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Rule 608 Evidence of character and conduct of witness
(a)
Opinion and reputation evidence of character. The credibility of a witness may
be attacked or supported by evidence in the form of opinion or reputation, but
subject to these limitations: (1) the evidence may refer only to character for
truthfulness or untruthfulness, and (2) evidence of truthful character is
admissible only after the character of the witness for truthfulness has been
attacked by opinion or reputation evidence or otherwise.
(b) Specific instances of conduct. Specific instances of the conduct of a witness,
for the purpose of attacking or supporting the witness' credibility, other than
conviction of crime as provided in Rule 609, may not be proved by extrinsic
evidence. They may, however, in the discretion of the court, if probative of
truthfulness or untruthfulness, be inquired into on cross-examination of the
witness:
(1) concerning the witness' character for truthfulness or
untruthfulness, or
(2) concerning the character for truthfulness or
untruthfulness of another witness as to which character the witness being
cross-examined has testified. No specific instance of conduct of a witness may
be the subject of inquiry under this provision unless the cross-examiner has a
factual basis for the subject matter of his inquiry.
The giving of testimony, whether by an accused or by any other witness, does not
operate as a waiver of the accused's or the witness' privilege against
self-incrimination when examined with respect to matters which relate only to
credibility.
Effective:July 1, 2003
History: Enacted 1990 Ky. Acts ch. 88, sec. 41; amended 1992 Ky. Acts ch. 324,
sec. 14; renumbered (7/1/92) pursuant to 1992 Ky. Acts ch. 324, sec. 34;
amended effective July 1, 2003.
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