Opinion ID: 1325644
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Cross-Examination of Mueller.

Text: Mueller argues that the trial court erred in permitting the Commonwealth to question him about his prior convictions for sexual assault, as well as the present offenses against Charity Powers. We disagree. During his direct testimony, Mueller acknowledged that he had prior convictions for sexual offenses and he stated that he was refused parole repeatedly because of these convictions. Mueller also testified on direct examination about the circumstances under which his life had deteriorated and he related the fact that he had spent two years in a California state hospital. Once a defendant has testified as to certain matters, the proper scope of cross examination lies within the sound discretion of the trial court. See Savino v. Commonwealth, 239 Va. 534, 545, 391 S.E.2d 276, 282, cert. denied, 498 U.S.___, 111 S.Ct. 229, 112 L.Ed.2d 184 (1990). Considering the above testimony, we find that the trial court did not abuse its discretion in allowing the Commonwealth to question Mueller about his prior convictions for sexual offenses and about whether he had learned anything as a result of his commission of the present offenses.