Opinion ID: 1878369
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: whether the lower court erred in permitting the state of mississippi to cross examine the appellant regarding his disrespect of the law because he was driving without a valid driver's license.

Text: ¶ 22. During the State's cross-examination of Strickland, the following testimony was elicited in regard to why he had given the wrong last digit when asked for his Social Security number: Q: Now, it didn't have anything to do with the fact that you were driving and you had no license at all, right; didn't have anything to do with that? A: No, it didn't have nothing to do with that. Q: But you were driving with a license that was suspended because you commit DUI's, right? A: Yes, sir. Q: So when you got in the car to drive to the tobacco store, you were completely in the violation of the law BY MR. STEPHENSON: Object, Your Honor, under 404, and it is not relevant. BY MR. ANGERO: It is relevant, too, Judge. BY MR. STEPHENSON: The fact that he BY THE COURT: No, sir, I think it is relevant and I believe it is more probative than prejudicial. Q: When you got into the car to drive to down to that tobacco store it was a violation of the law of the State of Mississippi for you to get behind the wheel to go anywhere in that car; isn't that right? A: Yes, sir. Q: But you just disregarded that, correct; is that correct? A: I just drove my truck over there. Q: You disregarded the law that says your license is revoked, you have been driving under DUI and you cannot drive a car, and you said well, I am not worried about that, and you drive on to the tobacco store anyway, right? A: (No response) Q: Is that right? A: I went to the tobacco store. ¶ 23. The State argues that Strickland's credibility was placed directly in issue when he denied that he ever told Officer Beckman that he was drunk. [1] The State claims that as a result it was appropriate to cross-examine Strickland on the issue of giving a false Social Security number to Officer Lee prior to speaking with Beckman. The State attempted to prove that Strickland lied in order to hide the fact that he was driving without a valid driver's license, which, argues the State, goes to show Strickland's motive for lying, which is admissible under M.R.E. 404(b). ¶ 24. Strickland argues that the sole reason for the above line of questioning was to show that he possessed a bad character and, as a lawbreaker, the jury could infer that he was driving under the influence on this occasion. In other words, the officers were to be believed and not the lawbreaker. ¶ 25. In Mack v. State, 650 So.2d 1289 (Miss.1994), this Court set out the burden which must be met for admitting evidence under Rule 404(b). The proponent must (1) identify the consequential fact to which the proffered evidence of other crimes, wrongs or acts; and (2) prove the other crimes, wrongs or acts; and (3) articulate precisely the evidential hypothesis by which the consequential fact may be inferred from the proffered evidence. Once the evidence has met this burden, it must also pass the balancing test of probative value versus prejudicial effect found in Rule 403. Mack, 650 So.2d at 1311. ¶ 26. Strickland put both his own credibility, and that of Beckman, at issue when he claimed that Beckman had lied at trial. Strickland denied that he told Beckman that he was drunk while under custody. Since the charge against Strickland was driving under the influence, the evidence was highly relevant. In addition, proof that Strickland did not have a valid license due to a previous arrest was relevant to show why Strickland might have lied about his Social Security number. (Strickland claimed that he merely mixed up the last numbers.) The evidence of Strickland's suspended license was admitted to show that Strickland had not just accidentally mixed up the last numbers and was evidence of his motive to keep the officer from retrieving his record. Motive is a recognized exception from the general prohibition against proof of other crimes under M.R.E. 404(b). As a result, this assignment of error also fails.