¶ 1. Defendant Clayton Turner was convicted of aggravated assault following a jury trial in Windham District Court. Defendant appeals the court’s denial of his motion for judgment of acquittal and motion for a new trial. Defendant claims that the trial court erred in denying his motions because (1) the State presented insufficient evidence that the knife used in the incident was a “deadly weapon”; (2) the trial court committed prejudicial error by allowing a witness to testify that he was threatened by defendant’s brother following a juror’s request for clarification of the witness’s testimony; and (3) the trial court failed to give the jury a proper limiting instruction regarding that witness’s testimony. We disagree and affirm.
*596 It 2. This appeal arises out of a dispute over a video game. The record demonstrates that on July 2, 2000, defendant stabbed 14 year-old Kyle Wright hi the leg with a knife after an unsuccessful attempt to borrow a video game. Defendant was charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon under 13 V.S.A. § 1024(a)(2). Following a two-day jury trial, defendant was convicted and subsequently sentenced to three to twelve years imprisonment.
¶ 3. During the course of the trial, several witnesses testified as to the facts of the incident, including Jason Bushey, who was present during the stabbing. Prior to trial, Bushey stated to defendant’s investigator that he did not witness the stabbing and signed a written statement to that effect. Bushey also told the police that he did not know defendant or the victim. At trial, Bushey testified that he saw defendant “get mad” and purposely stab Kyle Wright in the leg with a three inch long knife. On direct examination, the State asked Bushey to explain his prior statements. Bushey admitted he had lied previously because he did not “want any bodily harm to be caused to [him] for snitching on somebody,” and that he had decided to testify truthfully because “it’s not right that Clayton stabbed a 14-year-old kid over a video game.” Defense counsel did not object to this testimony.
¶ 4. Following Bushe/s testimony, the court asked whether the jurors had questions for the witness. 1 A juror requested clarification of Bushe/s testimony regarding his fear of harm for “snitching.” Defense counsel objected to the juror’s question, arguing that the potential testimony would be more prejudicial than probative. The court overruled this objection, adjourned the jury upon the State’s suggestion, and asked Bushey to clarify his previous testimony. Bushey explained to the court that he was afraid of Kenneth Turner, defendant’s brother. Defense counsel renewed their objection to this testimony. Upon further inquiry, Bushey claimed that Kenneth Turner threatened to “put [Bushey] in the hospital” if Bushey “snitched” on his brother. Bushey also stated that Kenneth Turner did not in any way indicate that defendant had prompted the threat. Again, defense counsel objected to this testimony, which the court overruled, holding that the testimony was clearly probative. Bushey then testified about Kenneth Turner’s threats before the jury, explaining that these threats prompted his prior inconsistent statements.
¶ 5. At the close of the State’s case, defendant moved for judgment of acquittal pursuant to V.R.Cr.P. 29(c), arguing that the State did not meet its burden in proving that defendant caused injury to Wright, and that the evidence was not sufficient to prove that defendant used a “deadly weapon.” The court denied these motions and charged the jury. No objections were made to the jury instructions. Defendant was convicted of aggravated assault. Defendant moved for judgment of acquittal or a new trial notwithstanding the jury verdict in a post-verdict filing. The court denied these motions. This appeal followed.
¶ 6. On appeal, defendant raises three claims. First, defendant claims that the State presented insufficient evidence that the knife used in the stabbing was a *597 “deadly weapon” as defined by 13 V.S.A. § 1021(3), and that he is therefore entitled to a judgment of acquittal. Second, defendant argues that the trial court committed prejudicial error by allowing Bushey to explain that threats made by defendant’s brother caused him to deny knowledge of the stabbing prior to trial. Third, defendant claims the court’s admission of Bushe/s testimony and subsequent failure to give the jury a limiting instruction regarding the usage of that testimony warrants a new trial. Defendant is incorrect.
¶ 7. Defendant first claims that he is entitled to a judgment of acquittal because the State failed to meet its burden in proving that the knife used in the stabbing was a “deadly weapon.” The standard of review for the denial of a V.R.Cr.P. 29 motion for judgment of acquittal is whether “the evidence, when viewed in the light most favorable to the State and excluding any modifying evidence, fairly and reasonably tends to convince a reasonable trier of fact that the defendant is guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.”
State v. Delisle,
¶ 8. We reject defendant’s assertion that the evidence was insufficient to find that the knife used by defendant was a “deadly weapon.” Defendant was charged with aggravated assault under 13 V.S.A. § 1024(a)(2). A person is guilty of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon if the defendant “attempts to cause or purposely or knowingly causes bodily injury to another with a deadly weapon.” 13 V.S.A. § 1024(a)(2). A “deadly weapon” is defined as “any firearm, or other weapon, device, instrument, material or substance, whether animate or inanimate which in the manner it is used or is intended to be used is known to be capable of producing death or serious bodily injury.” Id. § 1021(3).
