Opinion ID: 6108092
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Zovak's Testimony

Text: Taffner next argues that the circuit court abused its discretion by excluding the testimony of Jonathan Zovak. According to Taffner, Zovak would have testified as to MG's reputation for dishonesty pursuant to Ark. R. Evid. 608(a), and Taffner argues that the testimony was not excludable under Ark. R. Evid. 411. Zovak had been convicted of fourth-degree sexual assault of MG. The State argued that Zovak should not be allowed to testify because in order to impeach Zovak, the State would be required to violate Ark. R. Evid. 411 by introducing evidence of Zovak's criminal history, which would in turn reveal MG's sexual history. The circuit court agreed with the State in excluding the testimony. A circuit court's evidentiary ruling will not be reversed in the absence of an abuse of discretion and a showing of prejudice. McKeever v. State , 367 Ark. 374 , 240 S.W.3d 583 (2006). Taffner argues that the testimony was allowed under Rule 608 and was not prohibited under Rule 411. Taffner further argues the court's erroneous ruling prejudiced him because the State's entire case turned on the credibility of the witnesses. The circuit court ruled that Rule 411 specifically excludes reputation evidence, that Zovak would testify as to MG's reputation, and that as a result, he could not testify. Under Rule 608(a), a witness's reputation for truthfulness may be attacked in the form of opinion or reputation evidence. However, Rule 411(b) provides: [O]pinion evidence, reputation evidence, or evidence of specific instances of the victim's prior sexual conduct with the defendant or any other person, evidence of a victim's prior allegations of sexual conduct with the defendant or any other person, which allegations the victim asserts to be true, or evidence offered by the defendant concerning prior allegations of sexual conduct by the victim with the defendant or any other person if the victim denies making the allegations is not admissible by the defendant , either through direct examination of any defense witness or through cross-examination of the victim or other prosecution witness, to attack the credibility of the victim, to prove consent or any other defense, or for any other purpose. (Emphasis added.) Here, Zovak's testimony could best be impeached by referring to his conviction. Taffner argues that Zovak's testimony was not excludable under Rule 411 because the rule prevents the defendant, not the State, from introducing evidence of a victim's prior sexual conduct. Taffner further argues that he was planning to attack MG's reputation for honesty, not her sexual history. We hold that the circuit court erred by excluding Zovak's testimony under Rule 411 for the following reasons. First, the plain language of Rule 411 prohibits the defendant, not the State, from introducing evidence of a witness's sexual history. We construe court rules using the same means and canons of construction used to interpret statutes. City of Fort Smith v. Carter , 364 Ark. 100 , 216 S.W.3d 594 (2005). The first rule in considering the meaning and effect of the statute is to construe it just as it reads, giving the words their ordinary and usually accepted meaning in common language. Id. When the language of a statute is plain and unambiguous, there is no need to resort to rules of statutory construction. In other words, if the language of the statute is plain and unambiguous, the analysis need go no further. Id. The unambiguous language of Rule 411 demonstrates that it applies to the defendant, not the State.  Therefore, the State could have impeached Zovak with his conviction involving MG without violating Rule 411. Second, although the State could have impeached Zovak with the conviction involving MG, it was not required to do so. Finally, the State could have impeached Zovak with evidence of his past sexual assault conviction without reference to the fact that MG was the victim. Therefore, Zovak's testimony should have been allowed. Although the circuit court erred by excluding Zovak's testimony, our analysis does not end there because we must still determine if the error resulted in prejudice. See Edison v. State , 2015 Ark. 376 , 472 S.W.3d 474 (holding prejudice is not presumed by an evidentiary ruling but must be demonstrated). We conclude that it did not. Zovak would have testified that MG had a reputation for dishonesty. Although Zovak's testimony was excluded, Taffner was allowed to present essentially the same testimony from Donald Catfish Holt, a neighbor who testified that MG was a schemer who tried to blame others and get her way, while acting as if she was an innocent child. Zovak's testimony would have been cumulative to Holt's. See Lacy v. State , 2010 Ark. 388 , 377 S.W.3d 227 (holding that the exclusion of cumulative evidence was not an abuse of discretion). We therefore hold that there was no prejudice in its exclusion.