Opinion ID: 1059169
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Negative Evidence of Reputation

Text: Jackson asserts that the trial court erred in preventing Jackson from presenting certain so-called `negative' evidence of good character. Jackson refers specifically to the testimony of two individuals he called as character witnesses. Jackson asked the witnesses if they were aware of or had heard that Jackson had a reputation in the community for being violent. The Commonwealth objected, stating that before asking a question of this sort, Jackson had to establish that the witness was aware of Jackson's reputation in the community. The trial court sustained the objections. This assignment of error is without merit. Jackson was not prohibited from presenting negative evidence of good character. Negative evidence of good character is based on the theory that a person has a good reputation if that reputation has not been questioned. Zirkle v. Commonwealth, 189 Va. 862, 871-72, 55 S.E.2d 24, 29-30 (1949). It is admissible, as is other reputation evidence, if the proper foundation is established. See Barlow v. Commonwealth, 224 Va. 338, 340-41, 297 S.E.2d 645, 646 (1982). Thus, a witness must be aware of the party's reputation in the community before he may testify as to the lack of any reputation for a particular characteristic. Jackson did not establish that either witness had knowledge of Jackson's reputation in the community before asking the type of question recited above. Accordingly, the trial court not only was correct in sustaining the Commonwealth's objection to the questions, but nothing in the record shows that Jackson was prevented from introducing negative evidence of reputation. In fact, the record shows that in at least one instance, Jackson proceeded to establish that the witness had the requisite knowledge of Jackson's reputation in the community and then testified that he never heard anything from anybody of [Jackson] doing any wrongdoing to anybody. We find no error in the ruling of the trial court.