Allen v. the State of Nevada

Summary

The court held that the district court abused its discretion by deeming an alternative suspect’s prior, substantially similar sexual assault irrelevant and consequently withholding the suspect’s juvenile records. That ruling prevented investigation and presentation of evidence supporting Allen’s alternative-suspect defense, and the court concluded the resulting evidentiary error was not harmless because the jury may have reached a different verdict. The court found the evidence sufficient to support the convictions but ordered a new trial because the error was reversible.