State v. Moon
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The Supreme Court vacated Defendant's convictions, holding that the trial court committed reversible error by allowing impeachment evidence of a material defense witness without sufficient evidence, and the error was not harmless.
After a jury trial, Defendant was convicted of attempted second-degree murder and unlawful employment of a firearm. The court of criminal appeals affirmed, holding, as relevant to this appeal, that Defendant's right to a speedy trial had not been violated and that the trial court did not commit reversible error in allowing improper impeachment of a defense witness. The Supreme Court reversed, holding (1) Defendant was not denied a speedy trial; but (2) the trial court's error in allowing improper impeachment evidence was reversible error.
Court Description:
Authoring Judge: Chief Justice Roger A. Page
Trial Court Judge: Judge L. Craig Johnson
William Eugene Moon ( Defendant ) was convicted of attempted second degree murder and unlawful employment of a firearm during the commission of or attempt to commit a dangerous felony. Defendant appealed his conviction and asserted, among other things, that he had been denied the right to a speedy trial and that the trial court erred by allowing improper impeachment of a defense witness. The Court of Criminal Appeals affirmed the judgments of the trial court, holding that Defendant was not denied a speedy trial and, although the trial court erred in allowing the prosecution to improperly impeach a defense witness, the error was harmless. This Court granted Defendant’s application for permission to appeal to consider whether the Court of Criminal Appeals applied the proper standard of review to Defendant’s claim that he was denied a speedy trial, to address the merits of Defendant’s speedy trial claim, and to determine whether the trial court committed reversible error in allowing improper impeachment of a defense witness. We hold that the standard of review for an alleged speedy trial violation is de novo with deference to the trial court’s findings of fact unless the evidence preponderates otherwise. When reviewed under this standard, we determine that the Court of Criminal Appeals properly held that the Defendant was not denied a speedy trial. Further, we agree with the intermediate court that the trial court erred in allowing improper impeachment of a defense witness. However, we hold that this error was not harmless and is reversible error. Accordingly, we reverse the judgment of the Court of Criminal Appeals and vacate the judgments of the trial court. The case is remanded to the trial court for further proceedings consistent with this opinion.
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