A Project of the University of Michigan Law School and the MDefenders Program

Details the dilemma that admitting a prior felony conviction results in: if the defendant testifies and his conviction is introduced, research shows there is a heightened risk that the jury will use the prior conviction to “draw an impermissible inference.” However, if the defendant chooses not to testify in order to prevent his conviction from being introduced, research shows people are more likely to find him guilty because he did not testify.