Hadley v. State

Judge Harold R. Banke.

James Derek Hadley was convicted of arson after setting fire to a dwelling. On appeal, Hadley’s sole challenge is to the admission of a statement in which he implicated himself.

The evidence, when viewed in a light most favorable to the verdict, showed that the victim, Sandra, and Hadley had an argument. After telling Hadley not to come to her house anymore, the victim removed Hadley’s clothes from her home and drove away to take them elsewhere. When the victim’s daughter spotted Hadley using lighter fluid to set her mother’s clothes on fire, she ran to a neighbor’s house…