Ross v. State

I fully concur in Divisions 1 and 3, and in the judgment affirming Ross’ convictions. In Division 2, however, the majority holds that, when relevant evidence of a defendant’s prior conviction is of a nature likely to inflame the passions of the jury and to raise the risk of a verdict based on improper considerations, and has the sole purpose of proving his status as a convicted felon, then it is an abuse of discretion for the trial court to reject his offer to stipulate to the prior conviction and to admit evidence of its name and nature. By this holding, the majority overturns considerable…