State v. Jacobs

On 15 October 2007, a jury found defendant Khalil Jacobs guilty of the murder of George Nichols. In this appeal, we consider whether the trial court erred in excluding evidence proffered by defendant in the form of certified copies of the victim's prior armed robbery convictions and certain testimony about the victim. We conclude that defendant failed to preserve for appellate review several of his objections and that the trial court did not commit prejudicial error in its evidentiary rulings. Accordingly, we affirm the decision of the Court of Appeals. Evidence at trial showed that on 20 March 2007, defendant, who was the passenger in a car being driven by Keschia Blackwell, asked her to stop at the Great Stops gas station and convenience store at 2410 East Market Street in Greensboro so he could purchase a beer. Dana Hampton, accompanied by his friend, victim George Nichols, was also at Great Stops fueling his car. Upon seeing Hampton and the victim, defendant asked Blackwell to stop her car near them so he could talk to them. Defendant approached the victim because the victim had purchased pit bull puppies from defendant several weeks before and still owed defendant about three hundred fifty dollars of the purchase price. Despite numerous attempts, defendant had been unable to collect the remaining money.