State v. Bullard ( 2014 )


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  • An unpublished opinion of the North Carolina Court of Appeals does not constitute
    controlling legal authority. Citation is disfavored, but may be permitted in accordance
    with the provisions of Rule 30(e)(3) of the North Carolina Rules of Appellate Procedure.
    NO. COA13-794
    NORTH CAROLINA COURT OF APPEALS
    Filed: 4 February 2014
    STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA
    v.                                      Robeson County
    Nos. 06 CRS 013731, 013733
    JOHN DARREN BULLARD
    Appeal by defendant from judgments entered 5 June 2012 by
    Judge Robert F. Floyd, Jr. in Robeson County Superior Court.
    Heard in the Court of Appeals 20 November 2013.
    Attorney General Roy Cooper, by Assistant Attorney General
    Mary Carla Hollis, for the State.
    Kevin P. Bradley, for defendant-appellant.
    HUNTER, JR., Robert N., Judge.
    John Darren Bullard (“Defendant”) appeals from judgments
    after a jury trial finding him guilty of second-degree murder
    and of discharging a weapon into occupied property.                     Defendant
    contends    that    the    trial   court   committed     reversible      error    in
    denying his request for a jury instruction on self-defense and
    in   making    other      evidentiary    decisions     at    trial.       For    the
    following reasons, we disagree and find no error.
    -2-
    I.     Factual & Procedural History
    On 5 June 2012, Defendant was convicted of second-degree
    murder and of discharging a firearm into occupied property.                    The
    evidence    presented      at   Defendant’s      trial   tended    to   show   the
    following.
    On      17    September     2006,    Officer     Greg   Chavis      (“Officer
    Chavis”) of the Pembroke Police Department was dispatched to
    investigate a reported shooting at the Spirit gas station in
    Pembroke.        Upon    arrival,   Officer     Chavis   received    information
    that a person had been shot and that the person was at a nearby
    McDonald’s.       When Officer Chavis arrived at the McDonald’s, he
    observed Defendant pacing back and forth outside of a Hummer,
    acting belligerent, and using profanity with someone on a cell
    phone.     Defendant was shirtless and had pellet wounds on his
    upper torso.       Defendant told the person on the other end of the
    line that “he didn’t care how much money that it took, . . . he
    was going to kill somebody.”                  Officer Chavis testified that
    Defendant was “very mad” and “pissed off,” and that Defendant
    kept saying that he was going to kill somebody.
    Raymond Hunt (“Hunt”), who was with Defendant during the
    shooting, testified that he and Defendant had pulled into the
    Spirit     gas   station     that   night      and   encountered     Christopher
    -3-
    Locklear1 (“Locklear”) and his entourage.                  Hunt testified that
    Locklear and Defendant got into an argument that resulted in
    Locklear’s group pulling guns out and “closing in” on Defendant.
    Fearing for his and Defendant’s life, Hunt testified that he
    grabbed an AK-47 from the back of the Hummer and sprayed a
    couple of rounds into the air and told Locklear’s group to back
    off.    Defendant and Hunt then got into the Hummer, which Hunt
    testified     was    subsequently      shot    up    by     Locklear     and   his
    entourage.      Defendant      and   Hunt    both   sustained      injuries    from
    birdshot during the incident.               Thereafter, Defendant and Hunt
    drove to the McDonald’s and called an ambulance.                        Locklear’s
    testimony regarding the incident generally confirmed that there
    was an argument with Defendant, but Locklear denied shooting at
    Defendant     and    claimed    that    Defendant         and    Hunt   were   the
    aggressors.
    Locklear indicated that problems with Defendant started on
    the night before the Spirit gas station incident.                  Specifically,
    Locklear testified that he was riding in a car with Defendant’s
    ex-girlfriend       when   Defendant   stopped      the    car   and    attempted,
    1
    Persons identified in this opinion with the surname “Locklear”
    have no familial relationship with one another.        To avoid
    confusion, other Locklears will be introduced using their full
    name and abbreviated subsequently using their first name or
    initials.
    -4-
    unsuccessfully, to take his ex-girlfriend with him.                         Testimony
    indicated    that     one      of    Defendant’s       friends,        Cashley    Scott
    (“Scott”) fired shots into the air as Locklear’s car was driving
    away.     Locklear testified that the incident with Defendant’s ex-
    girlfriend precipitated the argument at the Spirit gas station.
