Opinion ID: 1404841
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: fear testimony

Text: {74} Finally, Defendants claim that the admission of Satomba's, O'Grady's and Jimenes' testimony that they feared Defendants was error. This is an issue of first impression in New Mexico. Other courts which have reached this issue have held that a witness may testify regarding his or her fear of a defendant if the testimony is elicited to explain a delay in reporting the crime or admitting knowledge of the crime to the police. See State v. Coffey, 345 N.C. 389, 480 S.E.2d 664, 672 (1997). In general, questions concerning a witness's fear of testifying are appropriate in the judge's discretion. Commonwealth v. Fitzgerald, 376 Mass. 402, 381 N.E.2d 123, 131 (Mass.1978); accord Commonwealth v. Auguste, 418 Mass. 643, 639 N.E.2d 388, 390 (Mass.1994). We adopt this rule. {75} Each of these witnesses failed to report what they knew about the crime immediately. The prosecution was allowed to show why the witnesses delayed in contacting police. The trial court did not err in admitting the testimony of witnesses that they feared Defendants.