Ladd v. State

WHITHAM, Justice.

This is an appeal from a conviction for murder in which the jury assessed appellant’s punishment, enhanced by a prior felony conviction, at life imprisonment.

Appellant contends that the trial court committed reversible error in failing to grant appellant’s motion for mistrial when a State’s witness violated the court’s Jackson v. Denno ruling by testifying that appellant orally admitted killing the deceased. We agree and accordingly reverse and remand.

The appellant requested, and the trial court held, a Jackson v. Denno hearing outside the presence of the jury on the…