State v. Mauchley

DURRANT, Associate Chief Justice:

INTRODUCTION

1 1 This appeal concerns the corpus delicti rule. Specifically, we consider whether the corpus delicti rule should be replaced by the trustworthiness standard that has been adopted by a growing number of jurisdictions. The corpus delicti rule prohibits convicting a person based upon his or her confession alone. Stated differently, if there is no independent evidence that a crime occurred, apart from the confession, a person cannot be convicted, even if the confession was trustworthy.

12 In this case, the defendant, Brent Mauchley, filed a motion to…