Patterson v. State

GIVAN, Justice.

A jury trial in 1984 resulted in a mistrial. A second jury trial in 1984 resulted in appellant's conviction of Second Degree Murder, Ind.Code Ann. § 10-8404 (Burns 1905) [repealed 1977], for which she received a sentence of life imprisonment. This Court reversed her conviction in 1986 because the trial court erroneously prevented two defense witnesses from testifying. Patterson v. State (1986), Ind., 495 N.E.2d 714. A jury trial in 1987 resulted in appellant's conviction of Second Degree Murder, and she was sentenced to life imprisonment.

The facts are: In August of 1968, Rita…