Opinion ID: 2331252
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Timothy McDaniel's Testimony

Text: At trial, during the State's case-in-chief, Timothy McDaniel testified that immediately after the shooting, everyone left Troy Ray's house and that he left the scene of the crime with appellant. He described their course and path during the drive away from the scene and testified that the appellant said, Do you think he's dead, do you think he's dead? The prosecutor then asked McDaniel what appellant expected the consequences to be after what he had done to Markum. Appellant's attorney objected on the basis of relevancy. The trial court overruled the objection, and McDaniel testified that appellant said, I'll probably spend the rest of my life in prison. Appellant argues that the trial court erred in allowing the testimony because even if it is determined to be relevant, the probative value of the testimony is clearly outweighed by the prejudicial nature of its effect. We disagree with appellant. The evidence was clearly more probative than prejudicial. All relevant evidence is admissible, except as otherwise provided by statute, the rules of evidence, or any other rules applicable in the courts of Arkansas. See Ark. R. Evid. 402 (2002). Rule 401 (2002) states: `Relevant evidence' means evidence having any tendency to make the existence of any fact that is of consequence to the determination of the action more probable or less probable than it would be without the evidence. We have held that a trial court's ruling on the admission of evidence is discretionary and will not be reversed absent an abuse of that discretion. See Cobb v. State, 340 Ark. 240, 12 S.W.3d 195 (2000). The evidence appellant complains of is relevant for several reasons. First, appellant alleged that he shot Markum in self-defense. However, he fled the scene of the crime. We have held that flight following the commission of an offense is a factor that may be considered with other evidence in determining probable guilt and may be considered as corroboration of evidence tending to establish guilt. Howard v. State, 348 Ark. 471, 79 S.W.3d 273 (2002). McDaniel's testimony was, therefore, probative to prove that appellant's behavior in fleeing the scene was inconsistent with his self-defense claim. Next, appellant has failed to show how McDaniel's admitted testimony prejudiced the jury to the extent that there would have been a different verdict in the guilt phase had the testimony not been allowed. As discussed above, there was overwhelming evidence presented to establish appellant's guilt, notwithstanding McDaniel's testimony. For these reasons, we hold that the trial court did not err in allowing Timothy McDaniel's testimony.