Opinion ID: 1852436
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Testimony of Eric Freeman

Text: ¶ 43. Eric Freeman, an inmate incarcerated with Payton on unrelated charges, testified that he and Payton were in the same cell block and went to recreation together. Freeman testified that during these recreation times, Payton bragged about the crimes, telling Freeman the following: Payton planned and participated in the robbery; his three accomplices were easy for him to influence as long as he gave them something to drink and something to smoke; Payton's accomplices did not know their way back to Jackson, so he did not have to worry about them leaving him; Payton told Freeman that they set a fire in order to draw the police away while they robbed the bank; Payton told him that he left the bank because his accomplices took too long and messed up his good plan; Payton told him about his attempts at fabricating an alibi through his girlfriend and by pretending to be interested in buying a car; and Payton told him that he had an inside source at the bank (a security person) who would testify he was not there. Freeman also testified that Payton told him to go to Payton's accomplices and tell them to change their statements to exonerate Payton and he would help them, but if they did not change their statements, Payton could not help them. ¶ 44. Payton presented evidence establishing that the jail where he was housed had implemented a policy within the last three weeks forbidding inmates going to recreation together. He argues Freeman testified that the conversation with Payton occurred within the previous three weeks, thus, he concludes that Freeman's testimony was unreasonable, self-contradictory and substantially impeached by the testimony of Lieutenant Howard Ragsdale who testified Freeman and Payton were never together in the jail. ¶ 45. However, Lt. Ragsdale testified that Payton and Freeman were alone together in the jail. During the State's examination of Lt. Ragsdale, the following dialog occurred: Q. All right. While working in your capacity as a lieutenant at the Leake County Correctional Facility, has the Defendant, Henry Payton, and also another inmate by the name of Eric Freeman been incarcerated there? A. Yes, sir. Q. And, I will ask whether or not at some point in time, somewhere around a month or so prior to this, they were both in lock-down? A. Yes, sir. Q. All right. Now, while they were in lock-down, were they ever allowed by you to go out in the recreational area together? A. Yes, sir, we did. Q. All right. Can you tell me whether or not there would be anybody else out there with them? A. No. At the time they was out there, they was out there by themselves. (emphasis added). ¶ 46. During Payton's cross-examination of Freeman, Payton's counsel repeatedly stated that the conversation with Payton occurred sometime in the previous three weeks. Payton argues that Freeman confirmed this time frame. However, after reviewing Freeman's testimony, we do not come to the same conclusion. Freeman's testimony was that the conversation occurred within the last month. Lt. Ragsdale testified that at one point Freeman and Payton were allowed to go into the yard together. It was Payton's counsel, not Freeman, who asserted that the conversation occurred within the last three weeks. That being the case, the credibility of Freeman's and Lt. Ragsdale's testimony were matters properly before the jury and deserving of the weight apparently assigned to them. [5] ¶ 47. Payton argues that Freeman's testimony required corroboration. Apparently, Payton confuses the corroboration required for questionable co-conspirator testimony with that of a disinterested witness. See Flanagan v. State, 605 So.2d at 758. The only requirements for the admissibility of a disinterested witness' testimony is that the witness be competent and speak from personal knowledge, and that the testimony be relevant. See M.R.E. 601 & 602. Freeman's testimony established that he spoke from personal knowledge. Beyond unsupported inferences that Freeman was being coerced to testify, an allegation that was denied by Freeman, Payton has presented no evidence establishing that Freeman's testimony was so incredible as to require corroboration or to warrant suppression.