Opinion ID: 2144371
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Admissibility of Pretrial Affidavit

Text: After the State impeached Brooks with his unsworn statement in which Brooks named the defendant as Laughlin's possible assailant, defense counsel attempted to rehabilitate Brooks on cross-examination by producing an affidavit made by Brooks three months before the trial. In the affidavit, which was prepared by the defendant's attorneys, Brooks stated that (1) he never saw Humphrey shoot anyone on the night in question; (2) Humphrey never told Brooks that he shot anyone; and (3) Humphrey was not in Brooks' garage that evening. Record at 357-58. This affidavit was made several months after Brooks' jailhouse statement naming Humphrey as the possible assailant but before Humphrey was charged in the case. Defense counsel attempted to introduce the affidavit as a prior inconsistent statement, arguing that the affidavit contradicted Brooks' unsworn statement placing the defendant at the scene of Laughlin's shooting. The court interpreted this offer as an attempt to impeach Brooks and refused to admit the affidavit, concluding that it was largely consistent with Brooks' trial testimony and therefore did not impeach him. Record at 354-56. Counsel nonetheless asked for permission to question Brooks about the substance of the affidavit and was allowed to do so. Humphrey argues for the first time on appeal that the affidavit was admissible as a prior consistent statement apparently tending to rebut a charge of recent fabrication. See Evid.R. 801(d)(1)(B). This argument is waived because it was not raised at trial. Marshall v. State, 621 N.E.2d 308, 314 (Ind. 1993). Even assuming the issue were available now and the trial court erred in not admitting the affidavit, Humphrey has not explained how he has been prejudiced. As substantive evidence, the affidavit was merely cumulative of Brooks' trial testimony. To the extent the affidavit tended to rehabilitate Brooks, defense counsel was permitted through cross-examination to show the jury that the affidavit existed and was consistent with Brooks' testimony. Humphrey's claim of error on this point is meritless. [11]