People v. Safian

OPINION OF THE COURT

Chief Judge Bkeitel.

Defendants David Safian and Robert Miner appeal from affirmances of their convictions for the murder of Safian’s wife by Miner, a killer unknown to the wife and confessedly hired by Safian, and for possession of a weapon. At their joint trial, the confession of each defendant was admitted, with repeated and explicit instructions by the Trial Justice that each defendant’s confession was to be considered against the confessing defendant only, and not against the codefendant.

The issue is whether, despite the substantial identity of the two confessions,…