Court Opinion

ID: 9465501
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-05 00:48:04.942517+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T17:39:12.766245
License: Public Domain

DeMASCIO, District Judge,
concurring:
In United States v. Burkhart, 545 F.2d 14 (6th Cir. 1976), this court’s order announced that “the government was not required to accept in lieu of proof the defendant’s stipulation [that he had a prior felony conviction within the meaning of 18 U.S.C. Appendix § 1202(a)(1) (1976)] and was not limited to establishing only one prior conviction.” Relying on that brief order, the district court overruled Blackburn’s motions to strike from the indictment references to the nature of his prior felonies and to require the government to stipulate that appellant had prior felony convictions. Blackburn argues that disclosing the nature of his prior felony convictions was highly prejudicial. I agree that it was. Disclosure of the nature of prior felony convictions makes it difficult to assure an accused a fair and impartial jury. Without doubt, it places an unnecessary burden upon the presumption of innocence. The government cannot justify the need for routinely referring to the nature of the prior felony convictions in the indictment. Nor does Burkhart set forth any reasons for sanctioning the government’s right to refuse a stipulation. Therefore, I cannot agree that the court should adhere to the Burkhart rule. I believe a fair trial is more assured if the government’s right to reject the kind of stipulation offered by Blackburn is left to the sound discretion of the trial court.
I concur, however, in affirmance of Blackburn’s conviction because the nature of his two prior convictions was admissible to rebut Blackburn’s defense of innocent possession of the firearm. Both of his prior felony convictions were admissible under Rule 609(a), Fed.R.Evid. His prior felony conviction for shooting into a dwelling house would have also been admissible under Rule 404(b), Fed.R.Evid., on the issue of Blackburn’s motive and intent.
Under United States v. Sims, 588 F.2d 1145 (6th Cir. 1978), Blackburn’s 1962 conviction should not have been admitted to impeach his credibility under Rule 609(b), Fed.R.Evid., unless and until the government made a showing on the record that its probative value substantially outweighed any prejudicial effect. I concur with the majority, however, that error in this regard was harmless within the meaning of Rule 52(a), Fed.R.Crim.P.