Court Opinion

ID: 9721669
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-26 09:05:04.119862+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:24:28.055656
License: Public Domain

DeBRULER,
Justice, separate opinion.
John Zirkelbach, police officer, city of Evansville, testified on direct examination during the state's case in chief that appellant, while under police interrogation, had verbally described his conduct on the day of the crime. He admitted that he was jogging in the neighborhood where the burglary took place. He admitted further that pursuant to his request, he had been picked up by a relative in a car, provided a change of clothes, transported to Garvin park, where the burglary fruits were discovered by the police, and where he changed clothes.
On cross-examination of Zirkelbach, the trial court ruled that defense counsel could not bring out the balance of appellant's statement in which he denied committing the burglary and having knowledge of the stolen goods, and explained his desire to change clothes as relating to the fact that he had just found out that the police wanted to talk to him about "an auto theft involved in an extradiction [sic] to New Mexico."
I believe the law regards this ruling as error, since appellant's conduct as described by him might be construed as importing criminality when viewed alone, but when examined in connection with the balance of what he said, it might be considered consistent with innocence. Dickinson v. State (1944), 222 Ind. 551, 55 N.E.2d 325. Furthermore it has been held appropriate that the balance of the statement favorable to the defendant "be called out by cross-examination of the same witness by whom the unfavorable parts have been narrated." Metzer v. State (1872), 39 Ind. 596. I would hold that in this situation, the rule against the introduction of self-serving statements, must give way to the right of the defendant to present relevant evidence and to have a fair opportunity to cross-examine opposing witnesses.
The state contends that the ruling, if error, was harmless, since the subject contained in the excluded balance of the statement was covered by the testimony of appellant's father, a defense witness. There is nothing in this testimony about appellant's statement to Zirkelbach, and furthermore it does not have an explanatory or rebuttal force equivalent to appellant's own timely explanation during interrogation of his furtive conduct. Consequently, I1 am unable to agree with this contention of the state that the court's ruling was harmless.
I would therefore reverse and remand for a new trial.