    Notwithstanding            these     incidents,       the     animus         between
    Defendant and Locklear was allegedly settled.                          Sometime after
    the shooting at the Spirit gas station, Locklear testified that
    he ran into Defendant at McDonald’s where the two discussed what
    had happened and attempted to resolve their conflict.
    Nearly a month after the shooting incident at the Spirit
    gas station, in the early morning hours of 15 October 2006,
    Locklear    was     cruising    in     Pembroke    with    a    group     of     friends
    including    his    girlfriend,        Kayla   Deese     (“Deese”),      his     friends
    Billy Hammonds (“Hammonds”) and Tommy Kurt Lloyd (“Lloyd”), and
    Lloyd’s    girlfriend,      Crystal      Locklear      (“Crystal”).            Hammonds
    drove Locklear’s 1999 GMC Envoy.                  Locklear was riding in the
    front passenger seat while Lloyd, Crystal, and Deese rode in the
    backseat.    Everyone in the group had been drinking.
    On     the     same   night,     Defendant     was    also    driving        through
    Pembroke with some friends in a Cadillac Escalade.                         Defendant,
    Hunt,   Scott,      and   Joshua     Locklear     (“J.L.”)       had    been     to   the
    -5-
    Player’s Club in nearby Lumberton with a group of women and were
    on their way back home.         Defendant was driving, J.L. was in the
    front passenger seat, and Hunt and Scott rode in the backseat.
    The women rode behind the Escalade in a Cadillac CTS sedan.                      On
    their   way    home,   the    women    lost   sight   of   Defendant     and   the
    Escalade, so they pulled off to make a telephone call and to use
    the bathroom.2
    Meanwhile, as Defendant drove the Escalade into Pembroke,
    he   passed     Locklear’s     Envoy    on    Union   Chapel   Road.       Deese
    testified that when Locklear and the group riding in the Envoy
    saw Defendant’s Escalade, Hammonds said “[t]here’s that truck,
    you all.      There’s them boys.”        Deese testified that upon hearing
    Hammonds’ words, Locklear said, “No, it’s straight.                    We got it
    straight      with   them.”      Locklear      testified    that   he    thought
    everything was “cool” with Defendant because they had come to an
    agreement with each other during their previous discussion.
    Upon     seeing   Locklear,       however,   testimony    indicated       that
    Defendant and Hunt became angry and “a little rowdy.”                   Defendant
    turned the Escalade around, and using back roads, doubled back
    2
    Testimony at trial revealed that the women were not present for
    the ensuing events and that they rejoined Defendant’s group at a
    later point in time.
    -6-
    through     town    in     the     direction       that       Locklear’s      Envoy      was
    traveling.
    Locklear’s Envoy eventually reached the edge of town, so
    Hammonds turned around at a convenience mart to head back into
    Pembroke.     When Locklear’s group turned around, they noticed
    Defendant’s Escalade sitting at a stop sign right off the main
    road.       Locklear       testified       that      he     was    “shocked”      to     see
    Defendant’s Escalade sitting at the stop sign and thought there
    might be trouble.         Locklear testified that because of the police
    presence in Pembroke, it would be better to head back into town.
    Deese testified she told Crystal “let’s get down.”                               Hammonds
    testified    that    he     was     scared     because        he   didn’t     know      what
    Defendant’s group was capable of.
    Locklear     testified       that    after     they      passed    by   Defendant,
    Defendant’s Escalade pulled out and got behind their vehicle.
    As   Defendant’s     Escalade       got    closer,          Locklear    began    to     hear
    bottles hitting the road near the Envoy.                           Locklear testified
    that they turned off the main road and began to hear gunshots.
    Thereafter,    the       Envoy’s    back      window      shattered     and     Lloyd    and
    Crystal were shot.           Locklear testified that he grabbed a .25
    caliber   pistol,    stuck        the   gun    out     of    the   window,      and    fired
    several rounds to let Defendant know that he was armed and to
    -7-
    prevent    Defendant     from    ambushing       the    Envoy.     After       Locklear
    returned fire, he testified that Defendant’s Escalade fled the
    scene.
