Opinion ID: 2071409
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Motion In Limine Subsequent Crime Evidence

Text: The indictment charged Deshields with Robbery in the First Degree, alleging that on April 21, 1995, he did: in the course of committing theft, use the threat of force upon one [Laura Jackson] with intent to overcome resistance to the taking of property ... and in the course of the commission of that crime displayed what appeared to be a deadly weapon to wit: did place his hand under his shirt in a manner to make it appear that he possessed a gun, in violation of Title 11, Section [832(a)(2)] of the Delaware Code. Deshields contended that, since he had confessed to the police that he was present at the convenience store on April 21 and that he took money from Jackson, his identification was not at issue. Therefore, Deshields argued that the manner in which he committed the second robbery was unnecessary to establish his identity and would be prejudicial if presented to the jury. Although modus operandi is generally used to establish identity and Deshields' identity was not at issue, the State argued that the evidence of the May robbery was still admissible, since Deshields was contesting his degree of guilt for the April robbery. According to the State, the circumstances of the second robbery in May demonstrated that Deshields tried to convince Jackson he had a weapon by reaching underneath his shirt with his right hand, just as he had done during the first robbery in April. The Superior Court ruled that the modus operandi evidence of the May robbery was admissible, as part of the state's case-in-chief for the April robbery, to show absence of mistake or an intent on Deshields' part to convince Jackson, by gesturing, that he had a weapon.