State v. Vorhees

MICHAEL A. WOLFF, Judge.

Introduction

The question presented here is whether evidence of other, uncharged offenses can be admitted in a criminal trial — not to establish the identity of the offender but to corroborate the testimony of the alleged victim that the offense occurred.

This Court in State v. Ellison held that section 566.0251, which authorized such evidence, is unconstitutional, on the grounds that evidence of uncharged crimes deprives the defendant of the right to be tried only on the crime charged. 239 S.W.3d 603 (2007). “Evidence of a defendant’s prior criminal acts,” this Court…