State v. Russell
Annotate this CaseDefendant was indicted on four counts of theft. At trial, the trial court ruled that Defendant's prior misdemeanor convictions for passing worthless checks were admissible to impeach her credibility pursuant to Tenn. R. Evid. 609, which states that a conviction punishable by less than one year of imprisonment is admissible if the crimes involves dishonesty or false statement. Defendant elected not to testify, and the jury convicted her on three of the four counts of theft. The Supreme Court affirmed, holding that the crime of passing worthless checks involves an element of dishonesty or false statement and that the trial court did not abuse its discretion when it determined that Defendant's prior convictions could be used to impeach her credibility if she testified.
Court Description: Authoring Judge: Justice Janice M. Holder
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