State v. Rook

This is a filiation proceeding wherein trial was had to a jury. The jury concluded that the defendant, Forrest Rook, was not the father of the complaining witness’ child. The trial court denied the state’s post-trial motion for judgment notwithstanding the verdict or in the alternative for a new trial.

The state’s assignments of error raise three issues:(1) Was it prejudicial error to admit in evidence a letter to defense counsel from the Veterans Administration Hospital? We hold that admission of the letter was a violation of the hearsay evidence rule, and the effect of that violation was…