Opinion ID: 1060302
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Motion in Limine Regarding Racial Slur

Text: -5- Evidence is relevant if it has “any tendency to make the existence of any fact that is of consequence to the determination of the action more probable or less probable than it would be without the evidence.” Tenn. R. Evid. 401. Once the court concludes the evidence is relevant, the court should exclude the evidence if its probative value is substantially outweighed by its prejudicial effect. Tenn. R. Evid. 403; State v. James, 81 S.W.3d 751, 757 (Tenn. 2002). A trial court’s decision as to the relevance of evidence under Rule 401 will be reversed only upon a showing of abuse of discretion. State v. Powers, 101 S.W.3d 383, 395 (Tenn. 2003). The defendant argues that testimony of his use of the word “nigger” in referring to Trooper Jennings was not relevant to his level of intoxication. The State contends that it was relevant to show his level of intoxication in light of his use of such an inflammatory and derogatory word in front of his passenger and the trooper, both of whom are African-American. Mr. McCroskey and Mr. Crowder, friends of the defendant, both testified that they had never heard the defendant use any racial slurs. The racial slur was relevant to show the defendant’s belligerence and that he was impaired. The trial court did not abuse its discretion in finding that testimony of his use of the racial slur was relevant to show the defendant’s level of intoxication. The defendant also argues that the probative value of the testimony concerning his use of the racial slur was substantially outweighed by unfair prejudice. We certainly agree with the defendant and the trial court that the racial slur used by the defendant in referring to Trooper Jennings is inflammatory. While this Court deplores the defendant’s use of such a word, it was the defendant’s choice to say it. In the context that the racial slur was used, it was clearly probative of the defendant’s state of mind at the time. As the State points out, the defendant’s passenger and Trooper Jennings are African-American. The testimony goes to show that the defendant was not in control of his faculties and used poor judgment, more probable than not influenced by his use of alcohol. We hold that the probative value of the testimony concerning the defendant’s use of a racial slur was not substantially outweighed by the danger of unfair prejudice.