Court Opinion

ID: 9585429
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-21 23:00:22.381507+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T15:44:17.475084
License: Public Domain

Levin, J.
I concur with the following observations. The opinion of the Court states that a "witness questioned concerning the defendant’s character for truth and veracity may well slip into a general discourse on the defendant’s character, as Mr. Barnes did in the instant case, thus opening up the range of rebuttal allowed to the prosecution under MRE 404(a)(1).”1 A footnote refers to MRE 608, which states that the credibility of a witness for truthfulness "may be attacked or supported by evidence of reputation.” The footnote continues: "Upon cross-examination, inquiry about specific acts probative of truthfulness or untruthfulness of the witness or of the person for whose character *137the witness has vouched is permitted.” The footnote concludes: "We need not consider the extent to which rebuttal under MRE 404(a)(1) must be limited by the nature of the character testimony presented by the defendant because Mr. Barnes testified concerning the defendant’s general reputation in the community.”
I write separately because (1) the record indicates that at trial the focus was only on MRE 608 and not on MRE 404(a)(1), and (2) Mr. Barnes’ unsolicited comments touching on the defendant’s general reputation in response to a question about his reputation for veracity did not, as a matter of law, open up an unlimited range of cross-examination under MRE 404(a)(1).
The record indicates that at first the exchange between defense counsel and Barnes might have appeared to concern Whitfield’s general reputation: "Q. Could you tell us what the defendant’s reputation in the community is?” "A. It is good.” But it immediately became clear that the inquiry was limited to reputation for truthfulness:
Q. Is he known in the community for speaking the truth?
* * #
A. Yes.
* * *
Q. Have you, Mr. Barnes known about the reputation of Mr. Whitfield in the community for truth and veracity?
A. Yes.
Q. Could you relate to us what that would be?
A. It is good. People that communicate with him and that know him, they speak very highly of him as a wonderful person, as a good boy or good person. He has taken part in a number of community activities. For instance his brother Thomas
*138At this point, the prosecutor objected on the grounds that "the rule, 608, does have this type of testimony. I think we are going beyond the limits of Rule 608.” Since the objection was based on MRE 608,2 and MRE 608 is limited to reputation for truthfulness, there was no justification under MRE 608 for allowing the prosecutor’s rebuttal concerning the defendant’s alleged sodomizing of his five-year-old cousin. The alleged misconduct is not probative of truthfulness or untruthfulness. People v Mitchell, 402 Mich 506, 515; 265 NW2d 163 (1978). The proper judicial response was to strike Barnes’ additional comments which could be seen as having wandered into Whitfield’s general reputation.
The opinion ignores that the focus at the trial was whether the cross-examination was admissible under MRE 608, not whether it was admissible under MRE 404(a)(1).3
The trial judge and counsel for both the defen*139dant and the people understood that defense counsel’s questioning was under MRE 608. Although Barnes may have strayed beyond a discussion of the witness’ reputation for truthfulness, that did not open the door to rebuttal pursuant to MRE 404(a)(1) and 405, absent a finding by the trial judge that this was by design. Absent such a finding, the proper judicial response when the prosecutor objected was simply to strike the unresponsive statements and caution the jury. Unsolicited testimony touching on general reputation by a defense witness being questioned about reputation for truthfulness under MRE 608 does not automatically open up an unlimited range of cross-examination under Rules 404(a)(1) and 405.
Cavanagh, J., concurred with Levin, J.
Archer, J., took no part in the decision of this case.

 Ante, p 131.

 That the issue was framed in terms of MRE 608 became even clearer during cross-examination. When the prosecutor attempted to ask Barnes about the alleged prior incident of sexual assault on a child, defense counsel objected, and the jury was excused. The trial judge then asked the prosecutor what question he was about to ask and the prosecutor responded: "[t]he question . . . was . . . Would his opinion be the same had he heard that seven years ago David Whitfield committed a sexual assault on his then five-year-old cousin Earl Jones.” The prosecutor went on to say, "That is a proper question. Rule 608B.” The judge then asked the prosecutor to read MRE 608, and the prosecutor did so with the following interjections. "Specific instances . . . may ... in the discretion of the Court, if probative of truthfulness, ... be inquired into on cross-examination of the witness, character of truthfulness or untruthfulness of another witness as to this character — and that is Mr. Whitfield. He testified as to the character of Mr. Whitfield. I can ask him about specific instances of conduct on the part of Mr. Whitfield.” The record thus shows that MRE 608 was the basis of the prosecutor’s cross-examination regarding the alleged instance of misconduct, defense counsel’s objection, and the judge’s ruling.

 The record contains a reference to MRE 404; this occurred in a cryptic exchange between the prosecutor and the judge that took place after the jury had reached a verdict, but before it was announced. Defense counsel was not present.