Wyatt v. State

OPINION

FABE, Justice.

I. INTRODUCTION

A jury convicted Ronald Wyatt of murdering his wife, Diane. At trial, a women’s shelter employee testified that Diane called the shelter the day before her death and stated that she wanted to divorce Ronald. Diane also told the shelter employee that if Ronald were to learn of her plan to divorce him, there would be “a possible lethal situation.” The superior court admitted this statement at trial over defense counsel’s objection. The court of appeals concluded that although the statement did not fall within the Alaska Evidence Rule 803(3) hearsay exception…