People v. Grimes

After a jury trial, Defendant was convicted of one count each of murder, robbery, burglary, conspiracy to commit robbery, conspiracy to commit burglary, and the unlawful driving or taking of a vehicle. The trial court sentenced Defendant to death for the murder. Defendant appealed, arguing that the trial court erred in excluding certain statements made by the actual killer of the murder victim in which the killer claimed that he acted alone in committing the murder and that Defendant was not involved. Specifically, Defendant asserted that the hearsay statements were admissible as declarations against interest. The Supreme Court reversed the judgment of death, holding that the trial court erred in excluding the testimony and that the error was harmless at the guilt phase but was not harmless at the penalty phase. View "People v. Grimes" on Justia Law