Spruell v. State

Barnes, Judge.

After two earlier prosecutions ended in mistrials, Michael Spruell was convicted of rape, aggravated assault, and attempted aggravated sodomy. He now appeals, contending the trial court erred by allowing a victim to identify him as the person who tried to force her to commit sodomy; by allowing the prosecutor to give an improper and prejudicial closing argument; by failing to give, sua sponte, a charge on similar transactions; and by allowing Spruell’s testimony from a previous trial to be read in evidence. Spruell alleges further that he was denied the effective assistance of…