State v. Lawton

Rarely are we compelled to reverse a verdict of guilty because the trial judge failed to control an overzealous prosecutor, but this is such a case. The improper admission of numerous bad acts allegedly committed by defendant, punctuated with improper prosecutorial comments about defendant’s character, were potentially so damaging that we cannot conclude that the verdict against defendant was untainted by such evidence.

Defendant was charged with three counts of sexual assault on his three sons, G.L., aged seven years, D.L., aged five years, and B.L., aged three years. The State alleged the…