State Of Louisiana v. Brittany Linn Estes

STATE OF LOUISIANA
COURT OF APPEAL, FIRST CIRCUIT

STATE OF LOUISTANA NO. 2025 KW 0703

VERSUS

BRITTANY LINN ESTES AUGUST 22, 2025

In Re: Brittany Linn Estes, applying for supervisory writs,
22nd Judicial District Court, Parish of St. Tammany, No.
1383-F-2022.

BEFORE: LANIER, WOLFE, AND HESTER, JJ.

WRIT GRANTED. A defendant has the constitutional right to
present a defense. See U.S. Const. amend. VI; La. Const. art. I,
§ 16. A party may attack the credibility of a witness by examining
him or her concerning any matter having a reasonable tendency to
disprove the truthfulness of his or her testimony. See La. Code
Evid. art. 607(C). Louisiana Code of Evidence article 412 bars
the introduction of evidence of the victim’s past sexual behavior,
with certain limited circumstances. “Past sexual behavior” has
also been described as “sexual history,” although not limited to
sexual intercourse. See State v. Everidge, 96-2665 (La. 12/2/97),
702 So.2d 680, 684. Discovery in this matter produced evidence of
the victim’s inconsistent statements. We find the contents of the
statements are admissible for the purpose of allowing the defendant
to impeach the victim’s credibility, not to delve into the facts
of the victim’s past sexual behavior or sexual
history. Accordingly, the trial court’s ruling denying the
defense’s motion to introduce evidence of A.M.’s_ alleged
inconsistent statements to impeach his credibility at trial is
reversed and this matter is remanded for further proceedings
consistent with this court’s ruling.

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PUTY CLERK OF COURT
FOR THE COURT