Giles v. State

As we view the case, the admission of this testimony, over objection, under the record of this case, shows reversible error, (a) In the trial of a criminal case the defendant has the right to put his general good character in evidence. In doing so the law forbids him to go into specific acts to establish his good character by his own witnesses offered for that purpose. On cross-examination, however, the State may go into specific acts for the purpose of testing the knowledge of the defendant’s witnesses as to his general good character.(b) Where the good character of the defendant is put in…