Court Opinion

ID: 9625450
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-22 07:41:22.994225+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T12:29:29.187611
License: Public Domain

HOLOHAN, Justice,
dissenting.
The limitation on the cross-examination of the victim, John Cullin, should not be held to be error. The victim had testified that he had never met the appellant, and the victim testified out of the hearing of the jury that he had never sold any drugs to appellant. Without any further connection there was no evidence to support the innocent entry theory. Since the appellant did not intend to testify there was nothing upon which the defense could rely for the innocent entry defense.
In State v. Fleming, 117 Ariz. 122, 571 P.2d 268 (1977) this court pointed out that the right of cross-examination does not confer a license to run at large. The only purpose of the proposed cross-examination was to place an issue before the jury by insinuation and speculation. The trial court properly precluded such a procedure. See State v. Singleton, 66 Ariz. 49, 182 P.2d 920 (1947).
I concur in the affirmance of the kidnapping conviction, but I dissent from the reversal of the burglary conviction, believing that it also should be affirmed.