Opinion ID: 2534158
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Evidence Concerning the Victim

Text: Twilegar contends that the trial court erred in excluding certain evidence concerning the victim. We disagree. As a general rule, a trial court's ruling concerning the admissibility of evidence will be sustained on review absent an abuse of discretion. Alston v. State, 723 So.2d 148, 156 (Fla.1998). Yet a court's discretion is not boundless, and it may be constrained by legal precepts such as the rules of evidence, Johnston v. State, 863 So.2d 271, 278 (Fla.2003), and the principle of stare decisis. McDuffie v. State, 970 So.2d 312, 326 (Fla.2007). Section 90.401, Florida Statutes (2007), defines relevant evidence thusly: Relevant evidence is evidence tending to prove or disprove a material fact. And section 90.402 provides that [a]ll relevant evidence is admissible, except as provided by law. § 90.402, Fla. Stat. (2007). Section 90.403 sets forth the following exclusion: 90.403. Exclusion on grounds of prejudice or confusion. Relevant evidence is inadmissible if its probative value is substantially outweighed by the danger of unfair prejudice, confusion of issues, misleading the jury, or needless presentation of cumulative evidence. This section shall not be construed to mean that evidence of the existence of available third-party benefits is inadmissible. § 90.403, Fla. Stat. (2007) (emphasis added). The standard for applying this exclusion is as follows: This statute compels the trial court to weigh the danger of unfair prejudice against the probative value. In applying the balancing test, the trial court necessarily exercises its discretion. Indeed, the same item of evidence may be admissible in one case and not in another, depending upon the relation of that item to the other evidence. State v. McClain, 525 So.2d 420, 422 (Fla. 1988). Applying the above law to the present case, we conclude that Twilegar has failed to show that the trial court erred in its evidentiary rulings concerning the victim. First, with respect to the testimony of Thomas's wife, Mary Ann Lehman, concerning Thomas's prior arrest for conspiracy to kill her, Lehman testified in proffer that she had learned from police that Thomas was having an affair with Patricia Sweeney, that Thomas had been arrested for conspiracy to kill Lehman, that police possessed audio and video tapes that they could not reveal to her, and that the charges against Thomas had been dropped due to insufficient evidence. Based on this record, the court did not err in excluding this evidence, see Slocum v. State, 757 So.2d 1246, 1251 (Fla. 4th DCA 2000) (To open the door to evidence about an unrelated case was to create a trial within a trial; there was a risk that the trial would be needlessly lengthened and that the additional evidence would obscure the discovery of the truth.), for the court reasonably may have concluded that the probative value of the evidence was substantially outweighed by the danger of prejudicing or confusing the jury. See § 90.403, Fla. Stat. (2007). Second, with respect to the proffered testimony of Twilegar's niece, Jennifer Morrison, concerning Thomas's alleged drug use and acceptance of sexual favors in lieu of back rent, the court excluded this testimony, concluding that the evidence was not sufficiently relevant or probative. Based on this record, the court did not err in this respect, see Hayes v. State, 581 So.2d 121, 126 (Fla.1991) (Although such evidence [of drug use] may be relevant in some circumstances, it was not relevant to any material issue on the facts of this case.), for the court reasonably may have concluded that the probative value of the evidence was substantially outweighed by the danger of prejudicing or confusing the jury. See § 90.403, Fla. Stat. (2007). Third, with respect to the testimony of both Thomas's prior girlfriend, Patricia Sweeney, concerning the conspiracy case against Thomas and his alleged drug use and the fact that she had seen him and a business associate waving guns at each other in 1998, and the testimony of David Twomey that he had seen Thomas at a convenience store sometime prior to the murder and Thomas had told him, If anybody asks, you haven't seen me, the court excluded this evidence, concluding that the evidence was not sufficiently relevant or probative. Based on this record, the court did not err in this respect, for the court reasonably may have concluded that the probative value of the evidence was substantially outweighed by the danger of prejudicing or distracting or confusing the jury. See § 90.403, Fla. Stat. (2007). And fourth, with respect to the bank records from Thomas and Lehman's Alliant Bank account in Montgomery from October 2001 to July 2002, the trial court ruled as follows: I believe any minimal probative value, which at this juncture I find none, would be certainlythe exhibits would be more confusing than they would be probative of anything. Based on this record, the court did not err in this respect, for the court reasonably may have concluded that the probative value of the evidence was substantially outweighed by the danger of confusing the jury. See § 90.403, Fla. Stat. (2007). Accordingly, Twilegar has failed to show that the trial court erred with respect to this claim.