Lyons v. State

OPINION

By the Court,

Steffen, J.:

This appeal raises the issue of whether the State may induce an accused to plead guilty to a non-committed crime by unwittingly convincing the accused that the non-criminal conduct for which he was arrested constituted a criminal offense. The issue, thus stated, represents an accurate but somewhat convoluted distillate of appellant’s complaint. It also explains why appellant’s conviction must be reversed.

Lyons who is no stranger to the criminal justice system in general and to gaming crimes in particular, was charged with cheating at gambling, conspiracy to…