Opinion ID: 1722174
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 11

Heading: Admissibility of audio-tape statement

Text: The jury was permitted to listen to an audio tape of Mr. Hodge's statement made to the State Police investigator. There were a number of inaudible portions of the tape, some of which were apparently caused by the fact that Mr. Hodge was crying and placing the sleeve of his shirt in or over his mouth while the recording was being made. Mr. Hodge contends the inaudible parts may have been of exculpatory answers he was giving to the questions being asked. There was no abuse of discretion, and, again, that is the standard we apply. Hamm v. State, 301 Ark. 154, 782 S.W.2d 577 (1990). As mentioned above, the statement was not per se inculpatory. Mr. Hodge said, through his tears, that he could not remember what happened and felt he could not have committed the crimes. It was hardly as inculpatory or prejudicial as his testimony at the trial. The Trial Court permitted the jurors to see a transcript of the tape as it was being played for them, but he did not allow them to take the transcript to the jury room during their deliberations. In addition, he admonished the jurors that they were to determine what they heard, and if the transcript varied from the audio tape, they were to follow the tape. Thus, to the extent the transcript may have varied from the tape recording, as Mr. Hodge contends, there was no prejudice.