Roberts v. State

Richard B. Adkisson, Chief Justice.

On July 21, 1982, appellant, Robert Ira Roberts, was convicted of second degree murder and sentenced to 20 years imprisonment and fined $15,000. The Court of Appeals certified this case to us under Arkansas Supreme Court Rule 29 (4) (a). The primary question involved in this appeal is whether a party can impeach his own witness by the use of a prior inconsistent hearsay statement under Rule 607, Uniform Rules of Evidence, Ark. Stat. Ann. § 28-1001 (Repl. 1979). We reverse and remand, holding that it is permissible if the probative value on the issue of…