Opinion ID: 2518953
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Hearsay Statements of Jack Dethlefsen

Text: ¶ 29 Benn argues that the trial court improperly admitted an out-of-court statement of Jack Dethlefsen, one of the murder victims. The trial court allowed the State to ask Benn's brother Monte to testify that Dethlefsen told Monte that someone had previously beaten him up in the kitchen and he wanted to talk to Benn about the beating. 19 VRP at 2490. ¶ 30 The Court of Appeals concluded that although the trial court improperly admitted the hearsay statements, the error did not harm Benn. The Court of Appeals held that the statement was not important to the State's case and was actually consistent with Benn's case theory that the two murder victims had previously been in a fight with each other. We agree and hold that although the trial court erred in admitting the hearsay statements of Dethlefsen, the error did not prejudice Benn and was harmless.