The State of Washington v. Vy Thang

Summary

The court held that Thang could not suppress evidence obtained after the residents of the apartment consented to police entry and a search of the common areas. It nevertheless held that evidence of Thang's prior attack on an elderly woman was inadmissible under ER 404(b) because the two crimes lacked sufficiently unique, signature-like similarities, and that Thang did not waive appellate review by introducing the evidence preemptively after the trial court ruled it admissible. The court reversed and granted Thang a new trial.