Newsome v. State

During a trial on a charge of aggravated battery, the prosecution presented to the jury a tape recording of an interrogation of defendant. The tape included a statement by a police officer that the victim of the battery had told the officer that defendant had threatened her with harm if she went to the police about the matter,

Defense counsel timely objected to the admission of this evidence on the grounds of hearsay, arguing that this inadmissible hearsay “has an effect, especially since the victim isn’t here, to cause the jury to think well maybe she’s not here because she was threatened.”…