State v. Grace

I vote to REVERSE and REMAND. In the case sub judice, Julie Wilkinson Cowens, the former wife of Terry Lee Grace (“Appellant”), testified she was “the most stable force” in the family and the victim of abuse by Appellant. In response to her averments, Appellant attempted to question Cowens about her previous suicide attempts and arrest for criminal domestic abuse. The circuit judge refused to admit any of this testimony. This was error.

I. The Rule: Criminal Defendant’s Right to “Meaningful” Cross Examination

A trial court’s ruling on the proper scope of cross examination will not be disturbed…