Ex Parte Watts

The only issue raised on our review by certiorari is whether the Court of Criminal Appeals was correct in holding that the defendant, Sharon Watts, could be impeached by a prior inconsistent statement even though she had not been confronted with the statement prior to being impeached.

During the cross examination of Watts, the State began to question her about a statement she had allegedly made on the night of the shooting. Before the substance of the statement was brought out, Watts objected on the grounds that the statement was involuntary, and the state abandoned that line of questioning.…