State v. Victor

Gregory, Chief Justice:

Appellant was convicted of murder, kidnapping, and grand larceny. He was sentenced to death for murder plus a ten-year term of imprisonment for grand larceny. We reverse and remand for a new trial.

The State’s case in the guilt phase of the trial rested almost entirely on the testimony of Matthew Helms. At the time of the murder, Helms was nineteen years old and shared a trailer with appellant and the victim, Earl Jackson. Appellant, who was in his late twenties, had lived with Earl for nearly eight years; Earl was in his early fifties. Several weeks before the murder,…