STATE OF LOUISIANA COURT OF APPEAL, FIRST CIRCUIT STATE OF LOUISIANA NO. 2023 KW 0605 VERSUS

JARVIS BOWIE JTM 27, 2023

In Re: State of Louisiana, applying for supervisory writs, 19th Judicial District Court, Parish of East Baton Rouge, No. DC - 21- 02287.

BEFORE: LANIER, HESTER, AND MILLER, JJ.

WRIT GRANTED. The district court abused its discretion in granting the defendant' s motion in limine to allow the defense to cross- examine the state' s witness, Stephanie Cofield, with regard to her unrelated criminal arrests to show bias with no basis demonstrated beyond mere speculation. the A party may attack credibility of a witness by questioning him to show bias; however, an arrest may not be used to impeach a witness' general credibility. See La. Code Evid. arts. 607 and 609. 1. See also State v. Mills, 2018- 0047 ( La. App. 1st Cir. 9/ 24/ 18), 259 So. 3d 1045, writ denied, 2018- 1686 ( La. 4/ 15/ 19), 267 So. 3d 1128.

WIL CHH SMN

OURT OF APPEAL, FIRST CIRCUIT

DEPUTY CLERK OF COURT FOR THE COURT