Opinion ID: 1316831
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Testimony of Eyewitnesses.

Text: The defendant argues that he was denied a fair trial due to the conditions under which Paul Dunlap (Dunlap) and Bobby Autrey (Autrey) testified. Dunlap and Autrey were eyewitnesses to the attack on the victim. Dunlap had been granted immunity conditioned upon his truthfulness. NMSA 1978, § 31-6-15 (Cum.Supp. 1983). Autrey had been granted use immunity for the defendant's preliminary hearing, but was not testifying under any grant of immunity at the trial. A witness having personal knowledge of relevant matters is competent. NMSA 1978, Evid.R. 601 and 602 (Repl.Pamp. 1983). Matters affecting the witness's bias or motive to testify falsely are to be attacked through cross-examination, rather than the exclusion of a witness. The credibility of witnesses is to be determined by the trier of the facts. State v. Williams, 78 N.M. 431, 432 P.2d 396 (1967); State v. Holly, 79 N.M. 516, 445 P.2d 393 (Ct.App. 1968). In the present case, the defendant fully cross-examined Dunlap and Autrey regarding prior inconsistent statements, as well as grants of immunity and conditions thereon. We find the defendant suffered no prejudice by their testimony.