Pierce v. State

DUFFY, Justice:

Arnold W. Pierce, Jr. (defendant) appeals from a sentence imposed following a conviction in the Superior Court of Robbery in the First Degree, 11 Del.C. § 832. We reverse the judgment and order a new trial.

I

The undisputed facts are these:

Pierce was arrested for an alleged theft that had occurred the day before, and a Superior Court grand jury later indicted him for First Degree Robbery. A jury trial began shortly thereafter.2

Defendant, of his own volition, did not appear for the second day of trial, which continued in his absence. At trial the State called his wife, Diane…