State v. Hartman
Annotate this CaseAfter a jury trial, Defendant was found guilty of second-degree murder, armed criminal action, and first-degree burglary. Defendant was sentenced to concurrent terms of life imprisonment for the second-degree murder and armed criminal action convictions. Defendant appealed, arguing, among other claims, that the trial court violated his due process rights during the penalty phase by excluding reliable witness testimony, which could have provided a basis for a jury to exonerate him of first-degree murder. The Supreme Court vacated the trial court’s judgment, holding that the trial court abused its discretion in excluding the proposed testimony, as it met the indicia of reliability and could exonerate Defendant. Remanded.
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