Thompson v. State

Appellant Norman J. Thompson raises several claims of error regarding his conviction for capital sexual battery. We write to explain our reason for rejecting Thompson’s claim that the trial committed error by not conducting a Nelson1 hearing. All other claims of error we reject without comment.

Thompson was charged with sexual battery of a 6 year-old girl. Thompson entered a not guilty plea and elected to proceed to trial with his appointed attorney. A pretrial conference before Judge Charles Arnold was conducted on October 3, 2013, with Thompson and his trial attorney present. At the pretrial…