Opinion ID: 1798829
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: the court erred in denying appellant's request for a handwriting expert at state expense.

Text: Again, this is a matter that lies within the discretion of the trial court. Ruiz and Van Denton v. State, 265 Ark. 875, 582 S.W.2d 915 (1979). The record indicates that certain writings were used for the purpose of showing that the appellant had used the name of Damon Peterson while he was in the Crawford County area. There was no attempt made to show that the writing on any particular items in evidence was actually the handwriting of the appellant. We have held that it is a matter within the discretion of the trial court in refusing to provide a defendant with an unnamed expert to rebut the state's expert testimony evidence. Adams v. State, 276 Ark. 18, 631 S.W.2d 828 (1982). In the present case the state did not use expert testimony to establish the handwriting as that of appellant. The appellant was linked to these items of evidence by identification testimony only. Several other witnesses identified the appellant as one known as Damon Peterson while he was in the area. Testimony concerning the evidence purportedly bearing the signature of Damon Peterson was received without objection thus this issue is precluded from review on appeal. Wicks v. State, 270 Ark. 781, 606 S.W.2d 366 (1980). Under the facts presented under this argument we do not find that the trial court abused its discretion.