State v. Schmieder, ___ N.C. App. ___, 827 S.E.2d 322 (Apr. 16, 2019)

In this case involving a conviction for second-degree murder following a fatal motor vehicle accident, the evidence was sufficient to establish malice. Evidence of the defendant’s prior traffic-related convictions are admissible to prove malice in a second-degree murder prosecution based on a vehicular homicide. Here, there was evidence that the defendant knew his license was revoked at the time of the accident and that he had a nearly two-decade-long history of prior driving convictions including multiple speeding charges, reckless driving, illegal passing, and failure to reduce speed. Additionally, two witnesses testified that the defendant was driving above the speed limit, following too close to see around the cars in front of him, and passing across a double yellow line without using turn signals. This was sufficient to establish malice.