Opinion ID: 1308431
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: State v. Young

Text: On September 20, 1980, two men entered a Snohomish County residence, threatened the four occupants with what appeared to be a pistol, and stole a safe. Two weeks later, the State charged Darryl Young and Thomas Diamont with first degree robbery. Diamont was never apprehended. Prior to trial, Young filed a motion in limine to exclude evidence of his prior convictions. Young had been convicted of grand larceny in 1970, forgery and credit card theft in 1974, and attempted escape in 1977. The trial court held the 1970 conviction was too remote and thus inadmissible. The State was permitted to present evidence of the other convictions, however, for purpose of impeachment under ER 609(a)(1). The court concluded, the probative value of these [three] convictions substantially outweighs any remote prejudicial effect that might result. At trial, Young presented an alibi defense. On direct examination, he admitted his prior convictions of forgery and grand larceny. On cross examination, the prosecutor elicited an acknowledgment of the attempted escape and credit card theft convictions. As with Jones, the trial court instructed the jury, in accordance with WPIC 5.05, that evidence of a defendant's prior convictions could be considered only in determining defendant's credibility as a witness. The jury returned a guilty verdict. The Court of Appeals affirmed in an unpublished opinion. We reverse.