Opinion ID: 1763919
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 7

Heading: other claims of error made by the defense

Text: The defendant contends that the trial court erred in allowing the State to introduce evidence and make statements that referred to other crimes. In point of fact, an examination of the record reveals that this is simply not the case. Inasmuch as this statement is factually incorrect it would be redundant to attempt to cite any law to the effect that factually incorrect statements do not justify consideration. Defendant also finds error in the trial court's sustaining the State's objection to the testimony of defense witness, Stacey Hirstius. That witness, apparently a criminal court minute clerk, was to testify concerning the court minutes as to who was originally charged with the armed robbery. The State objected on relevancy grounds and the trial judge agreed. The trial judge's decision to exclude the evidence here, especially since it hardly could bear upon this defendant's own guilt, does not appear to have been an abuse of discretion in any sense of the phrase that would justify overturning the trial court's decision not to admit. Inasmuch as the irrelevancy of this contention of error should be as apparent to any layman as to a member of the bar, it would seem unnecessary to have to cite supporting law. However, in order to underscore that a trial judge's ruling concerning the relevancy of evidence will not be disturbed on appeal in the absence of a clear abuse of discretion, the following cases are cited: State v. Alford, 384 So.2d 761 (La.1980); State v. Echols, 376 So.2d 1244 (La.1979); State v. Weems, 358 So.2d 285 (La.1978); State v. Winston, 343 So.2d 171 (La.1977). Neither of the foregoing claims of error possesses any merit. Finding no reversible error, we affirm the conviction and sentence. AFFIRMED. CALOGERO, J., concurs.