¶ 9. Defendant asserts that the knife with which he stabbed Wright was not used or intended to be used in a manner “known to be capable of producing death or serious bodily injury,” and that the injury inflicted upon the victim was not “serious bodily injury.” Therefore, according to defendant, the knife should not be considered deadly. We disagree. For a weapon to be considered “deadly” under 13 V.S.A. § 1024(a)(2), that weapon need not inflict serious bodily injury. See
State v. Prior,
¶ 10. Defendant also claims that the State failed to meet its burden because the knife itself was not entered into evidence. However, if the State fails to introduce the weapon used in the assault, it can meet its burden by introducing testimony about that weapon and the details of the injuries caused, as long as the evidence is sufficient for a reasonable trier of fact to conclude that a deadly weapon was used. See
Prior,
V 11. Defendant’s second claim is that he is entitled to a new trial because the trial court committed prejudicial error by allowing Bushey to testify about the threats made by Kenneth Turner. The court may, on motion of the defendant, grant a new trial if required in the interests of justice. V.R.Cr.P. 33. A motion for a new trial under Rule 33 “tests the sufficiency of all the evidence presented at trial and raises the question whether the jury has correctly performed its function of evaluating admittedly adequate evidence.”
Couture,
¶ 12. Defendant claims that Bushe/s testimony asserting he was threatened by Kenneth Turner is inadmissible absent evidence connecting Turner’s threats to defendant. Defendant is incorrect. It is axiomatic that evidence, although relevant, may be excluded if its probative value is substantially outweighed by the danger of unfair prejudice. V.R.E. 403. The general rule is that testimony describing threats against witnesses is inadmissible unless the defendant is linked in some way to those threats. See
State v. Walker,
¶ 13. An exception to the general rule is recognized in cases where evidence of threats explains a witness’s prior inconsistent statement. This Court has established that testimony about a threatened
*599
witness can be relevant, probative, and not unfairly prejudicial without proof that the threat is tied to the defendant, if that testimony explains the change in the witness’s story.
In re Miller,
¶ 14. Finally, defendant claims that even if Bushe/s testimony is admissible, the court should have given the jury an instruction limiting the purpose of that testimony. Absent this limiting instruction, defendant argues, a new trial is warranted. We find defendant’s argument unpersuasive. In Vermont, a limiting instruction is generally not required absent a defendant’s request. V.R.E. 105. ‘When evidence which is admissible as to one party or for one purpose but not admissible as to another party or for another purpose is admitted, the court,
upon request,
shall restrict the evidence to its proper scope and instruct the jury accordingly.”
Id.
(emphasis added). When defense counsel fails to request a limiting instruction or fails to object to the absence of a limiting instruction, a defendant’s right to raise this issue on appeal is waived.
State v. Ashley,
¶ 15. An exception to this rule arises if there is a finding of plain error affecting defendant’s substantial rights. See V.R.Cr.P. 52(b) (“Plain errors or defects affecting substantial rights may be noticed although they were not brought to the attention of the court.”); see also
State v. Holcomb,
¶ 16. We find no plain error here. Bushe/s testimony was admitted for the purpose of explaining his prior inconsistent statements and not to show defendant’s propensity to commit the assault. Moreover, Bushey*s testimony disassociated defendant from the threats made by Kenneth Turner, and no evidence was introduced linking the threats to defendant. We are persuaded that the evidence supports a conclusion beyond a reasonable doubt that the jury would still have convicted defendant if it had never heard the testimony clarifying Bushe/s fear of harm. As such, absent defendant’s request, the court was not required to give the jury a limiting instruction, and defendant’s final claim on appeal fails. 2
Affirmed.
Note. Justice Morse sat at oral argument but did not participate in this decision.
Notes
On appeal, defendant attempted to challenge the propriety of allowing jurors to question witnesses by submitting a letter to the clerk of this Court ostensibly adopting the argument briefed by the appellant in State v. Doleszny, Docket No. 2001-310. In an order dated November 12,2002, we found that defendant did not properly raise or brief the issue in accordance with the requirements of V.R.A.P. 28(g), and therefore declined to hear the juror-questioning issue on appeal.
Defendant also claims that he was denied a fair trial because the State improperly used prejudicial speculation in its closing argument to the jury. Defendant failed to object to the State’s closing argument, and therefore has not preserved this issue on appeal.