Opinion ID: 1951964
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 14

Heading: Exclusion of Anthony Boone's Testimony

Text: Defendant sought to introduce the testimony of Anthony Boone to contradict Dunn's assertion that she had a nonviolent relationship with Boone, in order to challenge fully Dunn's credibility and provide the jury with grounds on which it could find that Dunn killed Huggins. On cross-examination, Dunn testified that neither she nor anyone acting for her had ever threatened Boone. She said that she and Boone did not have a violent relationship. Defense counsel represented that Boone would testify concerning his past relationship with Dunn, that she had threatened him and physically assaulted him, wielding a knife on one occasion. Because the State had made the extent of Dunn's participation in the murder a critical issue, counsel argued that Boone's testimony was admissible under N.J.R.E. 404(b), which allows, in certain circumstances, evidence of other crimes or wrongs on the part of a witness. Boone's testimony would rebut a material fact, that Dunn participated in the event only because she was afraid of Harris and was essentially his prisoner. The prosecutor responded, arguing that the extent of Dunn's participation was irrelevant to the current prosecution and that this evidence should be excluded because of its tenuous connection to the case. The court gave three reasons for its decision to exclude Boone's testimony. First, the court found that N.J.R.E. 404(b) (other-crime evidence) was inapplicable because N.J.R.E. 405 (method of proving character) qualifies it by requiring conviction of crime if evidence of a character trait is at issue. It also found N.J.R.E. 608 and 609 (allowing character evidence for truthfulness and impeachment by evidence of conviction of a crime) inapplicable because the character evidence did not relate to truthfulness. Second, the court found that under Koedatich I, supra, 112 N.J. 225, 548 A. 2d 939 (excluding reference to a suspicious car at scene of crime), Boone's testimony was not sufficiently connected to an issue to warrant admissibility. Finally, the court found that the evidence had little other relevance to the case and was, thus, excludable under N.J.R.E. 403 because it would produce confusion or delay. A defendant in a criminal trial has a Sixth Amendment right to offer any evidence that refutes guilt or bolsters a claim of innocence. State v. Garfole, 76 N.J. 445, 452-53, 388 A. 2d 587 (1978) (allowing greater leeway to a defendant to offer 404(b) evidence of other crimes or wrongs on the part of a witness when relevant to an issue in the case). In all such inquiries concerning admissibility of evidence, the focus must be on the evidence and the fact that is sought to be proven thereby. What was the evidence in this case? It was evidence of a prior violent relationship between Boone and Dunn. Such evidence is often admissible to show that one of the parties to the violence would have reason to fear imminent harm from the other. State v. Burgess, 141 N.J.Super. 13, 357 A. 2d 62 (App.Div.1976); see also State v. Nance, 148 N.J. 376, 689 A. 2d 1351 (1997) (holding admissible bad acts of defendant evidencing jealousy as motive for killing another). But such was not the purpose of the evidence here. The purpose of the evidence was to show (1) that Dunn was a violent woman, not likely to be intimidated by Harris and prone to commit the vicious act of murder of Kristin Huggins, and (2) that Dunn was an out-and-out liar. To the extent that evidence was offered to prove that Dunn was a violence-prone woman, the evidence had little probative value to show that Dunn had been violent on this occasion. See N.J.R.E. 404(a). To the extent that the evidence had probative value (which it did) to show that Dunn was a liar, we agree that it was excludable under N.J.R.E. 403. If Boone had testified to a violent relationship, would the State then have the right to present further evidence to rebut Boone's testimony? We hold, however, that the trial court properly barred this testimony under N.J.R.E. 403. This rule permits a court to exclude evidence if its probative value is substantially outweighed by the risk of ... undue prejudice, confusion of issues, or misleading the jury.... A court has broad discretion in applying the balancing test required under this rule. State v. Sands, 76 N.J. 127, 144, 386 A. 2d 378 (1978). A trial judge's decision will only be overturned on a showing that there has been a clear error in judgment. Koedatich I, supra, 112 N.J. at 313, 548 A. 2d 939. The court's ruling did not constitute a clear error in judgment. Dunn's relationship with Boone was far afield from the main issues in this case and, therefore, was of minimal probative value. The relationship took place years before Huggins' abduction and murder. The jury had no misconceptions about what type of person Dunn was. Evidence of a violent domestic relationship would have had little bearing on the jury's consideration of her testimony or on its belief in her degree of participation in the crime. The evidence would only divert attention from the true issues in this case.