Case Name: Benard GRAHAM, Appellant, v. The STATE of Florida, Appellee
Court: Florida District Court of Appeal
Jurisdiction: Florida
Decision Date: 2002-04-24
Citations: 814 So. 2d 1209
Docket Number: No. 3D01-0465
Parties: Benard GRAHAM, Appellant, v. The STATE of Florida, Appellee.
Judges: Before COPE, LEVY, and RAMIREZ, JJ.
Reporter: Southern Reporter, Second Series
Volume: 814
Pages: 1209–1209

Head Matter:
Benard GRAHAM, Appellant, v. The STATE of Florida, Appellee.
No. 3D01-0465.
District Court of Appeal of Florida, Third District.
April 24, 2002.
Bennett H. Brummer, Public Defender, and Billie Jan Goldstein, Assistant Public Defender, for appellant.
Robert A. Butterworth, Attorney General, and Barbara A. Zappi, Assistant Attorney General, for appellee.
Before COPE, LEVY, and RAMIREZ, JJ.

Opinion:
CONFESSION OF ERROR
PER CURIAM.
Benard Graham appeals from a judgment of conviction and sentence for possession of a firearm. Appellee, the State of Florida, properly confesses error that Graham did not qualify as a violent career criminal pursuant to section 775.084, Florida Statutes (1999) at the time this offense was allegedly committed. See Walters v. State, 790 So.2d 483 (Fla. 5th DCA 2001).
Throughout the trial, both the prosecutor and defense counsel referred to the defendant as a violent career criminal. Because the defendant was thereby unduly prejudiced, we reverse Graham's conviction and remand for a new trial. See State v. Emmund, 698 So.2d 1318, 1320 (Fla. 3d DCA 1997)(reference to the defendant as a violent career criminal impinges on the defendant's right to a fair trial as the jury will far more easily believe that he possessed a firearm).
Reversed and remanded for a new trial.