State v. Johnson

Finney, Justice:

Richard Charles Johnson, the appellant, was indicted for the murder of Bruce K. Smalls (Trooper Smalls), a South Carolina State Trooper. A jury convicted appellant of murder, and he was sentenced to death. We reverse and remand this case for a new trial.

In September, 1985, Dan Swanson (Swanson) was traveling through North Carolina in his recreational vehicle on his way to Florida when he picked up appellant, who was hitchhiking. The following day Swanson and appellant picked up hitchhikers Curtis Harbert (Harbert) and Connie Hess (Hess), alias Julie Smith, on Interstate 95.…