Summary
In Henry, we determined that the trial court erred in precluding cross-examination of a law enforcement witness concerning exculpatory statements made by a defendant charged with narcotics possession. During a consent search, the defendant explained how he acquired a suitcase containing cocaine.
Summary of this case from Cotton v. StateOpinion
No. 89-1613.
August 15, 1990. Rehearing Denied September 19, 1990.
Appeal from the Circuit Court, Broward County, Stanton S. Kaplan, J.
Keith M. Krasnove of Keith M. Krasnove, P.A., Coral Springs, for appellant.
Robert A. Butterworth, Atty. Gen., Tallahassee, Patricia G. Lampert and Sylvia H. Alonso, Asst. Attys. Gen., West Palm Beach, for appellee.
Affirmed. We recognize that the trial court may have abused its discretion in precluding cross-examination of a state's witness concerning statements made by the defendant. The statements were made in the conversation at the scene of a consent search. Although the officer/witness testified only to the physical conduct of the search and not to the contemporaneous conversation, the defense was entitled to ask about the statements even if self-serving. E.g., Coco v. State, 62 So.2d 892 (Fla. 1953); Eberhardt v. State, 550 So.2d 102 (Fla. 1st DCA 1989), rev. denied, 560 So.2d 234 (Fla. 1990). Nevertheless, here, such error was harmless. Cf. Coxwell v. State, 361 So.2d 148 (Fla. 1978). See also Ackerman v. State, 372 So.2d 215 (Fla. 1st DCA 1979) (Smith, J., concurring). The statement concerned the defendant explaining how he acquired a suitcase containing cocaine. This was subsequently testified to on defense. The defense also had the opportunity to recall the witness but elected not to do so. Nothing in the nature of the officer's testimony made the court's ruling unfair, nor did the excluded testimony refute, impeach or modify the state's evidence.
WALDEN and STONE, JJ., concur.
WARNER, J., dissents with opinion.
I would reverse because defendant was denied his Sixth Amendment right to confront and cross-examine witnesses. Eberhardt v. State, 550 So.2d 102 (Fla. 1st DCA 1989); Heathcoat v. State, 430 So.2d 945 (Fla. 2d DCA 1983), aff'd, 442 So.2d 955 (Fla. 1983). The fact that the court offered to the defendant the right to recall the witness on his case does not cure the constitutional error because the defendant cannot be compelled to forego his Sixth Amendment right and make a witness his own when he is entitled to cross a witness on subjects opened up on direct examination. See Coco v. State, 62 So.2d 892 (Fla. 1953).