Title: Kilson v. State

State: delaware

Issuer: Delaware Supreme Court

Document:

IN THE SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF DELAWARE 
 
 
CARLTON KILSON, 
 
 
§ 
 
 
 
 
 
 
§ 
No. 689, 2013 
 
 
Defendant Below,  
§ 
 
 
Appellant,  
 
§ 
Court Below—Superior Court 
 
 
 
 
 
 
§ 
of the State of Delaware, 
v. 
 
 
 
 
§ 
in and for New Castle County 
§ 
STATE OF DELAWARE, 
 
§ 
Cr. ID No. 1302018916 
 
 
 
 
 
 
§ 
 
 
Plaintiff Below 
 
§ 
 
 
Appellee. 
 
 
§ 
 
Submitted: April 23, 2014 
  Decided: April 30, 2014 
 
Before HOLLAND, JACOBS and RIDGELY, Justices. 
 
O R D E R 
 
This 30th day of April 2014, upon consideration of the motion to remand 
filed by the appellee, State of Delaware, and the appellant’s consent to the motion, 
it appears to the Court that: 
1. 
In April 2013, a grand jury indicted the appellant, Carlton Kilson, on 
Assault in the Second Degree, Possession of a Deadly Weapon During the 
Commission of a Felony, and Terroristic Threatening.  On October 4, 2013, the 
jury found Kilson guilty of the three charged offenses.  On December 13, 2013, the 
Superior Court sentenced Kilson to an aggregate of 12 years in prison, suspended 
after 8 years for decreasing levels of supervision.  
 
2. 
On appeal, Kilson alleges that the Superior Court committed plain error 
by instructing the jury that he was required to prove self defense by a 
preponderance of the evidence.  With commendable candor, the State concedes the 
error and suggests that the appropriate relief is to reverse and remand with 
directions to the Superior Court to vacate Kilson’s convictions, conduct a new bail 
hearing, and schedule a date for a new trial. 
NOW, THEREFORE, IT IS ORDERED that the State motion to remand is 
GRANTED.  The Superior Court is directed to vacate Kilson’s convictions, 
conduct a new bail hearing and schedule a date for a new trial.  Jurisdiction is not 
retained. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
BY THE COURT: 
 
 
 
 
 
 
/s/ Jack B. Jacobs 
 
 
 
 
 
 
       Justice