State v. Sparks

OPINION

REID, Justice.

This case presents an appeal from the conviction of Donald Wade Sparks for first degree murder. The trial court rejected the plea of insanity, the only defense asserted by the defendant, and the Court of Criminal Appeals affirmed. On this appeal, only two issues will be considered: whether the proof was sufficient to prove sanity beyond a reasonable doubt, and the related issue, whether the trial judge erred by allowing one of the arresting officers to testify that in his opinion the appellant was sane according to the legal definition of sanity. This Court finds that the…