Opinion ID: 2165153
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Whether Gibbons was an Incompetent Witness

Text: During the later stages of the trial, Gibbons testified that she had perjured herself in her earlier testimony. Gibbons stated, I have been lying so much for this trial, I really don't know what the truth is anymore. Steven claims that the trial court erred by not striking Gibbons' testimony, or declaring a mistrial after this admission. Steven asserts that Gibbons was an incompetent witness who did not feel an obligation to tell the truth. He relies generally on State v. Keys, Supr., 114 N.H. 487, 322 A.2d 615 (1974), for the proposition that when a trial court is not satisfied that a witness feels obligated to testify truthfully, that witness should be disqualified or her testimony stricken. Delaware Rules of Evidence provide that anyone is competent to testify as a witness, except as otherwise provided in the Rules of Evidence. D.R.E. 601; see also Ricketts v. State, Del.Supr., 488 A.2d 856, 857 (1985) ([A]lmost anyone is competent to testify, letting the concerns of mental or moral capacity go to the issues of credibility or weight given to the evidence). Each witness, however, must declare prior to testifying that he or she will testify truthfully. D.R.E. 603. Although Gibbons' testimony was, at best, inconsistent and arguably runs afoul of D.R.E. 603, it does not rise to the level at which her testimony must be stricken. First, although a portion of the record reveals that Gibbons lied and knew she lied, the rest of the record amply supports a finding that Gibbons did understand the importance of her oath to tell the truth. Second, this Court in Conlow v. State, Del.Supr., 441 A.2d 638, 640 (1982), stated that the jury, not the court, is best suited to resolve the conflicts presented by a witness who changes his or her testimony. One treatise observes: Although a witness at a criminal trial admits lying at three other criminal trials and has not been and does not expect to be prosecuted for perjury, it does not follow that he is an incompetent witness; the credibility of the witness may be tested by cross-examination and the credibility of his testimony is to be determined by a properly instructed jury. 81 AM.JUR.2d Witnesses § 165, at 180. Steven had ample opportunity to cross-examine Gibbons and discredit her testimony before the jury. Nonetheless, the jury obviously believed Gibbons' testimony and convicted Steven. Completely striking Gibbons' testimony would have been excessive, and the trial court's decision not to declare a mistrial was not an abuse of discretion.