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Hearsay really is a matter of who is testifying at trial, who is the 'declarant' or the person that is saying the words being quoted at trial, and what are you trying to show by offering the statement as evidence - evidence of what. I don't know of any evidentiary rule that applies specifically, and in all cases, to statements made by law enforcement. If the defendant is testifying as to what the officer said to him, it is not hearsay - it is merely the defendant telling the court what was said to him by the officer. If the statement is something a witness overheard the officer say to the defendant, then the question is what are you trying to prove.

By definition, "hearsay" is a statement, other than one made by the declarant while testifying at the trial or hearing, offered as evidence to prove the truth of the matter asserted. [Italics are mine]. For example, a witness named Bob testifies that Joe told him "The sky was green" in order to make the point that the sky was green - hearsay. If it is not offered to prove the sky was green, it does not fit the definition of hearsay.

If you are trying have it admitted as Tom's testimony that, while Tom was standing there, Officer Pencil said, "Look Jerry, you Mother [effin'] punk, you're drunk" for the purpose of showing that Jerry is/was in fact drunk, then the statement is hearsay and probably not admissible. If you want the statement admitted to show that Tom heard Officer Pencil use an explitive, it would probably be admissable since it is not being offered to show 'the truth of the matter asserted (that Jerry was drunk)' by the declarant (Ofc. Pencil), but instead offered to show the content of the statement - what was said - that Tom overheard. Offered as evidence in this manner, it is not hearsay. Tom is testifying as to what he heard. Again, also, if Jerry is testifying about the statement, it is his testimony of what he claims was said to him - it is his perception of events, it is not hearsay.

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14y ago

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