Cartoon conviction upheld by Court of Appeals
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March 14, 2012
Oregon: The Oregon Court of Appeals upheld a ruling by circuit court Judge Gayle Nachtigal that allowed the use of a cartoon to be shown as evidence in front of the jury.[1]
The 22-year-old Ariel Jasso from Tigard, Oregon was sentenced to nearly 6 years of prison for robbery. What helped convict him was a cartoon drawing of a masked robber saying, "Gimme tha jewlery b**** " and pointing gun at a shocked woman with her hands raised up in the air. Jasso's drawing was found in his backpack after an unsuccessful attempt to evade law enforcement.[1]
Jasso and his friends stole marijuana, bongs, clothes, a video-game controller and $800 from a Marijuana dealer's house.[1]
The defense argued the cartoon should not have been shown to the jury because it would bias jurors.
- "It was a doodle in a notebook, but nonetheless it was a pretty damning piece of evidence."[1] - Defense attorney Jonathan Sarre
The prosecution argued the drawing was relevant in showing the defendant's intent.[1]
Footnotes
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