Opinion ID: 2448651
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Admissibility of tape recording.

Text: Newman's third argument is that the trial court erred in admitting a tape of the alleged sale upon which these charges are based, which tape also contained statements concerning other sales that were the basis of other charges. For this point, Newman argues that the trial court abused its discretion in admitting the tape recording of the conversation between him and Sanders. According to Newman, the probative value of the tape was substantially outweighed by the danger of unfair prejudice under Ark. R. Evid. 403, given that the tape made references to other drug transactions. While a transcript of the tape recording is found in the record, Newman has failed to abstract the transcript or what was recorded on the tape. The record on appeal is confined to that which is abstracted, and failure to abstract a critical matter precludes this court from considering the issue on appeal. Edwards v. State, 321 Ark. 610, 906 S.W.2d 310 (1995). Thus, it is impossible for this court to review the contents of the tape in order to determine whether the trial court abused its discretion. We accordingly affirm without reaching the merits.