Opinion ID: 1710671
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Allegations of Error Pertaining to Guilt

Text: Appellant was charged with the aggravated assault of Rita Teague, Appellant's ex-wife, and Donald Stout, Teague's fiance. Appellant argues that it was error for the trial court to allow the State to present the testimony of Bonnie Coleman, Teague's mother, concerning Appellant's threats to Teague during the time he and Teague were separated, but before they were divorced. Appellant objected below on the ground that the evidence was inadmissible because it was too remote in time from the date of the crimes and that it was unclear from the witness's testimony when the threats actually occurred. The prosecutor responded by making a stipulation that there was a period of five and one-half months between the couple's separation and divorce. Appellant maintained that the evidence was still too remote, but the trial court overruled the objection. Evidence may be relevant even though it is somewhat remote in time from the occurrence of the crime. Greene v. State, 317 Ark. 350, 878 S.W.2d 384 (1994) (citing Hubbard v. State, 306 Ark. 153, 812 S.W.2d 107 (1991)). A trial court is accorded wide discretion in evidentiary rulings and we will not reverse such rulings absent a manifest abuse of discretion. Misskelley v. State, 323 Ark. 449, 915 S.W.2d 702, cert. denied, ___ U.S. ___, 117 S.Ct. 246, 136 L.Ed.2d 174 (1996). Appellant's charges of aggravated assault stemmed from his actions of firing a gun at both victims a mere eighteen days after Teague had obtained a divorce from Appellant. The testimony presented by Teague's mother established that she had frequent contact with Appellant after he and Teague had separated and that Appellant made statements all the time that he was going to kill Teague. Teague's mother also testified about one particular incident during the separation when Appellant had stated that he was going to hang Teague with a rope from a tree and gut her like a deer. This testimony was clearly relevant to Appellant's intent and state of mind at the time of the offenses and was not so remote in time to render it irrelevant to the crimes with which he was charged. Appellant has thus failed to demonstrate that the trial court abused its discretion in admitting the testimony. Appellant additionally argues that the evidence was inadmissible because the prosecutor failed to lay a proper foundation as to what point in time the alleged threats were made and that the testimony should have been excluded pursuant to A.R.E. Rule 403 because it was unfairly prejudicial. We do not review these issues, as they are raised for the first time on appeal. Bridges v. State, 327 Ark. 392, 938 S.W.2d 561 (1997).