State v. Granier

Jun 26, 1992
92-K-0277
Reporters:
,
Before:
Lemmon

Denied. The result is correct.

LEMMON, J., concurs. The judgment of the court of appeal, approving the admission of hearsay evidence of the ‍​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‍informant‘s out-of-court assertion of defendant‘s criminal activity, cited State v. Wille, 559 So.2d 1321 (La.1990) for the exact opposite proposition to Wille‘s holding. An explanation of an officer‘s ‍​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‍actions is almost never an acceptable basis for admitting an out-of-court declaration when the so-called explanation contains a direct assertion of criminal activity by ‍​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‍the accused. State v. Hearold ___ So. ___ (La.1992) (No. 90-K-2094). The out-of-court statement, obviously offered to prove the truth of the matter asserted, should not ‍​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‍have been admitted. Nevertheless, as in Wille, the error was harmless beyond a reasonable doubt.