2009-M-130             State of Minnesota, Respondent, vs. Dontaro Lashaun Riddley, Appellant.

On March 19, 2008, appellant Dontaro Riddley was convicted of first-degree premeditated murder and first-degree murder committed during the commission of an aggravated robbery.  The Hennepin County District Court sentenced Riddley to two concurrent life sentences without the possibility of parole.  Riddley filed this direct appeal seeking to overturn his convictions.  On appeal, Riddley argues that:  (1) the district court improperly admitted evidence of other crimes, and (2) the district court improperly dismissed a juror for cause.  We affirm.

HELD:  The district court erred when it concluded that evidence of prior uncharged conduct was immediate-episode evidence because the prior uncharged conduct was not causally connected to the charged offense; but, the error was harmless because it did not significantly affect the verdict.

The district court did not err in dismissing a venire member for cause.  

               Paul Anderson  (Magnuson, Page, Meyer, Barry Anderson, Gildea, andDietzen)

[MURDER]