Brown v. Commonwealth

Tried by a jury, John Marshall Brown was convicted of grand larceny of an automobile and sentenced to five years in the penitentiary. We consider in this appeal whether the trial court erred in admitting evidence of Brown’s prior arrest and conviction for automobile larceny.

On May 2, 1980, the police stopped a stolen automobile occupied by Brown and his stepbrother, Kenneth Grant, the driver. After being read his Miranda rights, Brown answered questions posed by Officer Randall.

The trial court, over Brown’s objection, permitted Randall to testify as follows:

Q. After advising him of these…