Rankins v. Commonwealth

ELDER, Judge.

Dennie Lee Rankins (appellant) appeals from his bench trial convictions for malicious wounding and use of a firearm in the commission of a malicious wounding. On appeal, he contends (1) the trial court’s admission of the custodial confession of a non-testifying accomplice violated the Confrontation Clause and Virginia’s hearsay rule and (2) the evidence was insufficient to support his conviction because it did not establish he was a principal in the second degree. We hold that the accomplice’s custodial confession was admissible under Virgi nia hearsay law but inadmissible under…