Opinion ID: 853390
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 6

Heading: Inherently Improbable Witness Testimony

Text: As a separate issue, the defendant contends that all his convictions should be reversed because the testimony of the sole eyewitness, M.S., was both coerced and unbelievable. His claim of coercion arises from his allegation that M.S. was held in jail past her release date. To support his claim that M.S.'s testimony was inherently improbable, the defendant alleges that her conduct during the episode was unlikely, that her testimony was not credible, and that there were inconsistencies between her trial and deposition testimony. The State responds that various parts of M.S.'s testimony were corroborated with evidence of injuries to her scalp consistent with being hit, injuries to her hands consistent with defending herself, semen on her thigh, and the police officers' discovery of the defendant sleeping in M.S.'s bed cradling a gun. While there are inconsistencies in M.S.'s testimony, none are sufficient to render her testimony as a whole inherently improbable. We further find nothing to support the defendant's speculation that M.S.'s testimony was coerced by the possibility that she was kept incarcerated beyond her release date. We find no error on this issue.