Court Opinion

ID: 9618119
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-22 05:06:56.628867+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:04:25.118822
License: Public Domain

Dissenting Opinion by
Justice CUNNINGHAM.
I agree completely with the majority that a school can be a community for reputation purposes. However, after viewing closely the excluded testimony, I do not believe its introduction would have made a difference in this case. Therefore, I respectfully dissent.
In his case, Appellant attempted to attack the testimony of the accuser, B.D., through reputation evidence. Appellant attempted to introduce the testimony of two teachers regarding the reputation of the victim in her school for truth and veracity. The proposed testimony was offered into the record by avowal.
The first teacher, Kendal Reynolds, was B.D.’s second grade teacher for the school year 1999-2000. Her narration dealt primarily with individual acts and events, rather than the general reputation of the child. The trial court correctly disallowed her testimony. The second teacher, Martha Wilbers, was B.D.’s third grade teacher for the school year 2000-2001 during which time period the attempted sodomy took place. While she too spoke of individual acts of misconduct by B.D., her testimony finally wandered into the conclusion that the child “had a reputation of not telling the truth.”
The trial court excluded the evidence from both teachers. Although the trial judge’s refusal to allow such evidence seemed to be rooted in terms of not meeting the criteria of Kentucky Rules of Evidence (KRE) 608 generally, both sides have litigated the appeal on the narrow issue of whether the school is sufficient community for reputation purposes.
While the Court deems that the testimony of Martha Wilbers was admissible, it is clear when considering her total account that its weight would not have carried a different result in this case. First was the matter of remoteness. Over a year had elapsed since she had had B.D. as a student before the latter related what had happened. It had been three years before the victim gave her trial testimony. Also, most of her testimony dealt with B.D. being a troublesome child, more than her reputation for truthfulness. Lastly, the reputation of a ten-year old third grader is not going to be as probative or significant as that of an adult.
In reviewing closely the testimony excluded in this case, I cannot conclude that there is a substantial possibility that the result would have been different even if the testimony of the third grade teacher had been admitted. Accordingly, the failure to admit the very limited testimony of Martha Wilbers as to the victim’s reputation for truthfulness, under other evidence and circumstances in this case, was harmless error.
*563Therefore, I dissent from the very well-spoken opinion of Justice SCOTT.
MINTON, J., joins this dissent.