    Deese       testified      similarly.         She     recalled      hearing      the
    bottles shatter outside the Envoy, turning off the main road,
    coming to a stop, and hearing gunshots.                    Deese testified that
    after the Envoy sustained gunshots the group checked to see if
    anyone was harmed, at which point Crystal said “[i]’ve been
    shot,” and fell over into Deese’s lap.                  Deese testified that she
    didn’t    see   anyone    in    the     Envoy    return    fire    on    Defendant’s
    Escalade.
    Likewise, Hammonds also testified that the Envoy sustained
    gunshot    fire   as     he    turned    onto     the    side    road.         Hammonds
    indicated that when the shots began, he ducked down to avoid
    injury.     Hammonds      did    not    see     Locklear   return       fire    on   the
    Escalade.
    Lloyd testified that Defendant’s Escalade got right behind
    the Envoy and that Defendant’s group was hanging out of the
    Escalade attempting to throw beer bottles at them.                             When the
    gunshots    began,     Lloyd     looked    back     and    the    back    windshield
    shattered in his face.           Lloyd was shot in the arm and reported
    -8-
    being in shock.        As a result, he was unable to recall whether
    Locklear returned fire.
    Hunt, Scott, and J.L., who were riding with Defendant in
    the Escalade, also testified about the shooting.3                 Hunt testified
    that after seeing Locklear’s Envoy, Defendant stated something
    to the effect of “I ought to shoot these boys” or “I want to
    shoot them” or “you think I’ll shoot them[?]”                     Hunt testified
    that he then heard gunfire from two different guns.                          When the
    gunshots began, Hunt testified that he laid down in the Escalade
    to avoid injury.        Hunt did not report seeing any gunfire, but
    indicated that the shots he heard were “[v]ery, very close.”
    Scott       testified    that   after    the    Escalade    got   behind      the
    Envoy, he heard gunshots coming from inside his vehicle and saw
    Defendant’s arm hanging out of the window with a gun in his
    hand.       On     cross-examination         it    was   revealed      that     Scott
    previously told law enforcement that he could not tell who shot
    first because he heard the gunshots “all together.”
    J.L.    testified,       “[Defendant]        grabbed   a   gun    out    of   the
    middle of the console and I heard gunshots.                 There was gun fired
    out [sic] my truck.          My truck got hit.        And I just—when I seen a
    gun, I just laid down in the passenger side.”                    When asked when
    3
    Hunt, Scott, and J.L. were the State’s witnesses.      Defendant
    did not testify and produced no witnesses on his behalf.
    -9-
    the Escalade was hit with gunfire, J.L. said “[d]uring when all
    this was going on.            It was like, you know, pretty much when all
    this was going on—the shooting and everything was going on.”
    Evidence collected at the scene indicated that both vehicles
    sustained gunshot damage.
    After    the     shootout,     Locklear’s         group    attempted      to   get
    Crystal medical attention, but she stopped breathing on the way
    to the hospital.          The medical examiner testified that Crystal
    died of a single gunshot to the right side of her back that had
    lodged in her chest.
    Officer    Tony    Locklear      (“Officer        T.L.”)   was   in    the     area
    during   the     shootout      and   heard     the   shots    being     fired.        Upon
    hearing the shots, Officer T.L. pulled out of the parking lot he
    was in, radioed dispatch, and headed toward the area where he
    heard    the     shots.         While     en      route,     Officer     T.L.     passed
    Defendant’s Escalade heading in the opposite direction.                          Officer
    T.L.    recognized      the    Escalade      as    the     vehicle    that   Defendant
    normally       drove.       Over     Defendant’s         objection,     Officer       T.L.
    testified that he notified Officer Chavis that Defendant “just
    passed me” and that Defendant had “probably been involved in
    some type of shooting.”
    -10-
    Based on the foregoing evidence, defense counsel requested
    a    jury   instruction          concerning       self-defense           and    voluntary
    manslaughter.       The trial court denied defense counsel’s request.
    Following his convictions, Defendant gave notice of appeal in
    open court.
    II.    Jurisdiction
    Defendant’s      appeal          from    the    superior           court’s      final
    judgments lies of right to this Court pursuant to N.C. Gen.
    Stat. §§ 7A-27(b), 15A-1444(a) (2013).
