State v. Franklin

MEYER, Justice.

Defendant brings forward seven assignments of error with regard to the guilt-innocence phase of his trial. We have performed an exhaustive review of the record, briefs, and oral arguments of the parties, and we conclude that the trial court committed prejudicial error in permitting a witness for the State to testify about threats made by the defendant against an unidentified woman approximately three weeks before the victim’s disappearance that were not demonstrated to be directed against the victim. We hold that this error entitles defendant to a new trial.

On 14 March 1988,…