Opinion ID: 2076252
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: The Escape Letters

Text: Hunt maintains that the letters should not have been admitted because his actions did not amount to a substantial step toward escape. He relies on Bedford v. State, 317 Md. 659, 566 A.2d 111 (1989). In Bedford, an inmate awaiting trial for murder was discovered possessing a four inch piece of metal wire sharpened to a point. The trial judge admitted this into evidence upon the State's contention that this supported an inference that the defendant planned to escape. The State maintained that this was admissible as evidence of a consciousness of guilt. We reversed, holding that: If the judge finds that the proposed material is likely to lead a reasonable jury to infer the defendant's guilt without causing him substantial prejudice, then the judge may allow the jury to consider the evidence in reaching a verdict as to the charged offense. If, however, the inference as to ultimate guilt is weak and the circumstantial evidence merely tends to create in the minds of the jurors the impression that the defendant is of questionable character and has a propensity for bad acts and probably acted accordingly on the charged occasion, then the evidence should be excluded. Id. at 668, 566 A.2d at 115. We went on to note that evidence which tended merely to show that the defendant was a bad man was not admissible to prove his guilt. Id. Hunt's situation is distinguishable from Bedford's. Hunt stood before the court as a convicted murderer, not as an accused defendant entitled to the presumption of innocence. While irrelevant to the guilt/innocence phase of a criminal trial, Hunt's dangerousness, as exemplified by his past conduct, was relevant in the sentencing phase of the trial. The State did not offer the presentence investigation report of Hunt's prison conduct and Hunt's letters as proof of Hunt's consciousness of guilt. Rather, the report and its accompanying exhibits were admissible pursuant to Art. 27, § 413(c)(iv). They were also admissible to rebut the potential mitigating factor of lack of future dangerousness as evidenced by his escape plans. We also note that Hunt offered the same letters into evidence as attachments to an exhibit later in the trial. He introduced the exhibit including the letters and noted that he was not charged with violating prison rules. [T]he general rule [is] that a party waives his objection to testimony by subsequently offering testimony on the same matter. Peisner v. State, 236 Md. 137, 144, 202 A.2d 585, 589 (1964), cert. denied, 379 U.S. 1001, 85 S.Ct. 721, 13 L.Ed.2d 702 (1965).