In a recent case before an appeals court in Massachusetts, the defendant asked the court to reconsider his convictions of unlawful possession of a firearm, unlawful possession of ammunition, and improper storage of a firearm. Originally, the defendant was criminally charged after two police officers found a loaded firearm in his car; he was found guilty after a jury weighed the evidence at trial. On appeal, the defendant argued that the jury should not have heard about other crimes he had committed in the past, since it unnecessarily biased them in their decision-making process. Considering the evidence, the court of appeals disagreed and affirmed the guilty verdict.
Facts of the Case
According to the opinion, two State troopers approached the defendant one afternoon when he was standing outside of a car, looking at the front bumper and making sure everything was working properly. The troopers had received a report that the car’s license plate was registered to another car and that the registration had been revoked because the owner had no insurance. For these reasons, the troopers pulled over and approached the defendant.
As they approached, the troopers noticed a firearm sitting between the driver’s seat and the center console. The defendant immediately admitted that he did not have a license to carry the firearm, and officers took him to the station for questioning.
Eventually, the defendant’s case went to trial. He was found guilty as charged and sentenced to time in prison.
The Decision
On appeal, the defendant argued that the jury was biased against him because the prosecutor had asked him about prior crimes he had committed. At one point, the prosecutor asked the defendant if he was driving without a driver’s license, and the defendant admitted that he had indeed driven without a license. According to the rules of evidence, a jury is not supposed to be privy to a defendant’s prior bad acts, since they are not necessarily relevant to the crime the jury is considering.
The court of appeals looked at the trial record and ultimately agreed that the jury should not have learned about the defendant’s prior bad act. However, at the same time, knowledge of the defendant’s driving without a license did not bias the jury in any significant way. According to the court of appeals, this fact would not have swayed the jury one way or the other. Therefore, there was no basis to accept the defendant’s argument, and the original convictions were affirmed.
Are You Looking for a Criminal Defense Attorney in Massachusetts?
At the Law Office of Patrick J. Murphy, we live and work by the rule that when your future and your freedom are on the line, we do everything possible to ensure sure your battle is won. We have been representing criminal defendants in Massachusetts for 27 years, and we are an award-winning firm because we get our clients the results they need. We handle all types of cases, including those involving firearm possession. For a free and confidential consultation, give us a call today at 617-367-0450. We are available 24/7 to take your call.