    III. Analysis
    Defendant’s appeal raises three questions for this Court’s
    review:     (1)   whether    the       trial     court     erred       in    refusing      to
    instruct the jury on theories of perfect and imperfect self-
    defense; (2) whether the trial court committed reversible error
    in   allowing     testimony       by     Officer     T.L.       that     Defendant        had
    “probably    been    involved      in    some     type     of    shooting;”         and   (3)
    whether     the   trial   court        committed     reversible             error   by    not
    allowing     Defendant      to    impeach        Officer        T.L.’s      testimony      by
    inquiring into his termination from the police department.                                 We
    address each in turn.
    A. Failure to Provide Jury Instructions on Self-Defense
    -11-
    Defendant contends that the trial court erred in refusing
    to instruct the jury on theories of perfect and imperfect self-
    defense and in refusing to submit voluntary manslaughter as a
    lesser-included       offense.4     “[Arguments]      challenging     the   trial
    court’s decisions regarding jury instructions are reviewed de novo
    by this Court.”        State v. Osorio, 
    196 N.C. App. 458
    , 466, 
    675 S.E.2d 144
    ,   149   (2009).     “‘Under   a   de   novo   review,   the   court
    considers the matter anew and freely substitutes its own judgment’
    for that of the lower tribunal.”        State v. Williams, 
    362 N.C. 628
    ,
    632–33, 
    669 S.E.2d 290
    , 294 (2008) (quoting In re Greens of Pine
    Glen, Ltd. P’ship, 
    356 N.C. 642
    , 647, 
    576 S.E.2d 316
    , 319 (2003)).
    “The [trial court] is required to charge [the jury] on all
    substantial and essential features of a case which arise upon the
    evidence even absent a special request for the instruction.”                State
    v. Deck, 
    285 N.C. 209
    , 214–15, 
    203 S.E.2d 830
    , 834 (1974); see also
    4
    Defendant’s requested submission of voluntary manslaughter as a
    lesser-included offense is predicated on his imperfect self-
    defense theory.    See State v. Ross, 
    338 N.C. 280
    , 283, 
    449 S.E.2d 556
    , 559 (1994) (“There are two types of self-defense:
    perfect and imperfect.    Perfect self-defense excuses a killing
    altogether, while imperfect self-defense may reduce a charge of
    murder to voluntary manslaughter.” (internal citation omitted)).
    Thus, whether the trial court erred in refusing to submit
    voluntary manslaughter as a lesser-included offense depends on
    whether the evidence supports Defendant’s imperfect self-defense
    theory. Cf. State v. Millsaps, 
    356 N.C. 556
    , 561, 
    572 S.E.2d 767
    ,
    771 (2002) (“An instruction on a lesser-included offense must be
    given only if the evidence would permit the jury rationally to find
    defendant guilty of the lesser offense and to acquit him of the
    greater.”).
    -12-
    State v. Bogle, 
    324 N.C. 190
    , 195, 
    376 S.E.2d 745
    , 748 (1989)
    (“Failure to instruct upon all substantive or material features of
    the   crime        charged    is    error.”).      “When       supported   by   competent
    evidence,        self-defense       unquestionably     becomes      a   substantial     and
    essential feature of a criminal case.”                    
    Deck, 285 N.C. at 215
    , 203
    S.E.2d      at     834.      Furthermore,       “[w]hen    determining       whether    the
    evidence is sufficient to entitle a defendant to jury instructions
    on    a    defense     or    mitigating     factor,    courts      must    consider     the
    evidence      in    the     light   most   favorable      to   defendant.”      State    v.
    Oliver, 
    334 N.C. 513
    , 520, 
    434 S.E.2d 202
    , 205 (1993) (quotation
    marks and citation omitted).
    Thus, the question presented to this Court is whether, viewing
    the facts in a light most favorable to Defendant, the evidence at
    trial was sufficient to invoke the doctrine of self-defense and
    support a jury instruction on that doctrine.                        For the following
    reasons, we hold that Defendant was not entitled to an instruction
    on either perfect or imperfect self-defense and find no error with
    the trial court’s decision.
