Court Opinion

ID: 9851571
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-09-24 05:15:08.532757+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T09:21:53.245395
License: Public Domain

WIGGINS, Justice
(specially concurring).
I write to concur in the result reached by the majority in this case. We apply a two-part test to determine if other acts are admissible under Iowa Rule of Evidence 5.404(&). The court must first decide whether the other-acts evidence is relevant to a legitimate factual issue in dispute other than a general propensity to commit wrongful acts. State v. Sullivan, 679 N.W.2d 19, 25 (Iowa 2004). Next, the court must determine if its probative value is substantially outweighed by the danger of unfair prejudice to the defendant. Id. The majority concludes the other-acts evidence is relevant to a legitimate factual issue in this case, motive, but its probative value is substantially outweighed by the danger of unfair prejudice to the defendant. Therefore, the majority precluded its admissibility.
I would find the evidence inadmissible because it is not relevant to a legitimate factual issue in this case. Reynolds admits he assaulted the victim, but raises the defense of self-defense. When the defendant raises the issue of self-defense, the State must prove beyond a reasonable doubt any of the following to defeat the claim of self-defense: (1) the defendant initiated or continued the incident resulting in injury; (2) the defendant did not believe he was in imminent danger of death or injury and that the use of force was not necessary to save him; (3) the defendant did not have reasonable grounds for the belief he was in imminent danger of injury or death and that the use of force was not necessary to save him; or (4) the defendant used unreasonable force. State v. Rubino, 602 N.W.2d 558, 565 (Iowa 1999).
In this case, the only legitimate factual issue in dispute was who initiated the incident that resulted in injury to the victim. None of the other-acts evidence the State attempted to introduce into evidence is relevant to who initiated the incident. Neither Reynolds nor the victim liked each other. It is just as logical the victim had enough of Reynolds’ antics that the victim initiated the incident. The fact a person does not like another person is not relevant evidence as to who initiated the fight. Consequently, the only purpose of the other-acts evidence was to show propensity. Sullivan, 679 N.W.2d at 25. The State cannot use this other-acts evidence for that purpose. Accordingly, I would find the other-acts evidence inadmissible because they are not relevant to a legitimate factual issue in dispute. I, therefore, concur in the opinion of the court.
BAKER, J., joins this special concurrence.