State v. Walston

NEWBY, Justice.

In this case we consider the admissibility of evidence of a pertinent character trait of a criminal defendant under North Carolina Rule of Evidence 404(a)(1). For character evidence to be admissible at trial under Rule 404(a)(1), an accused must “tailor the evidence to a particular trait that is relevant to an issue in the case.” State v. Squire, 321 N.C. 541, 546, 364 S.E.2d 354, 357 (1988). Defendant’s proffered evidence of being respectful towards children was not sufficiently tailored to the State’s charges of child sexual abuse and was thus inadmissible. Separately, we…