Opinion ID: 1827471
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Evidence Admissible

Text: Neb.Rev.Stat. § 27-401 (Reissue 1985) defines relevant evidence as evidence having any tendency to make the existence of any fact that is of consequence to the determination of the action more probable or less probable than it would be without the evidence. Recently, in State v. Oliva, 228 Neb. 185, 422 N.W.2d 53 (1988), this court considered and rejected an argument virtually identical to the one now made by defendant, noting: The argument is not that the evidence fails to address a material issue ... but that the evidence is so lacking in probative force that it should have been excluded. The modern view, however, is that evidence is probative if it tends in any degree to alter the probability of a material fact..... ... It is enough if the evidence offered could show that a material fact is slightly more probable than it would appear without that evidence.... ... As we have said, § 27-401 requires only that the degree of probativeness be something more than nothing. 228 Neb. at 188-89, 422 N.W.2d at 55. The victim's testimony regarding her encounter with defendant on the night of June 6, 1986, is probative regarding the credibility of her statement, following the rape, that she had found her attacker's voice familiar; the victim's testimony clearly went to the material issue of identity. Similarly, testimony to the effect that the daughter did not reside, after June 9, 1986, in the apartment in which the rape took place went at least to the question of opportunity, making this material fact [appear] slightly more probable than it would appear without that evidence. State v. Oliva, supra at 189, 422 N.W.2d at 55. Clearly, the testimony concerning which defendant complains was relevant to issues material to his prosecution and satisfied the requirements of § 27-401. Although there may have been some way to tell the story of that evening without mentioning the role played by the victim's daughter, we will not dwell on that mere possibility here, the admission or exclusion of evidence being a matter within the discretion of the trial court and one not to be disturbed on appeal absent an abuse of discretion. State v. Rincker, 228 Neb. 522, 423 N.W.2d 434 (1988); State v. Wilson, 225 Neb. 466, 406 N.W.2d 123 (1987); State v. Kern, 224 Neb. 177, 397 N.W.2d 23 (1986).