State v. Footman

The Supreme Court vacated in part and affirmed in part Defendant’s five criminal convictions, holding that Defendant’s convictions of two counts of sex trafficking of a minor in violation of R.I. Gen. Laws 11-67-6 must be vacated because section 11-67-6, which has since been repealed and replaced with R.I. Gen. Laws 11-67.1-3, failed to charge an offense.Defendant was convicted of two counts of sex trafficking of a minor, two counts of pandering or permitting prostitution, and one count of driving a motor vehicle with a suspended license. The Supreme Court held (1) Defendant’s convictions for sex trafficking of a minor must be vacated because the statute under which Defendant was charged under failed to charge an offense; (2) the trial justice did not err in refusing to order an amended bill of particulars on the eve of trial; and (3) the district court did not abuse its discretion in refusing to grant a mistrial when a witness disclosed that she had learned about human trafficking during a conversation with Defendant in which he discussed returning to prison. View "State v. Footman" on Justia Law