Opinion ID: 2602376
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 7

Heading: Whether The Trial Court Erred in Admitting Rebuttal Evidence on the Time on the Convenience Store Video

Text: {38} Defendant argues the trial court committed fundamental error in allowing a State's rebuttal witness to provide a reason for the incorrect time on the Thriftway convenience store videotape which recorded Defendant's presence. The time during which Defendant was in the store was important to either corroborate or refute his contention that he returned to the apartment shortly before 5:00 a.m. to find Peek burning. In its case-in-chief, the State presented witnesses who testified that Defendant was in the store around 1:30 a.m. Dickinson had given Defendant a ride to the store when he noticed him walking along the road. According to the store's security camera, Defendant was in the store at 2:52 a.m. Defendant called another store clerk who testified on direct examination that she saw Defendant come into the store around 4:00 a.m. Subsequent to the testimony of this witness, several jurors submitted notes to the court asking if the time on the store's videotape was correct. In response, the trial court allowed the State to call the store manager as a rebuttal witness, since the court believed the defense had opened the door. The store manager testified that, prior to the day in question, he had set the timer on the video camera ahead one hour for daylight savings time and was then unable to set it back. Hence, the time recorded on the video was incorrect. Prior to trial, Defendant moved to exclude what he argued was hearsay evidence explaining the incorrect time on the store videotape. The trial court did not rule on the motion, but instructed Defendant to raise his hearsay objection during trial, which Defendant did not do. {39} Initially, we note that since the store manager had set the timer, his testimony was not hearsay. See Rule 11-801(c) NMRA 2001. Furthermore, Defendant failed to object to the rebuttal testimony on other grounds or cross-examine the witness. Accordingly, Defendant raises this issue pursuant to the fundamental error doctrine which is resorted to only if there has been a miscarriage of justice, if the question of the accused's guilt is so doubtful that it would shock the conscience of the Court to permit the conviction to stand, or if substantial justice has not been done. See State v. Orosco, 113 N.M. 780, 784, 833 P.2d 1146, 1150 (1992). The admission of rebuttal testimony is within the discretion of the trial court and will not be disturbed absent an abuse of discretion. State v. Garcia, 83 N.M. 794, 795, 498 P.2d 681, 682 (Ct.App.1972). We affirm based on the failure of the ruling to constitute fundamental error, as well as the right of the State to correct false impressions through rebuttal testimony. State v. Simonson, 100 N.M. 297, 302, 669 P.2d 1092, 1097 (1983) (holding that the State is entitled to correct through rebuttal testimony false impressions given to jury by defense); State v. Smith, 92 N.M. 533, 540, 591 P.2d 664, 671 (1979) (holding that the State is entitled to call police officer to rebut accused's allegation that police officer threatened his life).