Williams v. State

PIVARNIK, Justice.

Defendant-Appellant Joel Williams, Jr., was convicted of robbery, a class B felony, at the conclusion of a jury trial in the Lake Superior Criminal Division. He was sentenced to fifteen (15) years. On direct appeal he raises the following issue: whether the trial court erred in permitting the State to bring into evidence through cross-examination the fact that the brother of the defense witness had been convicted of murder.

Appellant relied on the defense of alibi at trial. His principal alibi witness was his girlfriend, Francine Terry. During cross-examination by the State,…