State v. Shane

COPELAND, Justice.

Defendants filed a joint brief in this appeal. 1 Defendant Shane argues six assignments of error, two of which are also properly raised by defendant Williams. We are persuaded, after a careful review of the applicable law and the circumstances of this case, that both defendants are entitled to a new trial upon the charges of sexual crimes. We shall address defendants’ mutual assignments of error first.

I

Defendants contend that the trial court erred in permitting the State to cross-examine Shane about a prostitute’s performance of fellatio upon him, seven months prior to the…