Opinion ID: 1822353
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Evidence Regarding Stiles' Plan to Conceal His Identity

Text: Stiles alleges that the state elicited a response from Stacy Stegora that alluded to Stiles' initial attempt to conceal his identity, a line of questioning that violated the court's order not to introduce evidence about that topic. The court had ruled that the fact that [Stiles] gave a false name is not going to be admissible. In response to a question from the prosecutor, Stegora answered that Stiles said that he was gonna act like he was someone else   , at which point the defense objected. Nothing else was said about Stiles' original plan to conceal his identity. Stiles argues that Stegora's remark influenced the jury to doubt other evidence that Stiles did not intend to murder Moorman. The defense never moved to strike Stegora's testimony. The postconviction court concluded that Stegora's statement was an inadvertent and unexpected answer and was not a substantial factor in the trial's outcome. Even if Stiles could establish the state erred on this point, the postconviction court did not abuse its discretion in declaring that this evidentiary ruling had no substantial impact on the jury's finding. Given the weight of the evidence against Stilestestimony that Stiles brought a gun to the park, threatened Moorman with the gun, and shot at Moorman three times-the statement by Stegora did not substantially influence the jury to convict. We hold the postconviction court did not abuse its discretion in finding no prejudicial error in the state's questioning of Stegora. Affirmed.