Opinion ID: 2258587
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Evidence of Decedent's Character

Text: By way of motion in limine, defendant sought to present the testimony of Alice Pimental (Pimental), who, according to defendant's offer of proof, was expected to testify that Garcia and Smith were friends and that Garcia frequently provided financial assistance to the decedent. Pimental also was expected to testify that she knew the decedent had planned and committed robberies; however, defendant offered no evidence that she had personal knowledge of Smith's alleged criminal behavior. The defendant asserted that this evidence was relevant to the case because it goes towards the issue of self-defense about who was the aggressor in this case. Relying on this Court's holding in State v. Nazario, 694 A.2d 666 (R.I.1997) and State v. Dellay, 687 A.2d 435 (R.I.1996), the trial justice excluded this testimony. He found that the evidence was based on the generalistic idea that somehow Monique Smith was intent on robbing people, rather than reputation or opinion evidence allowed by the Rules of Evidence on the issue of self-defense. When reviewing a trial justice's ruling on the admissibility of evidence of prior bad acts or the character of a person, this Court employs an abuse of discretion standard. State v. Rocha, 834 A.2d 1263, 1266 (R.I.2003). We rarely disturb these rulings and do so only upon a clear showing of prejudicial abuse of discretion. State v. Oliviera, 534 A.2d 867, 869 (R.I. 1987) (quoting United States v. Trollinger, 415 F.2d 527, 529 (5th Cir.1969)). The defendant erroneously argued that Pimental's testimony was admissible as evidence of specific acts to show that Smith was the aggressor. Under Rule 404(b) of the Rhode Island Rules of Evidence, [1] evidence of specific acts of violence by the victim of a crime is admissible if the defendant has raised the issue of self-defense. This evidence is allowable, however, as proof that the defendant was in fear of imminent bodily harm and that this fear was reasonable. Nazario, 694 A.2d at 668 (citing Dellay, 687 A.2d at 439). Under no set of circumstances will evidence of specific acts of conduct be admissible to prove that a victim acted in conformity on a particular occasion or to establish that the victim was the aggressor. Id. (citing State v. Tribble, 428 A.2d 1079, 1085 (R.I.1981)). Evidence of previous specific acts of the victim is admissible only if the defendant was aware of the conduct at the time of the confrontation. Dellay, 687 A.2d at 439. Here, defendant failed to meet this strict condition precedent for admissibility and produced no evidence that she knew of the alleged robberies at the time she shot Smith. The defendant argues that, based on Pimental's testimony, the jury could infer that she had knowledge of Smith's criminal conduct because of the nature of their relationship. She asserts that an inference reasonably could be drawn that because Smith confided in Pimental, she also disclosed to defendant that she had planned and committed robberies. The defendant also alleged that Smith had been arrested and she was bailed out of jail at one point in time. But there is no evidence that defendant was aware of the arrest or that she posted the bond. The law is well settled; for this evidence to be admissible on the issue of self-defense, a defendant must have actual knowledge of the victim's reputation for violence or previous violent behavior. Dellay, 687 A.2d at 439. An inference of knowledge, purportedly based on the nature of the relationship between a defendant and a victim would defeat the purpose of the rule. Evidence of the decedent's reputation as a violent person is admissible to establish that defendant knew of the decedent's violent tendencies and, as a result of that knowledge, had a reasonable fear of the victim that caused her to act in self-defense. It is not admissible to show that she may have known, or probably knew or more likely than not knew about the victim's violent behavior. Id. To permit a fact-finder to draw an inference of actual knowledge of the decedent's violent behavior based on circumstantial evidence, would open the door to an unfettered examination of the decedent's character that is simply not allowed. In addition to requiring actual knowledge by the accused of the victim's prior violent conduct, evidence is never admitted to show that the decedent acted in conformity with that aggressive behavior or to prove that the victim was the aggressor. Dellay, 687 A.2d at 439 (citing Tribble, 428 A.2d at 1085). We note that this was the precise reason given by defendant in arguing for its admission. Therefore, we are satisfied that the trial justice properly excluded this testimony. Pursuant to Rule 404(b), actual knowledge of the victim's previous violent conduct is an essential condition precedent to prove that defendant feared imminent bodily harm and that the fear was reasonable.