W. C. Pruitt v. State Texas

This appeal involves the question of whether the State may impeach its own witness with a prior inconsistent statement when it has called the witness knowing that he will provide little or no testimony useful to the State. We hold the right to impeach ones own witness by use of a prior inconsistent statement does not extend to employment of such impeachment as a mere subterfuge to get otherwise inadmissible hearsay evidence before a jury.