Opinion ID: 2317934
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 6

Heading: Eighth Exception.

Text: During cross-examination of the respondent by the State, and following the evidence discussed in the Seventh Exception, the State examined the respondent at length by questions plainly based upon documents furnished to him by Mr. Bird sitting at the table with counsel for the prosecution. An example of the type of questions and answers are the following: Q. Do you remember telling Mr. Sahagian sometime in October, 1951, making this statement or a similar statement to Mr. Sahagian in your discussion of this alleged contract, `I have told you the truth, see. I also told you this and I want you to think about it very carefully, Herman, because I am going to, we are going to continue to do business. I want a written contract with me.' Did you make that statement to Sahagian? A. I wanted a written contract? Certainly. Q. Do you remember you made a statement similar to that to him? A. Mr. Niehoff, I made so many statements to Mr. Sahagian I could not remember everything I said to him. The fact there was an agreement made is evidence of the fact. The Eighth Exception is to this entire line of testimony. The respondent in effect says the State wrongly introduced as evidence the contents of a recording by reading it to the respondent and that thereby he was materially prejudiced. In our view there was no error on the part of the presiding Justice in permitting the cross-examination or in refusing to order that counsel for the respondent be given an opportunity to see and examine the papers from which counsel for the State was conducting his examination. The Court said, and we approve: If the witness cannot answer the question all he has to do is say he doesn't understand it    Questions are being put to the witness and if the witness cannot answer them he may say so, always. The answers of the respondent throughout the long cross-examination show that he was thoroughly familiar with the subject matter. We find that there was no danger that the jury would regard the questions and not the answers by the respondent as the substance of the evidence. Much must be left to the discretion of the trial judge in matters of this nature. The respondent has failed to show there was an abuse of discretion in the rulings by the presiding Justice. The exception is overruled.