Court Opinion

ID: 9796734
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-31 04:03:47.442628+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T08:51:06.592550
License: Public Domain

HARGREAVES, S. J.,
dissenting.
Today the majority holds that, “[e]vidence that a person is on probation and at risk of having that probation revoked is generally relevant to that person’s credibility when he or she testifies for the prosecution in a criminal case, except, perhaps, in extraordinary circumstances,” 212 Or App at 68-69, and reverses the ruling of the trial court for failing to allow such evidence. Unfortunately, the majority either misapplies this rule to the facts of this case or intends the phrase “at risk of having that probation revoked” to have such a broad meaning that the mere status of being on probation will always be a basis of a showing of bias, “except, perhaps, in extraordinary circumstances.” Id. at 69. Either way, I disagree with the majority and therefore dissent.
MISAPPLICATION OF THE RULE TO THE FACTS
While the majority accurately frames the issue presented, it does so in such a way as to leave an erroneous impression as to the facts underlying the issue in this case. While the record reflects that Lustri was on probation and had apparently had several recent violations, the record also reflects that he had already been sanctioned for those violations. There is no evidence in the record to show that at the time of trial Lustri had any outstanding accusations of violations of his probation. Thus, there is nothing in this record to show that he was “at risk of having that probation revoked.” Therefore, the evidentiary rule as set out by the majority simply does not apply to the facts of this case and cannot form the basis for reversing the trial court.
*72EXPANSIVE MEANING
If the majority means by its holding that anyone who is on probation is “at risk of having that probation revoked” at any time simply by virtue of the fact of being on probation, the majority establishes the rule that the mere status of being on probation is always a basis for showing the bias or interest of a witness, “except, perhaps, in extraordinary circumstances.” I believe that such a meaning would be a major change in the law in the State of Oregon that is neither logically sound nor supported by case law.
In support of its decision, the majority cites two cases, Davis v. Alaska, 415 US 308, 94 S Ct 1105, 39 L Ed 2d 347 (1974), and State v. Weinstein, 108 Or App 486, 814 P2d 565 (1991). These cases neither compel nor support the broad rule adopted by the majority.
In Davis, there was a burglary and a safe was stolen. 415 US at 309. The empty safe was later discovered abandoned near the property where Green, a juvenile, lived. Id. Green was on juvenile probation at the time for having committed two burglaries. Id. at 311. Green told the police that, on the day after the burglary, he had seen and spoken with two men on the road near where the safe was found. Id. at 310. He also indicated that one of the men had what appeared to be a crowbar in his hand. Id. Green was able to pick the defendant out of a photo throw-down, who was later arrested and charged with the burglary. Id.
At trial, the defendant wanted to show that Green was on probation for burglary and thus had a strong motive to lie to shift any suspicion away from himself, given that the safe in question was found abandoned near his home. Id. at 311. The trial court refused to allow the introduction of this evidence. Id.
On appeal, the Supreme Court took great pains to set forth much of the cross-examination of Green, and then observed regarding the impact of the trial comb’s ruling restricting questioning of Green regarding his probation:
“The witness was in effect asserting, under protection of the trial court’s ruling, a right to give a questionably truthful answer to a cross-examiner pursuing a relevant line of *73inquiry; it is doubtful whether the bold ‘No’ answer would have been given by Green absent a belief that he was shielded from traditional cross-examination. It would be difficult to conceive of a situation more clearly illustrating the need for cross-examination.”
Davis, 415 US at 314.
The Court went on to say:
“On these facts it seems clear to us that to make any such inquiry effective, defense counsel should have been permitted to expose to the jury the facts from which jurors, as the sole triers of fact and credibility, could appropriately draw inferences relating to the reliability of the witness. Petitioner was thus denied the right of effective cross-examination which ‘ “would be constitutional error of the first magnitude and no amount of showing of want of prejudice would cure it.” Brookhart v. Janis, 384 US 1, 3 [16 L Ed 2d 314, 86 S Ct 1245].’ Smith v. Illinois, 390 US 129, 131, 19 L Ed 2d 956, 88 S Ct 748 (1968).”
