Opinion ID: 1709596
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: The court erred in admitting the videotape without redacting inadmissible evidence prior to allowing the jury to view the videotape.

Text: ¶ 9. Hodgin asserts that the trial court erred in allowing the videotape of M.C.'s interview to be admitted into evidence without redacting a portion in which M.C. is asked whether he had any knowledge of Hodgin's committing similar offenses with other children. Hodgin cites Mitchell v. State, 539 So.2d 1366, 1372 (Miss.1989), as authority. However, in Mitchell, a witness became confused and began testifying in specific detail about incidents that happened with other victims and then continued to confuse different incidents with different victims. Id. at 1369. The trial court in Mitchell granted a mistrial, but Mitchell was tried again and convicted. Mitchell is clearly distinguishable from this case. ¶ 10. This Court reviews the admission or exclusion of evidence for abuse of discretion. Clark v. State, 891 So.2d 136, 139 (Miss.2004) (citing Herring v. Poirrier, 797 So.2d 797, 804 (Miss.2000)). ¶ 11. Rule 404 of the Mississippi Rules of Evidence (M.R.E.) provides, in relevant part: (b) Other Crimes, Wrongs, or Acts. Evidence of other crimes, wrongs, or acts is not admissible to prove the character of a person in order to show that he acted in conformity therewith. It may, however, be admissible for other purposes such as proof of motive, opportunity, intent, preparation, plan, knowledge, identity, or absence of mistake or accident. M.R.E. 404(b). ¶ 12. In the videotaped interview in this case, M.C. did not make a conclusive statement about any other incident. M.C. merely said that someone saw Hodgin in the bathroom with M.C. and M.C.'s cousin and that Hodgin was then on lockdown. M.C.'s statement does not include evidence of any other crimes, wrongs or acts. Therefore, we find that the trial court did not err in admitting the videotape. ¶ 13. Hodgin also asserts that the trial court erred in allowing M.C.'s mother to testify as to the statements M.C. made to her under Rule 803(25) of the M.R.E., which states: (25) Tender Years Exception. A statement made by a child of tender years describing any act of sexual contact performed with or on the child by another is admissible in evidence if: (a) the court finds, in a hearing conducted outside the presence of the jury, that the time, content, and circumstances of the statement provide substantial indicia of reliability; and (b) the child either (1) testifies at the proceedings; or (2) is unavailable as a witness: provided, that when the child is unavailable as a witness, such statement may be admitted only if there is corroborative evidence of the act. M.R.E. 803(25). ¶ 14. In this case, the hearing was conducted outside the presence of the jury, the trial court found substantial indicia of reliability, and the child testified. Accordingly, we find that this issue is without merit.