Opinion ID: 1849099
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 9

Heading: Conley's Statement

Text: ś 41. The objection now raised on appeal by Conley, that the trial court failed to make a finding on the factors contained in M.R .E. 803(24), is not the objection he made at trial. At trial, the defense counsel objected to Conley's statement being admitted because he had not been given his Miranda warnings and did not sign the statement. In instances where an objection is made to the introduction of evidence, the objection raised at trial must be the same as raised on appeal. If not, the issue is not properly preserved. Puckett v. State, 737 So.2d 322, 349 (Miss. 1999). Therefore, this issue is not properly before this Court. However, even if this issue were properly before the Court, it is without merit. ś 42. Conley made a statement to Ruth Granning of State Farm on June 29, 1994, in an effort to recover the life insurance proceeds. This is the only extant account of Conley's version of the events of May 21, 1994, inasmuch as Conley refused to speak with law enforcement officials for the next three and one-half years. The State offered Conley's statement through the testimony of Granning. ś 43. The admission of Conley's statement to State Farm is admissible pursuant to M.R.E. 801(d)(2), Admission by Party-Opponent, which reads in pertinent part: A statement is not hearsay if ... the statement is offered against a party and is (A) his own statement, in either his individual or a representative capacity.... It is clear that Conley is a party-opponent and that it is his own statement which is being offered against him. In Thornhill v. State, 561 So.2d 1025, 1029 (Miss.1989), we held that a statement is not hearsay if it is the party's own statement offered against him. It is irrelevant that the defendant did not intend it to be a statement against interest and that it was self-serving when made. Id. Conley's statement was properly admitted.