Can a defendant who testifies before a jury be impeached with a prior conviction of any felony evincing moral turpitude?
California, United States of America
The following excerpt is from People v. Campbell, 23 Cal.App.4th 1488, 28 Cal.Rptr.2d 716 (Cal. App. 1994):
Under Evidence Code 788, a defendant who testifies may be impeached with a prior conviction of any felony evincing moral turpitude, defined as the "general readiness to do evil." (People v. Castro (1985) 38 Cal.3d 301, 313-316, 211 Cal.Rptr. 719, 696 P.2d 111.) Only if "the least adjudicated elements of the conviction necessarily involve moral turpitude" is the conviction admissible for impeachment. (Id. at p. 317, 211 Cal.Rptr. 719, 696 P.2d 111.)
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