Opinion ID: 2356269
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Goodbye Earl Tape

Text: Flanagan argues that the circuit court erred in prohibiting her from presenting evidence to the jury that a cassette tape of the song Goodbye Earl by the Dixie Chicks was found during a search of Beverly's truck. The tape was lost prior to trial, so Flanagan proffered a CD of the song, the lyrics, and a newspaper article in which the sheriff spoke of the similarity between the crime at issue and the manner of Earl's demise in the song. Flanagan states that the evidence that Beverly had a cassette tape with this single song on it provides a basis to rationally infer that Beverly had been listening to the tape and plotting Dennis's murder. Specifically, Flanagan states, the song tells of two females who kill Earl and wrap him in a tarp, which is very similar to the facts of the case at bar. Flanagan also states that the song implies that Earl's black-eyed peas were poisoned, which is consistent with both Beverly's history of drugging her husband without his knowledge and Beverly's revelation to Pat Humes that she had planned to poison Dennis. The circuit court found no relevance and denied admission of the evidence. Whether evidence is relevant is a matter addressed to the sound discretion of the circuit court. See, e.g., Evans v. State, 317 Ark. 532, 878 S.W.2d 750 (1994). We cannot say that the circuit court abused its discretion. Further, while Flanagan was not allowed to introduce the written lyrics into evidence or play the song for the jury, there was testimony that the recording was found in Beverly's truck.