Court Opinion

ID: 9793811
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-31 02:53:22.027321+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T08:07:02.947133
License: Public Domain

WILKINS, Justice
(dissenting):
I respectfully dissent. The District Court’s refusal to allow defense counsel to cross-examine Witness Hart, a fellow inmate and alleged victim, concerning any agreements he may have made with the State in return for his testimony, was, in my opinion, prejudicial error. I suggest that a careful reading of these examinations, cited in the main opinion, of both Witnesses Hart and Miles (a Sergeant in Salt Lake County Sheriff’s Office) shows that the constitutionally protected right of cross-examination1 was denied, and the denial did not fall within any exceptions thereto such as the examinations being repetitious, unduly harassing, speculative or corroborative.
Nor did Sergeant Miles’ answer of “I would say no” to defense counsel’s question “He (Hart) did demand of you certain eon-*1391ditions before he made a statement, didn’t he?”, which are noted in the main opinion, constitute a basis for proper denial of cross-examination on the significant matter of probing the motivation for Witness Hart’s testimony. Sergeant Miles said no “demand” was made by Hart, which does not meet the threshold of defendant’s attempted line of inquiry of whether any promises had been made by the State to Hart for his testimony. Miles did not say “no promises were made”. Even if Miles had testified that no promises or agreements were made, I believe the defendant should have been allowed to pursue this area with Hart, but the statement by Miles concerning “demands” does not even dovetail with the crucial matter of promises or agreements.
The cross-examination concerning moti-. vation of Hart’s testimony was thwarted unreasonably, causing an impermissible incursion into the precious right of confrontation,2 and this matter should therefore be reversed and remanded for a new trial.
MAUGHAN, J., concurs in Justice WILKINS’ dissent.

. Davis v. Alaska, 415 U.S. 308, 94 S.Ct. 1105, 39 L.Ed.2d 347 (1974); State v. Smelser, 23 Utah 2d 347, 463 P.2d 562 (1970).

. Art. 1, § 12, Constitution of Utah; Sixth Amendment, Constitution of the United States.