    A defendant is entitled to an instruction on perfect self-
    defense as an excuse for a killing when it is shown that, at the
    time of the killing, the following four elements existed:
    (1)   it   appeared   to  defendant   and  he
    believed it to be necessary to kill the
    deceased in order to save himself from
    death or great bodily harm; and
    -13-
    (2)   defendant’s belief was reasonable in
    that the circumstances as they appeared
    to him at the time were sufficient to
    create such a belief in the mind of a
    person of ordinary firmness; and
    (3)   defendant was not the aggressor in
    bringing on the affray, i.e., he did
    not aggressively and willingly enter
    into the fight without legal excuse or
    provocation; and
    (4)   defendant did not use excessive force,
    i.e., did not use more force than was
    necessary or reasonably appeared to him
    to be necessary under the circumstances
    to protect himself from death or great
    bodily harm.
    State v. Williams, 
    342 N.C. 869
    , 873, 
    467 S.E.2d 392
    , 394 (1996)
    (quotation marks and citations omitted).
    On the other hand, if defendant believed it
    was necessary to kill the deceased in order
    to save [himself] from death or great bodily
    harm,   and    if   defendant’s    belief   was
    reasonable in that the circumstances as they
    appeared    to   [him]   at   the   time   were
    sufficient to create such a belief in the
    mind of a person of ordinary firmness, but
    defendant,     although    without    murderous
    intent, was the aggressor in bringing on the
    difficulty, or defendant used excessive
    force,     the     defendant    under     those
    circumstances has only the imperfect right
    of self-defense, having lost the benefit of
    perfect self-defense, and is guilty at least
    of voluntary manslaughter.
    State v. Wilson, 
    304 N.C. 689
    , 695, 
    285 S.E.2d 804
    , 808 (1982)
    (quotation marks and citations omitted).
    -14-
    An imperfect right of self-defense is thus
    available to a defendant who reasonably
    believes it necessary to kill the deceased
    to save himself from death or great bodily
    harm even if defendant (1) might have
    brought on the difficulty, provided he did
    so without murderous intent, and (2) might
    have used excessive force.   Imperfect self-
    defense therefore incorporates the first two
    requirements of perfect self-defense, but
    not the last two.
    State v. Mize, 
    316 N.C. 48
    , 52, 
    340 S.E.2d 439
    , 441–42 (1986).
    However,      if    the   defendant        brings      on    the        difficulty     with
    murderous intent—that is, “ with the intent to take life or
    inflict serious bodily harm[—]he is not entitled even to the
    doctrine of imperfect self-defense; and if he kills during the
    affray he is guilty of murder.”                   
    Id. at 52,
    340 S.E.2d at 442
    (quotation marks and citations omitted).
    Here,       Defendant     is   not     entitled       to    an     instruction    on
    perfect      or     imperfect    self-defense.              The     only     permissible
    inference from the evidence presented at trial is that Defendant
    instigated the 15 October 2006 shootout with murderous intent.
    After the incident at the Spirit gas station, Officer Chavis
    heard Defendant tell someone over the phone that “he didn’t care
    how   much    money    that     it   took,    .    .   .    he    was    going   to   kill
    somebody.”         Moreover, the collective testimony by the occupants
    of Locklear’s Envoy and Defendant’s Escalade establish that upon
    -15-
    seeing Locklear’s Envoy, Defendant got “a little rowdy,” turned
    the Escalade around, and used back roads to pursue Locklear.
    Uncontroverted testimony         also indicated that Defendant pulled
    the Escalade up behind Locklear’s Envoy and that bottles were
    thrown in the Envoy’s direction.
    Furthermore, Defendant did not testify or produce witnesses
    on his behalf and none of the State’s evidence suggests that
    Locklear   fired    at    Defendant     first.     Testimony     by    Locklear,
    Deese, Hammonds, and Lloyd indicated that Defendant fired first,
    injuring   Lloyd    and   fatally     injuring   Crystal    in   the    process.
    Nevertheless, Defendant directs our attention to testimony by
    Hunt, Scott, and J.L., who indicated that they heard two guns
    being fired and that the shots seemed to occur “all together.”
