Smith's Criminal Case Compendium

This compendium includes significant criminal cases by the U.S. Supreme Court & N.C. appellate courts, Nov. 2008 – Present. Selected 4th Circuit cases also are included.

Jessica Smith prepared case summaries Nov. 2008-June 4, 2019; later summaries are prepared by other School staff.

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State v. Reed, 371 N.C. 106 (May. 11, 2018)

Evidence > Prior Acts--404(b) Evidence > Evidence Admissible > Defendant’s Miscellaneous Other Acts

In a case where the defendant was convicted of misdemeanor child abuse and contributing to the delinquency of a minor, the court reversed the opinion below, ___ N.C. App. ___, 789 S.E.2d 703 (2016), for the reasons stated in the dissent. The case involved the drowning of a child under the...

State v. Williams, 370 N.C. 526, 809 S.E.2d 581 (Mar. 2, 2018)

Criminal Procedure > Appellate Issues > Failure to Raise Issue/Object at Trial & Related Issues

Evidence > Prior Acts--404(b) Evidence > Evidence Admissible > Defendant’s Miscellaneous Other Acts

In this possession of a firearm by a felon case, the court reversed in part the decision of the Court of Appeals, ___ N.C. App. ___, 801 S.E.2d 169 (2017), for the reasons stated in the dissent. A divided panel of the court of appeals had held that the trial court erred by admitting 404(b)...

State v. Bradley, 279 N.C. App. 389, 2021-NCCOA-495 (Sept. 21, 2021)

Evidence > Prior Acts--404(b) Evidence > Evidence Admissible > Defendant’s Miscellaneous Other Acts

In this first-degree murder case, (1) the trial court did not err by admitting under Rule 404(b) evidence of the disappearance of a person the defendant had been previously convicted of murdering, (2) the defendant was not prejudiced by alleged improper remarks by the prosecution during closing...

State v. Weldon, ___ N.C. App. ___, 811 S.E.2d 683 (Feb. 20, 2018)

Evidence > Prior Acts--404(b) Evidence > Evidence Admissible > Defendant’s Miscellaneous Other Acts

Evidence > Prior Acts--404(b) Evidence > Miscellaneous 404(b) Cases

In this possession of a firearm by a felon case, the trial court did not err when it allowed an officer to testify that during an unrelated incident, the officer saw the defendant exiting a house that the officer was surveilling and to testify that the defendant had a reputation for causing...

State v. Wilson-Angeles, ___ N.C. App. ___, 795 S.E.2d 657 (Feb. 7, 2017)

Evidence > Prior Acts--404(b) Evidence > Evidence Admissible > Defendant’s Miscellaneous Other Acts

In this arson case, the trial court properly admitted 404(b) evidence to show the defendant’s intent. The evidence in question pertained to another arson which was sufficiently similar to the incident in question. Both arsons occurred in the same town during nighttime hours and involved the same...

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