Sylvester v. State

SELBY, Justice.

Defendant, Gary Sylvester, admitted that he killed his wife, Debra Sylvester, but claimed that the act was manslaughter and not murder because it was committed under sudden heat. Ind.Code §§ 35-42-1-1 (Murder) and 35-42-1-3 (Voluntary manslaughter) (1993). On April 4, 1996, the jury found defendant guilty of murder and the trial court sentenced him to sixty years imprisonment. Defendant raises the following issues on appeal: whether the trial court erred in denying defendant’s Motion for Discharge; whether the trial court erred by excluding statements made by the victim as…