12.6.9 Audiotapes

Audiotapes of the defendant’s statements or threats, even secretly recorded telephone conversations, may be admissible.1  Louisiana is a single-party consent state when it comes to recording conversations. That means that only one party to the conversation needs to know that it is being recorded.2  911 tapes can be very compelling evidence. Defendants may leave threats on a telephone voicemail. Audio recordings of the defendant may be authenticated through the victim’s testimony that she recognizes the voice on the recording and how (e.g., she has talked to him on the phone many times).

• 1State v. Jeanlouis, 96-474, p. 7 (La. App. 3 Cir. 11/6/96), 683 So. 2d 1355, 1360; Briscoe v. Briscoe, 25,955, pp. 9–10 (La. App. 2 Cir. 8/17/94), 641 So. 2d 999, 1006–07.
• 2R.S.15:1303(B)(4).