State v. Joseph

At jury trial, defendant Earl Anthony Joseph was convicted of murder in the second degree. Joseph does not deny that he shot and killed an acquaintance with whom he quarreled. The sole issue at trial was whether the killing was justified in self-defense. Counsel on appeal did not represent Joseph at trial.

Joseph’s several assignments of error for which he seeks a new trial all stem from the state’s rebuttal use of statements which Joseph allegedly made during custodial interrogation.

Joseph elected to testify in his own defense. He told the jury that the victim of the homicide was the…