Court Opinion

ID: 9580179
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-21 22:02:51.67713+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T13:36:06.893260
License: Public Domain

TOMLJANOVICH, Justice
(dissenting in part and concurring in part).
I believe the trial court acted within its discretion in excluding a witness’s lay opinion that the victim was the aggressor; therefore, I dissent from that portion of the opinion.
Rulings on evidentiary matters rest within the sound discretion of the trial court. State v. Olkon, 299 N.W.2d 89, 101 (Minn.1980). Clearly the trial judge could have admitted the opinion testimony if he had found that the opinion was rationally based on the perception of the witness and was helpful to a clear understanding of the witness’s testimony or a determination of a fact in issue. Minn.R.Evid. 701. Rule 701 does not mandate the admission of lay opinion testimony, especially as in this ease where the witness admitted he was drunk, that his view of the incident was partially obstructed, and told the jury that he “can’t recall” some of the actions that night. The trial judge, no doubt, weighed those factors in determining whether the opinion was rationally based on the perception of the witness. The trial judge is in the best position to make that determination; therefore, I dissent in part.