Generally, hearsay is not admissible in a Washington criminal case, unless it meets an exception. Hearsay is an out-of-court statement “offered in evidence to prove the truth of the matter asserted.” ER 801(c). Generally, hearsay is not admissible unless it meets a specific exception. One exception is an “excited utterance.” Statements made while the speaker is still under the stress of the exciting event are considered more likely to be true because they are thought to be spontaneous. The exception only applies if there has been “a startling event or condition,” the statement was made while the speaker was under the stress of the excitement from that event or condition, and the statement was related to the startling event or condition. ER 803(2). In determining if the excited utterance exception applies, the court may consider the speaker’s emotional state, the spontaneity of the statement, how long has passed, and if the speaker has had the opportunity to fabricate a story. A defendant recently challenged the admission of a 911 call when the alleged victim had not testified at trial.
According to the appeals court’s opinion, the defendant and his ex-girlfriend had recently broken up at the time of the incident. The defendant knocked on his ex-girlfriend’s door at about 10 and started crawling in her bedroom window when she did not answer. She woke up and told him not to come in. She then ran a neighbor’s apartment. The defendant followed and knocked on the neighbor’s door.
The neighbor called 911. The ex-girlfriend told the 911 operator the defendant jumped in her window while she was sleeping and was currently standing outside the door trying to open it. She said he wanted to hurt her.