Opinion ID: 2384458
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Admission of Officer Otis's Testimony

Text: Next, Martin contends that the trial court erred in allowing Officer Bill Otis's testimony regarding information he received from an alleged informant because this information was inadmissible hearsay. In this regard, Officer Otis stated that he got a description of the robbery suspect from Ms. Taylor. Then as he began to say, I developed some information that the suspect left the store Martin's counsel objected on hearsay grounds. Mr. Pedigo was permitted to voir dire the witness, and Officer Otis explained that when he said developed information, he meant that he received information from one who wished to remain anonymous. Mr. Pedigo renewed his hearsay objection, and the prosecutor responded: The State agrees it's hearsay, and of course that's why we have rules of evidence in this court and there are exceptions to that hearsay rule and he's allowed to tell them if he relied on it and I think that's what he is fixing to say that he relied on it and acted on it. The Court overruled the objection, and Officer Otis continued his statement, explaining that he learned that the subject had left the store in a dark blue, dirty, Ford pickup, with the driver's window covered with plastic rather than glass. In reliance on this information, he broadcast a description of the truck to other units in the area. Because of this information, Sergeant Bailey was alerted that the truck he had seen on the street matched the description of the perpetrator's vehicle, causing him to inform Officer Zeke to be on the lookout for the truck. Martin submits that in denying his hearsay objection, the trial court violated his rights under the Sixth Amendment to confront his accusers because Officer Otis's statement does not fall within any of the hearsay exceptions provided in Rule 803. Although he did argue hearsay below, he did not raise any constitutional objections. We have repeatedly held that we will not consider constitutional issues raised for the first time on appeal. Whitson v. State, 314 Ark. 458, 863 S.W.2d 794 (1993); Green v. State, 313 Ark. 87, 852 S.W.2d 110 (1993); Friar v. State, 313 Ark. 253, 854 S.W.2d 318 (1993). We, therefore, address this issue in a limited manner. An out-of-court statement is not hearsay if it is offered to show the basis of action. A.R.E. Rule 801(c); Bliss v. State, 282 Ark. 315, 668 S.W.2d 936 (1984). Officer Otis's testimony was given in order to explain why Sergeant Bailey instructed Zeke to locate the truck and determine the identity of the driver and why Martin's photograph was placed in a lineup to show to the victim. See Dandridge v. State, 292 Ark. 40, 727 S.W.2d 851 (1987). Because his testimony was provided in order to show the basis of action, we hold that the trial court did not err in overruling Martin's hearsay objection. Affirmed.