Hayes v. State

Appellant Jermaine Levert Hayes pleaded guilty to the first-degree battery of Kjuan Doucet that was committed on April 3, 2016. Appellant and Doucet were involved in a romantic rivalry over Ashley Stell, and appellant admittedly "slit [Doucet's] throat" with a serrated knife. Appellant's sentence was decided by a jury, and it sentenced him to twenty years in prison and a $10,000 fine. Appellant argues that the trial court abused its discretion by not instructing the jury to consider his proffered alternative-sentence jury instruction and that he suffered resulting prejudice. We affirm.

Arkansas…