Appeals Court Says Jefferson County Man Deserves New Trial
By: Import User
Updated: January 7, 2009
The Arkansas Court of Appeals sent a case
back to Jefferson County in which a murder defendant wasn`t allowed
to cross-examine a witness in an effort to show bias.
Donald Ghoston was convicted of first-degree murder in the June
24th, 2001, death of James Scott. He was also convicted of
attempted first-degree murder after two occupants were injured in a
shooting in front of a Pine Bluff house.
He won a new trial because he wasn`t allowed to cross-examine a
witness about an incident in which the witness allegedly threatened
to beat up a woman who had just given a statement to police.
The Appeals Court said Ghoston should have been allowed to ask
the witness about the incident and ordered a new trial.
Ghoston, who was sentenced to 50 years, lost arguments that he
shot in self-defense and that jurors should have considered a
manslaughter charge.
