Opinion ID: 901906
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 7

Heading: Admission of Vivarin box.

Text: [¶ 47.] During the State's cross examination of defendant, it offered into evidence a box of Vivarin, an over-the-counter caffeine supplement. The State's request arose in response to defendant's claim that at the time of Tami's death he had been up for several nights and was exhausted. The State asked him whether he used Vivarin before. The State had a photograph of a wrapper from a Vivarin box in defendant's truck. Defendant testified that he had used Vivarin when hunting, but not during the nights in question. The State, using a Vivarin box it had recently purchased at the store, requested that defendant read aloud the warning label on the back. Defendant objected asserting that the warning label was inadmissible hearsay. The court overruled his objection, admitted the evidence, and allowed the State to have defendant read aloud the warning label. [¶ 48.] `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. SDCL 19-16-1(3) (Rule 801). Clearly, the warning label on the Vivarin box is hearsay. It is a statement made by the manufacturers of Vivarin, offered to prove the truth of the producer's warning statement. The State now concedes this. Nevertheless, the State asks this Court to adopt the view that the product packaging, although hearsay, fits within the market reports hearsay exception. See SDCL 19-16-21 (Rule 803(17)). See also cases cited by the State. Brand v. State, 941 So.2d 318, 320-21 (Ala.Crim.App.2006); In re Michael G., 19 Cal.App.4th 1674, 1677, 24 Cal.Rptr.2d 260 (1993); Reemer v. State, 835 N.E.2d 1005, 1007-08 (Ind.2005); State v. Heuser, 661 N.W.2d 157, 162-63 (Iowa 2003); Burchfield v. State, 892 So.2d 191, 198 (Miss.2004); Shaffer v. State, 184 S.W.3d 353, 362 (Tex.Ct.App.2006). [¶ 49.] While other courts have applied the market reports exception to certain product packaging, the hearsay statements in those cases came from evidence found specifically in the defendant's possession. See Brand, 941 So.2d at 320-21 (introduction of boxes of cold and allergy medicine purchased by defendant); Michael G., 19 Cal.App.4th at 1677, 24 Cal.Rptr.2d 260 (spray can in defendant's possession); Reemer, 835 N.E.2d at 1008 (labeling found from tablets in defendant's possession); Heuser, 661 N.W.2d at 162 (labels and boxes found in defendant's van); Burchfield, 892 So.2d at 198 (ingredients on label in defendant's possession); Shaffer, 184 S.W.3d at 362 (labels on cold medication in defendant's possession). Here, the Vivarin box admitted at trial was not the one photographed in defendant's truck. It was purchased by the State. Thus, regardless of the trustworthiness of the product's packaging, there was no showing that the product listing or warning label on the package purchased by the State was the same as the label on defendant's box. [¶ 50.] The Vivarin warning label introduced by the State does not fit any hearsay exception, and the court erred in ruling otherwise. However, the error is harmless as we conclude beyond a reasonable doubt that the jury would have returned a guilty verdict despite the error. See SDCL 23A-44-14 (Rule 52(a)); see also Michalek, 407 N.W.2d at 819 (The harmless error rule does not require the automatic reversal of a conviction, provided the court is able to declare a belief beyond a reasonable doubt that the error was harmless and did not contribute to the verdict obtained.) (citing State v. Heumiller, 317 N.W.2d 126, 130 (S.D.1982) (citing Chapman v. California, 386 U.S. 18, 87 S.Ct. 824, 17 L.Ed.2d 705 (1967); Harrington v. California, 395 U.S. 250, 89 S.Ct. 1726, 23 L.Ed.2d 284 (1969))). [¶ 51.] Even if we were to assess the asserted errors in this case for cumulative effect, these errors created no cumulative prejudice. See State v. Davi, 504 N.W.2d 844, 857 (S.D.1993) (citing McDowell v. Solem, 447 N.W.2d 646, 651 (S.D.1989)). [¶ 52.] Affirmed. [¶ 53.] GILBERTSON, Chief Justice, MEIERHENRY, Justice, SABERS, Retired Justice and TIMM, Circuit Judge, concur. [¶ 54.] TIMM, Circuit Judge, sitting for ZINTER, Justice, disqualified.