Opinion ID: 2225471
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: The introduction into evidence of breath-test results in general.

Text: Because we cannot disagree with Mullins that the cases he relies on do seem to suggest that there is an absolute requirement that the State introduce evidence meeting the foundational requirements of § 9-30-6-5(d), [7] we take this opportunity to discuss what is required of the prosecution and what is required of the defense when the prosecution offers breath-test results for admission as evidence. Generally, if evidence is relevant, it is admissible and should be admitted. Boots v. Canine (1884), 94 Ind. 408, 411; Harbor v. Morgan (1853), 4 Ind. 158, 159; McMahan v. Snap On Tool Corp. (1985), Ind. App., 478 N.E.2d 116, 123; Indiana State Highway Comm'n v. Vanderbur (1982), Ind. App., 432 N.E.2d 418, 422, reh'g denied (1982), 434 N.E.2d 575, trans. denied. [8] Clearly, evidence showing that a defendant's blood-alcohol level was 0.10 percent by weight or greater is relevant to a prosecution under either § 9-30-5-1 or § 9-30-5-2. [9] It is the responsibility of the opponent of evidence to show why relevant evidence is inadmissible. Williams v. State (1986), Ind. App., 489 N.E.2d 594, 603 n. 8; Hughes v. State (1985), Ind. App., 481 N.E.2d 135, 138. Breath-test results as shown by a printout are hearsay  an out-of-court statement offered to prove the truth of the matter asserted by the statement. Hearsay is generally inadmissible. But not until the defense objects to the admission of breath-test results on this ground, as it did in this case, does the responsibility shift to the prosecution to fit the breath-test results into a judicially or statutorily created exception to the general prohibition against the admission of hearsay. Banks v. State (1991), Ind., 567 N.E.2d 1126, 1129; Boarman v. State (1987), Ind., 509 N.E.2d 177, 181; Smith v. State (1983), Ind., 443 N.E.2d 1187, 1190; Jethroe v. State (1975), 262 Ind. 505, 510, 319 N.E.2d 133, 137. Section 9-30-6-15(a) creates, in fact, just such an exception, making breath-test results admissible in prosecutions under § 9-30-5. Similarly, with respect to the foundation required for the admission of breath-test results, before the prosecution has any responsibility to establish the foundation, the defense must object that the prosecution has not laid the proper foundation. Whitehead v. State (1987), Ind., 511 N.E.2d 284, 294, cert. denied, 484 U.S. 1031, 108 S.Ct. 761, 98 L.Ed.2d 773 (1988); Boarman, 509 N.E.2d at 181; Fox v. State (1987), Ind., 506 N.E.2d 1090, 1095; Smith v. State (1985), Ind., 475 N.E.2d 1139, 1142; Bridges v. State (1983), Ind., 457 N.E.2d 207, 210. Once the prosecution has responded to a timely objection to the admission of breath-test results, if the defense perceives that the prosecution has still not established a proper foundation, it may not stand on its first objection, but must object again, stating what part of the required foundation the prosecution has failed to establish. Boarman, 509 N.E.2d at 181. As the Court of Appeals said in Hughes v. State (1985), Ind. App., 481 N.E.2d 135: [A] defendant may not sit idly by while error is committed and later take advantage of it, where a proper objection made at trial could have corrected the error... . Had objection been made to the lack of a proper foundation in this case, such foundation could then have been supplied. Id. at 138. [10] This rule requiring the defense to object each time it perceives that the prosecution has failed to lay the proper foundation for the admission of breath-test results is by no means new. The cases we have cited demonstrate as much. We take the opportunity to repeat it here, however, both to reaffirm the policy favoring speedy correction of prejudicial errors, Winston v. State (1975), 165 Ind. App. 369, 376, 332 N.E.2d 229, 233, trans. denied, and to avoid any future confusion on the subject.