Register v. State

Robert H. Dudley, Justice.

Appellant and a codefendant were charged with theft of property and criminal mischief. The codefendant pleaded guilty. Appellant pleaded not guilty, was convicted of both charges by a jury, and, because of prior convictions, was sentenced to enhanced punishments of thirty years and ten years to be served consecutively. At trial he sought to introduce the testimony of the absent codefendant’s guilty plea because, he argued, the codefendant was unavailable and his guilty plea was a statement against interest. The trial judge refused to admit the transcript of the…