Court Opinion

ID: 9598662
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-22 01:10:34.25145+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T12:48:37.799819
License: Public Domain

Judge Wynn
dissenting.
I disagree with the conclusion of the majority that the admission of the affidavit of Mr. Arey was harmless. Accordingly, I dissent.
*372As stated by the majority, “[a] violation of the defendant’s rights under the Constitution of the United States is prejudicial unless the appellate court finds that it was harmless beyond a reasonable doubt.” N.C. Gen. Stat. § 15A-1443(b) (1991). In order for this Court to find that the error affecting the defendant’s constitutional rights was harmless, we must determine that the error had no bearing on the jury deliberations. State v. Reid, 334 N.C. 551, 558, 434 S.E.2d 193, 198 (1993); State v. Thompson, 118 N.C. App. 33, 42, 454 S.E.2d 271, 277.
I don’t believe the introduction of Mr. Arey’s affidavits had “no bearing on the jury deliberations.” Ms. Sisk was charged with the crime of uttering a forged check with the intent to defraud. One essential element of this crime is that the instrument is in fact forged. Mr. Arey stated in his affidavit that he had not signed the check which Ms. Sisk was accused of forging, meaning that it was forged by someone.
The majority concludes that since Ms. Sisk’s defense was not that Mr. Arey had authorized the checks, but rather that she believed he had, Mr. Arey’s affidavit was not necessary to prove her guilt. Whether erroneously admitted evidence is necessary to prove guilt is not the test for overcoming an error affecting a constitutional right. Rather, we must determine that the evidence had no bearing on the jury’s deliberation. Reid, 334 N.C. 551, 434 S.E.2d 193.
In addition, the majority states that both Joe Delaney and Larry Cook testified against Ms. Sisk. However, a review of the transcript reveals that Mr. Cook’s testimony was of a limited nature, and conflicted in important ways with the testimony of Mr. Delaney. This fact further demonstrates why we can not determine that the introduction of Mr. Arey’s affidavit had no bearing on the jury’s deliberations.
Since I conclude that the State failed to meet its burden of showing that the introduction of Mr. Arey’s affidavit in violation of Ms. Sisk’s constitutional rights had no bearing on the jury’s deliberations, I must respectfully dissent.