Opinion ID: 1747473
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Her and Etonia, my friend, did.

Text: BY MR. CARDER: I'll object to that. BY MR. COOPER: She'd already answered Judge. There was no objection. BY THE COURT: Overruled. Howard contends that this piece of information that Jennifer Qualls's mother and friend told her to speak with the police was so important to the State that it came up again on direct and then again during the State's closing argument. Howard asserts that there is no requirement that an attorney anticipate every word that may be spontaneously uttered by a witness. The State argues that Howard only stated a general objection upon which he cannot now advance his hearsay argument, and, even assuming any hearsay was erroneously admitted, any error was harmless. Pursuant to Rule 801(c) of the Arkansas Rules of Evidence, hearsay is a statement, other than one made by the declarant while testifying at the trial or hearing, offered in evidence to prove the truth of the matter asserted; such testimony is inadmissible evidence unless it fits within one of the exceptions outlined in Rule 803. Ark. R. Evid. 801(c) (2001). A general objection will not preserve a specific point. Marts v. State, 332 Ark. 628, 968 S.W.2d 41 (1998). Thus, in order to preserve a hearsay objection, a defendant must make a timely, specific objection, stating that ground. Hooper v. State, 311 Ark. 154, 842 S.W.2d 850 (1992). When a question calls for a hearsay answer, the attorney's responsibility is to object at the first opportunity. Hill v. State, 285 Ark. 77, 685 S.W.2d 495 (1985). Here, Howard only stated a general objection upon which he cannot now advance a hearsay argument. But, even assuming Howard made a specific hearsay objection at trial, the trial court did not err in denying the objection because Qualls may testify to hearsay as a basis to explain her actions, such as going to the police. A hearsay statement may be related by a witness to show the basis of action, such as contacting the police. Mills v. State, 321 Ark. 621, 906 S.W.2d 674 (1995). Therefore, we affirm the trial court's ruling.