State v. Squire

EXUM, Chief Justice.

The question presented by this appeal is whether the trial court committed reversible error when it precluded defendant from offering evidence of character traits other than his traits for peacefulness and truthfulness. We hold that the trial court’s decision to prohibit defendant from introducing evidence of other relevant character traits constituted prejudicial error.

I

Both the state’s and defendant’s evidence tended to show that on 29 June 1985 James Ingram died as the result of a single gunshot wound from a .38 caliber pistol fired by defendant, Willie Lee Squire. The…