Opinion ID: 2607856
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: Limitation of Defense Examination of Police Department Personnel Concerning Films Which Were Recovered From Decedent's Home

Text: The State stipulated to the entry of four sexually explicit films and a sex dictionary which were retrieved from the scene of the killing by personnel from the Albuquerque Police Department, Internal Affairs Division. Defense counsel attempted to ask further questions of a witness who was a Captain in Internal Affairs regarding a possible police cover-up and the failure of Internal Affairs to turn over a purported snuff film. The judge found this line of questioning to be irrelevant in light of the fact that the films and dictionary had already been admitted. The evidence which defense counsel attempted to elicit through his proposed questioning tended to show bias on the part of the witness in investigating the crime. Evidence that discredits a witness by showing possible bias is admissible. NMSA 1978, Evid.R. 607 (Repl.Pamp. 1983); See State v. White, 58 N.M. 324, 270 P.2d 727 (1954). Therefore, the trial court abused its discretion in limiting defendant's examination of witnesses on these issues.