Opinion ID: 2588164
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: I.R.E. 404(b) admissibility standard

Text: Evidence of other crimes, wrongs, or acts is not admissible to prove the character of a person to show action in conformity therewith. I.R.E. 404(b); Field, 144 Idaho at 569, 165 P.3d at 283. This rule has its source in the common law. The common law rule was that the doing of a criminal act, not part of the issue, is not admissible as evidence of the doing of the criminal act charged. See WIGMORE, CODE OF EVIDENCE, 3D ED., p. 81; see also, Old Chief v. U.S., 519 U.S. 172, 181-82, 117 S.Ct. 644, 650-51, 136 L.Ed.2d 574, 588-89 (1997) (noting that Federal Rule of Evidence 404(b) reflects the common law). [2] The policy underlying the common law rule was the protection of the criminal defendant. See 22 WRIGHT & GRAHAM, FEDERAL PRACTICE AND PROCEDURE: EVIDENCE, § 5239, pp. 436-439. The prejudicial effect of [character evidence] is that it induces the jury to believe the accused is more likely to have committed the crime on trial because he is a man of criminal character. State v. Wrenn, 99 Idaho 506, 510, 584 P.2d 1231, 1235 (1978). Character evidence, therefore, takes the jury away from their primary consideration of the guilt or innocence of the particular crime on trial. Id. The drafters of I.R.E. 404(b) were careful to guard against the admission of evidence that would unduly prejudice the defendant, while still allowing the prosecution to present probative evidence. Admissibility of evidence of other crimes, wrongs, or acts when offered for a permitted purpose is subject to a two-tiered analysis. First, the trial court must determine whether there is sufficient evidence to establish the other crime or wrong as fact. M. CLARK, REPORT OF THE IDAHO STATE BAR EVIDENCE COMMITTEE, C 404, p. 4 (4th Supp. 1985) (citing U.S. v. Beechum, 582 F.2d 898 (5th Cir.1978) (en banc), cert denied, 440 U.S. 920, 99 S.Ct. 1244, 59 L.Ed.2d 472 (1979); U.S. v. O'Brien, 618 F.2d 1234, 1239 (7th Cir.1980)). The trial court must also determine whether the fact of another crime or wrong, if established, would be relevant. Id. Evidence of uncharged misconduct must be relevant to a material and disputed issue concerning the crime charged, other than propensity. Field, 144 Idaho at 569, 165 P.3d at 283 (citing I.R.E. 404(b); Moore, 120 Idaho at 745, 819 P.2d at 1145). Such evidence is only relevant if the jury can reasonably conclude that the act occurred and that the defendant was the actor. Beechum, 582 F.2d at 912-13. Second, the trial court must engage in a balancing under I.R.E. 403 and determine whether the danger of unfair prejudice substantially outweighs the probative value of the evidence. M. CLARK, REPORT OF THE IDAHO STATE BAR EVIDENCE COMMITTEE, C 404, p. 4 (4th Supp.1985); State v. Sheahan, 139 Idaho 267, 275, 77 P.3d 956, 964 (2003) (citing State v. Law, 136 Idaho 721, 726, 39 P.3d 661, 666 (Ct.App.2002); State v. Cannady, 137 Idaho 67, 72, 44 P.3d 1122, 1127 (2002); I.R.E. 403). This balancing is committed to the discretion of the trial judge. Field, 144 Idaho at 569, 165 P.3d at 283. The trial court must determine each of these considerations of admissibility on a case-by-case basis. M. CLARK, REPORT OF THE IDAHO STATE BAR EVIDENCE COMMITTEE, C 404, p. 4 (4th Supp.1985). In the instant case, the district court admitted evidence of Grist's prior, uncharged sexual misconduct with his ex-wife's daughter. When ruling on the admission of this evidence, the district court expressed discomfort with the status of I.R.E. 404(b) jurisprudence in Idaho, stating: Well, I have had the opportunity to review Moore along with a number of other cases that have addressed this issue and, well, I'll tell [you] that I'm not really comfortable with the analysis of Moore, but I'm certain certainly I think stuck with the state of appellate law regarding these kinds of issues. I think that there has largely been a class of cases that have developed that are unique to sexual abuse cases. And I'mI think that I'm bound to follow that. I think the evidence submitted to me by way of the offer of proof from the state is relevant to a material disputed issue in this matter, that is, defendant's alleged conduct, and though certainly prejudicial to the defense, I believe that the probative value would substantially outweigh the danger of that unfair prejudice. In reaching this decision, the district court acted without benefit of our subsequent decision in Field, in which we cautioned there must be limits to the use of bad acts evidence to show a common scheme or plan in sexual abuse cases. 144 Idaho at 570, 165 P.3d at 284. The district court correctly observed that precedent from this Court and the Court of Appeals is binding upon the district courts in Idaho. State v. Guzman, 122 Idaho 981, 986, 842 P.2d 660, 665 (1992). Although the district court was applying controlling precedent from the appellate courts of this state, the district court did not determine whether there was sufficient evidence to establish as fact Grist's prior uncharged sexual misconduct with A.W. nor did the district court articulate whether the evidence was probative because it demonstrated the existence of a common scheme or plan or because it tended to otherwise corroborate J.M.O.'s testimony. As will be discussed in the following section, trial courts must carefully scrutinize evidence offered as corroboration or as demonstrating a common scheme or plan in order to avoid the erroneous introduction of evidence that is merely probative of the defendant's propensity to engage in criminal behavior. Accordingly, we vacate the judgment of conviction and remand for a new trial. We do not decide the admissibility of the evidence at issue in this case. The district court will make that determination on remand in exercise of its discretion.