Opinion ID: 2366136
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: DiSandro's Threatening Conduct

Text: DiSandro asserts that the admission at trial of evidence relating to threats he allegedly made to Vallinoto's former husband and to her former husband's attorney was inadmissible. We agree. Pursuant to Rule 404 of the Rhode Island Rules of Evidence, character evidence is inadmissible to show that a person acted in conformity therewith. Moreover, if those acts were not admitted to show conformity therewith but were instead admitted to show a basis for Vallinoto's fear of DiSandro, that evidence would still be inadmissible. Those acts were not sufficiently similar to the acts alleged against DiSandro by Vallinoto to be relevant to, or at all probative of, the coercion allegedly directed to and felt by Vallinoto. Even assuming that DiSandro had acted aggressively toward Vallinoto's former husband and his attorney, that alleged aggression was not probative of the fact that DiSandro had acted aggressively toward Vallinoto or that Vallinoto had any reason to fear that such aggression would ever be directed toward her. In fact, DiSandro's alleged threats could more plausibly be interpreted to have been for the purpose of defending and protecting Vallinoto. We not only view that evidence as being improper character evidence but also believe that its probative value, if relevant at all, was substantially outweighed by the danger of unfair prejudice resulting to DiSandro and should not have been admitted, pursuant to Rule 403 of the Rules of Evidence. Accordingly, we find that admission of that evidence was error.