State v. Ketchner
Annotate this CaseAfter a jury trial, Defendant was found guilty of first-degree felony murder, attempted first-degree murder, first-degree burglary, and three counts of aggravated assault. The trial court sentenced Defendant to death for the murder conviction. The Supreme Court held (1) the trial court erred by permitting a sociologist who specializes on domestic violence to opine about separation violence, lethality factors, and any characteristics common to domestic abusers, as the testimony impermissibly created a “profile” of domestic abusers; and (2) the error was not harmless as to the convictions and sentences for first-degree murder and first-degree burglary, but the error was harmless as to the convictions and sentences on three counts of aggravated assault and one count of attempted first-degree murder. Remanded for a new trial on Defendant’s convictions and sentences for first-degree murder and first-degree burglary.
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