What is the effect of a prior robbery conviction on the credibility of a witness?

California, United States of America


The following excerpt is from People v. Fries, 155 Cal.Rptr. 194, 24 Cal.3d 222, 594 P.2d 19 (Cal. 1979):

7 There is, in this case, no quarrel with the dissent that the crime of robbery is probative of honesty. (Cf., Post, at p. 203 of 155 Cal.Rptr., at p. ---- of 594 P.2d.) The points to be made about the "partial" relevance of a prior robbery conviction to a witness' credibility are more subtle than the dissent appears to appreciate. A prior robbery conviction involves factors that reflect on honesty (the theft) And factors that do not (the use of force or fear; see People v. Woodard, supra, 23 Cal.3d at p. 340, 152 Cal.Rptr. 536, 590 P.2d 391). Thus, only some of the elements of robbery are relevant to impeachment; the others are irrelevant. Therefore, a prior conviction of robbery is only "partly relevant to credibility."

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