Opinion ID: 1917107
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Admission of Prior Conviction for Theft

Text: The defendant asserts that the elicitation on cross-examination of the defendant's admission of a prior conviction for theft was error. Specifically, he claims that the trial court erred in failing to make and articulate the findings required by M.R. Evid. 609(a) before allowing evidence of the prior conviction. [7] The evaluation by the Court required under Rule 609(a) is not necessary when the defense accedes to the use of a prior conviction. Here, the defendant was informed by the prosecutor that the State intended to cross-examine Terrio about the specific prior conviction. The defendant's counsel expressly stated at a sidebar conference prior to cross-examination that he had no objection. Moreover, the trial court properly instructed the jury that the theft conviction was not probative of guilt or innocence but that it was introduced only to assist the jury in assessing credibility. Terrio suggests on appeal, however, that the prejudice associated with the theft conviction is enhanced by its use in the cross-examination of a character witness. The character witness was asked whether his opinion of the truth and veracity of Terrio would change upon learning of the prior conviction. The proper method of cross-examining the witness is to inquire whether he has heard of the conviction in order to question whether there is an adequate basis for the community's opinion. [8] Field & Murray, Maine Evidence § 405.2 (1976). The Maine rule does not permit proof of character by the opinion of the witness. State v. Doherty, Me., 437 A.2d 876, 879 (1981); Field & Murray, Maine Evidence 71 (1976) (Advisers' Note). We note this impropriety in order to avoid its repetition on remand.