Opinion ID: 1501117
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 22

Heading: Expert Hearsay Testimony in Penalty Phase

Text: Brown claims that the trial court abused its discretion when it sustained the state's objections to the testimony of Jill Miller, a forensic social worker, regarding statements that he made to her. Brown alleges that his expert, Miller, was precluded from presenting essential mitigating evidence to assist the jury in its determination of punishment. Expert testimony should be excluded if it does not assist the jury or if it unnecessarily diverts the jury's attention. State v. Lawhorn, 762 S.W.2d 820, 823 (Mo. banc 1988). Admission of expert testimony is within the discretion of the trial court. State v. Skillicorn, 944 S.W.2d 877, 891 (Mo. banc 1997). Generally, an expert may rely on hearsay evidence as support for opinions, as long as that evidence is of a type reasonably relied upon by other experts in the field; such evidence need not be independently admissible. State v. Kelley, 945 S.W.2d 611, 615 (Mo.App.1997). Miller was asked to investigate Brown's background. While she was testifying as to what she found, the state objected to some of the reports. The state objected to Miller testifying that Brown had a head injury as a child, that he had headaches, and that he was sexually abused when he was five years old, on the ground that the statements were hearsay. The trial court sustained the objection. The state argues that Miller was called to testify about what people had told her and about other things that she had read, so that Brown would not have to call those persons and subject them to cross-examination or lay foundations for admission of records. In addition, the state contends that Brown should not be allowed to testify through Miller and avoid cross-examination because Miller's recitation of Brown's statements were unrelated to any admissible opinion of Miller. Brown could have presented the same evidence to the jury without having an expert present it for him. Had the evidence been a basis for the expert's opinions, we would find such evidence admissible. But in the circumstances here, the trial court had discretion not to allow such testimony. We find no abuse of discretion by the trial court in excluding the evidence in its proffered form.