Opinion ID: 2335427
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: OTHER RULINGS EXCLUDING EVIDENCE, KRE 103(a)(2).

Text: Ordinarily, a trial court ruling excluding evidence must be preserved for appellate review by an avowal of the witness. KRE 103(a)(2); Commonwealth v. Ferrell, Ky., 17 S.W.3d 520 (2000). Otherwise, the reviewing court has no way of knowing exactly what testimony was excluded and whether the exclusion was prejudicial to the offering party. Ferrell, supra, at 525. The ruling excluding Steve Ethington's proposed testimony was reviewable because Ethington answered the question before the ruling was made on the objection; thus, we had all the information a reviewing court needs in order to decide the issue. Underhill v. Stephenson, Ky., 756 S.W.2d 459, 461 (1988). However, that is not true with respect to other evidence excluded by the trial judge during the testimonies of C.M. and her mother, Angela Ethington. The side-bar avowals with respect to this evidence did not suffice to preserve these issues for appeal. Ferrell, supra, at 523-24. Counsel's version of the evidence is not enough. A reviewing court must have the words of the witness. Partin v. Commonwealth, Ky., 918 S.W.2d 219, 223 (1996).