Opinion ID: 2606343
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Victim's Letters

Text: To establish the victim's state of mind pursuant to Rule 803(3), Ariz.R.Evid., the state introduced an excerpt from a letter she wrote two weeks prior to her disappearance. It reads: I'm not seeing Jake anymore. He says he wants me out of his life because I hurt him too much. He's in love w/me, ya know, and I guess he really hates it because Dave [Lankisch] and I slept together and I won't let him touch me. (and I never will) Just between me and you, it's because he's black. You probably know that tho. If he was white I'd probably marry him or something dumb like that. Defendant argues that the court erred in refusing to admit the entire letter as well as two others written by the victim on the same day. He asserts that the three letters, taken together, best represented the victim's state of mind because they showed she was not involved with anyone, including himself. He points to Rule 106, Ariz.R.Evid., which states that [w]hen a writing or recorded statement or part thereof is introduced by a party, an adverse party may require the introduction at that time of any other part or any other writing or recorded statement which ought in fairness to be considered contemporaneously with it. (Emphasis added). Rule 106, however, does not require the admission of irrelevant or prejudicial evidence. See State v. Passarelli, 130 Ariz. 360, 363, 636 P.2d 138, 141 (App.1981); see also 1 John W. Strong et al., McCormick on Evidence § 56 (4th ed.1992). Here, the proffered material was irrelevant because at issue was whether she had rejected defendant, not whether a serious relationship existed between them.