Opinion ID: 1591177
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Polygraph ResultsResidual Doubt Mitigating Evidence

Text: The defendant claims that the trial court erred in refusing to permit into evidence to establish residual doubt the results of two polygraph examinations he had taken which he claims shows his innocence. Apparently recognizing that polygraph results are generally not admissible proof, the defendant argues that the rules of evidence cannot be applied in a mechanistic manner so as to infringe a defendant's constitutional right to present mitigating evidence at a capital sentencing procedure. The State responds that evidence that Hartman allegedly passed polygraph tests is not admissible because its lack of any indicia of reliability means it is not probative. We agree. The defendant is correct that the rules of evidence should not be strictly applied in capital sentencing hearings to preclude the admission of relevant evidence. [15] However, as the Court of Criminal Appeals recognized, there is longstanding precedent in this State holding that polygraph test results are inherently unreliable, and consequently, such results are irrelevant and inadmissible. See Grant v. State, 213 Tenn. 440, 443, 374 S.W.2d 391 (1964); Irick v. State, 973 S.W.2d 643, 652-53 (Tenn.Crim.App.1998); State v. Campbell, 904 S.W.2d 608, 614 (Tenn.Crim.App.1995); State v. Adkins, 710 S.W.2d 525, 529 (Tenn.Crim.App.1985). [16] We agree with this precedent. Moreover, contrary to the defendant's assertion, no different rule is required when a defendant seeks to admit polygraph test results to establish residual doubt. Since such results are inherently unreliable and not admissible to establish the defendant's guilt, it follows that such results are not admissible to establish residual doubt about the defendant's guilt. Accordingly, the trial court did not err in refusing to admit the results into evidence.