Opinion ID: 1203336
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Foundation for Impeachment Evidence.

Text: Regina Gonzales, defendant's daughter-in-law (Regina), testified three times  at Martin Gonzales's preliminary hearing, at defendant's preliminary hearing, and at trial  and offered three differing versions of events. At defendant's hearing, Regina testified that she saw defendant armed; at Martin Gonzales's hearing, she testified essentially that she did not know what happened; at trial, she testified that she had not seen weapons. At trial, the issue was whether Regina had been threatened with perjury and thus had lied at defendant's hearing to avoid charges. The State sought to show that Regina had not been asked about weapons at Martin Gonzales's hearing and thus could not have been subject to perjury charges after defendant's hearing. Regina first insisted she had been asked about weapons at Martin Gonzales's hearing; when the State offered to prove otherwise, she claimed to not remember. Martin Gonzales stipulated that the transcript could be admitted on the theory that Regina could not remember and was accordingly unavailable. SCRA 1986, 11-804(A)(3). After Regina could not remember her testimony at defendant's hearing, the transcript of that testimony was also admitted on the same theory. The prior testimony is also asserted to be relevant to assessing Regina's credibility. Defendant argues that the court erred when it admitted Regina's prior testimony from defendant's preliminary hearing wholesale. He contends that Regina should have been confronted with each statement that she could not recall. Defendant also insists that the admission of Regina's testimony from Martin Gonzales's preliminary hearing violated his right to confront the witness. We address defendant's second assertion first. Although testimony from Martin Gonzales's hearing was not admissible against defendant because he had had no opportunity to cross-examine, it was properly admitted as to Martin Gonzales. Defendant could have requested a limiting instruction, but he did not. See SCRA 1986, 11-105 (limited admissibility). Having not asserted his right to a limiting instruction at trial, defendant cannot prevail on his claim in this court. State v. Martinez, 102 N.M. 94, 100, 691 P.2d 887, 893 (Ct.App. 1984). Defendant's other assertion deserves more discussion. SCRA 1986, 11-613(B) states: Extrinsic evidence of a prior inconsistent statement by a witness is not admissible unless the witness is afforded an opportunity to explain or deny the same and the opposite party is afforded an opportunity to interrogate him thereon, or the interests of justice otherwise require. The admission of inconsistent statements is a matter committed to the trial court's discretion; the court must balance the probative value of the evidence against its prejudicial effect. State v. Davis, 97 N.M. 130, 133, 637 P.2d 561, 564 (1981); SCRA 1986, 11-403 (exclusion of prejudicial evidence). Regina's forgetfulness regarding the inconsistency opened the door for the State to introduce evidence of the inconsistency. See State v. Martinez, 98 N.M. 27, 29, 644 P.2d 541, 543 (Ct.App.), cert. denied, 98 N.M. 336, 648 P.2d 794 (1982). Regina remained available for cross-examination regarding her earlier testimony; thus, defendant's right to examine Regina regarding the alleged inconsistencies was not denied. See United States v. Collins, 478 F.2d 837, 838 (5th Cir.), cert. denied, 414 U.S. 1010, 94 S.Ct. 373, 38 L.Ed.2d 248 (1973). Furthermore, we do not believe that Rule 613 should be interpreted as rigidly as defendant requests. Regina was asked about her prior statement made during defendant's preliminary hearing, and insisted that she could not recall the prior inconsistent statements. The court, in the interest of economy and after the prosecutor attempted to read the prior testimony to Regina without successful recollection, admitted the transcript of the previous testimony. We believe this gave Regina adequate opportunity to explain the prior statements; however, her lack of memory simply prevented further explanation. Moreover, even if the procedure followed by the State and the court in admitting the transcript did not follow the letter of Rule 613, defendant has not demonstrated, nor have we discerned, reversible error. See State v. Litteral, 110 N.M. 138, 143, 793 P.2d 268, 273 (1990) (impeachment of witness, even if improper, not prejudicial error); State v. Duran, 107 N.M. 603, 608-09, 762 P.2d 890, 895-96 (1988) ([T]o establish a due process violation, and thus reversible error, the defendant must demonstrate prejudice.); State v. Hoxsie, 101 N.M. 7, 10, 677 P.2d 620, 623 (1984) (absent prejudice, no reversible error), rev'd on other grounds, Gallegos v. Citizens Ins. Agency, 108 N.M. 722, 779 P.2d 99 (1989). Moreover, the evidence was cumulative. See State v. Moore, 94 N.M. 503, 505, 612 P.2d 1314, 1315-16 (1980). In light of the foregoing discussion, we find no abuse of the court's discretion in the way in which the transcript was admitted.