Conviction and penalty affirmed in a capital case. Guilt phase issues addressed include a challenge to appellants confession on both Miranda and coercion grounds; improper cross examination of the defendant at his suppression hearing; Wheeler error and improper challenges to a juror for cause; the admission of pictures of the victims; restriction on defense evidence; failure to answer a jurors question; prosecutorial misconduct including expressing personal belief in the credibility of the witnesses, misstating the law and facts, inflaming the jury, and encouraging holdout jurors to capitulate to the majority; consciousness of guilt instructions, and the validity of the special circumstance.
Case Summaries