Under Rule 404(b), evidence of crimes may be admissible for purposes such as motive, opportunity, intent, preparation, plan, knowledge, identity, absence of mistake, or lack of accident.

Under Rule 404(b), evidence of crimes may be admissible for purposes such as motive, opportunity, intent, preparation, plan, knowledge, identity, absence of mistake, or lack of accident.

• A. To prove a non-character purpose such as motive, opportunity, intent, preparation, plan, knowledge, identity, absence of mistake, or lack of accident.
• B. To prove the defendant's character to show conduct in conformity.
• C. To prove the defendant's guilt.
• D. To impeach the defendant's credibility.

Answer: (A)

Rule 404(b) allows evidence of other crimes to be admitted for non-character purposes, not to show that the defendant is a bad person who would act that way here. The listed purposes—motive, opportunity, intent, preparation, plan, knowledge, identity, absence of mistake, or lack of accident—focus on proving something other than character. That’s why the best choice states it is used to prove a non-character purpose such as those listed. Using prior crimes to prove guilt directly (without a proper non-character purpose) or to show the defendant’s conduct in conformity with a character trait is not allowed under this rule. Likewise, using past crimes merely to impeach credibility isn’t the 404(b) route; credibility impeachment is handled under other rules. In practice, when a 404(b) purpose is claimed, the evidence must be relevant to one of those non-character purposes and balanced against potential prejudice.

Rule 404(b) allows evidence of other crimes to be admitted for non-character purposes, not to show that the defendant is a bad person who would act that way here. The listed purposes—motive, opportunity, intent, preparation, plan, knowledge, identity, absence of mistake, or lack of accident—focus on proving something other than character. That’s why the best choice states it is used to prove a non-character purpose such as those listed.

Using prior crimes to prove guilt directly (without a proper non-character purpose) or to show the defendant’s conduct in conformity with a character trait is not allowed under this rule. Likewise, using past crimes merely to impeach credibility isn’t the 404(b) route; credibility impeachment is handled under other rules. In practice, when a 404(b) purpose is claimed, the evidence must be relevant to one of those non-character purposes and balanced against potential prejudice.