Opinion ID: 1956793
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: whether foley's cross-examination of a witness was improperly restricted.

Text: ¶ 30. During his trial, Foley called Houck as an adverse witness. Counsel for Foley began questioning Houck about her son's counseling for sexual issues and her intimate relationship with a man. The State objected on grounds of relevance and improper impeachment. Foley's counsel made a number of ambiguous statements about the relevancy of the line of questioning to aid in the establishment that other men or youth could have caused K.F.'s injuries. Foley wanted to bring in information that Houck had committed adultery and the like. The circuit judge refused to allow Foley's attorneys to question Houck about the man to whom she is now married because the circuit court found that this testimony had no relevance. [T]he scope of cross-examination though ordinarily broad, is within the sound discretion of the trial court and the trial court possesses inherent power to limit cross-examination to relevant matters. Heflin v. State, 643 So.2d 512, 518 (Miss.1994). See also Carr v. State, 655 So.2d 824, 847 (Miss.1995). Foley's assertions simply are not substantiated by the record, and we find that the circuit court judge did not abuse his discretion in finding that the questions being asked failed to meet basic relevance requirements concerning either the son or the father.