State v. Patrick Timothy McDonald

Citations

• 157 A.3d 1080
• 2017 WL 1408015
• 2017 R.I. LEXIS 46

Syllabus

The defendant, Patrick Timothy McDonald, appealed from a judgment of conviction on three separate counts of embezzlement and one count of conspiracy to commit embezzlement. On appeal, the defendant argued that the trial justice erred in allowing a certain fax communication into evidence that he perceived to be irrelevant and unfairly prejudicial. The defendant also argued that the trial justice erred in denying his motion for a new trial. The Supreme Court held that the trial justice was not clearly wrong in allowing the fax communication into evidence as it agreed that such evidence was relevant. The Supreme Court also noted that the defendant had failed to request that certain portions of the fax be redacted to remove characterizations regarding the defendant's credibility. Moreover, after a careful review of the trial transcripts and exhibits, the Supreme Court was satisfied that the trial justice's ruling denying the defendant's motion for a new trial was supported by the record. Accordingly, the Supreme Court affirmed the judgment of the Superior Court.