People v. Watkins

Two distinct, though interrelated, issues arise in this case: (1) whether the accusatory hearsay statements inculpating the complaining defendants, contained within the co-defendant confessions at issue, fall within the "statement against interest” exception of MRE *631804(b)(3), and (2) whether the admission of those statements as substantive evidence against the complaining defendants violated their rights — under both the United States and Michigan Constitutions — to confront the witnesses against them. We discuss the first issue in part ii(a) and the second issue in part ii(b). We discuss…