Opinion ID: 1935010
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: The admission into evidence of two statements made by the Defendant in conversations with the sheriff and a detective

Text: The Defendant claims error because the Trial Justice admitted into evidence two similar statements spoken by the Defendant while he was in the Portland jail on August 25, 1972. At that time the Defendant had been arrested on the federal fugitive from justice warrant as a result of the South Carolina death and was not charged with the Gough murder. However, Sheriff Jordan from Augusta and a state police officer were anxious to talk to Northup about his break from jail a week earlier and his possible involvement in the murder of Mrs. Gough. In the early afternoon of August 25, Sheriff Jordan spoke with the Defendant in a room at the jail. The sheriff fully advised Northup of his rights and Northup indicated he wished to talk. The sheriff asked two questions concerning Northup's escape and theft of the sheriff's gun from the sheriff's home, to which Northup responded. Then, according to Sheriff Jordan, Northup volunteered a statement: Well, as I got ready to leave, he stated that he would probably plead to Gloria's rather than going back down south, or returning to the south, something to that effect. About 6:00 p. m. the same day, State Police Detective Greeley talked to the Defendant at the jail pursuant to the Defendant's request. Greeley warned Northup of his Miranda rights, and Northup proceeded to ask the detective a few questions. Greeley testified that [h]e asked me if he admitted to the murder in Gardiner would the authorities in South Carolina be still looking for him. The Defendant asserts that the admission into evidence of these two statements was incorrect because the material was 1) irrelevant and 2) highly prejudicial and suggestive of his involvement in another crime. We disagree. Relevancy is a threshold test of evidence admissibility in our legal system. We stated in State v. Graves, Me., 224 A.2d 57, 60 (1966) that relevant evidence is that which relates logically to the issue. Evidence is relevant if it has probative value in establishing or negating a fact or issue at hand. See State v. Eaton, Me., 309 A.2d 334 (1973); Rules of Evidence for United States Courts and Magistrates, Rule 401 (effective date deferred). This Court has recognized that the determination of evidence relevancy is within the discretionary power of the trial Justice and will not be overturned absent an abuse of this discretion. Torrey v. Congress Square Hotel Co., 145 Me. 234, 75 A.2d 451 (1950). The two statements under consideration are admissible to show knowledge by Northup of the death of Gloria Gough, indicating his possible involvement in the murder. The evidentiary value of the statements rests solely on the fact they were said and not on the truth of their contents; thus, they are not hearsay. [1] The statements were volunteered by the Defendant at two times on August 25, and were unrelated to the conversations taking place each time. Evidence showed that Northup had returned from the South by bus on the 22nd and was arrested that night by the F.B.I. and Portland police soon after he left the bus. Gloria Gough's body was discovered on the evening of August 22. Since that time the Defendant had been in custody either in a hospital or in jail in Portland. He did talk to his attorney and made an appearance before a federal magistrate on the 24th. We do not require the prosecution to demonstrate that only through his own knowledge could Northup have been aware of the Gough murder on August 25, 1972. It is for the jury to weigh the evidence and decide what value should be placed on Northup's statements. He was being detained for the South Carolina authorities and counsel had been retained or appointed for him on that charge. There was no testimony indicating that he had been informed as to Mrs. Gough's death or that he was suspected of involvement in it. The circumstances do suggest that it was quite possible that Northup made the statements indicating his knowledge of the murder because he had been present when Mrs. Gough was killed. Surely, this is a relevant area of inquiry for the jurors who must establish the facts in the case. Relevant evidence is not required to be excluded merely because it suggests a Defendant's involvement in a crime other than the one on which he is being tried. See State v. Smith, Me., 277 A.2d 481, 491 (1971). Relevant evidence may nevertheless be excluded if, for one reason, it is too prejudicial in contrast to its probative value. 1 J. Wigmore, Evidence § 29a (3d ed. 1940). The statements made here did convey an impression that the Defendant was involved in some criminal activity in South Carolina. His presence in that state was also the subject of an eyewitness' testimony, though no mention was ever made before the jury that he was sought for a specific crime. The whereabouts of Northup between his escape from jail and his reappearance in Maine four days later was properly an issue before the jury. We feel the Trial Justice did not abuse his discretion in admitting the two statements despite their vague references to other criminal conduct for which Northup was not on trial. Probative value outweighed any prejudice in both instances.