Opinion ID: 2551693
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Victim's Character

Text: Galloway argues that admission of testimony regarding the victim's good character was prejudicial and reversible error. Except as otherwise provided by statute, constitutional prohibition, or court decision, all relevant evidence is admissible. K.S.A. 60-407(f); State v. Smallwood, 264 Kan. 69, 84, 955 P.2d 1209 (1998). Relevant evidence is evidence having any tendency in reason to prove any material fact and the determination of relevancy is a matter of logic and experience, not a matter of law. K.S.A. 60-401(b); Simon v. Simon, 260 Kan. 731, 741, 924 P.2d 1255 (1996). Evidence that a person committed a crime or civil wrong on a specified occasion is inadmissible to prove his or her disposition to commit crime or civil wrong as the basis for an inference that the person committed another crime or civil wrong on another specified occasion but, subject to K.S.A. 60-445 and 60-448, such evidence is admissible when relevant to prove some other material fact including motive, opportunity, intent, preparation, plan, knowledge, identity, or absence of mistake or accident. K.S.A. 60-455. Except as otherwise provided under the rules of evidence, the trial judge may in his or her discretion exclude evidence if he or she finds that its probative value is substantially outweighed by the risk that its admission will unfairly and harmfully surprise a party who has not had reasonable opportunity to anticipate that such evidence would be offered. K.S.A. 60-445. Dolly White, the victim's sister, a State's witness, testified: Q: [Prosecutor] And can you tell us a little bit about Floyd White? A: He was a veteran. He served in the Air Force and the Army. He was a pretty good guy. He was real intelligent and really generous, fun loving guy. Q: How long was he in the military? A: I think between the two branches, about eighteen years. Q: And you said Floyd was a generous person. Can you tell us or give us an example? A: He'd give you the shirt off his back, give you anything. If you needed something, just ask him for it. He'd give it to you. Q: Was Floyd a violent or aggressive person? A: No, he wasn't a violent person at all. Q: Did Floyddid Floyd carry money? A: Yes. Q: Can you describe how he carried his money? A: Well, he would carry his moneyhe had a wallet in his billfold in which he carried all of his important affairs so he probably had a billfold that looked real thick. Q: Did he ever show his roll of money? A: Oh, yeah, sometimes he would show his roll. Q: Liked to show his money to people? A: Yeah. Q: Did Floyd fish? A: Oh, yes. Q: He liked to fish? A: Yeah, he loved it. MS. MADER [Defense counsel]: Objection as to the relevancy of this line of questioning. THE COURT: Mr. Trapp [prosecutor]? MR. TRAPP: It's orientation. Mr. White can't be here to give a little example of the kind of person he was and the questions will be brief. THE COURT: I'll allow a little bit more. Go ahead. The prosecutor asked no more questions regarding the victim's character. On appeal, the State abandons the argument made to the trial judge that the testimony was relevant for orientation purposes. The State argues on appeal that although the trial court erroneously based its decision to allow the testimony on the prosecutor's claim that the testimony provided orientation, the decision to allow the testimony should be upheld if the testimony was admissible on other grounds. The State argues that White's testimony was admissible to corroborate the testimony of Kahle that White liked to show off his roll of cash, that White enjoyed fishing, and that White would give people money or other items when asked. The State further asserts that even if the testimony was erroneously admitted, its admission was harmless. To counter the State's argument, Galloway cites State v. Donesay, 265 Kan. 60, 959 P.2d 862 (1998). In Donesay, the trial court allowed the deceased police officer's widow to testify at length regarding her relationship with the victim, other family members, and friends. The testimony consumed 28 pages of the trial transcript and included information regarding the victim's pleasant disposition, career goals, and the last kiss the deceased police officer gave the widow as he left for work on the day of his death. In addition to eliciting character evidence from the victim's wife over defense objections, the prosecutor told the jury in opening statements the details of what the victim's wife would testify to. Unlike the circumstances in this case, the defendant in Donesay did not deny that he shot the victim. The primary issue in Donesay was whether the defendant killed the victim with premeditation. There was no evidence in the case of the defendant's premeditated intent to kill the victim. The Donesay court found that the widow's testimony was not relevant to any material fact of the crimes charged but was intended to influence the jury and prejudice the defendant's right to a fair trial. 265 Kan. at 85. The error was compounded in opening and closing statements when the prosecutor referred to the testimony at length. Under these circumstances, the Donesay court could not conclude beyond a reasonable doubt that the admission of the testimony of the victim's widow was harmless. 265 Kan. at 89. We note that while Dolly White's characterization of her brother was consistent with Kahle's description of White's actions on the day of the shooting, it was not inconsistent with Galloway's testimony. The sister's testimony did not prove a relevant fact and was erroneously admitted into evidence. Was the admission of this evidence harmless? To determine whether the admission of irrelevant testimony regarding the good character of the victim was harmless, the Donesay court set out the dual analysis an appellate court must apply. First, an appellate court must determine if the admission of the evidence was inconsistent with substantial justice, i.e., whether substantial rights of the defendant were affected by the admission of the testimony. Second, if the admission of the evidence was inconsistent with substantial justice, can the appellate court declare beyond a reasonable doubt that the error had little, if any, likelihood of having changed the result of the trial? 265 Kan. at 88. The primary issue at Galloway's trial was whether the jury believed Kahle's version of the events that Galloway had killed White or Galloway's version that he last saw White at a Hardee's Restaurant. However, there was evidence other than Kahle's testimony to support the State's case against Galloway. The other evidence included the recorded conversation of Kahle and Galloway. During the recorded conversation which occurred several days after the killing, Galloway made no explicit admissions but he adamantly encouraged Kahle to support his version of the events and repeatedly reviewed his version of the events with Kahle. He cautioned Kahle to tell the police he did not know how White was killed. Galloway threatened that if Kahle implicated him in the murder, he would, in turn, implicate Kahle. Furthermore, Galloway assured Kahle that the police would not find a weapon and told Kahle to destroy evidence that could tie them to the murder. Based on the recorded conversation, a jury could reasonably find that Galloway murdered Floyd White. This case is distinguishable from Donesay. Here, the erroneous character evidence was not reinforced further by the prosecutor's opening statement or closing argument. In addition, the taperecording provides substantial independent evidence from which a jury could find Galloway was guilty of the murder. After reviewing the evidence, we can declare beyond a reasonable doubt that the testimony of White's sister regarding White's good character, although erroneously admitted, had little, if any likelihood of having changed the result of the trial.