Court Opinion

ID: 9739712
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-26 20:19:56.465797+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T07:24:13.596442
License: Public Domain

VANDE WALLE, Chief Justice,
concurring specially.
In Andrews v. O’Hearn, 387 N.W.2d 716, 730 (N.D.1986), we upheld an instruction similar to the one given in this case. We noted that in the context of the entire instruction in Andrews “the presumption that a witness has told the truth is easily rebuttable; indeed, the other language places such broad discretion upon the jury that the presumption is dissipated almost out of existence.”
The same rationale is advanced by the State to sustain the instruction given here. But Andrews was a civil case; because, in a criminal case, the State has the total burden of proof beyond a reasonable doubt, any “edge” belongs to the defendant, not the State. Insofar as the presumption of truth may provide an “edge” to the State’s witnesses, I agree it should not be given.
The issue is easier when the evidence given by two witnesses is inexorably contradictory. It is less clear when the testimony may seem contradictory but can, in fact, be reconciled. Although that portion of the instruction on reconciling testimony if possible, is predicated on the presumption that each witness is presumed to tell the truth, I believe trial judges should continue to tell juries to reconcile the evidence if the jury can, and omit that portion of the instruction concerning the presumption of truth. To do otherwise is to instruct the jury that in the event of seemingly conflicting testimony from two witnesses, one must be telling the truth and the other witness must be lying. Many seeming conflicts in testimony can be reconciled. Not all conflicts are the result of the credibility or incredibility of the witnesses.
I do not understand the majority opinion to reject that portion of the instruction which requires the jury to reconcile conflicting evidence if it can and I therefore join the majority opinion.
NEUMANN, J., concurs.