Opinion ID: 2356269
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Testimony of Pat Humes, Jason Kelems, Danny Warren, and Michael Carmichael

Text: Flanagan states that, because the circuit court prevented her from calling Beverly as a witness, it was error for the circuit court to prohibit her from introducing relevant evidence about Beverly through other sources. The following testimony was proffered for the circuit court's consideration. Pat Humes said that she had known Beverly for twenty to twenty-five years, and that about six years earlier, Beverly had been upset with Dennis and stated that she hated that M-F, that she was going to give him some Temik and kill that M-F. According to Humes, Beverly said this like she meant it. Jason Kelems stated that, about two weeks before Dennis's death, Beverly told Kelems that, unbeknownst to Dennis, she occasionally gave Dennis Xanax in his food or tea to help him sleep. Danny Warren said that, possibly as long as a year before Dennis died, Beverly told Warren that after she gave Dennis some sleeping pills, he slept for about thirty-six hours. Michael Carmichael told the court that he saw Beverly put Xanax in Dennis's beer about four months prior to Dennis's death, and that he saw her put Xanax in her youngest daughter's drink in the days following Dennis's death. The circuit court prohibited Flanagan from introducing any of the above evidence to the jury, finding no hearsay exceptions under Ark. R. Evid. 803(2), (3), or (24), 804(b)(3) or (b)(5), or admissibility under 404(b). With respect to Pat Humes, the circuit court found that she was credible, but the statement was too remote and that Dennis did not die of Temik poisoning. With respect to Jason Kelems, the circuit court found him reliable and credible; however, even though his testimony concerned a recent event, the court found that the Kelems statement, along with the Humes statement, would be more confusing than informative to the jury. The court found that the evidence from Danny Warren was remote in time and uncertain as to the date, and it noted that Michael Carmichael was uncertain as to the date of the event, how remote in time it might be. Thus, the circuit court did not allow testimony from Humes, Kelems, Warren, and Carmichael. In evidentiary determinations, a trial court has wide discretion, and we do not reverse absent an abuse of that discretion. Bullock v. State, 353 Ark. 577, 111 S.W.3d 380 (2003). We cannot say the circuit court abused its discretion in denying admission of the testimony of Humes, Kelems, Warren, and Carmichael.