State v. Coles

Welford Coles has appealed his conviction for second degree murder. The issues raised on appeal concern whether custodial statements made by defendant to law enforcement officers after he asserted his right to remain silent were admissible at trial, and whether cross-examination of the defendant by the prosecuting attorney and the prosecuting attorney's statements during closing argument amounted to prosecutorial misconduct. We hold that defendant's custodial statements were improperly admitted at trial and reverse.

In the evening hours of September 18, 1978, railroad employees discovered a…