State Can Reopen Case After Defendant Moves for Acquittal

The prosecution can be given a chance to complete presenting its evidence after it has rested and the defendant has moved for acquittal, the Minnesota Supreme Court held March 22 (State v. Thomas, Minn., No. A15-0708, 3/22/17).

The court reaffirmed its abuse of discretion standard for reviewing a trial court’s handling of a motion to reopen and declined to adopt an approach outlined in a case from the Connecticut Supreme Court.

After the state rested its case against Quintin Lynn Thomas, he argued that it had presented insufficient evidence to convict him of driving while impaired in the ...