Kellensworth v. State

Darrell Hickman, Justice.

John Herbert Kellensworth, Jr. was convicted and sentenced to ten years imprisonment for rape and three years for burglary. The crimes occurred in Pulaski County, Arkansas, but the case was tried to a jury in nearby Perry County to preclude any possibility of prejudice to the defendant because of pretrial publicity.

Kellensworth’s conviction must be reversed because the trial court erroneously permitted certain testimony by Kellensworth’s former wife. The State called her after the defense rested and the sole purpose of her testimony was to impeach testimony by…