Court Opinion

ID: 9662604
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-23 23:14:00.939453+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:14:41.013945
License: Public Domain

Dissenting Opinion by
Justice STUMBO.
Chief Justice Lambert’s concurring opinion in Hayes v. Commonwealth, Ky., 58 S.W.3d 879 (2001), pointed out that the majority overruled relatively recent precedent sua sponte, even though it was not necessary to do so to resolve the issue. Mathews v. Commonwealth, Ky., 997 S.W.2d 449 (1999), became final little more *205than a year before this trial was held. Defense counsel followed the procedure set forth in that opinion when he placed avowal testimony into the record. The error alleged was preserved and remained so until October of 2001, when Hayes was decided, some three months after Appellant’s initial brief was filed. We should review this issue on the merits rather than foreclosing it procedurally, particularly since we have already ordered the case reversed for a new trial. Judicial economy, at minimum, demands it.
A review of the avowal reveals that it meets the standard we set in Mathews: it contains the substance of the witnesses’ testimony and is sufficient for the Court to determine the correctness of the trial court’s ruling.
I would hold that the trial court erred in ruling that Brewster could be cross-examined to elicit speculation about another witness’ possible motives to testify as he did.
KRE 611(b) states that “[a] witness may be cross-examined on any matter relevant to any issue in the case, including credibility.” Further, the scope of cross-examination rests in the sound discretion of the trial court. Moore v. Commonwealth, Ky., 771 S.W.2d 34, 38 (1988). Although Kentucky recognizes a “wide open” cross-examination, there remain some limitations. In Commonwealth v. Maddox, Ky., 955 S.W.2d 718, 721 (1997), this Court held that there must be some connection between the proposed cross-examination and the facts that are in evidence. Here, Brewster was not being asked to testify to statements made to him by Searight. Rather, he was being asked to speculate as to other possible motives Searight may have had to testify against Appellant. There are facts in the evidence that support Appellant’s contention that Searight may have disliked Appellant because of Angela Banta. There is no evidence in the record to support any other theories as to why Searight might have disliked Appellant. Further, even if there were, Brewster’s opinion of whether Searight might have been upset with Appellant for receiving a twenty-year sentence was irrelevant. Therefore, I would hold that the trial court abused its discretion when it held that the Commonwealth could cross-examine Brewster on this matter. Appellant was effectively denied due process of law when he was prevented from calling Brewster to help establish that Searight, a material witness against Appellant, had a motive to lie.