SHAKEL DEVON MCCLAIN
v.
STATE OF FLORIDA

Fla. 1st DCA | 2026-04-22
No. 2024-1097
2026 FL 4584 Florida District Court of Appeal, First District (2026)

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Holding

Any error in admitting text messages to McClain's girlfriend that showed character traits was harmless beyond a reasonable doubt.


Headnotes

[1] Admission of evidence tending to show a defendant's character traits in the days preceding alleged crimes is harmless error when, in light of the entire record, the error…

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Key Quotes

“the error appears to be harmless because there is no possibility that it contributed to the outcome of the proceedings”

Court's analysis applying harmless error standard from Blackwood v. State

Facts & Procedural History

Shakel Devon McClain was convicted after trial of attempted first-degree murder, carjacking with a deadly weapon, and fleeing or attempting to elude a…

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Opinion of the Court

FIRST DISTRICT COURT OF APPEAL

STATE OF FLORIDA

No. 1D2024-1097

SHAKEL DEVON MCCLAIN, Appellant,

V.

STATE OF FLORIDA, Appellee.

On appeal from the Circuit Court for Leon County. William Gary, Judge.

April 22, 2026

PER CURIAM.

Shakel Devon McClain was convicted after trial of attempted first-degree murder, carjacking with a deadly weapon, and fleeing or attempting to elude a law enforcement officer. On appeal McClain claims that the court erred in permitting the State to introduce text messages to his girlfriend in the days leading to the crimes, because the messages impermissibly showed an improper character trait with which McClain acted in conformity, as any feelings McClain had in days prior to the crime were not probative of a material fact at issue. We find that any error in admitting the messages was harmless beyond a reasonable doubt. See Blackwood

v. State, 777 So. 2d 399, 408 (Fla. 2000) (holding that, to the extent the court erred in allowing introduction of statements of the defendant, “the error appears to be harmless because there is no possibility that it contributed to the outcome of the proceedings,” citing State v. DiGuilio, 491 So. 2d 1129 (Fla. 1986)).

AFFIRMED.

RAY, WINOKUR, and M.K. THOMAS, JJ., concur.


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