Opinion ID: 1193843
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Allowing the Use of the Letter at Trial

Text: ¶ 26 Thomas further contends that the trial court committed reversible error when it allowed the September letter to be used at trial. Based upon the concept that the trial court is best situated to determine what, if any, impact an alleged error will have on the proceedings, see State v. Harmon, 956 P.2d 262, 276 (Utah 1998); Hay, 859 P.2d at 6; State v. Gardner, 789 P.2d 273, 287 (Utah 1989); State v. Speer, 750 P.2d 186, 190 (Utah 1988), we will reverse only where an error is so prejudicial and so substantial that, absent the error, it is reasonably probable that the result would have been more favorable for the defendant. See Harmon, 956 P.2d at 276; Hay, 859 P.2d at 7; Gardner, 789 P.2d at 287; State v. Lamper, 779 P.2d 1125 (Utah 1989); Speer, 750 P.2d at 190. In other words, the mere possibility of a different outcome occurring without the evidence is not enough; instead, the likelihood of a different outcome must be sufficiently high to undermine confidence in the verdict.  State v. Knight, 734 P.2d 913, 920 (Utah 1987) (emphasis added). ¶ 27 Here, the September letter was not a critical factor in proving the State's case; apparently the State was not even planning on using the letter before hearing Thomas's testimony. The jury heard the testimony of both victims regarding the extent and manner of the abuse and the identity of their abuser. The jury also heard the testimony of Thomas's own mother regarding the handwriting and signature in the confession letter as well as her testimony concerning Thomas's oral confession to her. Additionally, Thomas does not suggest in what way he may have altered his defense had he known the State possessed the letter, save that he would not have testified. By testifying, he was able to present an alternate story to the jury, to rebut the evidence presented against him, and to allow the jury to judge the credibility of the evidence. Furthermore, the September letter itself was not admitted into evidence; the jury heard only that the letter claimed the confession letter was a lie and was written solely to determine whether his mother would turn the confession letter over to the police. In light of the overwhelming amount of evidence presented to the jury, there is little likelihood that the outcome of the case would have been any more favorable to Thomas absent the September letter; our confidence in the verdict is not undermined. We therefore conclude that neither the prosecutor's failure to provide a copy of the letter to defense counsel or his use of the letter in cross-examining defendant was prejudicial, but instead amounted to harmless error.