State v. Sargent

Joseph Sherman Sargent was found guilty by a jury of murder in the first degree and arson in the second degree. Sargent appeals the judgment and sentence, arguing prosecutorial misconduct deprived him of a fair trial. He also contends the trial court made three eviden-tiary errors and that the evidence is insufficient to prove premeditation. We reverse.

At 5:38 a.m. on July 11, 1983, the Seattle Fire Department was called to a house fire in West Seattle. All doors and windows to the house were secure, and the firemen had to break in through a side door. A paramedic entered the house and found…