Opinion ID: 2049757
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Testimony of Charles Hebert relating to prior consistent statements of Christina

Text: In recent years, this court has had several opportunities to address the admissibility of out-of-court statements tending to corroborate a witness's testimony attacked at trial as having been recently fabricated or unduly influenced. These cases have made clear that for a prior consistent statement to be admissible a proponent must establish: (1) it is consistent with the witness's in-court testimony; (2) it is offered not as substantive proof of the matter asserted therein but to rebut an express or implied charge of recent fabrication of the testimony or improper influence or motive; and (3) the statement was made prior to the time the supposed motive to falsify arose. See State v. Fredette, 462 A.2d 17, 22-23 (Me.1983); State v. Zinck, 457 A.2d 422, 425-26 (Me.1983); State v. Reilly, 446 A.2d 1125, 1130 (Me.1982); State v. True, 438 A.2d at 465, 466; State v. Lizotte, 249 A.2d 874, 880 (Me.1969); M.R.Evid. 801(d)(1) (1984). If the offered statement was not made prior to the time the improper motive arose, it would not be relevant under M.R.Evid. 401 (1984), for it would not tend to prove or disprove a claim of recent fabrication or improper influence or motive. The very purpose of the rule is to allow the fact finder to consider a statement made prior to the time any improper motive may have arisen, as bearing on the credibility of the testimony given in court. State v. Rolls, 389 A.2d 824, 828 (Me.1978); see State v. True, 438 A.2d at 465. In the instant case, the defendant contends the prior consistent statement offered through the testimony of Charles Hebert did not tend to prove or disprove the charge of recent fabrication and improper influence, and should not have been admitted. The defendant reasons that Charles Hebert, like his sister Christina, was subject to the improper influence of Sharon Hebert, and therefore Charles Hebert's testimony could not be used to rebut a charge that Christina was improperly influenced. The defendant notes that pursuant to court order Sharon Hebert had exclusive custody of both children since the fall of 1980, and thus the opportunity to gain such influence. The defendant confuses the issue of admissibility of the prior consistent statement with the issue of credibility. The statements Christina made to her brother were both relevant and admissible under the test we have heretofore applied. The statements corroborated Christina Hebert's direct testimony; the defense theory was that Sharon Hebert had exerted improper influence over her two children which led to their testimony against the defendant; and the statements were made at a time when the reason for giving false testimony (the influence of the mother after the separation) had not yet arisen. [8] See State v. Fredette, 462 A.2d at 22-23. Because the statements offered satisfied the test for admissibility, the presiding justice committed no error in allowing Charles Hebert to testify to his sister's statements. Defense counsel was free to cross-examine Charles Hebert and argue before the jury to offset the damaging effects of the prior consistent statement. The jury, the ultimate trier of fact, was free to weigh the credibility and trustworthiness of the disputed testimony in light of the defense argument and assign to the testimony such weight as it deemed appropriate. Maine Rule of Evidence 801(d)(1), which provides that a prior consistent statement is admissible to rebut an express or implied charge of recent fabrication or improper influence or motive, cannot be read to imply that the witness testifying to such statement be unimpeachable.