State v. Williams

EXUM, Chief Justice.

The issue on appeal is whether the trial court erred in allowing the state to impeach one of defendant’s witnesses, David Small, by use of extrinsic evidence of prior inconsistent statements. We conclude admission of the impeachment testimony constitutes reversible error.

I

At trial, the nineteen-year-old prosecutrix testified that on the evening of 28 December 1986 she went to the Starlight Palace Club with Mary Small, David Small, Lennie Alston and defendant. She later left the club with defendant and Alston. As the three drove home, defendant “took a short cut,” stopped…