Miller v. State

SEARS, Chief Justice.

In 2006, a Chatham County jury convicted Joseph G. Miller of malice murder and related offenses arising out of the shooting death of Lisa Sloan. Miller claims that his convictions must be reversed for three reasons: (1) the trial court erred in admitting out-of-court statements by Sloan under the necessity exception to the hearsay rule; (2) the trial court erred by giving the pattern jury instruction on prior difficulties evidence; and (3) Miller received ineffective assistance of counsel at trial. Miller also contends the trial court erred in sentencing him to life in…