Opinion ID: 1577692
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 18

Heading: Limits on Cross-Examination of Lindeman and Dobson

Text: Appellant's primary evidentiary claim is that he was improperly limited in his cross-examination of Officer Lindeman and Jason Dobson. Appellant was not permitted to question these witnesses about their criminal histories in order to attack credibility and reveal potential bias. A brief factual recitation is necessary to a full understanding of this claim. Officer Lindeman discovered Appellant in Horton's home, arrested him, and heard his confession. After Appellant's first trial, but before his conviction was reversed by this Court, Officer Lindeman was charged in Carter District Court with misdemeanor counts of official misconduct, unlawful transaction with a minor, and harassment. The charges resulted in a pre-trial diversion agreement and the loss of his job. Jason Dobson was employed as an EMT in Ashland and treated Appellant for abrasions to his arm immediately following his arrest. Following Appellant's first trial, but before the conviction was reversed, Dobson pled guilty to fourth-degree assault of a patient in police custody. He also lost his job. We turn first to Lindeman's testimony, which was particularly important because Appellant made the following confession to him: Kill me, Ron, just kill me. I stabbed her and I'm into it big time this time. Appellant argues that Lindeman's subsequent guilty plea to official misconduct reflects on his credibility. Further, because Lindeman did not enter his guilty plea until after Appellant's retrial had been ordered, one could infer that he forged a good relationship with the Commonwealth in return for favorable testimony at the retrial. Appellant recognizes that KRE 609(a) bars the introduction of Lindeman's conviction of misdemeanor crimes, but argues that a charge of official misconduct bears upon his credibility and was, therefore, admissible pursuant to KRE 608(b). The decision to admit specific instances of conduct concerning a witness' character for truthfulness rests within the sound discretion of the trial court. See KRE 608(b). See also Purcell v. Commonwealth, 149 S.W.3d 382, 398 (Ky.2004). That discretion was not abused in this instance. The claim that Lindeman curried favored with the Commonwealth by favorably testifying in Appellant's case is purely speculative and supported by no evidence. Furthermore, the claim is completely undermined by the fact that Lindeman's testimony did not differ from the testimony he gave at Appellant's first trial, before he was charged with the misdemeanor counts. See Davenport v. Commonwealth, 177 S.W.3d 763, 769 (Ky.2005) ([R]eviewing courts have found reversible error when the facts clearly support an inference that the witness was biased, and when the potential for bias exceeds mere speculation.). The trial court did not exceed its broad discretion in limiting cross-examination of Lindeman. See Commonwealth v. Maddox, 955 S.W.2d 718, 721 (Ky.1997). Dobson testified about statements that Appellant made to him while he was being treated for minor abrasions to his arm. According to Dobson, he asked Appellant where he was wounded and Appellant responded that he was not hurt. When Dobson asked where all the blood came from, Appellant told him if you had killed some lady you would have blood on you too. Defense counsel sought to cross-examine Dobson about his conviction for assaulting a patient. At his first trial, Appellant testified that Dobson physically accosted him and baited him into a confession. Defense counsel argued that Dobson's later assault conviction was admissible to support Appellant's claim. Again, Dobson's misdemeanor assault conviction was not admissible pursuant to KRE 609. Furthermore, the trial court did not abuse its discretion in refusing to admit this testimony pursuant to KRE 608(b). Assault is not a crime which reflects upon a witness' character for truthfulness or untruthfulness[.] KRE 608(b)(1). More important, however, is that Appellant did not testify at his second trial, nor was his prior testimony admitted. Therefore, the jury never heard Appellant's allegation that Dobson attacked him and defense counsel had no reason to bolster this claim. For this reason, even if error occurred, Appellant was not prejudiced.