Opinion ID: 2174346
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Testimony of Anna Boese

Text: Christeson alleges that the trial court erred in admitting the testimony of Anna Boese because it duplicated and improperly bolstered that of Mike Wagner. As noted, Wagner testified that Christeson sodomized him when they were incarcerated together in the Vernon County jail. Christeson claims that Ms. Boese, Wagner's mother, testified that her son had told her that [Christeson] had sodomized him. The actual testimony is as follows: PROSECUTOR: ... At some point, did you notice some injury or sign of injury to [Wagner] after he got out of jail? MS. BOESE: Yes. Q: And when was this, if you remember? A: The first time was two daysI believe two days. Q: And what did you notice? A: He had some rectal bleeding. Q: And how was it you discovered this? A: He told me. As is apparent, contrary to Christeson's claim, Ms. Boese did not testify that Wagner told her that Christeson, or anybody, sodomized him, but that he told her about his physical condition. Improper bolstering occurs when an out-of-court statement is offered solely to corroborate or duplicate testimony. State v. Wolfe, 13 S.W.3d 248, 257 (Mo. banc 2000), cert. denied, 531 U.S. 845, 121 S.Ct. 114, 148 L.Ed.2d 70 (2000). Ms. Boese's testimony did not corroborate or duplicate Wagner's testimony that Christeson sodomized him.