Opinion ID: 2317061
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Evans's Recantation

Text: First, the state points to several facts it claims so undermined the credibility of Evans's recantation that the hearing justice clearly erred in finding it trustworthy. Most significantly, the state argues that the hearing justice, without the benefit of Evans's testimony at the post-conviction relief hearing, simply lacked an adequate factual basis upon which he could properly adjudge as credible the videotaped recantation  made out of court and not under oath  over Evans's in-court testimony at defendant's criminal trial, which was subjected to searching cross-examination by both defendant and his codefendants. Second, the state maintains that Evans's videotaped recantation was inadmissible hearsay and, therefore, the hearing justice abused his discretion by allowing the recantation as substantive evidence. 1