Opinion ID: 853626
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Gang Affiliation and Prior Bad Acts

Text: Cline's theory of defense at trial was that her boyfriend Jenkins caused Alexis' death. According to Cline, Jenkins inflicted injuries on Alexis during his morning visit when he was alone with the child while Cline took a shower. In an attempt to bolster this theory, Cline sought to introduce evidence that Jenkins was a member of a street gang, and that he had been involved in two physical altercations with other juveniles in the week before Alexis was killed. In response to the State's relevancy objection, the trial court precluded Cline from cross-examining Jenkins on this point and would not allow Cline to introduce a police arrest report concerning Jenkins. Cline contends the trial court erred in sustaining the State's objection because the evidence was relevant for a number of reasons: (a) to show that Cline was afraid of Jenkins thus explaining why when first questioned by police Cline did not inform them that Jenkins had been present at her home the day Alexis was injured, (b) to show that Jenkins was intelligent enough to commit a violent act thus addressing evidence that Jenkins suffered from a learning disability, (c) to complete the story surrounding the circumstances of the crime, and (d) to show that Jenkins was Alexis' attacker. Although the trial court did not allow Cline to introduce the proffered evidence based on the State's relevancy objection, there is a more fundamental reason supporting the trial court's decision. Under Ind. Evidence Rule 404(b) evidence of other crimes, wrongs, or acts is not admissible to prove the character of a person in order to show action in conformity therewith. Spencer v. State, 703 N.E.2d 1053, 1055 (Ind.1999). In this appeal, Cline advances the above-mentioned reasons to support her claim that evidence of Jenkins' gang membership and violent conduct were admissible. Regardless of the propriety of these claims, at trial Cline's argument in support of admitting the evidence was that [Jenkins] was in the proximity of the alleged victim, Alexis Cline, on May 12, 1997, the day she allegedly received her fatal injuries ... He had the opportunity and the ability to perform the alleged violent act, to-wit: blunt force trauma, which resulted in her death. Additionally, he had demonstrated the propensity to commit such a violent act. R. at 299-300. Essentially, Cline sought to introduce evidence of Jenkins' prior acts for the sole purpose of demonstrating that because Jenkins had acted violently in the past, he likely acted in conformity with those acts and harmed Alexis. This is the forbidden inference that Ind. Evidence Rule 404(b) specifically proscribes. Byers v. State, 709 N.E.2d 1024, 1026-27 (Ind. 1999) ([R]ule [404(b) ] is designed to prevent the jury from making the `forbidden inference' that prior wrongful conduct suggests present guilt.). The trial court properly excluded evidence of Jenkins' gang affiliation and prior violent conduct. There is no error on this issue.