Id. at 318 (emphasis added). It is also interesting to note that, in his concurring opinion, Justice Stewart carefully points out the limited nature of the holding in the case. He says:
“The Court holds that, in the circumstances of this case, the Sixth and Fourteenth Amendments conferred the right to cross-examine a particular prosecution witness about his delinquency adjudication for burglary and his status as a probationer. Such cross-examination was necessary in this case in order ‘to show the existence of possible bias and prejudice * * In joining the Court’s opinion, I would emphasize that the Court neither holds nor suggests that the Constitution confers a right in every case to impeach the general credibility of a witness through cross-examination about his past delinquency adjudications or criminal convictions.”
Id. at 321 (Stewart, J., concurring) (citation omitted; ellipsis in original; emphasis added).
Two things seem clear about the Davis case. First, it is a very fact-specific holding and does not announce a general rule regarding the use of probationary status to impeach for bias or interest. Second,- the issue of Green’s probation was directly linked to the facts of the case in that the stolen safe was found near where Green lived and, given that he *74was on probation for earlier burglaries, he had a very strong and immediate interest in seeing to it that suspicion was directed away from him as a suspect.
The second case relied on by the majority is Weinstein. What follows is the entire Weinstein opinion:
“Defendant appeals his convictions for assault, harassment and criminal mischief. ORS 163.160; ORS 166.065; ORS 164.354. The victim, Mullinix, testified that defendant, an acquaintance, came to his house and attacked him. Defendant sought to impeach him by eliciting on cross-examination evidence that Mullinix was on probation. Defendant argued that the evidence showed bias, because Mullinix had a motive to lie about the fight to avoid having his probation revoked. The state concedes that it was prejudicial error to exclude the evidence. We accept that concession.
“Reversed and remanded for a new trial.”
108 Or App at 487.
Just as in Davis, Mullinix’s probationary status was directly linked to the facts of the case, and he had a strong and immediate interest in seeing to it that blame for the altercation was clearly placed on the defendant.
In my view, Davis and Weinstein are polar opposites of the case before this court. Here, Lustri’s probation has no connection whatsoever to the facts of the case. He has no need to protect himself through slanting his testimony. Under these circumstances, the only rationale upon which his probationary status can be deemed to be relevant is to hold, as the majority does today, that the mere fact of probation is enough to allow the witness to be impeached for bias or interest.
Such a rule will lead to some interesting results. Imagine the innocent bystander on a street corner in downtown Portland who witnesses an armed robbery. Doing his duty as a good citizen, the bystander shows up at trial to testify. If our bystander has 10 misdemeanor convictions but none is of the nature that can be used for impeachment, then his credibility cannot be assailed. However, if one of those misdemeanors is a conviction for unlawful possession of *75undeployed air bags or air bag canisters,1 out of the Justice Court in Sherman County where he was placed on probation, then our bystander’s credibility can be attacked; not for the heinous crime he has committed, but by the mere fact that the judge thought him to be a good candidate for probation. By virtue of the majority opinion, this person has a motive to lie.
I believe that the more rational approach in this case is to view Davis and Weinstein as representing one end of a continuum where a witness’s status as a probationer is always going to be admissible for impeachment for bias and interest and this case as the other end of the continuum demonstrating when a witness’s status as a probationer is never going to be admissible for impeachment for bias and interest. Between these extremes, it will be up to the trial courts to sort out, on a case-by-case basis, where the facts in each case before them fall on the continuum and then admit or reject evidence of probation based on their findings.
For the reasons set forth above, I would affirm the trial court.

 ORS 167.824 provides:
“(1) A person may not possess more than two undeployed air bags or air bag canisters containing sodium azide that have been removed from a vehicle. This subsection does not apply to motor vehicle dealers, automobile repair facilities or dismantlers certified under ORS 822.110.
“(2) A violation of subsection (1) of this section is a Class C misdemeanor.”