Opinion ID: 2570430
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: The Use of Prior Inconsistent Statements in Montana

Text: ¶ 30 White Water was the first Montana case to recognize the sufficiency limitations of using a prior inconsistent statement as the sole substantive evidence. White Water, 194 Mont. at 88-89, 634 P.2d at 638-39. In a trial charging sexual intercourse without consent, the victim testified that no penetration occurred. White Water, 194 Mont. at 87, 634 P.2d at 637. We affirmed the district court's directed verdict where the only evidence of penetration, an essential element of sexual intercourse without consent, was an unreliable, unsworn, prior inconsistent statement made by the victim and written by the sheriff who interviewed her. White Water, 194 Mont. at 87-88, 634 P.2d at 637. We held that a prior inconsistent statement admitted as substantive evidence under Rule 801(d)(1)(A), M.R.Evid., although admissible, is insufficient by itself to support a conviction without corroboration by independent evidence. White Water, 194 Mont. at 88-89, 634 P.2d at 638-39. See also Jolly, 112 Mont. at 355-56, 116 P.2d at 687-88 (before current Rule 801(d)(1)(A) was enacted, finding prior inconsistent statement substantive evidence, but insufficient to convict). ¶ 31 We based our holding in White Water on the reasoning that a rational juror could not likely be convinced beyond a reasonable doubt based solely on a prior inconsistent statement. White Water, 194 Mont. at 89, 634 P.2d at 639. We emphasized the insufficiency of such evidence by noting that if the entire case for the prosecution was a prior inconsistent unsworn statement it would be difficult indeed to see how [a judge] could avoid directing a verdict. White Water, 194 Mont. at 89-90, 634 P.2d at 639. However, the paradox discussed above between admissibility and sufficiency was realized in White Water because the reasoning in White Water is wholly based on an analysis of the questionable reliability of the prior inconsistent statement of the victim. White Water, 194 Mont. at 89-90, 634 P.2d at 639. We held the directed verdict was appropriate because the unreliability of the victim's statement made conviction beyond a reasonable doubt impossible. Further, in reaching our holding in White Water, we relied on the concerns expressed in the legislative history which resulted in the current federal rule, a rule which would have prohibited the substantive use of the victim's statements in White Water. White Water, 194 Mont. at 88-90, 634 P.2d at 638-39 (quoting legislative history and commentary discussed in Blakey, at 21-22). ¶ 32 Our focus on the reliability of the victim's prior inconsistent statement in White Water left open the possibility that some types of reliable or sworn prior inconsistent statements could be used as the sole basis for conviction and that only unreliable or unsworn prior inconsistent statements required corroboration. In State v. Stringer (1995), 271 Mont. 367, 382, 897 P.2d 1063, 1072, a domestic abuse case similar to the case at bar, the victim denied an assault even occurred when questioned at trial. We determined her prior inconsistent statements were more reliable than those in White Water because the victim wrote and signed the statements herself the day after the assault. Stringer, 271 Mont. at 382, 897 P.2d at 1072. ¶ 33 This holding could be interpreted to mean that we drew a distinction between reliable and unreliable prior inconsistent statements and intended to allow similarly reliable prior inconsistent statements to serve as the sole basis for conviction. However, this interpretation of Stringer ignores our fundamental concern about the questionable reliability of prior inconsistent statements and ignores the fact that, in Stringer, the victim's prior inconsistent statements were corroborated by other evidence. The corroboration included photographs of her injuries, observations by the police who arrived shortly after the incident, and statements of the victim's children to the police. Stringer, 271 Mont. at 382, 897 P.2d at 1072. ¶ 34 The above review of the issue of sufficiency of the evidence when a conviction is based on a prior inconsistent statement alone demonstrates that sufficiency is dependent on the reliability of that statement. We decline to continue down the path of analyzing the reliability of each and every type of prior inconsistent statement as many states have done. Rather, in order to create a clear, bright-line rule for trial courts and practitioners, we reaffirm our holdings in White Water and in Gommenginger that require prior inconsistent statements admitted as substantive evidence of guilt be corroborated in order to sustain a conviction. In doing so, we are in line with states that use this approach to address sufficiency when a conviction is based on a prior inconsistent statement. See State v. Moore (Fla.1986), 485 So.2d 1279, 1281 (finding that the risk of convicting an innocent person is too great where a prior inconsistent statement was sole substantive evidence); Brower v. State (Alaska 1986), 728 P.2d 645. We also clarify White Water and Stringer to make clear that prior inconsistent statements admitted at trial pursuant to Rule 801(d)(1)(A), M.R.Evid., as substantive evidence must be corroborated by other evidence, even if those prior statements seem as reliable as those in Stringer. ¶ 35 Judge Learned Hand's statement in Di Carlo v. United States is often cited in support of allowing prior inconsistent statements to be used as substantive evidence. Di Carlo v. United States (2d Cir.1925), 6 F.2d 364, 368. He stated that [i]f, from all that the jury see of the witness, they conclude that what he says now is not the truth, but what he said before, they are none the less [sic] deciding from what they see and hear of that person and in court. Di Carlo, 6 F.2d at 368. However, this rationale only addresses the credibility a jury gives to one witness. It does not address whether the out-of-court statement is so reliable it supports guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. See Di Carlo, 6 F.2d at 365 (beginning discussion of that case by stating that no question is raised of the sufficiency of the proof). Therefore, we conclude that requiring corroboration is the best way to ensure that the variations in the reliability of such statements are addressed in a way that can support a conviction beyond a reasonable doubt. ¶ 36 The State argues here that, following Stringer, Deborah's prior inconsistent statements should be considered reliable and sufficient as the sole basis for identifying Giant as the assailant because her prior statements were consistent with the physical evidence, three of her statements were given right after the incident, at least one was tape-recorded, and the statement submitted to the District Court on the issue of bail reduction was notarized. [3] However, as clarified above, Stringer does not support this assertion because the victim's prior statement that an assault had actually occurred the issue in dispute in that casewas corroborated by independent evidence. Therefore, Deborah's prior inconsistent statements must be corroborated by independent evidence of Giant's identity as the assailant for the denial of directed verdict to stand. ¶ 37 In that regard, we note that much of the evidence presented at trial goes to the reliability of each of Deborah's statements. For example, in order to reinforce the credibility of the prior statements, the State attempted to show that Deborah stopped cooperating with the County Attorney's office when Giant was released on bail and also attempted to show that Deborah asked that the case be dismissed after her divorce proceedings were voluntarily dismissed. However, this evidence only affects the reliability of the prior inconsistent statements; none of this evidence independently corroborates the statements. Therefore, Deborah's prior statements alone are insufficient as a matter of law to support Giant's conviction.