Opinion ID: 1757302
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Cross Examination of Vicki Hendricks

Text: During voir dire, counsel for appellant asked the panel if they thought Watson and Vicki Hendricks should be treated equally. The state argued her sentence was irrelevant and the trial court agreed. In chambers counsel advised the trial court that he intended in opening statement to tell the jury Ms. Hendricks had received only ten years imprisonment for her part in this enterprise, yet the state proposed to punish Nelson Watson much more severely. The trial court directed counsel to refrain from stating what sentence she had received. At that point, counsel argued that he should be permitted to cross-examine Hendricks about her sentence in order to show bias, but again the purpose was to convince the jury that Watson's sentence should not be greater than Vicki Hendricks's. After some discussion the trial court ruled that there would be no restrictions on cross-examination except for the length of the sentence imposed on Ms. Hendricks. On appeal, Watson cites a medley of cases attesting to the right of a defendant to show by cross-examination anything bearing on the possible bias of a material witness. Billett v. State, 317 Ark. 346, 877 S.W.2d 913 (1994); Henderson v. State, 279 Ark. 435, 652 S.W.2d 16 (1983); Klimas v. State, 259 Ark. 301, 534 S.W.2d 202 (1976); Davis v. Alaska, 415 U.S. 308, 94 S.Ct. 1105, 39 L.Ed.2d 347 (1974). In the latter case the importance of cross-examination was succinctly highlighted by the Supreme Court: Denial of cross-examination to show the possible bias or prejudice of a witness may constitute constitutional error of the first magnitude as violating the Sixth Amendment right of confrontation. We have also held that the punishment of one accused is not admissible to prove what the punishment of another should be. Robinson v. State, 278 Ark. 516, 648 S.W.2d 444 (1983). However, we need not decide whether the sentence of Ms. Hendricks was admissible to show bias because trial error, even involving the confrontation clause, is subject to a harmless error analysis, and we are persuaded that if error occurred, it was harmless beyond a reasonable doubt. Delaware v. Van Arsdall, 475 U.S. 673, 106 S.Ct. 1431, 89 L.Ed.2d 674 (1986). Factors to be weighed in that determination are the importance of the witness's testimony, whether the testimony was cumulative, the presence or absence of evidence corroborating or contradicting the testimony of the witness on material points, the extent of cross-examination otherwise permitted, and the overall strength of the state's case. Those factors have been held applicable to confrontation clause issues. Winfrey v. State, 293 Ark. 342, 738 S.W.2d 391 (1987); Delaware v. Van Arsdall, supra . Applying those criteria to this case permits but one conclusion. Seven witnesses testified without serious challenge to numerous drug transactions by the appellant. Contradictions were virtually nonexistent. The defense introduced no testimony or proof except a letter from defense counsel to Watson advising him that in counsel's opinion Watson was facing multiple life sentences and strongly recommending his acceptance of a plea bargain of ten years and a fine proposed by the state, which Watson had rejected. The state then offered a single life sentence and no fine and that, too, was rejected. In open court Watson acknowledged receipt of the letter and rejection of either proposal. Certainly Vicki Hendricks was a material witness for the state, but her testimony was not undermined in any fashion and the strength of the state's case overall was irrefutable. We can say without hesitancy that if error occurred in this regard it was harmless beyond a reasonable doubt.