Opinion ID: 853312
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Cross-examination of John Phillips

Text: The trial court granted the State's motion in limine seeking to suppress any evidence relating to Hollen's drug use, and, consequently, evidence relating to Hollen's relationship to John Phillips, who allegedly regularly supplied Hollen with cocaine. At trial, defense counsel attempted to suggest that Phillips could have killed Hollen by establishing that Phillips had been at the Clark station the day of Hollen's murder. West argues that the trial court abused its discretion in refusing to admit evidence of Hollen's drug purchases from Phillips. West also notes that [Phillips'] testimony regarding where he was at the time of the murders was also inconsistent and incredible. Defense counsel questioned Phillips about his whereabouts on the day of Hollen's murder, as well as the fact that police had taken blood and hair samples from him. West has not established how the evidence of Hollen's drug use raises anything more than speculation that a third party may have committed the crime. See Cook v. State, 734 N.E.2d 563, 567-68 (Ind. 2000) (evidence of motive of third party to commit a crime is relevant, but was properly excluded because of absence of evidence linking crime to a third party). The trial court was within its discretion to restrict exploration of collateral issues by excluding speculation as to the possibility that Phillips was the killer. As this Court recently noted, evidence of a victim's prior drug use is often irrelevant, and, if relevant at all to a collateral issue, outweighed by the danger of unfair prejudice under Indiana Rule of Evidence 403. See Jenkins v. State, 729 N.E.2d 147, 149 (Ind.2000). The trial court did not abuse its discretion in limiting examination of Phillips on this issue.