Opinion ID: 1231135
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Experiment Tape Recording

Text: The superior court also excluded the tape recording of Dr. Wolf's experimental attempt to recreate an alcohol blackout. The court ruled that there was a great risk of prejudicial effect on the jury and that the tape was cumulative. Evans asserts that this ruling was error. Evans argues that the tape is admissible under Hampton v. State, 569 P.2d 138, 146 (Alaska 1977), appeal dismissed and cert. denied, 434 U.S. 1056, 98 S.Ct. 1225, 55 L.Ed.2d 757 (1978), and Bentley v. State, 397 P.2d 976, 978 (Alaska 1965). Those cases hold that a tape recording is not rendered inadmissible by omissions unless they are so substantial that they make the recording untrustworthy. In the case at bar, two hours, or one-half of the total time of the experiment, were admittedly omitted from the tape; however, the fact that the tape was incomplete was not an issue at trial. The state argues that the contents of the tape recordings in Hampton and Bentley focused on a crucial issue at trial. In Hampton, the tape contained the defendant's confession. In Bentley, the tape contained an inconsistent statement by a key witness. The state argues that Hampton and Bentley, although they do stand for the proposition that an otherwise admissible tape recording may not be excluded unless it contains substantial omissions, are applicable only to taped evidence which is crucial to the trial; thus those holdings are inapplicable here, since the taped evidence was merely cumulative to Dr. Wolf's testimony. The superior court did not exclude the tape because of any omission but because of its possible prejudicial effect on the jury. Evans argues that jury instruction 20 cautioned the jurors not to view the experiment as evidence of what occurred the morning of the shooting and that this was sufficient to minimize any possible prejudice. The standard for review in such instances is whether the trial court abused its discretion. The state relies on Menard v. State, 578 P.2d 966 (Alaska 1978), where this court held that [t]he trial court may exclude relevant evidence if it finds that its probative value is outweighed by the risk that the evidence will have a prejudicial effect on the jury, confuse the issues, or mislead the jury. Id. at 968. See Alaska R.Evid. 403. The tape apparently contains crying and sobbing by Evans, and the superior court expressed concern that the jury might view the tape as evidence of Evans's condition on the morning of the shooting. Further, since Dr. Wolf had testified extensively about the experiment, the superior court also found the tape to be cumulative. Given these circumstances we hold that the superior court did not abuse its discretion in the matter.