Winters v. State

Defendant was charged with murder and expressed a desire to have a bench trial. During the jury trial waiver colloquy, the trial judge provided Defendant with advice that the judge was not required to give Defendant and that was also erroneous. After a jury-waived trial, Defendant was convicted of first degree murder and sentenced to life imprisonment. Defendant appealed, arguing that his waiver of the right to a jury trial was not knowing and voluntary. The Court of Appeals reversed and remanded for a new trial, holding (1) the trial judge's erroneous advisement may have misled Defendant to believe a jury trial was a less attractive option than it actually was, thereby influencing Defendant's decision to waive his jury trial right; and (2) accordingly, the trial judge did not ensure that Defendant's waiver was knowing. View "Winters v. State" on Justia Law