State v. Nupeiset

Opinion of the Court by

ACOBA, J.

Defendant-Appellant Douglas Nupeiset (Defendant) was convicted of murder in the second degree, Hawai'i Revised Statutes (HRS) § 707-701.5 (1993), 1 of Jeffery Fuller (Fuller), and sentenced to life imprisonment with the possibility of parole under a July 21, 1997 Judgment of Conviction and Sentence.

On July 29,1997, Defendant appealed. He raises three arguments on appeal. As to his first argument, we hold that the first circuit court (the court) did not err in denying Defendant’s motion for a mistrial based on a juror’s passing acquaintance with Fuller’s father.…