Prosecutor's Statements Archives

F-2017-1284

Post author:Staff
Post published:August 8, 2019
Post category:F

In OCCA case No. F-2017-1284, Jesse Earl Maupin appealed his conviction for Lewd or Indecent Acts to a Child Under 16. In an unpublished decision, the court decided to affirm the judgment and sentence. One judge dissented. Maupin was found guilty by a jury and sentenced to life in prison. He raised several issues on appeal, arguing that there was not enough evidence to prove he was guilty, that his life sentence was not a valid punishment, that the sentence was too harsh, and that there were mistakes in his trial that required a new trial. The court carefully reviewed the evidence and found that there was enough proof for the jury to convict Maupin based on the law. They explained that juries can use both direct evidence and indirect evidence to make their decisions. Maupin also claimed that a life sentence should not have been an option given the laws around his charges. The court found that the sentence was legal and appropriate. They ruled that a life sentence is a valid punishment when the law does not specify a maximum sentence. Regarding the sentence itself, the court determined that the life sentence did not shock their conscience or seem overly harsh given the circumstances of the case. Finally, since the court found no errors in the trial, they also declined to grant a new trial based on the idea of cumulative errors. In conclusion, the court affirmed Maupin's conviction and sentence.

F-2014-46

Post author:Staff
Post published:March 25, 2015
Post category:F

In OCCA case No. F-2014-46, Bradley appealed his conviction for possession of a controlled dangerous substance (cocaine base) in the county jail. In an unpublished decision, the court decided to affirm the judgment of the district court but modified Bradley's sentence from thirty years to twenty years. One judge dissented. Bradley was found guilty by a jury in Garvin County. The jury decided his punishment would be thirty years in prison because he had previously committed felonies. The judge in his case sentenced him accordingly and this new sentence would be served at the same time as sentences from other cases he had. Bradley raised several issues in his appeal. First, he argued that the district court should have allowed him more time to prepare for his trial, but the court did not agree. They believed he did not meet the requirements needed for a continuance. Second, he wanted a new trial because of new evidence, but the court found that the evidence wouldn’t change the trial's outcome. He also claimed that his lawyer did not help him as much as they should have. However, the court found that he could not show how this lack of assistance changed the trial result. Additionally, he argued that the state did not share important information before the trial, but the court ruled that the information was not crucial. Bradley was concerned about comments made by the prosecutor regarding his right to remain silent. The court found no serious mistakes in this regard. Claims of prosecutorial misconduct were also rejected since the comments made were considered harmless in the context of the trial. One key issue was about Bradley's past felony convictions. The state had shown more convictions than were necessary, which the court admitted was a mistake. The court concluded that the jury might have been influenced by the extra information about Bradley's past and decided to lessen his sentence to twenty years, believing this was a fair correction. The judgment of the district court was affirmed, indicating they found no major errors in the trial process that would affect fairness, except for the over-exposure to extraneous felony convictions which led to a reduced sentence. The dissenting judge argued that the error did not greatly affect Bradley's rights and believed the original thirty-year sentence was appropriate.

F-2004-1065

Post author:Staff
Post published:August 12, 2005
Post category:F

In OCCA case No. F-2004-1065, the appellant appealed his conviction for lewd molestation, forcible oral sodomy, and exhibiting pornography to a minor child. In an unpublished decision, the court decided to reverse the conviction and remand for a new trial. One judge dissented. The case was tried in a district court where the appellant was found guilty on several charges and received a lengthy prison sentence. During the trial, there were issues related to expert testimony, jury instructions, and statements made by the prosecutor that the appellant argued denied him a fair trial. One problematic aspect involved a child welfare worker who said that the victim was truthful, which the court found to be inappropriate. Additionally, the trial court didn't give an important jury instruction that the appellant requested regarding inconsistent statements made by the victim, which could have helped his defense. The prosecutor also made statements that could have influenced the jury unfairly, such as referring to the appellant as a monster. Because of these and other errors combined, the court concluded that the appellant did not receive a fair trial. As a result, the court ordered a new trial to ensure justice was served.