State v. Washington

Summary

The Rhode Island Supreme Court reviewed an adjudication finding Shurron Washington in violation of probation based on an alleged assault at the Community College of Rhode Island. The court held that the hearing justice reasonably credited the eyewitness identifications and other prosecution evidence, rejected the conflicting defense testimony, and did not act arbitrarily or capriciously. The court affirmed the Superior Court's judgment revoking the suspended ten-year sentence.

Holdings

1. The hearing justice did not act arbitrarily or capriciously in crediting the complaining witness's multiple identifications and the corroborating identification by a second witness while rejecting the defense evidence.
2. The State presented reasonably satisfactory evidence that Washington violated probation by failing to keep the peace and remain of good behavior.

Questions Presented

1. Whether the Superior Court hearing justice acted arbitrarily or capriciously in finding Washington to be a probation violator based principally on eyewitness identification testimony.
2. Whether the evidence constituted reasonably satisfactory evidence that Washington breached the condition of probation requiring him to keep the peace and remain of good behavior.

Disposition

affirmed