Accordingly, defense counsel failed to establish a proper foundation that the evidence was, in fact, contradictory, and, therefore, we conclude that the trial court properly characterized it as irrelevant and precluded it on that basis. See State v. Hines, 163 Conn. 617, 619, 316 A.2d 392 (1972) (because crime of policy playing under General Statutes [Cum. Sup. 1965] § 53-298 was broadly defined, "evidence of conviction for policy playing, without specification of the particular act constituting the offense, in no way contradicted the testimony of the defendant with respect to the taking of any bet [and, therefore] [i]t was error to admit the evidence"); cf. State v. L'Heureux, 166 Conn. 312, 323, 348 A.2d 578 (1974) ("[e]vidence of convictions for nonsupport during a previous marriage did not contradict the testimony that at the time of trial the defendant considered himself a family man" [internal quotation marks omitted]). See generally State v. Pratt, supra, 235 Conn. 605 ("[u]nless . . . a proper foundation is established, the evidence . . . is irrelevant" [internal quotation marks omitted]).

This court has held that it is erroneous to admit evidence that does not contradict the testimony of a witness when such evidence has been admitted ostensibly for that purpose. State v. L'Heureux, 166 Conn. 312, 323, 348 A.2d 578 (1974); State v. Hines, 163 Conn. 617, 619, 316 A.2d 392 (1972). In this case, neither the heroin convictions nor the facts underlying them contradicted any of the defendant's testimony.

Recognizing this, the evidence was not offered by the state to impeach his credibility on the ground of that conviction but was offered directly to contradict his testimony." State v. Hines, 163 Conn. 617, 618-19, 316 A.2d 392. It is unnecessary to discuss whether such evidence could have been admitted for the purpose of directly contradicting statements made by the defendant during cross-examination.

As with the defendants' prior claim, this issue distinctly was raised before the trial court. The defendants, having not filed a cross appeal in this matter, may not raise this issue for review on appeal. See Practice Book § 61-8; Farmers Mechanics Savings Bank v. First Federal Savings Loan Assn. of Meriden, 167 Conn. 294, 303 n. 4, 355 A.2d 260 (1974); Rizzo v. Price, 162 Conn. 504, 512, 294 A.2d 541 (1972); see also B. I. B. Associates v. Zoning Board of Appeals, supra, 163 Conn. 617; Akin v. Norwalk, 163 Conn. 68, 70, 301 A.2d 258 (1972). C