Opinion ID: 852917
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: Redaction of Confession

Text: Washington next contends the trial court erred in failing to redact portions of his videotaped interrogation and the typed transcript of the interrogation. The facts are these. Prior to trial Washington moved to redact certain portions of the videotaped interrogation and the typed transcription. The entire transcribed statement consisted of 157 pages of singled-spaced type. To accomplish that end, Washington penciled in red those portions of the statement he sought to have stricken. Contending that maybe higher than ninety-five (95) percent of the verbiage in this statement are statements made by the detectives, R. at 52, Washington moved to redact all, or nearly all, of approximately twenty pages of the statement. Although acknowledging case authority that would allow the unredacted statement into evidence provided a proper admonishment is given, Washington continued: My argument is going to be this, this statement is full of the detectives stating their opinion as to the ... In some cases it was wrong, in some cases it was out and out ... you know, absolutely wrong, as we established at the hearing we had on the motion to suppress, and the detectives acknowledged some of what they said was wrong. So, some of it's opinion, a lot of it's claiming what ... a lot of it's hearsay what other people had said. Id. at 53. The trial court denied Washington's motion; however, before the videotape was played in open court, the trial court admonished the jury as follows: I also have a brief admonishment that I want to read to you concerning the contents of the videotape. On the videotape you will see ... are some statements made by Detective Marvin Heilman and Detective Gary Gilbert. You are instructed that what the police officers say in the course of the interview is not evidence and is not to be considered by you as evidence. Certain things that the police officer say [sic] and representations that they make during the interview may or may not be true. These statements should be considered only as part of the questioning of the Defendant for the purpose of eliciting or drawing out information from the Defendant. Id. at 522. In Strong v. State, 538 N.E.2d 924 (Ind. 1989), this Court held that an audiotape of the defendant's confession to police was admissible, including the interrogating officer's statement, I want to caution you on one thing. Physical evidence proof, stuff that Lt. Loy saw and found in your house on that night [d]oesn't match stuff that you tell us.... Id. at 928. Responding to the defendant's claim of hearsay, we found the statement to be admissible for two reasons. First, the statement was not hearsay because it was not offered to prove the truth of the matters asserted. Id. Second, the trial court thoroughly explained in an admonishment to the jury that they were to consider the statement to be a method of questioning intended to elicit information from the defendant and not as evidence of guilt. [3] Id. In Smith v. State, 721 N.E.2d 213 (Ind. 1999), this Court found various statements of the interrogating officer to be inadmissible. Id. at 216. We reversed the judgment and remanded the cause for further proceedings. Unlike Strong, the trial court in Smith gave no limiting instruction or admonishment. We held that although a trial court has no affirmative duty to consider giving an admonishment in the absence of a party's request, it is error to admit statements by an interrogating officer without any limiting instruction or admonishment. Id. Apparently recognizing that in light of Strong and Smith his hearsay claim cannot prevail, Washington abandons this argument on appeal. Instead, citing Indiana Evidence Rule 704(b), he now claims error because the interrogating officer made several references to Washington's alleged lack of truthfulness during the course of the interrogation. [4] The Rule provides: Witnesses may not testify to opinions concerning intent, guilt, or innocence in a criminal case; the truth or falsity of allegations; whether a witness has testified truthfully; or legal conclusions. Id.; see also Shepherd v. State, 538 N.E.2d 242, 243 (Ind.1989) (Neither lay witnesses nor expert witnesses are competent to testify that another witness is or is not telling the truth.). We first observe that each reference about which Washington complains is buried within and scattered throughout the twenty pages that he sought to have stricken. Indeed only a careful examination of the transcript even reveals their existence. We fail to see how a jury could have been persuaded by these comments. More importantly, a trial court cannot be found to have erred as to an issue or argument that it never had an opportunity to consider. Accordingly, as a general rule, a party may not present an argument or issue on appeal unless the party raised that argument or issue before the trial court. Marshall v. State, 621 N.E.2d 308, 314 (Ind.1993). In such circumstances the argument is waived. Id. Because Washington did not direct the trial court's attention to a possible Rule 704 violation, he has waived consideration of this argument on appeal.