Opinion ID: 1197771
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Admissibility of Testimony of Carl S. Miskowicz

Text: 23. David next objects to the admission of the testimony of Carl S. Miskowicz (Miskowicz). Miskowicz shared a cell with David after David was arrested and before he was released on bail. Miskowicz made a statement to police that David had confessed to Debbie's murder while incarcerated. Later, Miskowicz recanted his statement. The court granted immunity to Miskowicz and ordered him to testify. At trial, he continued to maintain that David had not confessed. The prosecution then introduced Miskowicz's prior police statement to impeach his testimony at trial. 24. At the onset, we note that the State properly introduced Miskowicz's prior statement for the limited purpose of impeaching his trial testimony. See SCRA 1986, 11-613. Because defense counsel did not request a limiting instruction that the jury could not consider the prior statement for the truth of the matters it contained, David waived any argument that the jury improperly considered it as substantive evidence of David's guilt. See DeMatteo v. Simon, 112 N.M. 112, 114, 812 P.2d 361, 363 (Ct.App.1991) (holding that defendants waived any error by failing to request limiting instruction regarding evidence admissible for one purpose but not another). 25. However, even assuming that David preserved his objection to the admission of Miskowicz's prior statement as substantive evidence, his objection fails because the trial court properly admitted both Miskowicz's testimony and his earlier statement. The evidence contains two analytical components: the purported confession made by David to Miskowicz, and Miskowicz's prior statement contradicting his trial testimony. Neither is hearsay. David's confession is an admission by a party-opponent under SCRA 1986, 11-801(D)(2) (A statement is not hearsay if: ... The statement is offered against a party and is ... his own statement....). Likewise, Miskowicz's prior inconsistent statement was not hearsay under the rule in effect at the trial's commencement, SCRA 1986, 11-801(D)(1) (A statement is not hearsay if: ... The declarant testifies at the trial or hearing and is subject to cross-examination concerning the statement, and the statement is ... inconsistent with his testimony....). [1] 26. State v. Vigil, 110 N.M. 254, 794 P.2d 728 (1990), is dispositive of this case. The defendant in Vigil resisted introduction of a witness's prior statement concerning a purported admission by the defendant. Id. at 258, 794 P.2d at 732. At trial, the witness recanted. The Court held that the prior statement was admissible under SCRA 11-801(D)(1), (2). Id. In addition, the Court noted that although there was substantial evidence undermining the witness's credibility, this went to the weight and not to the admissibility of the evidence. Id. at 258-59, 794 P.2d at 732-33; see also State v. Williams, 117 N.M. 551, 561, 874 P.2d 12, 22 (1994) (finding the credibility of the witness, who is subject to cross-examination, irrelevant to a determination of admissibility). 27. Similarly, in this case there was substantial evidence undermining Miskowicz's credibility. However, his veracity was for the jury to determine. See id. Miskowicz's testimony and prior statement were admissible nonhearsay. The trial court did not abuse its discretion in admitting Miskowicz's testimony and prior statement.