Court Opinion

ID: 9599390
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-22 01:18:27.515802+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:01:45.026198
License: Public Domain

ERWIN, Justice,
with whom FITZGERALD, Justice, joins (dissenting).
In Bakken v. State, 489 P.2d 120, 127 (Alaska 1971), I dissented from the decision which found plain error in failing to give an instruction under Crim.R. 30(a) which is similar to the claim of plain error in this case.
I adhere to the position I took in Bakken and would find that under the facts of this case basic prejudice does not clearly appear and thus the doctrine of plain error is not applicable.
The sole issue in this case, as in Bakken, was the credibility of the chief witness. The entire closing argument of both parties was basically directed to either building up or attacking her credibility. The fact that she had been charged with the crime and had entered a plea of guilty was the basic starting point for evaluating her motive for testifying. The standard instructions on evaluation of testimony of witnesses on the basis of bias and interest in the outcome of the case were given. Specific instructions were given to the jury on the need to corroborate her testimony in the event the jury found she was an accomplice.
Under such circumstances I am unable to hold that the failure to give the cautionary instruction that accomplice testimony should be viewed with mistrust constituted such basic and fundamental unfairness to call for the intervention of this court without requiring objection in the trial court.
I agree with the decision of the majority as to the other issues raised by appellant and would affirm the decision of the trial court.