Opinion ID: 1197771
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 7

Heading: Admissibility of Testimony of David Nuckols

Text: 49. David's next contention is that the trial court improperly admitted the testimony of David Nuckols (Nuckols), an investigator with the Bernalillo County District Attorney's office, regarding driving times between the scene of the murder and locations where David admitted to being on the evening of Debbie's murder. Nuckols determined these driving times by personally driving the routes on two different afternoons. Defense counsel moved to strike this testimony, and the trial court denied the motion. 50. The evidentiary rule regarding lay opinion testimony reads: If the witness is not testifying as an expert, his testimony in the form of opinions or inferences is limited to those opinions or inferences which are A. rationally based on the perception of the witness and B. helpful to a clear understanding of his testimony or the determination of a fact in issue. SCRA 1986, 11-701. In an instructive discussion of lay opinion testimony, the Court of Appeals held: the foundation required for admitting such evidence is a showing of first-hand knowledge on the part of the witness, and a rational connection between the observations made and the opinion formed. If these two requirements are present and the witness's opinion might be helpful in the determination of the facts in issue, the opinion is admissible. The requirement of a rational basis is satisfied if the opinion or inference is one which a normal person would form on the basis of the observed facts. State v. Luna, 92 N.M. 680, 684-85, 594 P.2d 340, 344-45 (Ct.App.1979). 51. The State laid the requisite foundation. First, Nuckols based his testimony on first-hand knowledge he obtained from personally driving the routes. Second, his opinion was well within the range of opinions a normal person would form after driving these routes. Third, Nuckols's testimony was helpful because it was relevant to the issue of whether David could have killed Debbie and still have been at the other locations consistent with his alibi. 52. In his brief, David argues that Nuckols's driving times were not reliable or accurate because Nuckols measured the times one and one-half years after Debbie's murder and during the day, even though Debbie was murdered at night. These arguments go to weight and not admissibility. See State v. Rubio, 110 N.M. 605, 607, 798 P.2d 206, 208 (Ct.App.), cert. denied, 110 N.M. 641, 798 P.2d 591 (1990). Defense counsel fully brought out concerns about reliability and accuracy during cross-examination, and we will not invade the jury's province by reweighing the testimony. The trial court did not abuse its discretion in admitting Nuckols's testimony.