Opinion ID: 1112237
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 12

Heading: officer taguma's bias against estrada.

Text: Estrada argues that Officer Taguma's bias in the outcome of the case (using a guilty verdict to file a civil negligence action) should have been revealed. State responds any error in excluding Officer Taguma's bias was harmless since Bettencourt elicited Officer Taguma's admission that a civil attorney was working on a contemplated lawsuit against Estrada. Bias, interest, or motive is always relevant under HRE Rule 609.1. So long as a proper foundation is laid, bias can be raised at any time by the witness's testimony or other evidence. State v. Murphy, 59 Haw. 1, 575 P.2d 448 (1978). A criminal conviction can be used as evidence in a civil suit, and it is error not to allow cross-examination to reveal possible bias. State v. Liuafi, 1 Haw. App. 625, 623 P.2d 1271 (1981). The error in this case was harmless because the bias was brought out. As a practical matter, moreover, Officer Taguma's bias against the man who shot him is obvious. State v. Gonsalves, 5 Haw. App. 659, 706 P.2d 1333 (1985). Needless to say, on remand, however, evidence of Officer Taguma's bias should be admitted if offered. [7]