Opinion ID: 2219142
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: The Denny Analysis:

Text: ś 175. In Denny the defendant argued that he was denied his constitutional right to present a defense when the trial court refused to allow evidence suggesting that a third party had motive and opportunity to commit the crime for which he was accused. Denny, 120 Wis. 2d at 625. [33, 34] ś 176. Defendants have the constitutional right to present witnesses in their defense, however, that evidence must be relevant to the issues before the court. Milenkovic v. State, 86 Wis. 2d 272, 286, 272 N.W.2d 320 (Ct. App. 1978). Pursuant to Wis. Stat. § 904.01, relevant evidence is evidence having any tendency to make the existence of any fact that is of consequence to the determination of the action more probable or less probable than it would be without the evidence. See also Wis. Stat. § 904.02; Pharr, 115 Wis. 2d at 342. In other words, this state recognizes the admission of testimony if it tends to prove or disprove a material fact. Denny, 120 Wis. 2d at 623. In the case before us Knapp wants to offer the testimony of Maas and Farrell to show that a third party (Brunner) had motive and opportunity to commit the murder for which Knapp is charged. Therefore, Knapp claims the offered testimony is relevant. [35] ś 177. The general rule, adopted by this court, concerning the issue is that evidence tending to prove motive and opportunity to commit a crime regarding a party other than the defendant can be excluded when there is no direct connection between the third party and the alleged crime. Id. at 622. [36,37] ś 178. The Denny court adopted the legitimate tendency test gleaned from an early U.S. Supreme Court decision of Alexander v. United States, 138 U.S. 353 (1891). The legitimate tendency test asks this court to determine whether the evidence offered is so remote in time, place, or circumstance that a direct connection cannot be made between the third party and the crime itself. Alexander, 138 U.S. at 356-57. However, to show legitimate tendency a defendant is not required to prove the guilt of a third party beyond a reasonable doubt in order to have such evidence admitted in his defense. Denny, 120 Wis. 2d at 623. Conversely, evidence that simply affords a possible ground of suspicion against another person should not be admissible either. Id. [38] ś 179. In summary, Denny expressly states that as long as motive and opportunity have been shown and as long as there is also some evidence to directly connect a third person to the crime charged which is not remote in time, place, or circumstances, the evidence should be admissible. Id. ś 180. The State concedes that motive and opportunity regarding Brunner are not at issue in this case. Therefore, this court must determine whether the testimony of Maas and Farrell presents evidence showing a direct connection between Brunner and the murder with which Knapp is charged. ś 181. Denny offers an illustration to exemplify what type of evidence could show a direct connection to a degree of certainty required by the legitimate tendency test. By illustration, where it is shown that a third person not only had the motive and opportunity to commit the crime but also was placed in such proximity to the crime as to show he may have been the guilty party, the evidence is admissible. Id. at 624. See Perry v. Watts, 520 F.Supp. 550, 557 (N.D. Cal. 1981), aff'd sub nom, Perry v. Rushen, 713 F.2d 1447 (9th Cir. 1983). [39] ś 182. The evidence at issue in this case connects Brunner and Maas to the crime in a number of ways: (1) It establishes that Brunner lied to investigators about his whereabouts at the time of the murder; (2) Maas was with Brunner at the time his wife was murdered, and Maas was observed a short time after Mrs. Brunner's death carrying a paper bag and getting into Brunner's waiting truck; and (3) most importantly, the evidence puts Brunner in Watertown in relative proximity to the location where the homicide occurred and near the time of the murder. ś 183. Based upon that information, we hold that the circuit court correctly determined that the evidence established Brunner's motive, opportunity and connection to the crime. Further, we hold that the circuit court applied the proper legal standard and appropriately exercised its discretion in admitting this evidence under Denny.