Husseain v. State

FLETCHER, Judge.

Sadiq Husseain was convicted by a jury of aggravated battery with a deadly weapon. We reverse and remand for a new trial.

In his opening statement at trial, defense counsel told the jury that Officer Rios, the officer responding to the crime scene, would testify that Husseain initially told him that he hit the victim because the victim tried to rape him. The state moved in limine to exclude Husseain’s statement on the ground it was self-serving hearsay. Initially, the court ruled the statement was admissible under the rule of completeness because the state planned to introduce…