Did You Know That the Law Protects You From Having Past Wrongdoings Used Against You in a Criminal Case?

Facing criminal charges in Florida can be stressful, given the state’s strict laws against crimes. And if this is not your first arrest, you may be worried that the state might attempt to bring up evidence of your past crimes or similar acts to prove your guilt. Florida law has strict rules that limit what can and cannot be presented to a jury to prevent unfair prejudice that could lead to a wrongful conviction. While evidence of other crimes can sometimes be admissible , Florida courts have consistently ruled against using unrelated past acts to prove guilt in a new case.

Case Example: Stephen Trahan v. State of Florida

In a recent decision out of Florida’s First District Court of Appeal, Stephen Trahan, challenged his burglary conviction based on improperly admitted evidence. Trahan was accused of burglary, but the prosecution attempted to introduce evidence of an unrelated item found in his possession.

The charges came after a man’s truck was broken into, his backpack stolen, and his truck ransacked. A few days later, the victim spotted Trahan walking in the neighborhood carrying what looked like the stolen backpack. After an initial confrontation, the police got involved, and Trahan was arrested for burglary.

At trial, , the prosecution introduced evidence that when Trahan was arrested, there was also a checkbook inside the backpack that belonged to someone completely unrelated to the case. Trahan’s defense lawyer objected, arguing that this additional evidence of an uninvolved third-party was unfairly prejudicial and irrelevant to the burglary charge at hand. Over the defense’s objections, the trial court allowed the evidence to come in and Trahan was convicted.

On appeal, the court ruled that introducing the checkbook as evidence was improper. Citing Fla. Stat. § 90.404, the court noted that using evidence from past crimes or unrelated bad acts simply to paint a defendant as a “bad person” or someone with a criminal mindset is prohibited. While such evidence can sometimes be allowed if it proves a critical issue like intent or identity, that wasn’t the case here.

The appellate court pointed out that, even though the prosecution never explicitly said Trahan stole the checkbook, presenting that evidence naturally led the jury to assume he did. This unfairly suggested that because he might have stolen one item, he was also guilty of the burglary. Courts have repeatedly ruled that evidence like this must be excluded because it could bias a jury.

The appellate court overturned Trahan’s conviction and ordered a new trial, this time without the checkbook evidence.

Not everything the prosecution wants to use against you is legally permitted. If they introduce evidence that could unfairly sway the jury, you can challenge that evidence because the law states that you cannot be convicted based on unrelated accusations or assumptions about your character. If you are facing criminal charges, a skilled criminal defense lawyer can challenge such tactics, ensure a fair trial, and avoid you being wrongfully convicted.

Legal Help Is Available

If you are facing criminal charges and are concerned about what evidence might be used against you, contact our experienced Fort Lauderdale criminal defense lawyers at Haber Blank, LLP, today for expert legal representation.

Source:

casetext.com/case/trahan-v-state-17