Opinion ID: 2518953
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Evidence from Treatises

Text: ¶ 23 Benn contends that the trial court erred when it did not allow his attorney to cross-examine the State's experts with learned treatises. A party may use textbooks or treatises to cross-examine an expert witness if the witness recognizes the textbook or treatise as authoritative, regardless of whether the expert relied on the treatise in forming an opinion. Dabroe v. Rhodes Co., 64 Wash.2d 431, 437-38, 392 P.2d 317 (1964); accord ER 803(a)(18). The trial court in Benn's case prevented his attorney from using treatises to cross-examine the State's forensic experts Michael Grubb and Rod Englert. Specifically, Benn's attorney asked Grubb if he was familiar with Herb McDonnell's work in the area of blood spatter. 15 VRP at 1826. Grubb responded that he was familiar with the work, and Benn's counsel attempted to ask Grubb about McDonnell's definition of high velocity blood spatter. Id. The State objected on the basis that McDonnell was not a witness and not testifying. The trial court sustained the State's objection. Id. ¶ 24 The Court of Appeals concluded that the trial court should have allowed Benn's attorneys to question the experts with the learned treatises under ER 803(a)(18). Nonetheless, the Court of Appeals concluded that Benn did not make an offer of proof to the trial court and thus could not demonstrate how the court's ruling harmed him. For support, the Court of Appeals relied on ER 103(a)(2), which states that a party may not predicate an error upon a ruling excluding evidence unless the admission affects a substantial right and the substance of the evidence was made known to the court by offer or was apparent from the context within which questions were asked. ¶ 25 Courts interpreting ER 103(a)(2) have excused the absence of an offer of proof where the substance of the excluded evidence is apparent either from the questions asked [or] the context in which the questions are asked. State v. Ray, 116 Wash.2d 531, 539, 806 P.2d 1220 (1991). The substance of the evidence was fairly apparent from Benn's questioning of the experts. However, even if the court were to consider the evidentiary error, the error must be prejudicial to warrant reversal. ¶ 26 Benn contends that the trial court's error precluded him from discrediting the experts regarding bloodstains found on Benn's shoes; however, he fails to describe how such testimony would have affected the outcome of the trial. Further, although he was not allowed to cross-examine the experts as to the treatise, he did cross-examine the experts on many other matters. See 14-16 VRP. In addition, although the trial court repeatedly prevented Benn's attorney from quoting McDonnell's treatise in his cross-examination of Grubb, Benn was nonetheless able to elicit his point that some experts believe that high velocity blood spatter must be less than 0.1 millimeter. See 15 VRP at 1833 (And you would agree that their interpretation of high velocity blood spatter would say it has to be less than .1 millimeter?). Thus, any alleged error was harmless.