Chao v. State

Rolando Chao appeals his conviction for manslaughter with a firearm after a trial by *1247jury. Of the two claimed points of error raised on this appeal, we deem only one to merit discussion and reversal for a new trial.

Chao contends that the trial court erred by refusing to permit him to introduce his audio-taped statement made to police shortly after his arrest. Initially the trial court had excluded the statement as substantive evidence because it was deemed to be self-serving hearsay. The state, however, subsequently proceeded to allude to and read from a portion of the statement during its…