Wyoming Supreme Court Upholds Strangulation Conviction for Casper Man
About one year ago to date a jury convicted Casper man Elijah Dante Dobbins of third-degree sexual abuse of a minor, strangulation of a household member, unlawful contact, and permitting a house party.
Dobbins appealed the strangulation conviction, arguing that the district court abused its discretion by allowing the jury to review three video exhibits during deliberations.
The first video is about five seconds long and shows Dobbins and one of the victims standing and shoving each other. The second video is less than three seconds long and shows Dobbins kneeling over the victim, who is laying on the floor with no shirt on.
The third video is about fifteen seconds long and shows Dobbins yelling to someone off-camera and the victim laying on the floor, still shirtless.
During deliberations, the jury asked the court for permission to watch the videos again "[to] clarify the alleged strangulation and battery." Dobbins objected, noting that the jury had already viewed the videos on two occasions.
The district court overruled the objection and stated that it would allow the jury to review each of the videos twice, explaining that “[t]hey are fairly quick videos. You blink and you miss some of it.”
The jurors were brought back into the courtroom, where the videos were each played twice under the court’s supervision.
"Though Mr. Dobbins disputes the sufficiency of the jury’s reason for reviewing the videos, the district court was not required to obtain a reason for the jury to review these non-testimonial videos" states the Wyoming Supreme Court.
"The district court recognized that the short nature of the videos justified an additional viewing, and did not abuse its discretion by allowing the jury to view the non-testimonial videos under controlled circumstances."
READ ALSO: Verdict in for Natrona County Man Charged with Raping Multiple Victims
Albany County Family's Trailer Scorched by Fire
Gallery Credit: Kolby Fedore, Townsquare Media