State v. Sinclair

ARNOLD, Judge.

It is recognized as established law that “a felony conviction may not be based upon or sustained by a naked extrajudicial confession of guilt uncorroborated by any other evidence.” State v. Jenerett, 281 N.C. 81, 85-86, 187 S.E. 2d 735, 738 (1972). This principle appeared in North Carolina case law as early as 1797, where a defendant was indicted for horse-stealing. State v. Long, 2 N.C. 455 (per curiam). The only evidence in that case was that the horse had been missing, that two men had brought the horse and the defendant to the house of the owner, and that the defendant had…