Bates v. State

I

Corrupt public officials are no less citizens deserving of the protection of our laws and procedures than any other person who appeals to this Court. The majority affirms this case notwithstanding two serious errors committed by the trial court in the course of this trial. The first error was failing to allow the defense to have independent experts examine the tape recordings that were indispensable to the State’s case. The second such error was failing to allow the defense to develop for the jury the context in which Nukie “Frenchy” Fontenot was brought to them as the State’s “principal…