Opinion ID: 1105996
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 7

Heading: IS THE INTERNAL MEMO PRODUCED BY ENTERGY DATED SEPTEMBER 9, 1996, ADMISSIBLE UNDER M.R.E. 401 and M.R.E. 402 ON THE SUBJECT OF ENTERGY'S CONSIDERATION OF FEASIBLE ALTERNATIVE LOCATIONS FOR ITS ELECTRICAL LINES WHICH WERE LESS DANGEROUS IN ACCORD WITH THE DECISION IN Mississippi Power & Light Company v. Lumpkin, 725 So.2d 721 (Miss.1998)?

Text: ¶ 26. While we have reversed the trial court's grant of the motion in limine concerning Entergy's standard of care, we feel compelled to address the separate issue of the admissibility of the Entergy internal memorandum which Ware proposes to offer into evidence on the standard of care issue. In moving to have the Entergy internal memorandum excluded, Entergy asserted that the memo was inadmissible under M.R.E. 401 and 402. The memorandum, written by Forest Persons, on September 9, 1996, stated, inter alia (1) that in essence it was nothing more than a status report on the Canal Street Project in Natchez; (2) that MP & L had agreed in part to do certain things (we do not know what MP & L had agreed in part to do); (3) that certain proposals (non binding talking points) had been made to the city engineer; and (4) that both Persons and the city engineer had agreed that they had no authority to make any binding decisions. ¶ 27. Ware asserts that this Entergy memorandum indicates that Entergy was willing to place the high voltage line underground at its own expense at the same location where the electrocution took place. ¶ 28. Entergy asserts that the memorandum is not admissible under M.R.E. 401 and 402. M.R.E. 401 states: Relevant Evidence means 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. M.R.E. 402 states: All relevant evidence is admissible, except as otherwise provided by the Constitution of the United States, the Constitution of the State of Mississippi, or by these rules. Evidence which is not relevant is not admissible. ¶ 29. Ware counters that Entergy had placed at issue the underground installation as a feasible alternative through the affidavit of Phil Tigrett and the expected testimony of Entergy's expert Allen L. Capp. We disagree. First of all, this internal memorandum is not relevant to the issues before the trial court, and ultimately the jury. Additionally, one important part of the equation is missing. While M.R.E. 401 and 402 are certainly critical to our discussion, and assuming arguendo that this internal memorandum is relevant, M.R.E. 403 is the ultimate filter through which all evidentiary objections eventually flow. M.R.E. 403 states: Although relevant, evidence may be excluded if its probative value is substantially outweighed by the danger of unfair prejudice, confusion of the issues, or misleading the jury, or by considerations of undue delay, waste of time, or needless presentation of cumulative evidence. Simply because there may have been discussions and consideration given to the possible underground installation of power lines by Entergy is of no moment as to the issue of whether Entergy violated the appropriate standard of care in the overhead installation of its power lines on Highway 84 leading to the Mississippi River bridge. When reading this internal memorandum in its entirety, it is obvious that it could clearly mislead the jury as to the legal obligations of Entergy, and thus any probative value of this supposed relevant evidence would be outweighed by the danger of unfair prejudice, confusion of the issues, and misleading the jury. Yoste v. Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., 822 So.2d 935, 937 (Miss.2002). While the filed rate policy does not prohibit Entergy from placing the distribution line underground and Entergy's employee may have expressed an opinion in an internal memorandum that underground placement of the power lines was a feasible alternative, the memorandum is not relevant to the issues before the trial court, and, even if relevant, this internal memorandum is inadmissible when performing the required balancing test under M.R.E. 403. The trial court thus did not abuse its discretion in finding that the Persons memorandum was inadmissible.