Opinion ID: 1111189
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 12

Heading: the trial court erred in introducing certain evidence at the guilt phase of trial, violating appellant's rights under the fourth, sixth, eighth, and fourteenth amendments to the federal constitution and sections 14, 23, 26, and 28 of the mississippi constitution.

Text: Pinkney argues that the trial judge committed error when (1) by admitting his boots and car mat into evidence; (2) failing to require the prosecution to reveal the identity of the confidential informant; (3) restricting the defense's cross-examination; (4) allowing character evidence to be admitted about Deputy Turcotte. The car mat was obtained after the police officers had gotten Pinkney's valid, written consent. The trial judge's ruling was not erroneous. See Hemmingway v. State, 483 So.2d 1335, 1336 (Miss. 1986). Regarding Pinkney's second claim, it is settled law that the prosecution should, if asked, reveal the identity of a confidential informant if that informant is an eye witness or was a participant in the crime. See Swindle v. State, 502 So.2d 652, 658 (Miss. 1987). In this case the trial judge specifically determined that the informant was not an eye witness or co-actor. There is no merit to this contention. The objected to question was directed at Officer Leach, asking him if he had read David Richards' Miranda warnings. The prosecution objected to this question, apparently because it was repetitive. There is no error in thus restricting cross-examination. This assignment is nowhere near the extreme limitation of cross-examination which we condemned in Miskelley v. State, 480 So.2d 1104 (Miss. 1985), and was not error. The testimony of Officer Roosevelt Davis was that he had never seen Deputy Turcotte carry a gun. This was not reputation or character evidence to show that Turcotte was peaceful, etc. but a statement of fact. This testimony was offered on rebuttal after Pinkney testified that Turcotte threatened him with a gun. This assignment of error is without merit.