State v. Stewart

After a jury trial, Defendant was convicted of felony murder, aggravated robbery, burglary, and theft. The district court sentenced Defendant to life without the possibility of parole for twenty years plus 102 months. The Supreme Court affirmed, holding (1) the district court did not err in instructing the jury on the State’s alternative theories of first-degree murder; (2) any shortcoming in the jury instruction on the force element of robbery was invited by the defense; (3) the district court did not abuse its discretion in finding Defendant competent to stand trial; (4) any abuse of discretion on the part of the district court failing to independently consider the merits of Defendant’s objection to blood spatter evidence was harmless; and (5) the cumulative effect of any errors in this case was harmless. View "State v. Stewart" on Justia Law