Opinion ID: 901115
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Trooper's Testimony on Defendant's Credibility

Text: [¶ 30.] Although Engesser did not testify in his trial, his entire thirty minute taped interview with Fox was played to the jury. After the tape was played, the trial court allowed Fox to express his opinion on Engesser's truthfulness in the interview, particularly on the part where Engesser asserted that he had not been driving. On direct examination, the State's Attorney and Fox had the following colloquy: Q: (State's Attorney) When you spoke to the defendant at that September 13th interview you said, I don't necessarily think you're lying. Did you think he was lying to you? MR. RENSCH: Objection as to relevancy... THE COURT: Overruled. A: Yes. Q: What did you base that on? A: My experience interviewing people. Q: Okay. And what about his conversation with you did youwhat about that conversation made you believe he was lying? MR. RENSCH: Objection ... that's argumentative, it calls for speculation, and it's more prejudicial than probative, it's the ultimate issue. (off the record discussion) Q: I believe my question was, what about the interview made you believe he wasn't telling you the truth? A: There were numerous things during the interview. MR. RENSCH: Could I have a standing objection as to those matters, Your Honor? THE COURT: Yes. Q: Such as? A: One thing right off the bat you noted on the interview that before I had even asked him a question he went into a rather lengthy explanation that seemed rehearsed to me... and that initially right off the bat struck me because its not often that when you meet with somebody they volunteer a lot of stuff. In fact normally it's just the opposite ... Fox then touched on other reasons why he believed Engesser had been lying. [5] [¶ 31.] The trial court's decision to allow the trooper to express his opinion on the credibility of the defendant's statement is troublesome. Perhaps allowing the officer to explain his reason for telling Engesser that the officer did not think he was lying during his statement may have been the court's initial rationale for allowing this testimony, but what followed went beyond that. Yet, the question remains whether this was reversible error. [¶ 32.] Several circumstances mitigate the court's error in allowing this line of questioning. First, the grounds counsel now asserts on appeal were not the grounds for objection asserted during the officer's testimony. In trial, counsel objected for the reasons that the trooper's testimony was irrelevant, argumentative, speculative, prejudicial, and conclusory, calling for an ultimate opinion. On appeal, counsel contends that the error was in allowing inadmissible character evidence and an attack on Engesser's reputation for truthfulness. Perhaps the trial court would have been more responsive to those objections had they been made at the time. We have often held that an issue not raised in trial cannot be raised for the first time on appeal. State v. Hays, 1999 SD 89, ¶ 16, 598 N.W.2d 200, 203. Thus, largely the issues before us have been waived. [¶ 33.] Second, to the extent that any complaint for error on this line of questioning remains subject to review, it must be noted that this questioning was for the purpose of allowing the officer to explain why he told Engesser during the interview, I do not necessarily think you are lying. The purpose was to correct any misimpression the jurors might have taken from the officer's remark, not to give the jury the officer's assessment of Engesser's character or overall credibility. Third, assuming that the general objections were sufficient to preserve the question and assuming that it was improper for the trial court to allow this testimony to go on as it did, not every error warrants a new trial. State v. Owens, 2002 SD 42, ¶ 86, 643 N.W.2d 735, 755. [¶ 34.] A similar error occurred in the second degree murder case of People v. Allen, 222 A.D.2d 441, 635 N.Y.S.2d 40 (1995). There, the appellate court concluded that it was improper for the trial court to permit the prosecutor to ask questions regarding a detective's opinion on the truth of the defendant's statement, effectively allowing the prosecutor to solicit the detective's opinion on the defendant's credibility. However, the court ruled that the error was not reversible per se. Noting the strength of the evidence and the fact that the trial court had admonished the jury that it was the ultimate arbiter of credibility, the Allen court found the error harmless. [¶ 35.] Here, the jurors were instructed that they were the sole judges of the credibility of the witnesses and the weight to be given to their testimony. In the face of this instruction, the notion seems untenable that modern day jurors would acquiesce, sheep-like, in the opinion of a uniformed officer. South Dakota jurors are not likely to surrender their own assessment of the evidence, especially when a court instructs them that it is their duty to decide for themselves. Thus, even if the asserted error here was properly preserved for appeal, the error was harmless. SDCL 23A-44-14 (Rule 52(a)); cf. SDCL 15-6-61.