Opinion ID: 1438789
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Admission of Victim's Age

Text: Holden argues that the age of the victim from his prior conviction was improperly admitted at trial on two different occasions: on the initial registration form admitted into evidence by the state as well as during cross-examination.
Holden argues the trial court abused its discretion in admitting the initial registration form without redacting the information that the victim was five years old. He argues that the victim's age is not legally relevant because the state only was required to prove that the victim was under the age of fourteen years. He argues that the reference to the age was more prejudicial than probative because it diverted the jury's attention from the question of whether Holden knowingly failed to timely notify the sheriff of his change of address. The standard of review for the admission of evidence is abuse of discretion. State v. Freeman, 269 S.W.3d 422, 426 (Mo. banc 2008). This standard gives the trial court broad leeway in admitting evidence, and an exercise of this discretion will not be disturbed unless it is clearly against the logic of the circumstances and is so unreasonable as to indicate a lack of careful consideration. Id. The victim's age is relevant to prove that Holden was previously convicted of a sexual offense involving a child under the age of fourteen years. The commission of this offense was a condition for the registration requirements, including section 589.414, to apply. To the extent that the age is inflammatory, it is a result of defendant's own conduct and does not outweigh its probative effect. The trial court did not abuse its discretion in admitting the registration form without redacting the victim's age.
Holden argues the trial court erred in permitting the state to reference the age of the victim on cross-examination. He argues that the victim's age was unnecessary because the state only was required to prove that the victim was under fourteen years and that this information distracted the jury from the issue of Holden's guilt of the offense charged. Holden did not object to the questioning regarding the victim's age on the basis of relevance at trial and first raised this argument in the motion for new trial. This issue was not properly preserved; the Court reviews for plain error only, which requires the Court to find that manifest injustice or a miscarriage of justice resulted from the trial court error. Rule 30.20; Salter, 250 S.W.3d at 713. A party can prove prior convictions on cross-examination for the purposes of impeachment or to affect credibility. Section 491.050. However, the cross-examiner cannot inquire of the specific details of the crimes leading to the prior convictions. State v. Light, 871 S.W.2d 59, 62-63 (Mo.App.1994). See also State v. Hood, 313 S.W.2d 661, 663-64 (Mo.1958). It is permissible to elicit the nature, dates, places of the occurrences and sentences. Light, 871 S.W.2d at 63. In literary terms who, what, when and where are in order but why and how are not. Id. Holden was convicted of sodomy of a child under the age of fourteen years. The age of the victim is an element of the crime and goes to the general nature of the conviction. The state asked Holden to confirm the conviction and the age of the victim involved and did not ask Holden for any additional details of the crime. This questioning did not result in manifest injustice or a miscarriage of justice.