Boatson v. State

HERRMANN, Chief Justice;

The defendant seeks reversal of his conviction for Murder in the First Degree [11 Del.C. § 636(a)(1) J 1 on the grounds that the Trial Court committed reversible error (1) in refusing to grant a mistrial after the State, in its opening statement, referred to the bifurcated nature of the trial, and the Court commented thereon; (2) in refusing to grant a mistrial after the State, during its summation, inaccurately recounted a statement by the defendant; and (3) in giving the jury a coercive supplemental charge.

I

The defendant, Ballard Boatson, was charged with the murder…