Opinion ID: 1297463
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Admission of References to Conversations Police Had with Copeland's Husband.

Text: Copeland asserts that the spousal privilege extends to statements made by her husband to police. Therefore, she contends the trial court erred in allowing police officers to testify that after talking with her husband, they discovered a car owned by her that matched the description of the vehicle seen by a neighbor at the Victim's house on March 22nd. We disagree. The spousal privilege provides that in criminal cases married persons cannot be compelled to testify against their spouses concerning any communication made between them during their marriage. S.C.Code Ann. § 19-11-30 (Supp.1995). We have held that the right to exercise the privilege against disclosing marital communications is solely that of the witness/spouse from whom the privileged information is being sought. State v. Motes, 264 S.C. 317, 215 S.E.2d 190 (1975). At trial, Copeland's husband elected not to testify against his wife by asserting his spousal privilege. He was not called as a witness, and the trial court ruled that the content of Mr. Copeland's statement to the police was inadmissible. The testimony presented merely referred to the fact that conversations with Copeland's husband led the police to the discovery of Copeland's vehicle, thus providing them with sufficient probable cause to suspect her. The testimony did not reveal the actual content of Mr. Copeland's statement to the police nor did it disclose marital communications. On these facts, Mr. Copeland's assertion of the spousal privilege at trial did not preclude the police from stating what transpired after they talked with him. Accordingly, we find no error in admitting the police testimony regarding their investigation.