Lamont Carpenter v. State of Indiana

OPINION

MAY, Judge.

Lamont Carpenter appeals his convictions of five counts of Class A felony dealing in cocaine; 1 and one count each of Class B felony unlawful possession of a firearm by a serious violent felon (“SVF”), 2 Class C felony possession of a handgun with altered identifying marks, 3 and Class D felony possession of marijuana. 4 He presents multiple issues for our review, which we consolidate and restate as:

1. Whether the trial court properly bifurcated Carpenter’s trial on the charge of unlawful possession of a firearm by an SVF;

2. Whether the trial court abused its discretion by…