State v. Jordan

TIMMONS-GOODSON, Judge.

Defendant Joseph Wendell Jordan was convicted of first-degree statutory rape and first-degree statutory sexual offense at the 11 July 1997 Criminal Session of Halifax County Superior Court. Defendant appeals his convictions on the ground that the trial court erred in denying his motion for a mistrial. For the reasons hereinafter stated, we find no error in the trial court’s decision.

Jury selection in the trial of defendant began 8 July 1997. During a break in the proceedings, defendant left the courtroom after telling his attorney that he was going to telephone his…