Rogers v. State

SHEPARD, Chief Justice.

A jury found appellant Arthur James Rogers guilty of felony murder, Ind. Code § 35-42-1-1(b) (Burns 1985 Repl.), in the shooting death of Gary Alan Cheairs in East Chicago. The trial court sentenced Rogers to 45 years imprisonment.

In this direct appeal, Rogers raises two issues concerning the defense of insanity:

1) Whether the evidence showing his insanity precluded a jury verdict against him, and

2) Whether references to Rogers' criminal record were admissible during the State's questioning of the court-appointed psychologist and psychiatrist.

The evidence showed that…