Opinion ID: 2237268
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: Taped Conversation

Text: Defendant next challenges the admissibility of the taped conversation between Moore and himself, arguing that the State failed to lay an adequate foundation for its admission. Defendant alleges that the State did not establish the identity of the speakers on the tape. The record includes an identification of defendant's voice by Moore, who testified that he had spoken to defendant more than 100 times in person and recognized his voice. In addition, Assistant State's Attorney Cohen testified that he recognized the defendant's voice to be the speaker on the telephone after he spoke to the defendant and took his statement at the police station. Cohen had been listening with an earphone as the telephone conversation was taped. Finally, defendant admitted that he had received a telephone call from Moore on the day of his arrest and acknowledged that he had talked about the Gibson hit during that conversation. The State moved for admission of the taped conversation after the presentation of all the evidence. Defendant objected and the trial court discussed the legal standards for admission and held that a proper foundation had been laid. An adequate foundation can be established for a tape-recorded telephone conversation when a witness to the conversation recorded on tape testifies that the tape, as presented in court, accurately portrays the conversation in question. ( People v. Williams (1985), 109 Ill.2d 327, 93 Ill.Dec. 788, 487 N.E.2d 613.) The State's evidence was adequate to establish a proper foundation for admission of the tape-recorded telephone conversation between Moore and defendant. Moore accurately identified defendant as the speaker and testified that the tape accurately portrayed the conversation between him and defendant. Defendant also challenges the admissibility of the tape recording by asserting that the tape was inaudible. The trial judge is accorded wide discretion in imposing conditions upon the admissibility of taped evidence. ( People v. Ash (1974), 16 Ill.App.3d 633, 306 N.E.2d 319.) In the instant case, the trial judge examined the tape and listened to it before allowing its admission. At the time of admission, defendant made no objection to its admission on audibility grounds and no discussion of the sound quality took place. The trial court, within its discretion, found the tape properly admissible.