State v. Walker

NEELY, Justice:

In this appeal the defendant was convicted of felony murder and arson and was sentenced to life without mercy. Although standing alone the errors defendant assigns might be harmless, the cumulative effect of numerous errors hopelessly tainted the first trial. Therefore, we reverse the conviction and remand the case for a new trial.

On 9 May 1989, a dark, rainy night, a fire broke out at Mary Sherwood’s residence on Elk Fork Road in Tyler County (about a mile from the Wetzel County border). After firefighters battled the blaze for several hours, rescuers were finally able to…