Evans v. United States

277 F.2d 354 (1960)

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Evans v. United States

United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia
277 F.2d 354 (1960)

RW

Facts

The United States (plaintiff) charged Evans (defendant) with murder. At trial, eyewitnesses testified that Evans stabbed the victim in the course of a fight, but they could not say who started the fight. Evidence showed the victim was drunk. Other than Evans's testimony that the victim violently grabbed and tried to sexually assault her, no evidence suggested a motive for the crime. Evans sought to introduce testimony by the victim's wife that the victim often drank and then acted belligerently. The judge refused Evans's proffer of testimony. The jury convicted Evans and she appealed to the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia, arguing the judge erred in excluding the proffered testimony.

Rule of Law

Issue

Holding and Reasoning (Bazelon, J.)

Dissent (Fahy, J.)

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