Opinion ID: 4542716
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: facts

Text: This case arises out of an incident in which a law enforcement officer found a set of brass knuckles in Vann’s pocket during a search. This led the State to bring charges against Vann for possession of a deadly weapon by a prohibited person and carrying a concealed weapon, among other charges. To prove that Vann was a felon and therefore prohibited from possessing a deadly weapon, the State offered documentary evidence that Vann was convicted of possession of cocaine in the district court for Douglas County in 1992. In particular, the State offered exhibit 7, a five-page court record authenticated by the clerk of the district court for Douglas - 93 - Nebraska Supreme Court Advance Sheets 306 Nebraska Reports STATE v. VANN Cite as 306 Neb. 91 County. Exhibit 7 indicated that Vann was charged in that court with possession of cocaine and that he appeared with counsel for sentencing following a guilty plea. Nothing in exhibit 7 expressly indicated that Vann was represented by counsel at the time he entered his guilty plea or that he had waived that right. When the State offered exhibit 7, Vann’s counsel stated, “I have no objection to Exhibit 7 as an authenticated, certified copy.” The district court received exhibit 7 into evidence. At the conclusion of the State’s case, Vann moved to dismiss the charge of possession of a deadly weapon by a prohibited person. Vann argued that exhibit 7 did not show that he had or waived counsel at the time of his prior guilty plea and was thus insufficient to establish that Vann was a prohibited person under State v. Portsche, 258 Neb. 926, 606 N.W.2d 794 (2000). The district court denied Vann’s motion to dismiss. Vann went on to introduce evidence of his own. After the conclusion of all evidence, Vann renewed his motion to dismiss on the ground that the evidence was insufficient. The district court overruled the motion. The jury convicted Vann of both possession of a deadly weapon by a prohibited person and possession of a concealed weapon. Vann was sentenced to a term of imprisonment of 1 year for possession of a deadly weapon by a prohibited person and 6 months for possession of a concealed weapon. The sentences were ordered to be served concurrently to each other and with a sentence for a conviction in North Dakota. After Vann timely appealed, we moved the case to our docket. See Neb. Rev. Stat. § 24-1106(3) (Cum. Supp. 2018). ASSIGNMENTS OF ERROR Vann assigns that the district court erred by (1) overruling his motion to dismiss at the conclusion of the State’s case and (2) finding that exhibit 7 was a valid prior conviction that could be used to prove that he had previously been convicted of a felony. - 94 - Nebraska Supreme Court Advance Sheets 306 Nebraska Reports STATE v. VANN Cite as 306 Neb. 91