Court Opinion

ID: 9722574
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-26 09:39:44.572416+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:24:37.287992
License: Public Domain

WINTERSHEIMER, Justice,
dissenting.
I must respectfully dissent from the majority opinion because the trial judge did not commit error in admitting the excerpt from the letter written to Gerlaugh that was intercepted by jail authorities. The contention that the letter was prejudicial hearsay ⅛ unconvincing. KRE 801A(b)(5) states as follows:
A statement is not excluded by the hearsay rule, even though the declarant is available as a witness, if the statement is offered against a party and is: A statement by a coconspirator of a party during the course and in furtherance of the conspiracy.
Here, the letter was evidence of a conspiracy to perjure testimony at trial. This evidence, albeit circumstantial, showed a conspiracy between Gerlaugh and others to perjure testimony. Gerlaugh stated he could not remember whether he got a letter, however, he then proceeded to explain the meaning of the letter. Based on this testimony, the trial judge did not abuse his discretion and was entirely correct in making a reasonable inference that the letter belonged to the defendant. The statement in question was made in furtherance of a conspiracy to commit perjury because the author directed Gerlaugh to discover the evidence of the prosecution before anyone perjured their testimony.
Moreover, any possible error in admitting the letter into evidence was waived when Gerlaugh testified at trial in an effort to explain the meaning of the letter. He clearly compromised his contention that he was deprived of his right of confrontation and due process. The statements of co-conspirators, when made in the course of any furtherance of the conspiracy, are beyond the purview of the hearsay exclusion. Cf. Bourjaily v. United States, 483 U.S. 171, 107 S.Ct. 2775, 97 L.Ed.2d 144 (1987).
I would affirm the conviction in all respects.
SCOTT, J., joins this dissenting opinion.