Opinion ID: 1130214
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: The Testimony of Officer Dexter

Text: The last issue raised by defendant concerns the trial testimony of Officer Dexter, who testified immediately after Calderon. Officer Dexter testified: (1) he had interviewed Calderon about her talk with defendant; (2) he talked with her after that conversation, not before; (3) he repeated the substance of what Calderon told him that defendant had said; and (4) he told how he had Calderon return for a second interview for the purpose of taping it. Defendant claims it was error for this testimony to be admitted because it was hearsay offered for its truth and, at the least, that the trial court should have sua sponte issued a limiting instruction. Reviewing the record, we conclude there was no error in the admission of Officer Dexter's testimony. While it was partially hearsay when he repeated Calderon's out-of-court statements, they were not offered for their truth. The officer's testimony followed that of Calderon wherein she contradicted her prior statements by giving a different version of the events than what she had given to Officer Dexter. In this context, Officer Dexter's testimony was to show not that Calderon's statements were true but that she had made them at that time. There was no error in its admission and, if requested, a limiting instruction would have been appropriate. Again, however, defendant did not request such an instruction and the trial court was under no obligation to instruct the jury.