The prosecution is barred from attacking the character of the accused unless the defendant "opens the door" by offering evidence of a pertinent character trait.

Question

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This principle is based on the idea that the prosecution cannot introduce evidence of the defendant's character to prove that on a particular occasion, the defendant acted in conformity with that character, unless the defendant first introduces such evidence. This is often referred to as "opening the door" to character evidence.

The Prosecution Is Barred from Attacking the Character of the Accused