Spears v. State

Thomas Wayne Spears, the appellant, pleaded guilty and was convicted of manslaughter in connection with the 1987 death of his wife, Leslie Marie Spears. His sentence of ten years' imprisonment was "split" with one year to serve and five years' probation.

This case has a lengthy procedural history. The State appealed the circuit court's pretrial order granting a portion of the appellant's motion to suppress evidence found at the scene of the crime. State v. Spears, 560 So.2d 1145 (Ala.Cr.App. 1989), on return to remand, 570 So.2d 888 (Ala.Cr.App. 1990).

The appellant's first trial resulted in a…