Opinion ID: 1120045
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: evidence of adkinson's homestead boundaries

Text: Extensive testimony was presented at trial concerning the formal boundaries of Adkinson's homestead. The state's theory in introducing this evidence was that the boundaries were questionable, Adkinson was aware of this, and thus also aware that perhaps Butts and his companions were not in fact trespassers on his property. The thrust of such a conclusion would purportedly be to call into question the reasonableness of Adkinson's reaction to the victim's presence, which would be relevant to the negligent homicide count. Adkinson contends that the evidence was irrelevant and highly prejudicial, serving primarily to portray the defendant as a greedy and vexatious person who acted in bad faith. Although we have difficulty understanding the relevance of this evidence, and it is unfortunate that so much time at trial was consumed in the dispute over the homestead boundaries, we do not believe that it had an appreciable effect on the jury's verdict. The jury found Adkinson not guilty of Count II, negligent homicide, and guilty of Count I, manslaughter, which required a finding that Adkinson pointed his gun at Butts, an act that was unlawful under the circumstances regardless of whether Butts was a trespasser. Therefore, any error with regard to the admission of the homestead boundaries evidence would be harmless. [18]