CharlestonGal
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No, this was if she took the stand in her own defense...before penalty phase. I just read it yesterday on Bill Sheaffer's blog (WFTV Legal Expert). I will find it and put the link up. Perhaps I read it wrong...but don't think so.
No, it doesn't matter whether or not the defendant took the stand in the trial. The trial phase and penalty phase are completely divorced from each other. Once the defendant is convicted, the jury learns for the first time about the offenders past record of arrests and convictions and a whole lot of other things that were not permitted at trial. This is done so that the defendant's past record does not influence the jury in its current verdict. But once that verdict is guilty, the defendant's entire past and entire record is admissible.
It doesn't matter at that point whether or not the defendant ever took the stand in the trial.