State v. Ball
Louisiana Supreme Court
756 So. 2d 275 (1999)
- Written by Abby Roughton, JD
Facts
In November of 1996, Ricko Ball (defendant) stole Mary Upton’s minivan from Upton’s driveway. When officers found Ball and the minivan, they saw a shotgun and rifle on the minivan’s floor between the front seats. After the district attorney learned that Ball had previously pleaded guilty to burglarizing a house in 1993, the district attorney charged Ball with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon under a Louisiana statute that prohibited people who had previously been convicted of burglary and other enumerated crimes from possessing firearms or carrying concealed weapons. Before trial, Ball made a motion in limine in which he offered to stipulate that he had previously been convicted of a felony that would bar him from possessing a firearm. In return, Ball asked the trial court to prohibit the prosecution (plaintiff) from presenting evidence regarding his burglary conviction. The trial court denied Ball’s motion. The jury ultimately found Ball guilty, and he appealed. The court of appeal affirmed, and the Louisiana Supreme Court granted review.
Rule of Law
Issue
Holding and Reasoning (Victory, J.)
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