Officer’s testimony that “there’s zero doubt in my mind that this was a transaction for cocaine” was an opinion on the ultimate issue of guilt in violation of Ind. Evidence Rule 704(b), but was harmless error.
Supreme
Masters v. Masters, No. 02S04-1504-DR-156, __ N.E.3d __ (Ind., Oct. 16, 2015).
The proper standard of review under the Family Law Arbitration Act is the clearly erroneous standard prescribed by Trial Rule 52(A).
Tiplick v. State, No. 49S04-1505-CR-287, ___ N.E.3d ___ (Ind., Oct. 7, 2015).
Synthetic-drug (aka “spice”) and “look-alike drug” statutes are not unconstitutional for vagueness or delegating legislative authority to administrative agency. But synthetic-drug charging informations were insufficient, requiring dismissal without prejudice, for failing to reference the emergency administrative rule criminalizing the “XLR11” drug on which the charges were based.
Gibson v. State, No. 22S00-1206-DP-359, ___ N.E.3d ___ (Ind. Sept. 24, 2015).
Six prospective jurors’ exposure to information that defendant was separately charged with two other murders did not warrant striking entire venire or declaring mistrial; trial court’s extensive small-group and individual voir dire identified the affected jurors, and all were immediately dismissed for cause.
Helsley v. State, No. 63S00-1406-LW-440, ___ N.E.3d ___ (Ind. Sept. 24, 2015).
Role of defendant’s alleged mental illness in double-murder was not so “exceptional and extraordinary” as to warrant appellate revision of LWOP sentence. Jury’s weighing of LWOP aggravators and mitigators is not subject to appellate review.