Opinion ID: 2118216
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Admissibility of Past Misconduct Evidence

Text: Acknowledging that his counsel failed to object at trial, the defendant claims that admission of two instances of his prior misconduct amounts to fundamental error. The victim's former roommate testified that in the summer of 1983 the defendant tried to sexually assault the roommate, but she was able to resist him. On redirect examination, the roommate also mentioned a prior incident in which the defendant had broken into a residence. The defendant correctly asserts that evidence of crimes and uncharged criminal acts is generally inadmissible to prove the guilt of the accused. Stwalley v. State (1989), Ind., 534 N.E.2d 229; Staton v. State (1988), Ind., 524 N.E.2d 6. The State contends that the evidence was admissible under either the depraved sexual instinct or the common scheme or plan exceptions to this general rule. The depraved sexual instinct exception allows evidence of prior acts showing the same perverted sexual instinct that is involved in the charged offense. Miller v. State (1991), Ind., 575 N.E.2d 272. However, this exception does not allow the admission of evidence of the prior rape of an adult woman. Stwalley, 534 N.E.2d 229; Reichard v. State (1987), Ind., 510 N.E.2d 163. In the present case, the nature of the defendant's prior attempted sexual assault upon the roommate cannot be distinguished from an attempted rape; thus, it is not admissible under the exception. Two branches of the common scheme or plan exception are recognized. The first permits proof of identity by showing the defendant committed other crimes with identical modus operandi. The second permits proof of an uncharged crime as evidence of a preconceived plan which included the charged crime. Penley v. State (1987), Ind., 506 N.E.2d 806. The State urges application of the common scheme or plan exception arguing only that the prior break-in occurred in the same building. This is insufficient to meet the so strikingly similar standard [2] required for admissibility under the modus operandi branch of the common scheme or plan exception. Id. at 810. While evidence of the defendant's past misconduct should not have been admitted, trial counsel's failure to object waives such error unless the admission of evidence constitutes fundamental error. Wright v. State (1985), Ind., 474 N.E.2d 89. Even when procedural default does not preclude asserting the claim of error, such error may nevertheless be found harmless and thus insufficient to require reversal. Collins v. State (1991), Ind., 567 N.E.2d 798. A finding of fundamental error results only when the error is a substantial blatant violation of basic principles rendering the trial unfair. Hart v. State (1991), Ind., 578 N.E.2d 336. This determination includes consideration of the potential for resulting harm. Id. Similarly, an evaluation for harmless error involves considering the likelihood that the questioned evidence may have contributed to the conviction. Jaske v. State (1989), Ind., 539 N.E.2d 14. Erroneously admitted evidence may be found to be harmless where a determination of guilt is supported by overwhelming independent evidence. Staton, 524 N.E.2d 6, 9; Howell v. State (1981), 274 Ind. 490, 493, 413 N.E.2d 225, 226; Stevens v. State (1976), 265 Ind. 396, 408, 354 N.E.2d 727, 735. As outlined in our discussion in Issue 1, the other evidence is overwhelming and leads us to conclude that the erroneously admitted evidence of the defendant's prior misconduct did not amount to fundamental error. If a timely objection had been made and overruled, the error would have been harmless.