Opinion ID: 2635298
Heading Depth: 4
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Lewd and Lascivious Disposition

Text: {26} The State relies upon State v. Casaus, 1996-NMCA-031, 121 N.M. 481, 913 P.2d 669, and State v. Landers, 115 N.M. 514, 853 P.2d 1270 (Ct.App.1992), to argue that evidence pertaining to Jamie S. and Ursula C. would be cross-admissible at separate trials to show Gallegos's lewd and lascivious disposition. Gallegos notes that the lewd and lascivious doctrine was never argued below or ruled on by the trial court or Court of Appeals. Although the State did not raise the lewd and lascivious issue below, we will affirm the trial court's decision if it was right for any reason so long as it is not unfair to the appellant for us to do so. Maralex Res., Inc. v. Gilbreath, 2003-NMSC-023, ¶ 13, 134 N.M. 308, 76 P.3d 626. In this case, we are persuaded by Gallegos's argument that the evidence would not be cross-admissible as lewd and lascivious evidence since the bad acts in question pertained to different victims. See Landers, 115 N.M. at 518-19, 853 P.2d at 1274-75 (affirming that the lewd and lascivious doctrine can only be used to admit evidence of misconduct involving the same victim for which the defendant is on trial); see also Williams, 117 N.M. at 561-62, 874 P.2d at 22-23 (Montgomery, J., specially concurring) (arguing that the lewd and lascivious doctrine is simply a euphemism for character evidence and should be rejected).