People v. Baptiste

Jefferson Baptiste and John Perkins were indicted for the attempt murder of and the aggravated battery on James Perkins (not related to the defendant John Perkins). Defendants were tried together. The jury found Baptiste guilty of both charges, but found Perkins guilty only of the aggravated battery charge. Both defendants appeal contending that they were denied a fair trial because the trial judge unduly restricted their cross-examination of the State’s witnesses, ridiculed the defense attorney in the presence of the jury, permitted the State to comment on the defendants’ failure to make a…