Opinion ID: 1818950
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Whether the Trial Court Committed Reversible Error When it Denied Williams's Motion in Limine to Prohibit the State from Referring to His Arrest in a Stolen Vehicle.

Text: ¶ 44. [A] motion in limine should be granted only when the trial court finds two factors are present (1) the material or evidence in question will be inadmissible at a trial under the rules of evidence; and (2) the mere offer, reference, or statements made during trial concerning the material will tend to prejudice the jury. Hersick v. State, 904 So.2d 116, 127 (Miss.2004)(internal quotations omitted). ¶ 45. Williams argued at trial that reference to the fact that the vehicle in which he was arrested was allegedly stolen was irrelevant to the charges brought by the State and should not be admitted as it was extremely prejudicial. Williams contends that any reference should have been excluded under Mississippi Rule of Evidence 403 as irrelevant or under Rule 404(b) as evidence of another bad act. ¶ 46. The State responded at trial that the introduction of evidence referring to the vehicle as stolen, was admissible under an exception to Mississippi Rule of Evidence 404(b), specifically identity; that Williams's arrest in the stolen vehicle led to the identification of his involvement with the crimes charged, and the State has a right to tell a continuous story. ¶ 47. The trial court, in denying Williams's motion in limine, stated, [I]t is the Court's opinion that this was interlinked with the identification of this running the tag on this Lexus, white Lexus, and running the tag led directly to the identification of this defendant in connection with the subject crime that he's charged with that we're in trial today. ¶ 48. The general rule is that evidence of a crime, other than the one for which the accused is being tried, is not admissible. Palmer v. State, 939 So.2d 792, 795 (Miss.2006). However, there are exceptions to this general rule as provided by Mississippi Rule of Evidence 404(b): Evidence of other crimes, wrongs, or acts is not admissible to prove the character of a person in order to show that he acted in conformity therewith. It may, however, be admissible for other purposes such as proof of motive, opportunity, intent, preparation, plan, knowledge, identity, or absence of mistake or accident. ¶ 49. Evidence of other crimes or bad acts also is admissible to tell the complete story so as not to confuse the jury. Palmer, 939 So.2d at 795; Ballenger v. State, 667 So.2d 1242, 1257 (Miss.1995). [T]he State has a legitimate interest in telling a rational and coherent story of what happened. Where substantially necessary to present to the jury the complete story of the crime, evidence or testimony may be given even though it may reveal or suggest other crimes. Palmer, 939 So.2d at 795 (internal citations and quotation marks omitted). ¶ 50. Even where evidence of other crimes is admissible under M.R.E. 404(b), it can not be admitted unless it also passes muster under M.R.E. 403. That is, the risk of undue prejudice must not substantially outweigh its probative value. Ballenger, 667 So.2d at 1257. In the present case, evidence of Williams's arrest in a stolen vehicle was introduced to explain why he was arrested, how his picture came to be part of the photograph lineup, and how he ultimately was linked with the crimes charged. Furthermore, this evidence was essential to provide the jury with a complete story of the events that led to Williams's being identified as the person who perpetrated the crimes charged. Evidence of the stolen vehicle was admissible under Mississippi Rule of Evidence 404(b) and Mississippi case law. In addition, said evidence was probative to show Williams was involved in the armed robbery, kidnapping, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. The probative value of this evidence was not substantially outweighed by the danger of unfair prejudice.