Stephens v. State

Josephine Linker Hart, Judge.

A jury found appellant, J Johnny Stephens, guilty of first-degree murder in the death of Jamar Jordan. On appeal, appellant argues that the circuit court erred by permitting the State to introduce as substantive evidence a witness’s prior inconsistent statement and by permitting a witness to testify that he called appellant’s pager for the purpose of purchasing drugs from appellant. We conclude that this evidence was erroneously admitted, and accordingly, we reverse and remand for a new trial.

During the trial, the State called as a witness Dedrick Weems. Weems…