Opinion ID: 1154894
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Motion to exclude evidence of other crimes, wrongs, or acts

Text: Defendant moved to exclude evidence of his 1981 sexual assault and kidnapping convictions. Following a hearing, the court found the evidence admissible to show identity but not emotional propensity. The court admitted the evidence at trial, which consisted primarily of testimony by the victim of the 1981 incident, and gave a limiting jury instruction. Defendant appeals the denial of his motion. Generally, evidence of other acts is inadmissible to prove the defendant's character. See State v. Roscoe, 145 Ariz. 212, 216, 700 P.2d 1312, 1316 (1984), cert. denied, 471 U.S. 1094, 105 S.Ct. 2169, 85 L.Ed.2d 525 (1985). Nor can such evidence be admitted to show action in conformity therewith. Ariz.R.Evid. 404(b). Other act evidence may be admissible, however, for other purposes, such as proof of ... identity. Id. To be admissible under the 404(b) identity exception, the state must show: (1) that the defendant committed the prior offense, and (2) that the prior offense was not too remote in time, was similar to the offense charged and was committed with a person similar to the prosecuting witness in the case being tried. Roscoe, 145 Ariz. at 217, 700 P.2d at 1317 (citing cases). Because the trial court is best able to evaluate these requirements and balance the probative value and prejudicial effect of such evidence, we review for an abuse of discretion. State v. Brown, 125 Ariz. 160, 161-62, 608 P.2d 299, 300-01 (1980). Defendant admits his 1981 sexual assault and kidnapping convictions. Accordingly, the first Roscoe requirement is satisfied. Although Defendant committed those offenses eight years before the victim's abduction, he served a seven-year sentence for the 1981 convictions. The instant crime occurred approximately one year after Defendant's release from prison. Thus, the prior offense was not too remote in time. See, e.g., Roscoe, 145 Ariz. at 217, 700 P.2d at 1317 (finding offense committed six months after release from serving six-month prison term not too remote); State v. Superior Court, 129 Ariz. 360, 361-62, 631 P.2d 142, 143-44 (Ct.App. 1981) (finding offense committed eighteen months after release from serving twenty-seven month prison term not too remote). The 1981 convictions and the 1988 abduction had numerous similarities, including: [] both incidents occurred in the Sheep Hill area; [] both incidents involved a vehicle; [] both victims were Caucasian female minors; [] both victims had their clothes removed; [] both victims had their hands tied behind their backs; [] both offenses occurred during daylight hours; [] evidence of vodka consumption in both incidents; and [] evidence of the use of a knife in both incidents. Concededly, differences between the crimes do exist. Defendant knew his 1981 victim, but apparently did not know the victim in this case. In addition, the 1981 incident involved a seventeen-year-old victim, while the victim in this case was nine years old. This difference, however, does not compel exclusion of the evidence. See Roscoe, 145 Ariz. at 218, 700 P.2d at 1318 (evidence properly admitted with seven-year-old victim when prior victim was seventeen years old). Absolute identity in every detail cannot be expected. Where an overwhelming number of significant similarities exist, the evidence of the prior act may be admitted. Roscoe, 145 Ariz. at 218, 700 P.2d at 1318. The term overwhelming does not require a mechanical count of the similarities but, rather, a qualitative evaluation. Are the two crimes so similar, unusual, and distinctive that the trial judge could reasonably find that they bear the same signature? Id. at 217, 700 P.2d at 1317. If so, the evidence may be admissible and any dissimilarities go to its weight. Id. at 218, 700 P.2d at 1318. The evidence in this case shows enough of an arguable signature to find that the trial judge did not abuse his discretion in holding that the 1981 convictions were admissible to show identity under 404(b). Nor do we believe that the evidence was so unfairly prejudicial that trial court abused its discretion under Ariz.R.Evid. 403. See State v. Schurz, 176 Ariz. 46, 52, 859 P.2d 156, 162 (1993). Thus, we find no error in admitting evidence of Defendant's 1981 convictions.