    However, even in isolation, this testimony does not permit the
    inference that Locklear instigated the shootout.                 At best, the
    evidence fails to establish who fired first.               Furthermore, other
    testimony by Hunt, Scott, and J.L. suggests that Defendant shot
    first.     Hunt    testified     that    upon    seeing    Locklear’s     Envoy,
    Defendant stated something to the effect of “I ought to shoot
    these boys” or “I want to shoot them” or “you think I’ll shoot
    them[?]”   and     then   Hunt    immediately     heard    gunfire.        Scott
    indicated that after the Escalade got behind the Envoy, he heard
    -16-
    gunshots coming from inside his vehicle and saw Defendant’s arm
    hanging out of the window with a gun in his hand.                 When asked if
    there had been any altercation that night between the occupants
    of Locklear’s Envoy and Defendant’s Escalade prior to Defendant
    shooting, J.L. said “[n]ot that night, no.”
    In summary, the evidence presented at trial showed that
    Defendant instigated the 15 October 2006 shootout with murderous
    intent.      Furthermore, Defendant presented no evidence on his
    behalf to rebut such evidence.          Accordingly, the trial court did
    not err in refusing to instruct the jury on theories of perfect
    and imperfect self-defense nor in refusing to submit voluntary
    manslaughter as a lesser-included offense.
    B. Evidentiary Objection to Officer T.L.’s Testimony
    The second question presented to this Court by Defendant’s
    appeal is whether the trial court committed reversible error
    when it allowed testimony from Officer T.L., over Defendant’s
    objection, that Defendant had “probably been involved in some
    type   of   shooting.”       Defendant    contends    that       there   was   no
    foundation    for   Officer’s   T.L.’s     statement       and    that   he    was
    speculating    regarding   an   event    to   which   he    had    no    personal
    knowledge.    We disagree.
    -17-
    “[W]hether a lay witness may testify as to an opinion is
    reviewed for abuse of discretion.                      A trial court abuses its
    discretion      if    its    determination       is    manifestly           unsupported    by
    reason and is so arbitrary that it could not have been the
    result of a reasoned decision.”                  State v. Sharpless, ___ N.C.
    App. ___, ___, 
    725 S.E.2d 894
    , 898 (2012) (quotation marks and
    citations omitted) (alteration in original).                         Furthermore, “we
    consider not whether we might disagree with the trial court, but
    whether the trial court’s actions are fairly supported by the
    record.”      Id.     at    ___,    725   S.E.2d      at    899.        A    defendant     is
    prejudiced by evidentiary errors when he can demonstrate that
    there   “is     a    reasonable      possibility       that,       had      the    error   in
    question not been committed, a different result would have been
    reached at the trial out of which the appeal arises.”                              N.C. Gen.
    Stat. § 15A-1443(a) (2013).
    Under our rules of evidence, a witness “may not testify to
    a matter unless evidence is introduced sufficient to support a
    finding that he has personal knowledge of the matter.”                              N.C. R.
    Evid. 602.          “The purpose of Rule 602 is to prevent a witness
    from testifying to a fact of which he has no direct personal
    knowledge.          [P]ersonal knowledge is not an absolute but may
    consist    of       what    the    witness   thinks        he   knows       from    personal
    -18-
    perception.”     State v. Cole, 
    147 N.C. App. 637
    , 645, 
    556 S.E.2d 666
    ,   671    (2001)   (quotation     marks   and   citations   omitted)
    (alteration in original).      See also N.C. R. Evid. 701 (requiring
    lay opinion testimony to be “rationally based on the perception
    of the witness”).
    Here, Officer T.L., who was in the area at the time of
    the shooting, testified as follows:
    [Officer T.L.:]     I know when I heard the
    shots with my windows
    being   down    and  the
    buildings behind to the
    left and to the right of
    me, I knew it was on my
    side in my general area.
    I wasn’t sure if it come
    [sic] from the left side
    or the right side.
    [Questioner:]       And so what did you do?
    [Officer T.L.:]     I immediately got on the
    radio     and      notified
    dispatch and any other
    officers      that     were
    listening, whether it be
    campus      police       or
    Sheriff’s Department and
    [Officer] Chavis that it
    had been shots fired and
    I’d   be   attempting    to
    locate   over    on   Union
    Chapel Road.
    [Questioner]:       So what did you do?
