Opinion ID: 844217
Heading Depth: 4
Heading Rank: 7

Heading: Admission of a Stipulation About the Killing of Andre Chappell

Text: Defendant contends that the trial court's alleged error in admitting defendant's statements to Bertrand Dickson referring to the death of Andre Chappell was compounded by an alleged additional error in admitting evidence about the circumstances of Chappell's death. At trial, the prosecutor offered to prove when, where, and how Chappell died, arguing that it was relevant to give meaning to Dickson's fear of testifying. Over defense objection, the trial court ruled that this evidence was more probative than prejudicial. In lieu of testimony, however, a stipulation was read to the jury that Chappell had been shot and killed on March 20, 1992, at 9:35 p.m., in Nickerson Gardens. Defendant argues that it was error to admit these details of Chappell's death because the reference to his death should have been admitted only to show Dickson's state of mind. Dickson had already testified that he was aware that Andre Chappell had been killed. These additional facts were not relevant, defendant argues, unless Dickson was aware of them as well. Defendant contends this information also was prejudicial because it increased the likelihood that the jury would believe that Chappell's death was connected to Adkins's murder: the shooting occurred in the same neighborhood that defendant lived in and only about one and a half months after the murder of Adkins. We need not decide whether the trial court erred in ruling that the information contained in the stipulation regarding the killing of Chappell was admissible, because any error clearly was harmless. At the time the stipulation was read the jury already was aware that Chappell had died and that he had died shortly after the shooting of Adkins. Detective Peterson testified that Chappell did not attend the lineup that was conducted in June of 1992 because he was deceased. The only new information provided in the stipulation was the specific time of death, the location, and the fact that Chappell was shot. Given the strength of the evidence against defendant on all three murder counts, there is no reasonable possibility that these details affected the outcome of the case.