▁ ▁Sub sequently , ▁when ▁B ray ▁was ▁required ▁to ▁disc lose ▁fel on ▁status ▁on ▁forms ▁for ▁things ▁like ▁voting , ▁he ▁explained ▁the ▁situation ▁and ▁was ▁allowed ▁to ▁vote ▁in ▁California . ▁ ▁Dec ision ▁The ▁Court ▁of ▁App e al ▁revers ed ▁B ray ' s ▁conv iction , ▁allowing ▁his ▁mistake ▁about ▁his ▁fel ony ▁status ▁to ▁act ▁as ▁a ▁defense ▁to ▁criminal ▁li ability . ▁ ▁Under ▁the ▁Model ▁Pen al ▁Code , ▁a ▁mistake ▁of ▁criminal ▁law , ▁like ▁one ' s ▁fel ony ▁status , ▁is ▁not ▁normally ▁allowed ▁as ▁a ▁defense . ▁ ▁Instead ▁the ▁court ▁treated ▁B ray ' s ▁mistake ▁about ▁his ▁fel ony ▁status , ▁a ▁grad ing ▁element ▁in ▁the ▁stat ute ▁under ▁which ▁he ▁was ▁charged , ▁as ▁a ▁mistake ▁of ▁fact ▁that ▁was ▁an ▁appropriate ▁defense . ▁ ▁References ▁ ▁Category : U . S . ▁state ▁criminal ▁case ▁law ▁Category : 1 9 7 5 ▁in ▁United ▁States ▁case ▁law ▁Category : Cal iforn ia ▁state ▁case ▁law ▁Category : 1 9 7 5 ▁in ▁California ▁Category : L aw ▁articles ▁need ing ▁an ▁inf obox <0x0A> </s> ▁Corn el ius ▁" Con " ▁Both a ▁( 1 8 ▁September ▁ 1 9 3 2 ▁– ▁ 6 ▁February ▁ 2 0 1 4 ) ▁was ▁a ▁South ▁African ▁politician ▁and ▁the ▁last ▁administrator ▁of ▁the ▁Natal ▁Province . ▁ ▁Born ▁in ▁Up ington ▁in ▁the ▁Northern ▁Cape , ▁Both a ▁grew ▁up ▁in ▁P ary s ▁in