Opinion ID: 1590948
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Use of Prior Inconsistent Statements as Substantive Evidence

Text: In a related argument, Appellant contends that Smith, 279 Ark. 68, 648 S.W.2d 490, mandates reversal because the prosecutor impermissibly used Kim's prior statements to police, introduced through the officer, as substantive evidence of Appellant's guilt, in violation of Rule 801(d)(1)(i). Specifically, Appellant points to the prosecutor's repeated references to Kim's prior statements during his closing argument to the jury. Appellant thus contends that the prosecutor's actions demonstrate that the evidence was not admitted as impeachment evidence, but as substantive evidence of his guilt. We reject this argument for two reasons. First, the record is devoid of any objection to the improper use of the evidence during the prosecutor's closing argument. Because he failed to make a timely objection in the trial court, he has waived this argument on appeal. See, e.g., Marshall v. State, 342 Ark. 172, 27 S.W.3d 392 (2000); State v. Montague, 341 Ark. 144, 14 S.W.3d 867 (2000). The record reflects that during the in-chambers hearing held prior to the introduction of the statements, the trial court ruled that it was admitting the testimony as impeachment evidence under Rule 613(b) and Chisum, 273 Ark. 1, 616 S.W.2d 728. Had Appellant objected to the prosecution's later use of the statements as substantive evidence, the trial court would have undoubtedly sustained the objection. Second, we reject Appellant's argument because he failed to ask for a limiting instruction directing the jury to consider the prior statements only for purposes of determining the witness's credibility. When evidence is admissible for one purpose but not for another, an objection is wholly unavailing unless the objecting party asks the court to limit the evidence to its admissible purpose. Chisum, 273 Ark. 1, 9, 616 S.W.2d 728, 732 (citing City of Springdale v. Weathers, 241 Ark. 772, 410 S.W.2d 754 (1967); Shipp v. State, 241 Ark. 120, 406 S.W.2d 361 (1966); Uniform Evidence Rule 105). Similarly, Ark. R. Evid. 105 provides that when evidence is admissible for one purpose but not another, it is up to the objecting party to request a limiting instruction from the trial court. Crawford v. State, 309 Ark. 54, 827 S.W.2d 134 (1992). When an appellant contends that the failure to give a cautionary or limiting instruction at trial constitutes reversible error, the failure to request the instruction precludes reversal based on that claim. Eliott v. State, 342 Ark. 237, 27 S.W.3d 432 (2000). In the present case, as discussed above, the witness's prior statements were properly admitted for the purpose of impeaching her testimony at trial. It was thus Appellant's burden to request a limiting instruction directing the jury to consider her prior inconsistent statements only for the purpose of judging the witness's credibility, and not for the truth of the matter set forth therein. See AMCI 2d 202. Because there was no request for a limiting instruction, the trial court was not required to give one. Again, we are not persuaded by Appellant's reliance on Smith, 279 Ark. 68, 648 S.W.2d 490, and Roberts, 278 Ark. 550, 648 S.W.2d 44. In those cases, extrinsic evidence of the witnesses' prior statements was not admissible for any proper purpose. Because the witnesses admitted to having lied in their prior statements, the statements themselves had no impeachment value and were thus not admissible under Rule 613(b). Moreover, because, the prior inconsistent statements were not made under oath, they were not alternatively admissible under Rule 801(d)(1)(i). Accordingly, the error in admitting the prior statements in Smith and Roberts could not have been cured by a limiting instruction.