Opinion ID: 1943364
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Impeachment of Victim's Sisters

Text: In his pro se brief, the defendant argues that the trial court erred by allowing the State to impeach L.W. and the victim's other sister, T.W., with their prior inconsistent statements. See State v. Soldi, 145 N.H. 571, 765 A.2d 1048 (2000). We review this claim under our unsustainable exercise of discretion standard. State v. Beltran, 153 N.H. 643, 651, 904 A.2d 709 (2006). Both T.W. and L.W. told the police that the defendant had had sex with them. The defendant, therefore, was charged with one count of AFSA and six counts of incest for acts involving L.W., and five counts of incest for acts involving T.W. Both L.W. and T.W. later recanted in interviews with an investigator for the Public Defender. The State called both L.W. and T.W. as witnesses. Both testified that the defendant had never had sex with them, and the State impeached them with their prior statements. At the close of the State's case, the court dismissed all of the counts involving T.W. and all but one of the counts involving L.W. The jury acquitted the defendant of the remaining count involving L.W. Rule 607 provides that the credibility of a witness may be attacked by any party, including the party calling the witness. N.H. R. Ev. 607. Under Rule 613(b), such impeachment may be accomplished by use of a prior inconsistent statement. We have construed Rule 607 as enabling a trial court, in the exercise of its sound discretion, to allow a witness's prior statements to be used for impeachment purposes even when the party calling the witness already knows the substance of the anticipated trial testimony and is, therefore, not surprised by it. Beltran, 153 N.H. at 651, 904 A.2d 709. A witness's prior inconsistent statement may be admitted to attack her credibility even if the statement tends to inculpate the defendant directly. Soldi, 145 N.H. at 574, 765 A.2d 1048. In Soldi, however, we held that the State may not use a statement under the guise of impeachment for the primary purpose of placing before the jury otherwise inadmissible substantive evidence. Id. This limitation prevents the State from using impeachment by prior inconsistent statement as a mere subterfuge to avoid the hearsay rule. Id. On the other hand, where the State has called a witness whose corroborating testimony is instrumental to constructing the State's case, the State has the right to question the witness, and to attempt to impeach her, about those aspects of her testimony that conflict with the State's account of the same events. Id. In analyzing whether impeachment of a party's own witness would constitute subterfuge, courts look at whether the witness's testimony contains relevant evidence other than the impeaching evidence. Id. Contrary to the defendant's assertions, we conclude that the testimony of L.W. and T.W. contained evidence that was relevant and instrumental to constructing the State's case against him. For instance, both L.W. and T.W. testified as to the sleeping arrangements in the house and the September 11, 2006 argument. Consequently, we hold that the trial court sustainably exercised its discretion when it allowed the State to impeach L.W. and T.W. with their prior inconsistent statements. See Beltran, 153 N.H. at 652, 904 A.2d 709. Because we affirm his conviction, we need not address the defendant's argument in his pro se brief regarding retrial and double jeopardy. Although the defendant raises additional arguments in his pro se brief, we conclude that they lack merit and warrant no extended consideration. See Vogel v. Vogel, 137 N.H. 321, 322, 627 A.2d 595 (1993). Affirmed.