Court Opinion

ID: 9717792
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-26 07:10:20.749738+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:23:55.446318
License: Public Domain

SABERS, Justice
(concurring specially).
I concur in all respects except for the attempt and the reasons given therefor “to preclude Loop from using the failure of counsel to object as evidence of ineffective assistance of counsel in a habeas corpus application....”
1) Although the testimony by the victim, her sister, and mother of an incident that occurred earlier in the week may be sufficiently contemporaneous with the crime charged to be properly ad*425missible, that question is not before us now.
2) There is no showing that any of these incidents goes to proof of motive, opportunity, intent, preparation, plan, knowledge, absence of mistake nor accident; nor does this evidence show a plan or scheme of criminal action. On the contrary, none of these factors were even at issue in this case.
The prejudicial effect of this evidence also far outweighs any probative value as to any of these factors.
I believe that the law relating to “prior bad acts” took a “wrong turn” during the last few years in South Dakota. I believe that this “wrong turn” is best demonstrated by cases such as State v. Means, 363 N.W.2d 565 (S.D.1985) and State v. Roden, 380 N.W.2d 669 (S.D.1986). This “wrong turn” was acknowledged by Justice Morgan’s special concurrence in State v. Rufener (I), 392 N.W.2d 424, 429 (S.D.1986), that “[t]he first sentence: [of SDCL 19-12-5] ... has been entirely swallowed up by the second sentence[.]” I agree completely. We should enforce the rule over the exceptions. “Evidence of other crimes, wrongs, or acts is not admissible to prove the character of a person in order to show that he acted in conformity therewith.” (emphasis added) SDCL 19-12-5. Proof should be confined to evidence of the crime charged. Evidence of other crimes or acts should be prohibited unless “really” relevant to a material issue.
As a result of the “wrong turn” we have proceeded a long way down the “wrong road.” We should go no further down that road. We should return to the rule and enforce the first sentence. SDCL 19-12-5.