Opinion ID: 1989359
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Admissibility of Telephone Number Linked to Alston

Text: Alston argues that the trial court erred in admitting into evidence Detective Leech's notes showing a telephone number Hylton told him that he reached Alston at to set up the meeting for the drug transaction that night. He contends that this evidence was inadmissible hearsay. Alston's cousin, Sherrie Hill, testified and linked the telephone number to her father's residence where Hylton sometimes stayed. [14] The trial court admitted the evidence under the identification exception to the hearsay rule, telling the parties initially that it would strike the testimony if they later provided any reason for doing so. No reason was ever proffered. The government argues that the notation of the telephone number is admissible under the identification exception to the hearsay rule. [15] See Morris v. United States, 398 A.2d 333, 338 (D.C.1978). Even assuming arguendo that the evidence was not admissible, it was not so prejudicial as to warrant a new trial. The evidence showed that Hylton positively identified Alston and the other assailants under circumstances tending to show reliability of the identifications.