Opinion ID: 1179507
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: The Aggravating Evidence.

Text: The prosecutor called two witnesses to testify concerning an attempted robbery committed by defendant. This occurred in November 1981 at a Bible study meeting for women attended by approximately 27 people. After sitting in the meeting for five or ten minutes, and sharing in the offered refreshments, defendant removed a BB or pellet gun from his overcoat, pointed it at a woman's head, and demanded her purse. The woman refused and defendant's attempts to grab it away from her were unsuccessful. Defendant fled from the room after another woman screamed. Defendant was arrested two days later while walking along a sidewalk when officers observed the handle of his pellet or BB gun in the pocket of his trench coat. Defendant later told the arresting officers he was upset they had pointed their guns at him and would have shot one of them but did not because the officer was behind the door of the police car. On cross-examination, defendant elicited testimony that he was carrying a large quantity of BB's and what appeared to be a robbery kit when arrested. During a bench conference, defendant complained that the prosecution was doing a poor job of presenting the aggravating evidence. Defendant offered to stipulate that he committed a second attempted robbery for which he had been arrested but not charged. However, the prosecutor would not accept the stipulation. On cross-examination of a police officer, defendant elicited testimony that on the day preceding the attempted robbery at the Bible study meeting, an elderly couple had been accosted by a young man wearing a raincoat. This man produced a handgun, demanded money, and fired a shot when the couple refused to give up their money. No one was injured and no property was taken. Defendant established that he had been arrested for this attempted robbery.