Fennell v. State

SHEPARD, Justice.

When the day for his trial arrived, appellant William Fennell had fled the jurisdiction. The court tried him in absentia and the jury found him guilty of child molesting, a class B felony, Ind.Code § 85-42-4-8 (Burns 1985). The judge sentenced him to a term of fourteen years.

Fennell claims that it was error to proceed to trial without him. He also asserts that the trial court should not have admitted his confession into evidence. We affirm.

When the court assembled on the morning of January 15, 1985, everyone was present except William Fennell. The State moved the court to…