Cason v. State

This Court granted certiorari to consider whether the Court of Criminal Appeals, 515 So.2d 718 (1986), erred in holding that the defendant was entitled to the following jury instruction:

"Members of the jury, I charge you that if a witness has been convicted of a crime, a felony, such as forgery or carnal knowledge, then he has been impeached and you may disregard his testimony completely." (Emphasis added.)

The Court of Criminal Appeals found that the refusal to give this charge was error, citing Kennedy v. State, 291 Ala. 62,277 So.2d 878 (1973), and Ashlock v. State, 367 So.2d 560…