Opinion
No. 5099
December 29, 1971
APPEAL FROM FIRST CIRCUIT COURT HONORABLE ALLEN R. HAWKINS, JUDGE.
RICHARDSON, C.J., MARUMOTO, ABE, LEVINSON AND KOBAYASHI, JJ.
James Blanchfield, Deputy Public Defender, for defendant-appellant.
Leland H. Spencer, Deputy Prosecuting Attorney ( Barry Chung, Public Prosecutor, with him on the brief), for plaintiff-appellee.
This case raises the issue of whether the credibility of a criminal defendant may be impeached at trial by reference to prior criminal convictions.
The identical issue was resolved in State v. Santiago, 53 Haw. 254, 492 P.2d 656 (1971).
Since this case arises on direct review, our ruling in Santiago will be applied to this case.
Reversed and remanded.