Opinion ID: 2281943
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Prior Drug Use By Alleged Victim

Text: Avowal testimony was also presented that Shoulders was a crack whore; that she used as much crack cocaine and marijuana as she could on a daily basis; that she let others use her residence to get high if they would provide her with cocaine; that she frequently used drugs; that she attempted to borrow money for drugs and became angry when anyone refused her; and that she would sell her food vouchers to get drugs. In order to be admitted at trial, evidence must be relevant. KRE 402. Relevant evidence is evidence having 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. KRE 401. However, even relevant evidence may be excluded if its probative value is substantially outweighed by the danger of undue prejudice, confusion of the issues, or misleading the jury, or by considerations of undue delay, or needless presentation of cumulative evidence. KRE 403. Evidence of Shoulders's habitual drug use was of minimal relevance to any issue in the trial. Since Appellant admitted to stabbing Shoulders, the only real factual issue was whether the stabbing occurred at Bryant's residence with Appellant as the aggressor, or across the street in the housing project in self-defense against Shoulders's hammer attack. The probative effect of Shoulders's history of heavy drug use was slight or non-existent. Accordingly, the evidence was excludable upon relevancy grounds alone. As previously noted, however, the trial court permitted evidence of Shoulders's drug use twenty-four hours prior to the murder. Further, medical evidence was presented demonstrating through post-mortem blood and urine tests that she had recently used cocaine and marijuana. Also, Appellant testified to Shoulders' heavy drug use. In summary, significant evidence of Shoulders's drug use was, in fact, presented, and the jury was aware that she was a habitual drug user. Additional testimony upon the issue would have amounted to a needless presentation of cumulative evidence. See Hillard v. Commonwealth, 158 S.W.3d 758, 762-63 (Ky.2005) (evidence of victim's sexual history to prove sexual orientation was cumulative where testimony was already elicited concerning victim's prior sexual relationship with another witness). We conclude that the trial court did not abuse its discretion in excluding the additional evidence of Shoulders's prior drug use. Love v. Commonwealth, 55 S.W.3d 816, 822 (Ky.2001) (trial court's KRE 401 relevancy determinations and KRE 403 prejudice determinations are reviewed under the abuse of discretion standard).