State v. Mallard

OPINION

in which ANDERSON, C.J., and DROWOTA, BIRCH, and HOLDER, JJ., joined.

In this appeal, we address whether Tennessee Code Annotated section 39-17-424 (1997) requires admission into evidence of a defendant’s prior convictions relating to controlled substances, even when Tennessee Rule of Evidence 404(b) would otherwise render such evidence inadmissible. During the appellant’s trial in the Rutherford County Circuit Court for possession of drug paraphernalia, the State admitted evidence of the appellant’s prior convictions for possession of crack cocaine and drug paraphernalia under section…