Opinion ID: 1120826
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: bad act testimony

Text: In general, evidence of other crimes, wrongs, or acts cannot be admitted at a defendant's trial to show the defendant acted in conformity therewith. NRS 48.045(2). However, [t]he state is entitled to present a full and accurate account of the circumstances of the commission of the crime, and if such an account also implicates the defendant or defendants in the commission of other crimes for which they have not been charged, the evidence is nevertheless admissible. State v. Izatt, 96 Idaho 667, 670, 534 P.2d 1107, 1110 (1975); see also Allan v. State, 92 Nev. 318, 549 P.2d 1402 (1976); State v. Sikes, 247 Or. 249, 427 P.2d 756 (1967). First, the majority reasons Crawford's convictions cannot stand because he was prejudiced by improper bad act testimony at his trial. I disagree.
Near the beginning of November 1988, Lash Felger and his girlfriend moved into an apartment at the Racquet Club Apartments. Approximately two to three days thereafter, Felger was hired to work at the apartment complex; however, appellant Crawford fired Felger the same day Felger was hired because another person with better qualifications applied for the job. A few weeks later, Felger moved into another apartment at the same complex. Felger shared this apartment with appellant Crawford for approximately five days before Felger moved into a third apartment, again in the same apartment complex. Felger testified that on the last day of November 1988, Crawford came to Felger's apartment and expressed concern that he may have contracted a venereal disease from a girlfriend. One day later, in the early morning hours of December 1, 1988, Crawford invited Felger to his apartment. Thereafter, Felger asserts he was sexually assaulted by Crawford. One of the essential elements of the crime of sexual assault is consent. See NRS 200.366(1). Felger's belief that Crawford may have been suffering from a venereal disease is probative and relevant to the issue of consent. The decision to allow Felger to recount Crawford's concerns regarding venereal disease to the jury rested with the sound discretion of the trial court, Brinkley v. State, 101 Nev. 676, 680, 708 P.2d 1026, 1029 (1985), and should not be disturbed in this appeal absent a showing that the district court was manifestly wrong when it allowed the admission of this evidence. Hill v. State, 95 Nev. 327, 330, 594 P.2d 699, 701 (1979). The district court did not manifestly abuse its discretion when it allowed Felger to discuss Crawford's concerns regarding venereal disease.
The majority also concludes that there was no probative reason for the district court to allow testimony that Crawford had beaten his wife. I agree. However, I cannot agree that this error was prejudicial to the appellant. Guidelines for ascertaining harmless error include whether the issue of innocence or guilt is close, the quantity and character of the error, and the gravity of the harm charged. Weakland v. State, 96 Nev. 699, 615 P.2d 252 (1980). The decision of the district court to allow evidence that appellant once beat his wife seems inconsequential in light of the entire record and does not mandate a reversal of the jury's verdicts.