WASHINGTON (AP) — An appeals court has reversed the convictions of a man found guilty of an armed scuffle that ended with both him and a D.C. police officer being shot.

The District of Columbia Court of Appeals said Thursday that a judge improperly limited the scope of a defense lawyer’s cross-examination.

The opinion concerns Ronald Coles, who was convicted of multiple crimes stemming from the 2007 confrontation in the city’s Trinidad neighborhood. Both he and an officer were shot.

The court said the trial judge should have permitted Coles’ lawyer to ask an officer whether he had essentially copied another officer’s internal report of the shooting.

A spokesman for the U.S. Attorney’s office said the office was reviewing the opinion. A lawyer for Coles did not immediately return a call seeking comment.

Copyright 2012 The Associated Press.