Opinion ID: 1947002
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Byndom's Direct Appeal

Text: Byndom raises one point on appeal. He argues that the trial court erred in finding Mason competent to testify at trial because she lacked the testimonial capacity of narration, and defense counsel was unable to effectively cross-examine her. The State counters by noting that the defense obtained a favorable ruling on the exclusion of the Dynavox computer to aid Mason's testimony, so the defense now cannot claim error because it invited the error itself. Alternatively, the State argues that Byndom's argument fails on the merits because Mason possessed narrative capacity as conceded by the defense and as evidenced by Mason's ability to communicate through yes/no responses and other physical sounds, gestures, eye movement, and body movement. The question of the competency of a witness is a matter lying within the sound discretion of the trial court and in the absence of clear abuse, we will not reverse on appeal. King v. State, 317 Ark. 293, 877 S.W.2d 583 (1994); Jackson v. State, 290 Ark. 375, 720 S.W.2d 282 (1986). The trial court must begin with the presumption that every person is competent to be a witness. Id.; Ark. R. Evid. 601. The party alleging a witness is incompetent has the burden of persuasion. Logan v. State, 299 Ark. 266, 773 S.W.2d 413 (1989). The issue of competency of a witness is one in which the trial judge's evaluation is particularly important due to the opportunity he is afforded to observe the witness and the testimony. Clifton v. State, 289 Ark. 63, 709 S.W.2d 63 (1986). As long as the record is one upon which the trial judge could find a moral awareness of the obligation to tell the truth and an ability to observe, remember and relate facts, we will not hold there has been a manifest error or abuse of discretion in allowing the testimony. Hoggard v. State, 277 Ark. 117, 640 S.W.2d 102 (1982); Chambers v. State, 275 Ark. 177, 628 S.W.2d 306 (1982). Competency, as referred to in Ark. R. Evid. 601, is not to be confused with reliability. Hammon v. State, 338 Ark. 733, 2 S.W.3d 50 (1999). Testimony by competent witnesses may be presented to the finder of fact. The jury then evaluates the evidence, considers the credibility of the witness, and arrives at its conclusion. The criteria for determining whether a witness is competent to testify are: (1) the ability to understand the obligation of an oath; (2) an understanding of consequences of false swearing; (3) the ability to receive and retain accurate impressions; and (4) the extent that the capacity exists to transmit to the fact-finder a reasonable statement of what was seen, felt or heard. Logan, supra ; Chambers, supra . The issue of competency of a witness is one in which the trial judge's evaluation is particularly important due to the opportunity he or she is afforded to observe the witness and the testimony. King v. State, 317 Ark. 293, 877 S.W.2d 583 (1994). The parties do not cite, and this court has not found, any Arkansas cases wherein a witness cannot speak due to a physical disability, but can communicate through other means besides a court interpreter. However, several other jurisdictions have considered similar issues. Illinois appellate courts have faced such a situation in at least two criminal cases. In People v. Spencer, 119 Ill.App.3d 971, 75 Ill.Dec. 479, 457 N.E.2d 473 (1983), the Illinois Court of Appeals considered a case in which a thirty-one-year-old deaf-mute woman was raped. The mildly to moderately retarded woman could not speak, but instead communicated through gestures and references to picture symbols, numbers, colors, and the alphabet. The defense objected at trial to these methods of communication, arguing that they denied the defendant the right to confrontation because she could not verbally communicate. The trial court denied this objection, and the appellate court affirmed, stating: [A] witness's inability to speak does not render her incompetent to testify or violate the defendant's right to cross-examine witnesses so long as she is able to communicate the facts by other methods and otherwise meets the tests of legal competency; i.e., that she can observe, recollect, and appreciate the moral duty to tell the truth. In the instant case, because Diane was able to communicate by other means and was otherwise competent, we reject defendant's contention that his constitutional right to confront witnesses was violated. Spencer, 75 Ill.Dec. 479, 457 N.E.2d at 479. The court also held that a witness suffering from mental impairment such as retardation is legally competent to testify so long as she has the capacity to observe, recollect and communicate, and that the defendant cannot rely merely on the fact that the witness is retarded to challenge her competency. Id., 75 Ill.Dec. 479, 457 N.E.2d at 477. Finally, the appellate court cited similar cases from other jurisdictions in which witnesses who could not speak and knew no form of sign language were found competent to testify. See Burgess v. State, 256 Ala. 5, 53 So.2d 568 (1951); Hyman v. State, 338 So.2d 448 (Ala.Cr.App.1976); and State v. Galloway, 304 N.C. 485, 284 S.E.2d 509 (1981). The court in Galloway stated: The general rule appears to be that deaf and mute persons are not incompetent as witnesses merely because they are deaf and mute if they are able to communicate the facts by a method which their infirmity leaves available to them and are of sufficient mental capacity to observe the matters as to which they will testify and to appreciate the obligation of an oath. 97 C.J.S. Witnesses §§ 61 (1957).