Opinion ID: 1274871
Heading Depth: 4
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: The Statements to Larry

Text: We cannot say that this hearsay statement (Joe, why are you holding me hostage?) was made under circumstances evincing particularized guarantees of trustworthiness. First, it is possible that Connie only meant to use the term hostage figuratively, rather than literally. See Williams, 117 N.M. at 560, 874 P.2d at 21 (describing the danger of ambiguity). Also, this situation lacked the sort of specific incentives to tell the truth that accompanied the other two disputed hearsay statements. See id. (describing danger of lack of candor). We therefore conclude that the trial court admitted this hearsay in violation of Joe's Sixth Amendment right of confrontation. We next consider whether this error was harmless. See Delaware v. Van Arsdall, 475 U.S. 673, 684, 106 S.Ct. 1431, 1438, 89 L.Ed.2d 674 (1986) (holding that Confrontation Clause violations are subject to harmless error analysis). In Williams, this Court recently held that the admission of inadmissible evidence into a criminal trial will be considered harmless if there is: (1) substantial evidence to support the conviction without reference to the improperly admitted evidence, (2) such a disproportionate volume of permissible evidence that, in comparison, the amount of improper evidence will appear so minuscule that it could not have contributed to the conviction, and (3) no substantial conflicting evidence to discredit the State's testimony. 117 N.M. at 559, 874 P.2d at 20 (quoting State v. Moore, 94 N.M. 503, 504, 612 P.2d 1314, 1315 (1980)). A conviction is supported by substantial evidence if evidence of either a direct or circumstantial nature exists to support a verdict of guilt beyond a reasonable doubt with respect to every element essential to a conviction. State v. Sutphin, 107 N.M. 126, 131, 753 P.2d 1314, 1319 (1988). There was an abundance of evidence to support Joe's convictions for first degree murder and false imprisonment, and there is no need to recount it here. We also find that the admissible evidence of guilt was so disproportionate to the inadmissible evidence that the inadmissible evidence could not have contributed to Joe's conviction. Here, the inadmissible evidence consisted of Larry's testimony that he had heard Connie say Joe, why are you holding me hostage? This testimony was cumulative of at least two other items of properly-admitted evidence wherein Connie stated that Joe was holding her hostage. Furthermore, Connie's assertion that Joe was holding her against her will by the threat of violence was well corroborated by other evidence at trial. That corroboration included (1) Austin's testimony that Joe carried a gun in his pocket for an extended period of time during the evening preceding the shooting; (2) Austin's testimony that Joe stated You're not going to live at all; (3) Judy's testimony that she heard Joe say something that sounded like poom, poom, poom; and (4) the timing of the gunshots and the nature of the wounds. See Wright, 497 U.S. at 823, 110 S.Ct. at 3150-51 (observing that evidence tending to corroborate improperly admitted hearsay is relevant to a harmless error analysis). Finally, we believe that this case meets the third requirement for a finding of harmless error because Joe failed to offer substantial conflicting evidence to discredit the State's testimony. Williams, 117 N.M. at 559, 874 P.2d at 20. Joe himself was the single defense witness. He testified that Connie was attempting to commit suicide and that he was struggling with her for control of the gun when she received her fatal injuries. In view of the nature of those injuries  two gunshot wounds to the back of the head  we conclude that the trial's outcome would have been the same even if the trial court had not erroneously admitted Connie's hearsay statement to Larry. Accordingly, this error was harmless.