Opinion ID: 1913911
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Disallowance of Evidence

Text: Overby contends that the court erred in prohibiting him from bringing to the jury's attention the fact that Nelson had a criminal record and charges pending against him, and the fact that Nelson had delivered marijuana to others in the presence of Overby to procure his confidence in Nelson. In determining what evidence should be admitted or allowed to be expanded upon in an entrapment case, the judge must look to the criteria for entrapment as previously summarized by this Court: Entrapment occurs `when a law enforcement agent induces the commission of an offense, using persuasion or other means likely to cause normally law-abiding persons to commit the offense. Conduct merely affording a person an opportunity to commit an offense does not constitute entrapment.' NDCC 12.1-05-11(2). Any person cooperating with a law enforcement agency is a `law enforcement agent' for purposes of the entrapment defense. NDCC 12.1-05-11(3); State v. Erban, 429 N.W.2d 408, 413 (N.D.1988). Entrapment is an affirmative defense that the accused must prove by a preponderance of the evidence. City of Bismarck v. Nassif, 449 N.W.2d 789, 796 (N.D.1989). Ordinarily, whether entrapment exists is a question of fact for the jury. State v. Rehling, 426 N.W.2d 6, 7 (N.D.1988). But, if no dispute exists over the facts or the inferences to be drawn from the facts, the court may determine the existence of entrapment as a matter of law. City of Mandan v. Willman, 439 N.W.2d 92, 93 (N.D.1989). Police use of unlawful means is entrapment. Our entrapment statute employs the `objective' test `to determine whether police conduct is sufficiently unsavory to justify an entrapment defense.' State v. Pfister, 264 N.W.2d 694, 697 (N.D. 1978).... Thus, in order to fashion an entrapment defense under NDCC 12.1-05-11, the accused must establish two elements: that law enforcement agents induced the commission of the crime and that the method of inducement was likely to cause normally law-abiding persons to commit the offense. State v. Weisz, 356 N.W.2d 462, 464 (N.D.1984). State v. Kummer, 481 N.W.2d 437, 441 (N.D.1992). In an attempt to demonstrate to the jury that law enforcement agents induced the commission of the crime and that the method of inducement was likely to cause a normally law-abiding person to commit the offense, Weisz, supra, Overby's attorney made the following offer of proof in closed chambers: Your Honor, I want to make an offer of proof to the testimony that hopefully would have been elicited from the defendant while he was on the stand. I wanted testimony as to why he felt it necessary that he deliver these drugs to Troy Nelson because he felt sorry for him. And I believe his testimony would have been that he felt that he had taken advantage of Troy Nelson because.... [h]e had a felony at age 18, we did hear some discussion about that.... Troy Nelson had made it clear to the defendant that he had these NSF checks that he needed to make restitution on. Within the framework of the above criteria regarding entrapment and recognizing the evidence that had already been presented to the jury, the judge refused Overby's request to admit additional evidence of Nelson's criminal record. Although Nelson was not convicted of any crime, he had felony theft charges pending against him for writing NSF checks. Overby contends that, even though the jury was made aware of Nelson's pending felony theft charges by the testimony of Nelson, Overby, and a law enforcement officer, the trial judge erred in not allowing him to present further evidence on Nelson's criminal record and pending charges. In the ordinary sense, two related premises of law coalesce when questioning an informant about his or her past criminal record. First, evidence that an informant-witness has received favorable treatment at the hands of law enforcement authorities, particularly where that witness is subject to prosecution, is probative of the witness's interest or bias and may be developed through cross-examination or otherwise presented to the jury. Mevorah v. Goodman, 79 N.D. 443, 57 N.W.2d 600, 49 A.L.R.2d 825 (1953); Suan v. State, 511 So.2d 144 (Miss.1987). Convictions and pending charges against an informant may be relevant when the informant's desire for leniency in a pending charge may cause him or her to more actively and unconscionably induce a defendant. See e.g., People v. Duis, 81 Mich.App. 698, 265 N.W.2d 794 (1978); People v. Asher, 67 Mich.App. 174, 240 N.W.2d 749 (1976). The implication of such a status does not indicate entrapment per se, but merely requires a closer scrutiny of the informant's actions in the alleged inducement to determine, among other things, if the law enforcement agent's actions were overreaching or contrary to public policy. Kummer, supra [VandeWalle, J., concurring]. Second, those accused of a crime have the right to broad and extensive cross-examination of the witnesses against themespecially so with respect to the principle prosecution witness. State v. Haugen, 458 N.W.2d 288 (N.D.1990); State v. Bartkowski, 290 N.W.2d 218 (N.D.1980); Suan, supra . This right is secured in the North Dakota Constitution, article I, section 12; the Sixth Amendment of the United States Constitution; and the North Dakota Rules of Evidence, Rule 611(b). A number of cases require the admissibility of charges pending against an informant and an informant's past criminal record. Commonwealth v. Signorine, 404 Mass. 400, 535 N.E.2d 601 (1989); Suan, supra ; Speller v. Commonwealth, 2 Va. App. 437, 345 S.E.2d 542 (1986). See also 5 Patrick L. McCloskey & Ronald L. Schoenberg, Criminal Law Advocacy, ¶ 13.04 (1993). However, these cases are dissimilar to Overby's case in one important detail: the facts and circumstances of Nelson's felony theft charges were presented to the jury. A trial judge need not admit relevant evidence or permit further questioning regarding that evidence if the evidence is cumulative or unduly repetitive. Weisenberger v. Senger, 381 N.W.2d 187 (N.D. 1986). The jury became well-aware that Nelson had felony theft charges against him for issuing checks with insufficient funds. This fact came out in the testimony of a number of witnesses, including Nelson and Overby. [1] Because Nelson's felony charges were presented to the jury on a number of occasions, the jury became aware of Nelson's interest and potential for bias, and Overby had the opportunity to cross-examine Nelson regarding the charge. The judge did not err in denying the admission of the additional evidence of Nelson's criminal record. Overby's contention that the court erred in not allowing him to question Nelson on his alleged previous sale of marijuana to others in his presence is also without merit. In any proceeding before a trial court, the judge must be careful to not allow into evidence any prior bad acts of a witness when to do so would result in a trial within a trial. See State v. Kringstad, 353 N.W.2d 302 (N.D.1984). Whether or not the allegation that Nelson sold drugs to others while in the presence of Overby would be relevant to show that Nelson was not a credible witness or that the actions of the law enforcement agent were overreaching, such unsubstantiated evidence to implicate Nelson in a crime with which he has not been charged is inadmissible because it would be prejudicial and irrelevant to the proceeding. See Rules 404, 608, & 609, NDREv. The court did not err in refusing to allow evidence of any alleged sale of illegal drugs to persons other than Overby. The court did not err in disallowing this testimony.