THOMAS RICKY KING LITTLE ROCK AR TRIAL

THOMAS RICKY KING LITTLE ROCK AR TRIAL

It is well-settled that evidentiary matters regarding the admissibility of evidence are left to the sound discretion of the trial court and rulings in this regard will not be reversed absent an abuse of discretion. On appeal, Ellison argues that the trial court's limitation on his cross-examination was error, because the rules of evidence permit counsel to ask whether a witness has committed a felony. The trial court sustained the State's objection. The prosecutor objected, pointing out that defense counsel's examination was improper because Watkins had never been convicted of a felony in conjunction with her purported break-in. He then attempted to cross-examine Watkins by asking about an incident where she allegedly broke into Ellison's house and stole some of his property. At trial, on cross-examination, Ellison questioned Watkins about why she had not given any of this information to the police in her original statement. She also testified that, about a month later, Ellison threatened her with a gun. During trial, Watkins testified about a dispute between Ellison and King, and she stated that, on the day that King disappeared, Ellison's behavior was very suspicious, and he would not let her in his house. On appeal, Ellison does not challenge the sufficiency of the evidence, but raises two other points for reversal: 1) the trial court erred in refusing him an opportunity to impeach a State witness and 2) the trial court erred in denying his request that the trial be continued to a second day.įor his first argument on appeal, Ellison argues that the trial court erred in refusing to permit him to cross-examine the State's witness, Toni Watkins. Ellison was tried on July 8, 2002, and was convicted of first-degree murder. Appellant Stanley Ellison was eventually developed as a suspect, and a warrant for his arrest was issued on January 28, 2002. His remains were located in the Kibler River bottoms in Crawford County on August 23, 2001. Ricky King, the victim in this murder case, was reported missing on July 21, 1997, by his mother, Diane Pointer. Mike Beebe, Att'y Gen., by: Lauren Elizabeth Heil, Ass't Att'y Gen., Little Rock, for appellee.

Thomas ricky king little rock ar