Opinion ID: 1900957
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: The Victim's Statement

Text: Patricia Williams, the victim's sister-in-law, was called to the stand by the State as a rebuttal witness. Over defendant's objection, she was allowed to testify that she had visited the victim and Anaya at their apartment in February, 1980. The victim, Frank Williams, had shown Patricia a small cut on his back and had told her, in Anaya's presence, how he had been injured: Q [by the prosecutor]: What did Frank Williams say? Do you remember the context? A [by Patricia Williams]: Look what that F and fool did to me. Q What did Linda Anaya say? A She just laughed and said she would do a better job next time. Defendant now argues that the victim's statement, as repeated by Patricia Williams, was inadmissible hearsay and should not have been heard by the jury. We disagree. Ordinarily, any statement other than one made by the declarant while testifying at the trial or hearing, offered in evidence to prove the truth of the matter asserted is hearsay and is inadmissible. M.R.Evid. 801(c); 802. However, since a party cannot object to his failure to have a chance to cross-examine himself, Field & Murray, Maine Evidence 193 (1976), the rules provide that a statement is not hearsay and is admissible if [t]he statement is offered against a party and is (A) his own statement in either his individual or a representative capacity or (B) a statement of which he has manifested his adoption or belief in its truth. M.R.Evid. 801(d)(2). Thus, Anaya's own words, as repeated by Patricia Williams, were unquestionably admissible. And since Anaya's statement was intelligible only in the context of the conversation preceding it, and in fact constituted an admission of the truth of the accusation she had just heard, Frank Williams' statement was properly admitted as well. The conversation was a reciprocal and integrated utterance between the two of them, United States v. Metcalf, 430 F.2d 1197, 1199 (8th Cir.1970); in its entirety it constituted a total context showing admissions by defendant. State v. Blouin, 384 A.2d 701, 705 (Me.1978).