Is Testimony About Past Crimes for Which the Defendant Was Not Convicted Admissible ?

In Reynolds v. State, 934 So. 2d 1128 (Fla. 2006), the State introduced testimony that provided details surrounding a prior violent felony conviction that also included facts which established crimes for which the defendant was not convicted. This Court rejected the argument that introduction of this testimony was improper and concluded that the victim's testimony "merely relayed the details surrounding" the previous conviction. Id. at 1149. Although it involved circumstances that possibly suggested the simultaneous commission of other crimes for which the defendant was not convicted, the testimony appropriately provided the jury with details surrounding the prior conviction, which were essential in assisting the "jury in evaluating the character of the defendant and the circumstances of the crime so that the jury could make an informed recommendation as to the appropriate sentence." Id. at 1149-50.