Opinion ID: 2552325
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 6

Heading: prior altercations

Text: When determining whether evidence was properly admitted at the trial court level, the appellate courts utilize an abuse of discretion standard of review. Lumley, 266 Kan. at 950. Judicial discretion is abused when judicial action is arbitrary, fanciful, or unreasonable. If reasonable persons could differ as to the propriety of the action taken by the trial court, then it cannot be said that the trial court abused its discretion. Gardner, 264 Kan. at 103-04. Wide latitude is given to the district court in determining what evidence to admit. State v. Sanders, 258 Kan. 409, 423, 904 P.2d 951 (1995). The appellant has the burden of showing why admitted testimony should have been excluded. State v. Spresser, 257 Kan. 664, 668, 896 P.2d 1005 (1995). Here, 4 days earlier, Alexander demanded that Young give her a ride to a nightclub after she had given him $15 to do so. When Young refused to drive Alexander to the nightclub, she beat him with her fist and some other object. Officers noted that Young had been drinking and that he smelled of alcohol at that time. Prior to trial, Alexander filed a motion in limine seeking to exclude any evidence of the altercation between her and Young as being irrelevant and prejudicial. Evidence of acts done or declarations made before, during, or after the happening of the principal occurrence may be admitted where those acts or declarations are so closely connected with the principal occurrence as to form in reality a part of the occurrence. Sanders, 258 Kan. at 423. Such evidence may show motive, opportunity, intent, preparation, plan, knowledge, identity, or absence of mistake. State v. Peterson, 236 Kan. 821, 829, 696 P.2d 387 (1985). Relationships are defined not only by emotions and feelings but also by events that take place between the parties as well as statements made by each of the parties. In this case, being able to determine the relationship between Alexander and Young aided the jury in understanding why Alexander would chase Young down the street while wielding a knife. It would not be an accurate portrayal of the incident to the jury to show that Alexander chased Young down the street with a knife and then stabbed him without being able to describe their relationship as defined by the various altercations that had occurred prior to the stabbing. Such evidence is not merely a tool for prosecutors. It also aids a defendant who seeks to utilize self-defense as a defense in a homicide case. Without such evidence, a jury would not be able to discern the true nature and extent of the relationship of the parties. One cannot look at the final act of violence alone and make a determination whether the defendant was subjectively justified in using deadly force in defense of himself or herself. Alexander argues that any statements Young made to police officers regarding the incident on April 29 should have been excluded as inadmissible hearsay. Not all hearsay is inadmissible. To obtain admission of out-of-court statements, the State must either produce the witness or demonstrate that the witness is unavailable, and the court must find that the out-of-court statements bear sufficient indicia of reliability or show particularized guarantees of trustworthiness. Sanders, 258 Kan. at 418. We have previously held that hearsay statements made by the deceased, prior to his or her death, concerning a discordant relationship, are admissible. See State v. Clark, 261 Kan. 460, 470-72, 931 P.2d 664 (1997) (allowing witnesses to testify that the defendant had threatened the decedent and that the decedent wanted the defendant to move out of her apartment); State v. Young, 253 Kan. 28, 37, 852 P.2d 510 (1993) (allowing witnesses to testify that the decedent had told them about the defendant's abusive behavior prior to her death); State v. Mayberry, 248 Kan. 369, 384-85, 807 P.2d 86 (1991) (allowing the decedent's friends to testify to several statements that the decedent had made prior to her death in which the decedent stated that she had been having problems with the defendant and that he had fought with and hit her); State v. Taylor, 234 Kan. 401, 407, 673 P.2d 1140 (1983) (allowing notes in as evidence that the deceased had written describing the abusive behavior of her defendant husband); and State v. Fenton, 228 Kan. 658, 667-68, 620 P.2d 813 (1980) (allowing the sheriff's wife to testify that the deceased told her that the defendant had threatened her). Young's statements to officers concerning the April 29 incident were properly admitted to show Alexander and Young's discordant relationship and to provide motive and intent for Alexander's actions.