Franks v. State

Thompson, Justice.

The State seeks imposition of the death penalty against David Scott Franks for the murder of Deborah Wilson. We granted interim review to determine whether the question of how Franks injured his arm falls under the exception to Miranda1 for “routine booking questions.”

Franks was arrested in Alabama for “unlawful flight to avoid prosecution” for fatally stabbing Wilson and assaulting her two children in Haralson County, Georgia. After unsuccessfully attempting to draw Franks out of his brother-in-law’s house, a team of officers entered the house and found him hiding under a…