Opinion ID: 2590105
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Redaction of Videotape of Interrogation

Text: Anthony argues on appeal that the videotape of his interrogation, which was played for the jury at trial without objection, should have been redacted to remove repeated comments by the detective regarding Anthony's lack of credibility or veracity. On the videotape, the detective, although unfailingly polite, pretends to knowledge about the crime he does not have and repeatedly tells Anthony that he is not being truthful. We agree with the State that the absence of an objection before the district court means this evidentiary issue was not preserved for appeal, and we therefore decline to reach it on the merits. The decision on which Anthony seeks to rely, Elnicki, 279 Kan. at 53, 105 P.3d 1222, involved a defendant whose counsel objected to showing the jury an unredacted videotape of an interrogation. And the requirement of an objection is consistent with the facts of the nine cases that underlay the Elnicki decision. See State v. Plaskett, 271 Kan. 995, 1009, 27 P.3d 890 (2001) (trial court erred in allowing detective to express opinion whether child victim was telling the truth); State v. Manning, 270 Kan. 674, 698, 19 P.3d 84 (2001) (questions compelling defendant or witness to comment on credibility of another witness improper); State v. Mullins, 267 Kan. 84, 97, 977 P.2d 931 (1999) (line of inquiry equivalent to asking one witness if another witness was telling the truth improper, error in allowing answer); State v. Lash, 237 Kan. 384, 386, 699 P.2d 49 (1985) (question which called for expert to express opinion about witnesses' credibility improper); State v. Steadman, 253 Kan. 297, 304, 855 P.2d 919 (1993) (admission of witnesses' testimony that in their opinion the defendant was guilty deprived defendant of fair trial); State v. Jackson, 239 Kan. 463, 470, 721 P.2d 232 (1986) (error for trial court to permit witnesses to testify and tell jury that, in their opinions, defendant committed the charged acts.) The lone case in which an objection was lacking involved a challenge to two portions of an expert's testimony on the credibility of a child's account of sexual molestation. The court reversed on one portion, which was accompanied by an objection, but refused to consider the other because the defendant had failed to object to it. See State v. Arrington, 251 Kan. 747, 840 P.2d 477 (1992). Without an objection, as here, an appellate court cannot assume that the playing of an unredacted interrogation videotape is something the defense wants to avoid. In fact, in many criminal cases, having lost a motion to suppress a confession, the defense may want such a tape played without redactions to demonstrate what it argues is overreaching or unfair trickery by law enforcement. In this particular case, when the jury asked to see the tape again during its deliberations, Anthony said, Let it play, let them hear what I said. We do not regard an Elnicki issue as one we must address to serve the ends of justice or prevent a denial of fundamental rights. See Williams, 275 Kan. at 288-89, 64 P.3d 353. Instead, we adhere to our general rule that a challenge to the admissibility of evidence will not be considered for the first time on appeal. See State v. Kunellis, 276 Kan. 461, 477, 78 P.3d 776 (2003).