Opinion ID: 2195069
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 11

Heading: Denial of Use of Police Transcript on Cross-Examination

Text: Williams next contends that the trial court erred when it denied the use of a police transcript of Diane's statements for the purpose of impeachment or to refresh her recollection. Williams, however, did not make an offer of proof, and the transcript is not in the record. [9] Error may not be predicated upon a ruling of a trial court excluding testimony of a witness unless the substance of the evidence to be offered by the testimony was made known to the trial judge by offer or was apparent from the context within which the questions were asked. State v. Cortis, 237 Neb. 97, 465 N.W.2d 132 (1991). Here, there was no showing of the evidence sought to be introduced through Diane's statement other than the comment she may have made to police stating that the fire was already started when she responded to Williams' knock on her door. Diane never answered the foundational question whether the transcript sought to be used would refresh her recollection. Nor did she answer foundational questions necessary to determine whether the transcript could be properly used for impeachment. We are unable to determine from the record any information about the transcript of the statement sought to be used, because no offer of proof was made and the transcript sought to be used was not included in the record. Without more, we cannot perform a meaningful review of this assignment of error. Accordingly, we determine that the issue was waived.