Opinion ID: 3134255
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: introduction

Text: of gang AFFILIATION evidence. Although defense counsel's objection lacked specificity, we will assume, arguendo, that defense counsel's objection went to the State's introduction of gang affiliation testimony in general, not merely the introduction of gang activity testimony, and that defendant properly preserved his objection. In Dawson, the Supreme Court held that a defendant's first amendment right to freely associate is violated when the State introduces evidence during a death penalty hearing regarding a defendant's gang affiliation, when it is irrelevant to proving any aggravating circumstances. The Dawson court further held, however, that the erroneous introduction of such gang affiliation evidence is subject to a harmless error analysis. Dawson, 503 U.S. at 168- 69, 117 L. Ed. 2d at 319, 112 S. Ct. at 1099. We conclude that, if error occurred, the State's