Opinion ID: 1058267
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Evidence of Avent's State of Mind

Text: Avent argues that the trial court erred when it ruled that certain statements made by William to Thomas, later relayed to Avent, were inadmissible.
Generally, we review a trial court's decision to admit or exclude evidence using an abuse of discretion standard and, on appeal, will not disturb a trial court's decision to admit evidence absent a finding of abuse of that discretion. John Crane, Inc. v. Jones, 274 Va. 581, 590, 650 S.E.2d 851, 855 (2007).
Avent asserts that his proffered testimony regarding William's disapproval of African Americans was relevant and a material issue to his case, namely the impact this information had on Avent's mental state, as to reasonable provocation, heat of passion, and self-defense claims. We disagree with Avent and hold that the trial court did not abuse its discretion when it excluded Avent's proffered testimony. The trial court found that the statements William made to Thomas were so removed in time and so irrelevant to this case that the Court believes they have no probative value. [A] great deal must necessarily be left to the discretion of the [trial court], in determining whether evidence is relevant to the issue or not. Evidence is relevant if it has any logical tendency to prove an issue in a case. Id. (Citation and quotation marks omitted). Regarding Avent's claim of reasonable provocation, we have held that provocation cannot be relied upon to reduce murder in the second degree to manslaughter, unless the provocation has so aroused the anger of the assailant as to temporarily affect his reason and self-control. Jacobs v. Commonwealth, 132 Va. 681, 685, 111 S.E. 90, 92 (1922). In this case, the trial court found William's alleged statements so removed in time as to be irrelevant to the issue of reasonable provocation. We agree. Accordingly, we hold that the trial court did not abuse its discretion when it excluded Avent's proffered testimony as irrelevant.