Parks v. State

The evidentiary issue in the case before us exemplifies a tendency of some prosecutors who "overtry” their cases intending, perhaps, to err if at all on the side of prudence. But too much is not always prudent. A careful carpenter, for example, will resist the temptation to add that one last nail which will frequently split the board, weakening, rather than reinforcing, the structure he is trying to build. A careful lawyer also knows when to stop hammering, although the hairline fractures are not always immediately apparent. Unless the same craftsman defends his structure on appeal, the…