Bownds v. State

MORRISON, Judge.

The offense is arson; the punishment, two years.

The primary question in this case is the voluntary nature of the appellant’s confession. On the issue of whether or not promises or inducements were offered him in order to get him to confess, it was shown, in the absence of the jury, that appellant and his co-principal, Wayne McCain, were suspected of having committed two separate offenses of arson. They were arrested at about the same time but interrogated separately. Shortly before he did confess, appellant, who was a high school student, was visited in the jail by his coach.…