Jenkins v. Kentucky
Annotate this CaseAppellant David Jenkins appealed his convictions for first-degree rape and first-degree sodomy. A jury found appellant guilty and recommended twenty-year sentences for both crimes, to be served consecutively (for a total maximum term of forty years). On appeal, appellant argued: (1) the evidence presented against him at trial was insufficient to support the jury's verdicts and that, accordingly, he was entitled to a dismissal of the charges; and (2) even if the evidence was not so lacking as to require a directed verdict, a number of trial court errors rendered the proceedings unfair and entitle him to a new trial. Agreeing with Jenkins that the jury's instruction on a single count of sodomy when the evidence reflected two such acts, did not comport with recent cases construing the Kentucky Constitution's unanimous verdict requirement, the Supreme Court reversed the sodomy conviction and the sodomy portion of Jenkins's sentence, and remand for additional proceedings. Finding no other reversible error, the Court affirmed appellant's rape conviction and corresponding twenty-year sentence for that crime.
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