Taylor v. State

DICKSON, Judge.

The defendant, Erie Taylor, appeals his conviction for the murder 1 of Mattie Smith (“Smith”). In this direct appeal, he raises a single issue: whether the trial court erroneously admitted hearsay evidence in violation of his right to confront witnesses.

At trial, the State sought to introduce the statements Smith made to her mother, her mother’s boyfriend, and a police officer, after she had been stabbed. The evidence at trial showed that Smith had dated the defendant in the past but had broken up with him a few weeks prior to the murder. Smith was living in her mother’s home…