State v. Stetson

The defendant, James T. Stetson, appeals his conviction for manslaughter, RSA 630:2. The defendant argues that the Superior Court {Barry, J.) improperly admitted hearsay testimony, but the State contends that admission was proper under the “opening-the-door” doctrine. We affirm.

Cedar Street in Manchester is a neighborhood of mostly three-story apartment buildings. Very early in the morning of June 24, 1989, the defendant proceeded in his automobile to visit a resident of Cedar Street, and drove erratically down a back alley in the area. When he stopped, an argument ensued between him and one…