Opinion ID: 1658346
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 7

Heading: was it error to limit the redirect examination of the witness jimmy joel as to statements made by weeks at the scene of the crime?

Text: Jimmy Joel, the Bolivar County investigator for the sheriff's office who had investigated the shooting testified for the defendant. On cross-examination Joel was asked whether or not Weeks made certain statements that night after the shooting. The statements specifically inquired about included: that Weeks said he had shot a kid, which Joel testified that he had; that Weeks said that the victim fell across his leg, which the witness Joel denied that Weeks said. Joel was also asked about what Weeks said about how he was holding the gun when he approached the car that contained Maxwell. On redirect, defense counsel requested Joel to tell the court everything that Weeks told him at the scene that night. The state's objection, it being improper redirect, was sustained. A record was made. Defense counsel was requesting an opportunity for Joel to testify as to everything that Weeks said about the occurrence. The trial judge held that defense counsel could only go into the specific statements and questions asked on cross-examination and could not go into everything that Weeks might have said out there at the scene that night. When making the record of the testimony offered, Joel gave a narrative of what Weeks told him that night. Joel also testified that Weeks said it was an accident. The trial court ruled that the defense could only inquire on redirect concerning how Maxwell and Weeks had fallen. In Cole v. Tullos, 228 Miss. 815, 90 So.2d 32 (1956), this Court said the following: The redirect examination of witnesses rests largely in the discretion of the trial court. After a witness has been cross-examined, the party calling him as its witness has a right to re-examine him to explain the cross-examination, the witness' expressions and his motives for using them. It is proper on redirect examination to put questions having some bearing on the case and which follow out questions put on cross-examination. But it is generally ruled that on re-examination of a witness, he may not be questioned in reference to matters not inquired into on his cross-examination. 58 Am.Jur., Witnesses, Sec. 562; Tucker v. Tucker, 1896, 74 Miss. 93, 19 So. 955, 32 L.R.A. 623. 90 So.2d at 35. It is hard to picture this limitation by the trial judge as an abuse of his judicial discretion. Defense counsel could have further inquired in the specific statements testified to by Joel on cross-examination even though there was very little room in them for explanation. Moreover, Weeks himself testified later in the trial and was allowed to go into the details of what happened both before and after the shooting including that it was an accident. We do not think this assignment has merit. Any error that may be inferred from this ruling would have been harmless under Rule 11 beyond doubt.