Opinion ID: 1199641
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: Whether Jeneane's statements were admissible through a hearsay exception

Text: ¶ 29 Defendant claims the trial judge erred in denying a motion in limine and in overruling objections to hearsay testimony that Jeneane believed her stepfather was going to kill her. Defendant challenged these statements as inadmissible hearsay and properly preserved the issue for appeal. The following exchange took place during direct examination of Nancy Hays, the mother of a friend of Jeneane's: STATE: Did Jeneane say anything to you as she was leaving? HAYS: Jeneane was crying. DEFENSE: Objection, Your Honor, hearsay. THE COURT: Overruled. You may continue your answer. HAYS: ... The last thing she said to me was He's going to kill me, and that's exactly what she said. Reporter's Transcript (R.T.), May 25, 1994, at 146. The following exchanges took place during direct examination of Charlamagne Klug, a teacher's aid at Jeneane's school: STATE: And what did she tell you that she heard her stepfather say? KLUG: She heard, overheard him saying that DEFENSE: Objection, hearsay ... and underlying hearsay as well. THE COURT: Overruled. You may continue. KLUG: Overheard him telling her mom they had to get rid of Jeneane permanently.