    [Officer T.L.:]     I pulled out and made a
    left, went to the end of
    -19-
    Union Chapel Road to the
    stop sign, made a U-
    turn,   didn’t    see   any
    traffic, made a U-turn,
    come   back     up    Union
    Chapel Road.       At that
    time I had passed a
    black Cadillac Escalade
    and a Cadillac car which
    was     following       the
    Escalade.      I notified
    [Officer]    Chavis    that
    the      vehicle       that
    [Defendant]        normally
    drove,   which    was   the
    Cadillac,     had      just
    passed me, he’d probably
    been involved in some
    type of shooting, and I
    was riding down Union
    Chapel Road--
    [Defense Counsel:]        Objection.      Move  to
    strike.      There’s  no
    foundation for that from
    this witness.
    Upon review of this record, we find no error with the trial
    court’s decision to allow this testimony.                   First, as is clear
    from the form of the question, Officer T.L. was recounting what
    he did in response to hearing gunshots in his general vicinity.
    As such, Officer T.L. was not offering a lay opinion as to
    Defendant’s   guilt.         Second,    assuming     arguendo    that    Officer
    T.L.’s   testimony     was    admitted        in   error,    Defendant   cannot
    establish that such error was prejudicial.                   At most, Officer
    -20-
    T.L.’s testimony indicates an uncontroverted fact—that Defendant
    was involved in the shooting.
    Accordingly, Defendant’s evidentiary objection is without
    merit and we find no error with the trial court’s decision to
    allow Officer T.L.’s testimony into evidence.
    C. Attempt to Impeach Officer T.L.’s Testimony
    The third and final question presented to this Court by
    Defendant’s       appeal    is   whether        the   trial    court     committed
    reversible error by not allowing Defendant to impeach Officer
    T.L.’s   testimony     by    inquiring     on    cross-examination        into   his
    termination from the police department.5                   During a voir dire
    offer of proof, it was revealed that Officer T.L. was terminated
    from   the   Pembroke       Police    Department      in   2009   for    allegedly
    mishandling       evidence.6     Defendant        contends     that     mishandling
    evidence     is     relevant     to     Officer       T.L.’s      character      for
    truthfulness.       We disagree.
    Pursuant to N.C. R. Evid. 608(b):
    [s]pecific instances of the conduct of a
    witness, for the purpose of attacking or
    supporting his credibility, . . . may not be
    proved by extrinsic evidence.     They may,
    5
    The State’s objection to this line of questioning was sustained
    by the trial court.
    6
    Specifically, Officer T.L. indicated that he was disciplined
    due to “missing evidence.”
    -21-
    however, in the discretion of the trial
    court, if probative of truthfulness or
    untruthfulness, be inquired into on cross-
    examination of the witness (1) concerning
    his    character    for   truthfulness  or
    untruthfulness . . . .
    “As the rule provides, it is within the trial court’s discretion
    to allow or disallow cross-examination of a witness about his
    specific acts if the acts are relevant to his character for
    truthfulness or untruthfulness.”                   State v. Hunt, 
    339 N.C. 622
    ,
    658, 
    457 S.E.2d 276
    , 297 (1994).                    “Evidence that a witness has
    attempted to deceive others is among the types of conduct most
    widely    accepted       as   being    indicative          of   one’s   character      for
    truthfulness or untruthfulness.”                    State v. Baldwin, 125 N.C.
    App.   530,     535,    
    482 S.E.2d 1
    ,   4    (1997)      (quotation     marks   and
    citation omitted).
    Here,    we     hold   that    a   police         officer’s   termination       for
    mishandling evidence, without additional evidence of deceit, is
    not probative for truthfulness.                     Officer T.L. was terminated
    from his position with the Pembroke Police Department “due to
    missing evidence” in an unrelated case.                         The trial transcript
    reveals    that        defense   counsel           had    no    further      information
    regarding Officer T.L.’s termination and no factual basis to
    continue      questioning     him     about    it.         Moreover,    even    assuming
    error, Defendant has not established that there is a reasonable
    -22-
    possibility   that   a   different   result     would   have   occurred   at
    trial.    See N.C. Gen. Stat. § 15A-1443(a).          Accordingly, we find
    no error in the decision of the trial court denying Defendant
    the opportunity to question Officer T.L. about his termination
    from the Pembroke Police Department.
    IV.   Conclusion
    For    the   foregoing   reasons,     we   find   no   error   with   the
    judgments of the trial court.
    No Error.
    Judges ROBERT C. HUNTER and CALABRIA concur.
    Report per rule 30(e).