Opinion ID: 1355273
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 7

Heading: Restriction on Impeachment of Angela Jackson

Text: Defendant Thomas complains that it was error for the court to refuse to allow Russell Carpenter and William Upchurch to testify that Angela Jackson had told them that she was going to make sure that Defendant Thomas went to jail. The State responds that this allegation is unsupported by the record. A review of the direct examination of Russell Carpenter reveals that counsel for Defendant Thomas questioned Mr. Carpenter as to the status of the Thomas/Jackson relationship. Specifically, the following questions were posed of Mr. Carpenter: Q: Mr. Carpenter, ... Did [Angela Jackson] threaten ... say she was going to pay Andrew Thomas back? A: Yes, sir. Q: Was she angry about their breakup? A: Yes, sir. Q: Did she make a comment that if she couldn't have him, no one else would? A: Yes, sir. Likewise, a review of the testimony of William Upchurch reveals that counsel for Defendant Thomas questioned Mr. Upchurch as to the status of the Thomas/Jackson relationship. Specifically, the following colloquy occurred: Q: Did you ever hear Ms. Jackson make any statements regarding Andrew Thomas? A: Yes. Q: What statements? A: Saying she were gonna pay him back. The only objection noted in the record is the State's objection to the open-ended questions asked by defense counsel to Russell Carpenter, that is, Did you ... have any occasion to talk to Angela Jackson? and What did she say to you? To the latter objection, the trial court stated, I'm going to let you lead if he's going to say the same thing, basically, that others said; that she said she's going to pay him back. But to just ask an open-ended question, What did she say?  we might be here for three hours listening to all sorts of ... things about a relationship that wouldn't be relevant. But with regard to that one narrow and specific comment that rebuts  or is purported to rebut what she testified to, I'll allow you to lead and get right to that. No question was posed by defense counsel regarding Jackson's alleged threats to send Defendant Thomas to jail and the trial court did not limit the same. Any testimony of this nature was only briefly touched on by defense counsel on recross-examination of Angela Jackson. Called in rebuttal, Angela Jackson denied ever threatening to get Andrew Thomas. On recross-examination, defense counsel specifically asked Ms. Jackson regarding threats by Ms. Jackson that she would see that Defendant Thomas went to jail. The record does not support Defendant Thomas' claim that the trial court improperly restricted his attempt to elicit impeachment evidence against Ms. Jackson. This claim is without merit.