Opinion ID: 2084047
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Admissibility of Statements About Criminal History

Text: The defendant first contends that the trial court erred in admitting portions of tape recordings in which the defendant made statements concerning his criminal history. Immediately prior to the commencement of trial, the defendant filed a motion in limine seeking to exclude from the jury all matters related to the defendant's prior criminal history. In the course of an ensuing hearing on the motion, the State advised of its intention to introduce tape recorded conversations with the defendant in which he made references to his prior criminal history. The trial court ruled that the taped conversations would be admissible. At trial, Indianapolis Police dispatcher Frederick M. Williamson testified that on June 15, 1987, he received a call from the defendant, who claimed to be holding hostages. A tape recording of this conversation, State's Exhibit 4, was admitted into evidence and played for the jury notwithstanding the defendant's timely objection. The tape recorded conversation began with the defendant announcing that he was holding several hostages and that he had two guns and dynamite, and if the police were sent, he would blow somebody away. The recording vividly documents the happening of the charged kidnappings, reflecting that as the dispatcher sought to calm the situation, the defendant's rambling comments expressed unhappiness regarding his relationship with Hall, threatened death to his hostages and anyone attempting their rescue, and made demands for money and air transportation, interspersing numerous voluntary references to prior criminal history. These latter references were often in the context of seeking to convince the police dispatcher of his determination and capacity to follow through on his threats. The general rule is that evidence showing the commission of other crimes is inadmissible to prove guilt. Penley v. State (1987), Ind., 506 N.E.2d 806; Biggerstaff v. State (1977), 266 Ind. 148, 361 N.E.2d 895. However, exceptions to the rule are recognized. Such evidence may be proper to show a defendant's intent or state of mind at the time of the charged offense. McCormick v. State (1982), Ind., 437 N.E.2d 993; Choctaw v. State (1979), 270 Ind. 545, 387 N.E.2d 1305. Furthermore, evidence of unrelated criminal activity may be admissible under the res gestae exception to complete the story of the crime by proving its immediate context. Forehand v. State (1985), Ind., 479 N.E.2d 552; Beasley v. State (1983), Ind., 452 N.E.2d 982; Clemons v. State (1981), Ind., 424 N.E.2d 113. In addition, when, as here, a defendant asserts the defense of insanity, evidence otherwise inadmissible may be proper to show mental state at the time of the offense. Rogers v. State (1987), Ind., 514 N.E.2d 1259; Wood v. State (1987), Ind., 512 N.E.2d 1094. For each of these reasons, we find that the trial court did not err in admitting Exhibit 4, including the defendant's references to his previous criminal history.